MichaelTilsonThomas
UPONFURTHER REFLECTION
for PianoSolo
UPONFURTHER REFLECTION MichaelTilsonThomas
BygoneBeguine(6'15") SunsetSoliloquy(13') YouComeHereOften?(4'30")
Copyright©2016-2017KONGCHAMUSIC InternationalCopyrightSecured.AllRightsReserved. AllrightsforthisworkadministeredbyG.Schirmer,Inc.(ASCAP) v.112823
BYGONEBEGUINE
Intheearly1970s,Iwasfallinginloveforthefirsttime,experiencingthoseradiant,achy,free-fall,outofcontrolfeelings.
Theemotionalstreamsresolvedthemselvesintomusicforacross-culturalensembleIwashearinginmyheadIwasfiguring outawaytoplaywithmyfingers,andIcouldplayitforsometimebeforeIcouldimaginehowitmightbewrittendownLike somanyotherpiecesofthisperiod,thispiecewasoriginallyasimplelittlesong,butonethatreflectedallofmyinescapable influences,includingragas,gamelan,bossa-nova,thepianomusicofSchumannandDebussy,aswellasthemusicallanguage ofMonteverdiandBergandPeggyLee'sinimitablerenditionofthesongAlleyCatAlloftheseflowedtogetherinawaythat seemedcompletelynatural tomeanywayTheensembleundermyfingersconsistsofafree-floatingtreblemelody,arhythm sectionriff,abaritonehornortromboneline,andabasslineBackinthoseyearsIsometimesplayedthispieceinrestaurants, spellingsomeofmyfriendswhowerethepianiststhere.And,ofcourse,Iplayeditonsomefirstdates,mostimportantlythe onewiththemanwhobecamemyhusband.
OnememorableSundayafternoonIdroveuptoDanbury,ConnecticuttoplayitforLauraNyro,whosemusicandspirithave beenanenduringpartofmylife.Itwasalaid-backsunnyday.Lauraandherfriendswereloungingpoolsidelisteningtoold rhythmandbluesrecordings.Shegenerouslytooktimeouttoletmeplayitforher.Shelikeditandencouragedmetowrite moreThepieceisdedicatedtoher
PerformanceNote*m.21
Fromhere,thefourdistinctlinesofan"ensemble"shouldalwaysbedistinctundertheperformer'sfingersThetopoftherighthandis themelody-singingandsoaringThebottomoftherighthandistherhythmsection-propellingandrustlingThetopofthelefthandis thehornortromboneline-baskingandlanguorousThebottomofthelefthandisthebassline-centeringall
Thefeelofthepieceshouldbe"tight"buteffortless,withallnuancesperformedintempo
Tempo1º,ashademorerelaxed q=104
SeePerformanceNote: themelodyalways floatingandclear.
SUNSETSOLILOQUY
InthelateafternoonthesunpouredthroughtheVenetianblindsinbandsofshimmeringlight.Itwasatimeformetobealone withthepianoinmyparent'sdarkenedlivingroom.Iwastrying,asmyfatherandhisfatherbeforehimhadtried,tofind throughimprovisationsomekindofunderstandingofwhoIwasIwasalreadyawareofthemany"me's"whosespiritsseemed toinhabitoneoranotherofmyhandsMylefthandwasthehomeofareflectivespiritthatarchedinlyricalphraseslikea cellosolo.Myrighthandwasruledbyascamperingspiritthatzanilydartedaboutinfitsandstartslikefracturedvillage music;fullofcapricesandclashes.Nowandagain,therewasamuchgentlermusic;aduetplayedbybothhandsonetentative fingeratatimeEventuallymyhandsfoundawaytomakealloftheirmusicssimultaneouslyandindependently,gradually unitinginasharedcryafterwhichtheyquietlyandsomewhatnonchalantlyfadedaway
Thispieceisarecordofthatprocess.VeryoccasionallyovertheyearsIplayeditformyselftotestitsauthenticity.It’sbeen startlingtoseeallofitfinallywrittendownThebeginning,theduet,andtheendingaremuchastheywerewhenthefirst piececameintofocussome50yearsagoTheright-handmusicwastoughertoresolveItseemedeachtimeIcamebacktoit, ithadotherurges,andwascompelledtogothroughmanymeanderingstofinditswaytowardthemorethoughtfulandlyrical worldofitspartner.
SUNSETSOLILOQUY
Adagio,reflectiveandatease
thetwovoicesgentlyansweringoneanother
pocorall.
Largograndiosso
Pedalfreely,asbefore
Pocolentoq=62
Pocoprestoq=66
Pocolentoq=60
Pocoprestoq=66
Adagioe=98, thethreestreamsclear
cantandoespressivo pwithgentlelilt
alwayssoaringfreely
YOUCOMEHEREOFTEN?
Inthemid1970sIwaslivinginNewYork.Iwasworkingonatheaterpiececontrastingthelivesofuptownand downtownpeopleandtheunpredictablewaysinwhichtheirlivesmightsometimesintersect.Onesceneinthisshow tookplacearoundadowntownloft’sprivateclubonSaturdaynight.Bitsofmusiccouldbeheardfromthestreetas youapproached,andasyoupassedthefrontdoorandbegantosnakeyourwayupthestairs,itgotlouderand louderuntilyouwereenvelopedinthejoyousandthrobbingthrong.
Inthisscene,twopeoplewithsomehistoryunexpectedlyrunintooneanother.Totheirgreatsurprise,theyhave somethinglefttosaytooneanother.Duringthegapsinthemusictheytrytogetinafewcasual,defiant,andsome tenderwordsbeforetheexultantcacophonyoverwhelmsitall.
Thevirtuosopianopiecemadefromthemusicfromtheshowiscalled“YouComeHereOften?”.Itisinspiredby anddedicatedtoagreatartistandoneofmydearestfriends,YujaWang
pocorall.
Easybounceh=90