Vocalise: Questions

[Tempo: 120 beats per minute, quiet to loud, back to quiet, staccato]

[Chorus: adult a Capella choir]

No!….. No!…. No!…….. No!…… No!—
No!… No!…….. No!…. No!…. No!—
No!……. No!……… No!….. No!…No!—
NO!…………………. NO!! ……… NO!—

[Verse 1: children’s choir]

Why?…. Why?.. Why?….. Why?—
Why?…Why?…Why?….Why?…Why?
Why?…… Why?…… Why?…Why?—
Why?………………. Why?……Why?—

[Chorus: adult a Capella choir]

Oh!….. No!…. Oh!…….. Oh!…… No!—
Oh!… No!…….. Oh!…. Oh!…. No!—
Oh!……. No!……… No!….. Oh!…No!—
Oh!…………………. NO!! ……… Oh!!!—

[Verse 2: children’s choir]

How?…. How?.. How?….. How?—
How?…. How?.. How?….. How?—
How?…How?…How?..How?…How?
How?…… How?…… How?…How?—

[Chorus: a capella choir]

Be….. cuh…………… zz…….. uhm—
Be……….. cuh…………… zz……. uhm—
Be…. cuh….. zz… be…. cuzz, uhm—
Be… cuh…… zzz, be…. cuzz, uhm—

[Verse 3: choir]

Why?………………. Why?……Why?—
Why?…Why?…Why?….Why?…Why?
Why?…… Why?…… Why?…Why?—
Why?…. Why?.. Why?….. Why?—

[Chorus: a capella choir]

I…………… say……… so, I…… say so—
I……….. say … so, I….. say…. so—
I… say… so!, I… say… so, I… say so 
I……………………. SAY!! ……… SO!!!—

[Tutti: laughter]

Haa!……. Haa!……Haa! Haa! Ha!—
Haa? Haa! Haa! Haa! Haa!—
Haa! Haa! Haa!…Haa! Haa! Haa!
Haa!!…. Haa!!!…..Haa!!!! Haa !!!!!—

A choir sings a French Impressionist (circa 1905) vocalise with a directionless melody and no clear tonal center