For their 2018 Newfoundland and Labrador tourism campaign, Target Marketing asked me to write a new piece of contemporary music for the Newfoundland Symphony and Shallaway that would be inspired by the natural sounds of Newfoundland and Labrador. Target had a long list of requirements from their client (the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador) that needed to be featured in the work, including a rather curious list of one, two, and three syllable words drawn from the unique lexicon of Newfoundland and Labrador. After completing the orchestral score, I found the words so fun and full of eccentric energy that I felt compelled to write a stand-alone piece for Shallaway based on the original orchestral piece. This piece is written for and dedicated to Shallaway.
One Syllable Words
Duff – A pudding made with flour, pork fat, and molasses
Nunch – A snack eaten while in the woods or fishing.
Scuff – To steer clear of, away from; (b) to dance.
Squish – Askew; out of alignment; in desperate straits.
Twack – A shopper who looks over all the commodities but buys nothing.
Two Syllable Words
Bivver – To shiver from the cold.
Yaffle – An armful (of dried fish).
Nuddick – A small, bare rounded hill.
Rumper – A small, locally grown turnip.
Mauzy – Misty
Squabby – Soft as jelly.
Killick – An anchor made of elongated stone, used in mooring nets and small boats.
Yardel – Tangled twine or yarn.
Quintal – A hundredweight, usually pertaining to fish caught.
Cuffer – A tale or yarn.
Three Syllable Words
Bannikin – A small, tin cup.
Tuckamore – A low clump of trees.
Baccalieu – A nesting place for seafowl and a landmark for mariners.
