ALONE For: Baritone and Cello (duration: c. 6 min 10 sec)
By: Gillian R. Menichino Copyright Š 2011
ALONE For: Baritone and Cello (duration: c. 6 min 10 sec)
Poem By:
Edgar Allen Poe
Music By:
Gillian R. Menichino
*Commissioned by the Royal Northern College of Music for the Judith Weir Festival 2011
“Alone” for Baritone and cello was written as a response to the poem “Alone” by Edgar Allen Poe. This includes scordatura where the C string is tuned down a minor third to an A. Its effectiveness is displayed through the use of pizzicato whereas, opposed to a tighter string, the detuned, lower string can vibrate for slightly longer durations adding counterpoint to the harmony of events happening simultaneously. While creating a variety of unusual timbres, in correlation with the dark connotation of the text, it also contributes to the subtle ambiguity of the text and obscurities embedded within the music. The cello spends much of the time playing the high end of its register using harmonics to create an ethereal sound world around the baritone before its descent into darkness (the low end of the cello’s register).
Alone From childhood's hour I have not been As others were — I have not seen As others saw — I could not bring My passions from a common spring — From the same source I have not taken My sorrow — I could not awaken My heart to joy at the same tone — And all I lov'd — I lov'd alone — Then — in my childhood — in the dawn Of a most stormy life — was drawn From ev'ry depth of good and ill The mystery which binds me still — From the torrent, or the fountain — From the red cliff of the mountain — From the sun that 'round me roll'd In its autumn tint of gold — From the lightning in the sky As it pass'd me flying by — From the thunder, and the storm — And the cloud that took the form (When the rest of Heaven was blue) Of a demon in my view —
Alone
C string is to be tuned down a minor third to an A Score Untransposed
Gillian Menichino (b. 1984)
Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849)
Baritone
From child- hood's
p
o - thers saw;
Vc.
9
my
Vc.
arco sul G
Bar.
mf
I
have not
Vc.
mf
16
Bar.
arco
espress. pp
ppp
at
Vc.
mp
the same
mp
spring.
mp
my sor
-
pp
row;
poco rit.
pizz.
a - wa -
ken
my heart
mf 3
to
joy
3
p
mf
tone;
mf
mp
pp
arco
as
p
could not
pizz.
ta - ken
mp
I
A tempo
from a com - mon
p
mf
13
pas - sions
have not seen
p
(sub) p
mf
From the same source
pizz.
I
mf 3
o- thers were;
mf
could not bring
mp
p
Bar.
I
mp
3
3
5
as
mp
p
3
I have not been
l.v.
Violoncello
hour
legato arco
con sord. pizz.
Bar.
mp
p
legato
and
pizz.
mf
arco
Copyright © 2011
espress. mp distant
mf
2
all
I loved
I
a - lone.
18
Bar.
Vc.
pizz. arco p 23
Bar.
Vc.
loved
p
distant
From child - hood's
arco
espress. mp
pp
hour
senza sord.
mp mf
pizz. arco pizz. arco 28
p
mf
mp mf
q = 63
poco accel.
Vc.
pizz.
f
Bar.
pp
A tempo
mp
f
Bar.
mp
33
mf
Then
Vc.
37
Bar.
in my child - hood
mf
Vc.
mp
dawn of a most stor - my
life
of good
in the
f
and ill
pizz.
p
was drawn from
e - very depth
3
arco
mf
mp
p
3
mp
mf
The
arco mp mf pizz.
f
mp
mf
3 mp
mys - tery
binds me still:
3
rit.
41
Bar.
From the tor - rent,
Vc.
44
Bar.
or the foun tains,
from the red
mp
that
round me
A tempo
Bar.
light - ning in
Vc.
the sky
as it passed
mf
53
Bar.
Vc.
56
Bar.
Vc.
3
mf
mp
fly - ing
mp
nat.
the
that took
3
pizz. arco
mp
au - tumn tint
sul pont.
of a
de - mon in my view.
mf
from the
mp
p
(sub) p
gold,
mf
mf
mp
f
3
by,
from the thun - der and the
arco
3
mp
storm,
mf
the form
(when the rest
pizz.
p
of
hea - ven was
mf distant
mp
mf
blue)
sul pont arco
mf
of
mf
cloud
mp
mf
mp
f
me
p
and the
pizz.
p
mp
from the
f
pp
49
moun - tain
mf
in
the
rolled
p
sul pont.
mf
arco
(sub)
3
3
A tempo
pizz.
of
f
cliff
rit.
sun
Vc.
mf
p
sul pont.
ppp