Three Nudes

Armando Bayolo

Three Nudes

for bass clarinet and piano Olibel Music

Armando Bayolo

Three Nudes

for bass clarinet and piano I. Burlesque………. ........................................................................................1.

II. St. Andrew’s Cross…………………………………..............................................10.

III. Nude Descending a Staircase ...............................................................17.

Commissioned by Katie Ravenwood.

Written in April-June, 2024, in Florissant, Missouri and Urbana, Illinois Duration: approx. 15 minutes

Three Nudes, by Greg Martin

Program Note Three Nudes is a sonata for bass clarinet and piano with a very cheeky origin story. Commissioned by and written for my “sister from another mother,” Katie Ravenwood, she asked that I use a triptych of sculptures by her husband, Greg Martin, as inspiration. These highly abstract sculptures, created on a whim during down time at Greg’s instrumental repair shop, were collectively titled, Three Nudes as a humorously satirical commentary on modernist aesthetics.

Thing is, Martin’s sculptures do suggest to me human shapes, and a kind of lyrical sensuousness not unlike the birds in space sculptures of Constantin Brancusi (if in a rawer, more brutalist manner).

The piece, then, takes this raw sensuousness and the sculpture’s suggestive title as a launch pad towards exploring less-than-polite subjects of human activity (but undeserving of the derision and shame they have historically been subjected to by a prudish culture). The first movement, “Burlesque,” takes its name from the art of the burlesque show. The best burlesque performers will tease their audience with the mere possibility at seeing their fully revealed bodies without actually paying that off.

So, “Burlesque” builds to musical payoffs that never quite materialize.

“St. Andrew’s Cross” takes its name from the instrument of execution that Jesus’ purported first disciple was martyred upon and upon which practitioners of sadomasochism find themselves martyred, so to speak, in less final or unpleasant ways. The movement is built around two contrasting elements: the bass clarinet’s long lines against a relentlessly (but varied) repeating series of four chords built around the B-A-C-H “cross motive.” (In fact, cross motives from Liszt, Bach, Beethoven, Shostakovich and Messiaen are embedded in the movement’s material.)

“Nude Descending a Staircase” takes material from the first movement and redefines it. Beginning in the higher registers of both instruments, it playfully makes its way down to the lowest ranges while blurring our perceptions of meter and loosely tracing the structural curves of the first movement.

Three Nudes is dedicated to Katie Ravenwood, perhaps my closest collaborator and friend. It was written in the spring of 2024 between Urbana, Illinois and Florissant, Missouri.

for Katie Ravenwood

Three Nudes (after Greg Martin)

1. Burlesque

Armando Bayolo

Grimy, like an old, smoky bar's walls after too many St. Patrick's days (=104-112)

  

Bass Clarinet

B. Cl.



Pno.

     

B. Cl.

Pno.



     

        

12

  

    

  

          

          

        13

 

       

       

 8



  

9

  

           

      



     





10

     

    

11

  





     







     



5

     

14



4

         



       



7

  

3

       

                     

Piano

6

2

         

            

© 2024, Armando Bayolo All rights reserved

   

15



   

   

   

 



         16







 

2

  

17

B. Cl.

Pno.

Pno.



        











27

B. Cl.



23

  



     

         28

       



            

19



      



     



        

 



     

25

     

     

        20

21

     





                                  

24

                    

             Pno.



                                                   22

B. Cl.

 



18

    

                      29

 

 



30

           

                    





 

26

    

 





 

    31

        



  



   

3



    

32

B. Cl.

Pno.

Pno.

Pno.

34

               

     

                                                        



   



 





    

   



 



40

B. Cl.



   

36

B. Cl.

33

  

   





 







        

   

 

     



   

  

37





     



 

 

 

 

  

  

         

  





   



        

  

      

 

              

41



 







 



 

39

    





     

38

  



   

35





  



 



 

 

   

4

  

42

B. Cl.

Pno.

 

Pno.

   

B. Cl.

Pno.



















47

  

                    

  

       

        



44



 

45

  

                                                     

  

52

  



46

B. Cl.

   



43



        

  





 

  

  

50

   

 

flz.

     



      

49



53

     

   48

  

 



          

54



  

        



51

     

               

55

   

        

  



56

  

    

 

  



   

5



B. Cl.

Pno.

 

    

 

    

  



       

Pno.

 





     

 Pno.



 

      

     

  



          





  







 



  



   



 

     







    





 





    

    

     

      

 

               

   



       

        

                 

62



         

60

   

65



 



    

 sub.   

 

       





59



    



     

64

B. Cl.

 



61

B. Cl.

  

58



57

 

   



 

66





 

63



        



 

   

                 



 

 

 

 

6



67

B. Cl.

Pno.



  

Pno.

Pno.



  

    68





72







                                                 

   



  

 

 

       77

 

 

 

74



                     75

 



        



          

      



70

 

78



      

           



73

   

69



                             

76

B. Cl.

  

      

71

B. Cl.

   

  



 



 



 

 



79

 



   

  

   

            

7

  

80

B. Cl.

Pno.

 

 



 

   83

B. Cl.









        



 



         





Pno.

  

 



   

 





  

  

 





   

 

  

       







  

    



85

  

  





 



 

      

   



   

   





    

   

84

      

82

 

         

                             

         

 

 

87

86

B. Cl.

81

      

  

             Pno.

   

  



 

        



  







  



88



 





 

 

  



 



89



  



  

  

8

   

B. Cl.

Pno.

 



   

Pno.

 

   

   

 

 

Pno.

 

 



 

 













     

  

 





  

  

97

 



 





      



  



 



 



  





98

  



 



 



         

 

               







93

                   





96

B. Cl.

92

            



94

B. Cl.

91

  

90

95









 

   



   





 

 

 

 

    99



    

 

     

 

9



100

B. Cl.

Pno.

Pno.



  

 

  

 





 

Pno.

    





 





  

102

106

 

 



  

          





    

   

111

112



 

    

   

    

103

  

  

 

                                   

     

110



 

105

            



 



 

   

    

109

B. Cl.

101

 

 

         

104

B. Cl.

 



 

    

   

107





  

 

 

  

  



  



             113

114



  



  

 

108

 





   

    

10

II. St. Andrew's Cross With the patience of one ofClive Barker's Cenobites (=52)

Bass Clarinet

Piano

7

B. Cl.

Pno.



2

  

 

Pno.









 

                          

 

 



  

  

 

   

 



8



               

 



3

 

           









   

6

10

15



   

       3

     3

11



12





                     

16







 

    

     

 



17



 

      

                       3

3

 



             

   

   

5

                                       

14

   

9

4

 

 

 let all the chords ring...                   

13

B. Cl.



 

3

 



 

  

18

 



    

        

11 19

B. Cl.

Pno.





    



     

Pno.



  31

B. Cl.

Pno.

 



20



   

 

 

 

   

 



  

     





      









  sub. 



  



 

 



  

  

  

  

     

35



    

     

29

 



     34





 

3

24

 

    3

        

 33

23

3



              



22

28



3

 



27

32



   



          always let ring!

   

  



 

26

21

 

 

                 25

B. Cl.



3

 

 

 

30

 

 



     36

       

                                                                                

 

  

12 37

B. Cl.

Pno.

  

    41

B. Cl.

Pno.

  

Pno.

  

 

  



 





       

 

39

                                            

                                    

 



 





  

  

42

3

 

         40

 

                    

    

    

 

43

  

 

                                                                                                                 44

B. Cl.

   

38

  

 

 

 

                       3

 

 

45

 

 

 

 

            3

3



46



 

     

 

3



3                              3    

simile

  

 



13 47

B. Cl.

Pno.

  

Pno.

Slower (=66)

Pno.



     

3



    

51 (...lama sabbachthani... batti, mio bel!)

   

 

 

güiro gliss*

        

55

B. Cl.



                     3                     3  50

B. Cl.

 

  

48

49





      

52

 











53

  

 

  

  

  

 

 

 

 

 















 

 



 

 



56



   

57

58



   





 

 

*"güiro gliss.": glissando with fingernailsof both hands on the white keys without depressing the keys (only "clicking" from the nails should be audible). As in Hans Abrahamsen's Schnee (2006-08).

The glissando's speed is left to the discretion of the performer.

 





  

54



  59     

      

        



 



60



14

61

B. Cl.

Pno.





Pno.



B. Cl.

Pno.

    

  69



  





62



 



  



      

 



63

64



  

   



        

         

 



   

     

      

 65

B. Cl.

 

  

 

   



 

66



   

           

  

       

                

      

70



  

67

71

 





     68

 

 

  



   

  

72



                                    legatissimo! (liquid, ametric and unaccented...)                                  

15

73

B. Cl.

Pno.



 

 

           

77

B. Cl.

Pno.

   

Pno.

  

  



75



              





       

   

 



     

79



  

          

     

78

76







 

   

 

80



 





                                    

     

81

B. Cl.

74

 

                       

   

   

 

 

82

83





84





 



                                       

                       

16

85

B. Cl.

Pno.



 

  

86







  

87

88





89



  

                                  



                                

17

3. Nude Descending a Staircase Shily Playful (=88)

            

Bass Clarinet

Piano

5



B. Cl.

9

Pno.



 



    

 

  



3

    

 

   



   



 

4

         











  









 

                              6

7

                                 

Pno.

B. Cl.



 



2

10

 

       









   

 



                 

       

         

     



8

  

       

   

 



11

 

 

12

 



 



   

 

18 13

B. Cl.

Pno.

17

B. Cl.

Pno.

21

B. Cl.

Pno.

       











 















 



 

brittle



15

   

 













18

    

 



  

        

 





        

 

14











 





 





  





     

        22





19

 



 













   

   

20





 

   

 



   



 

24

       

   





    

  



23

16

   







19 25

B. Cl.

 



Pno.

 29



B. Cl.



Pno.

B. Cl.

Pno.

   

27

       

 

  

 

   



       

26





   

       

   

  

   

28

  

 

   

                                        30

   

 

 32

   

   

    

 

     

   

 

     

 

 

 





31

   

 

        

   

   

      33

 

  

   

  

  





    

    

 

  

  

34

            

   





   

   

  

20 35





B. Cl.



Pno.

 



B. Cl.

41

B. Cl.

Pno.

 







  

 



Pno.









 

  

   



  

  

 

   



 





























 



     



 

                               

 

 



    

 

   





 



  



  





40











  

43



  

 

     

   

            42



 



 

 

  39

 

37

   

    

        





    

 38



36

44

    



 



  

21 45

B. Cl.

 





B. Cl.

 53





























 

  







 

54

     51

 







 







52





  



  56

 





   

   

 

 

  

55      

 

      







 

47

  



48        

   

 





 

50    

  



 



 







  

46

 

     



Pno.





   



      49

Pno.

  



     

Pno.

B. Cl.



=

 



22

57

B. Cl.

Pno.

61

B. Cl.

 

       



58

  

   



 



 

    

     65

Pno.





 

  

  



 



 

   

  

    



59

 



62

 

    



 

                       

           64



67

 

   

                         

 



    

                   66



63

 

  

60

                     



              

      

 



   

                   

Pno.

B. Cl.



       68

 

                 

          

23

69

B. Cl.

Pno.

B. Cl.

      



  

 

 77

Pno.

 



   

Pno.







73

B. Cl.

   



 

 

 

     



 









                       

 

 

78



 

  

 

 



   

   

        

    75

72

        

        76

 



       

                     

79



 



  

      

   

  



 



71

   

74



 



 



 



 

70

 





80

 

  



   

 

24 81

B. Cl.



85

B. Cl.

Pno.

89

Pno.





   



       







   



    

     

          83



      

      



 



        

      

Pno.

B. Cl.

 

82

86



 

 



 







       



 

     

 



90

 













   

 

 

         88



 



       

      

  

 

 

  

87



84

  



91

 



  





 



  

  

92



  



     

25

93

B. Cl.

   97

B. Cl.



 

 



  









95

 





     

   







 

 



   

     



103



     







100







   

     

   



 





   





 

   



99

  

102

96

 

 

     











98

 

 

  



 

   

     



 

 

 

       

   101





  

Pno.

Pno.

 

  

Pno.

B. Cl.

  

94





  104

 

   

 





 

26

105

B. Cl.

 

 Pno.

B. Cl.

Pno.

B. Cl.

Pno.



 







   

  

 

    

  



 

 

   



 



   

   



 



  

 113







 109



  

  







    

  

 

106

110

 











108

   

 

 

 

 



111











112



 









115





116













 



 









 



 













  



         

 

114



     

107





   

      

27 117

=



  







Pno.

                           120

B. Cl.







           123

Pno.

  

          

Pno.

B. Cl.



    

 





B. Cl.



118

         





121



 







 







 

   

 











   

       





       

cresc.



 





124



cresc.

                  

 

122



  





    

slap-tongued ad lib. always with an increasing sense of urgency, however.

    

119















   







 

 





125



                    

28

126

B. Cl.

 

129

B. Cl.



 

127

  







128





                        

   

      

Pno.

       132

Pno.

   

 

                          

Pno.

B. Cl.

   

    

        

131



     

 

 



      

  

      





  

       

         

       

130

 



      

  

  

133









134



                                           

29 135

B. Cl.



   

138

B. Cl.

  



       

141

  

 

      



  

       

   

  

 



     

Pno.

Pno.



   

Pno.

B. Cl.

    

3





    

     

  



   

137

   

  



 

  



 

139



 





142

 

  

  









140

   

    



   

       



 



 





 

  



      

 

   



136

  

   

  



     



143

 

       

        

   

    



30

144

B. Cl.

  147

B. Cl.



 





    

         

    

    

  

cresc.

  





      148



    

     

  

     



                 146

   

                     

  150

 

    

     

Pno.

Pno.

       

        

Pno.

B. Cl.

  

145



 

151

   



 

 



 









       

 

149







  

    

   

152

  

  



 3

6

 

 

      

 



    

  



  

     

   

 

   

 

 

  



      



31 153

B. Cl.

  

 

  156

    

   

  

Pno.

 

  



     

    

 

  

Pno.

                       159

B. Cl.

Pno.















          

       

 

 

 











 









 

160





 



   



   

   





   

 

 





   





158







161





 

   

   



   

   



 



 

 

 





  

   



  157



155

       

  



 

  

   

 

B. Cl.

 

      154

  



 

 

 

32

162

B. Cl.

    

Pno.

 

165

B. Cl.

Pno.

          



 

 

 

 

 

 





 



 

 



 

 



 

 

            

    



 







 

  



   

 





 

  

163

     

166



 

  







   

  167



 



 





164



 





 

 



  

 168

 







    

June, 2024 Florissant, MO