Issuu

Ching-chu Hu

score

The Swash of Water and Red for String Quartet 2008

The Swash of Water and Red for string quartet by

Ching-chu Hu I. Icy, Silent Morn II. Riverflight III. The Anguish of Red IV. Orchid of Contemplation V. Dragonfly Ribbons

Program Notes from the CD Spirals: American Music in Moscow (Albany Records TROY 1095) Composed for and premiered by the Ohio-based Sonus Artis String Quartet, The Swash of Water and Red comprises five movements with the whole resembling a suite held together by a number of means, including the use of non-traditional performance techniques meant, in the composer’s word, to imbue the composition with a certain Asian flavor. I. “Icy, Silent Morn” The movement commences with violin I assuming the leading melodic role, while violin II, viola, and violoncello provide an accompaniment of strummed pizzicato chords such that the latter grouping might emulate sounds produced by the Chinese stringed instrument known as the pipa—an emulation further enhanced by the fact that the second violinist and the violist are encouraged to hold their instruments in the manner of a guitarist. This opening gambit gives over to an extended passage where the ensemble is divided among high- and low-voiced pairings: the two violins sound alone but then trade off with the viola and violoncello while the violins rest. Even when the full four-voice texture returns a little beyond the halfway point of the movement, however, Hu continues to treat the ensemble in pairings albeit variously combined. One is struck by the prevalence of melodic intervals comprising a second or a third, often rendering a dronelike effect against a rather pronounced dynamic level generally ranging from mezzo forte to forte. II. “Riverflight” The pacing of “Riverflight” is quicker than that of “Icy, Silent Morn,” both in terms of an overall increase in tempo (slight though it may be) and on account of sixteenth-note motion that rarely ceases. But the distinctions between the two movements extend to additional levels, including the cultural; if the earlier movement projects a veritable hybridization, drawing upon oriental and occidental compositional techniques, then the later movement most directly settles into a western mold, at least until its waning moments. Such generalizations, of course, carry with them the risk of being either too prescriptive or too simplistic, but “Riverflight” unfolds in a manner associated with a centuries old western contrapuntal technique known as the “caccia,” though here less strictly employed than historical representatives of the genre tend to be. In the first third of the movement the melody is transferred from instrument to instrument, and in the following order: violin I is succeeded by violoncello, violin II, and finally viola. The remainder of “Riverflight” features sojourns in and out of four-voice texture often realized via cascading techniques where the temporal delay among entries is brief. III. “The Anguish of Red” Although divisible into two broad sections, “The Anguish of Red” is unquestionably episodic. The forte unison passagework of the initial measures involves the entire quartet and establishes an anxiety-ridden tone, a tone that recurs a number of times over the course of the movement. In addition, even after both the unison and the ensemble approach dissipate, each new gesture continues to exhibit a “clipped” nature predicated upon certain of the opening rhythmic motives. Two related points concerning section B of “The Anguish of Red” warrant comment, the one having to do with what is encountered at the midpoint of the section and the other at its conclusion. The near frenetic level of activity that characterizes section B is offset in deft fashion by a slower moving and harmonious episode focusing on the quiet projection of consonant vertical major thirds. The effect is brought into greater relief when held up against the concluding passage of the movement where quintuplet gestures give over to a unison descent from the penultimate to the final note expressing a dissonant melodic inter- val involving the specific tritone F and B natural—the diabolus in musica. IV. “Orchid of Contemplation” The longest movement in The Swash of Water and Red, “Orchid of Contemplation” also represents a return to the hybridization of oriental and occidental compositional techniques heard in “Icy, Silent Morn.” Marked “lament” in terms of its tempo indication, the adjective “introspective” seems appropriate with respect to overall mood. As with several movements in the suite, the melody passes from instrument to instrument and especially in the first of the two sections in “Orchid of Contemplation,”

where glissando, tremolo, and strummed effects dominate the aural landscape. Several of the effects continue into the second half of the movement. Here, however, both flautando and harmonic sound production enter into the equation. As a result, the principal melodic line is frequently “covered” by higher and sustained notes in the accompaniment—an effect that would not be out of place in the late string quartets of Beethoven. V. “Dragonfly Ribbons” In certain regards “Dragonfly Ribbons,” the fastest-paced movement of the five, represents an amalgamation of all that has preceded it, and yet a greater degree of percussive effects animate the surface—effects such as “Bartók” (“snap”) pizzicatos, and string slaps (in the violoncello). The complete movement is essentially subsumed under a single arch, where division points are glossed over by the continual reentry of the melodic line at higher and lower pitch levels. This Baroque procedure is “modernized” on any number of counts, as when pizzicato sections dissolve into and out of the melodic frame. The motoric flow in “Dragonfly Ribbons” seldom lets up, and stands as the equivalent of a carrier wave facilitating motion toward the ultimate harmonic goal: an A major chord realized only in the last measures of The Swash of Water and Red. -Notes by Gregory Marion Note to Performers: Grace notes should be played on the beat and with as much portamento as possible to the main note. If there are a group of grace notes, then only the last grace note should slide to the main note. The effect should be as close to Chinese folk instruments as possible. An exception is in “The Anguish of Red” measures 1-3, where the grace note “G’s” to the dotted half “D’s” should be played cleanly and without a slide. Please note that accents are placed on the grace note in the first four movements. In “Dragonfly Ribbons,” most accents are on the fundamental note rather than the grace note. Pizz. (strum with guitar pick) A guitar pick should be used to imitate the sound of a pipa. The violin and viola may hold their instrument like a guitar. indicates stopping the ringing of the strings. Pizz. glissandi (2nd movement): The arrival note in parentheses should not be re-articulated. They are shown only as the end of the gliss. String slaps (for violoncello): Slap all four strings for percussive sound (similar to bass slaps).

Bartok pizz. If you have any questions, please contact: chingchuhu@gmail.com

Cover:

Reprinted with permission.

Full Score

Violin I

   

q=100 wailing, mourning       

  

Violin II

 

Viola

 



  



Violoncello

 Vln. I   10



   

 

  

  











Vla.

    27

Vln. I

f   

 

Vln. II



Vla.

Vc.





f  

 



  









     

    

  

Ching-chu Hu

  

 

nondim.















        mf       f       



  

     

   

       

   



  

     











      

Vln. II

Vc.

   mp

sempre f

       



    

 



f f pizz. (strum with guitar pick)

          Vla.        Vc.    

Vln. I

  

  

             f  f    pizz.(strum with guitar pick)              

    



nondim. pizz. (strum with guitar pick)

Vln. II

The Swash of Water and Red I. Icy Silent Morn

    

  













 





  

 





  

 

sempre f       sempre f     sempre f



            

     

     

 

 



   f

  



 

              

 

 3       3

  

                            

  



  



     

          

                     



arco

 

  



I. Icy Silent Morn Full Score

     Vln. I 

          

Vla.





 Vln. I  41



Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.

 



                                    

Vln. II

Vc.

  



  



     



    







C                  f                                         f      

 - 3 



 













  

 non dim.

non dim.

     







 

  

D with a gallop   

  



   

                 



  



 

mf arco   mf



        

 





 Vln. I 







Vln. II

          

Vla.

Vc.



 



 



          

         







Vln. II

    

Vla.

Vc.



                           

   

       



                                                      

 Vln. I  53

  

                                        

 Vln. I 







Vln. II

          



Vc.



      



                  f                  3

   Vln. I  61

     

Vln. II

 

Vla.

Vc.





 

 Vln. I 



Vln. II



 Vln. I   

Vla.

Vc.



   

   

   



 



 





 



  

 





  



 





  

   

  

     





   

 

  



     



mf 3

  

       

          

  

 

 



               



  

     

  

   

    

   

 f 



  



  



     

 

  

           

 

     



          

pizz. (strum with guitar pick)

 



 gliss. 

     



 



               gliss.                  gliss.              

       

mf 3  

                  

  

        



                   mf      

 

   

  



     3       







  



legato

Vln. II

  

                   





  





Vla.

Vc.

 





   

Vla.

I. Icy Silent Morn Full Score

  



          gliss.  

    



 



 

           3



  



 



  





         



 

 

 Vln. I   70

  

Vln. II



  

Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.



  

      

 

   

  

 



 





            

     

  



  

   

   





       Vln. I          Vln. II                       Vc. 

    Vln. I  79

Vln. II





   



 



   

  

   





     

    





 

  



 



                       

 



    





    



   

  

                 

 

       

   



  



      

  

  



        

     

       

         

  

         



  

   

                              Vc.  3

Vla.

  



 



  gliss.     

 

         

             

   



       

Vla.

  

  







piu f

  

  

    

 3    

Vln. I

 

  

 

 

 

Vla.

Vc.



 

I. Icy Silent Morn Full Score

  

   

        

  

     

II. Riverflight

q=112 with a glossy sheen                           Violin I               mp pizz.  pizz.       liss.   g Violin II    .  .   gliss  gliss       pizz. mf pizz.  gliss.    gliss.   .   s s i     gl Viola     mf pizz.                 Violoncello        mf

        Vln. I   7

 

Vln. II

                    





Vla.

 



          Vc.    

  

 

              

Vla.

Vc.



   

      



      

  



 Vln. I         Vln. II   

  



gliss.     gliss.   







arco



  





      











pizz

   







    mp    



        mp

   

 



 

mp                             

p arco



    

   





A 13                     Vln. I  Vln. II



Ching-chu Hu



 



 

          



                        mf mf f                                         Vc.           mf

Vla.

6 25    Vln. I  

mf arco

Vln. II

Vla.





                        mf mp          

   Vc.   f

 Vln. I  32







   

      

  f



arco



    



   Vln. II         Vla.                    Vc.  



                     

    



pizz.







  

pizz.



f           mf      f

           

 

                        

C                            f arco                         Vln. II         f                               Vla.  arco f             p                    Vc.      Vln. I  40

arco

 Vln. I 



Vln. II





Vla.





                        

mp                                           p mp                                             mp

                                                  Vc.  

II. Riverflight

    D 62                 Vln. I    mf                Vln. II                                     mf mp            Vla.                           mf

  Vc.          mf   71

Vln. I



                

Vln. II

               

Vla.

            Vc.    

 Vln. I  79



Vln. II

  

Vla.

Vc.

 



  



E    mf      f      



Vla.



 Vc.  



  





 





                  mf pizz.          f        

F     86                Vln. I  p mp mf                    Vln. II             mf



                                   pizz.               f              f mp                mp

                      arco        mf          mf



 

pizz.

   f





arco

 

 



          

 



           



  





 

II. Riverflight

 Vln. I  94



    Vln. II     Vla.          Vc. 







 mf





  



f p

     



cresc.





  

 

                                          f p   cresc. mp cresc.               arco                               mf p

G                             Vln. I    102

cresc.

    mp      

                          Vln. II         mp mf cresc. f                         Vla.      f         Vc.                    cresc.  f mf   110

Vln. I



       







      Vln. II                             mp                         Vla.          gliss. mp                   Vc.    mf

  Vln. I  117





         mp mf    f                        Vln. II                        f mf           g liss. .     Vla.   gliss.  gliss   f mf f           Vc.       



II. Riverflight

     Vln. I  123

        

          f              f

Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.





 Vln. I  

Vln. II







         

   









            



                f                    



          



129

    



         









                    



  

 

    

  





  mp        

        Vla.   f mf mp                       Vc.   mf  gliss.   135                                Vln. I  p                               Vln. II           p                                       Vla.   Vc.







pizz.















III. The Anguish of Red

Violin I

       

q=92 with anguish  5

          5                     5          

Violin II

Viola

       f   

   f 

   Violoncello  







  









5 3      Vln. I                    5 3  Vln. II                                       Vla.  5 3               5    Vc.           

                 Vln. I   3 mf                  Vln. II   mf              Vla. 9

  

 Vln. I  11



Vln. II

Vc.







 

   



 3 

     

     3



  

       



    



 

     

 



  



      

    







         

mf3

   mf



   





       



      mf

  

            mp





       



          

    

      



          







    





    



         

     

      

     

 

Vla.





    

 Vc.     

   

        5                5       

 

 

   

    



Ching-chu Hu



          mp

 



 mp





    



III. The Anguish of Red 15      Vln. I 



  



 

Vla.



 

 Vln. I 

 

   



 

Vln. II

 

 

    

               p        mp





 Vln. I  

Vln. II

Vla.

    Vc. 

            mp 





  

 

 







    

   

  



     



 mp







 p

              p    

   







  











 

                  mp mp         

  



  



 



            mf p              Vc.  

Vla.







 

  

mp 5



mp 5

        

      f   

Vln. II



  



          

B

 Vln. I 

Vc.

        

 

 

Vla.

Vc.



  

Vln. II

     



      p

        3





  







  

  



   

 



   

dim.

   dim.

III. The Anguish of Red

 Vln. I  32



                    mf                 

Vla.

Vc.







  Vln. I   36

 

Vln. II



       

Vla.

  Vc.  

D   Vln. I  40









Vln. II

     

Vla.

Vc.







    Vln. I  42



Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.







  





        

      



  

 





     

 





 

                                

    



 

 



         



 

    

 





   

 



 





Vln. II

 









    







 





        



 5



                 



   

  

  

 

                                5 f                            f

  







   

                 



III. The Anguish of Red

  Vln. I   45



Vln. II

mp    mp  



  

Vla.

Vc.



mp  

  





Vla.



 







gliss.

 5

Vla.

Vc.



   mf

     



gliss.





  p

 

  

 .

gliss







   





    

    



         5



 

      5



gliss.





 

 





gliss.

 

gliss.



  gliss.               



                    5 5



 

 









 



    

     









     

     

 

gliss.







        

     

   5       

      Vc.  

Vln. II



     

     

     





     

        

     

E 52  Vln. I 

     



               







         

 



Vla.

    

     

       5         



     

     

 

Vln. II



  Vln. I 

    

     

      

Vln. II



  

48   Vln. I 

Vc.

        











  

       p

      

   





III. The Anguish of Red

   59

Vln. I

Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.





 





 

  

 

Vc.

   

ppp





  pp

   





   p





          mp 3                



            3   3    

 

 









       5 f    f

                   

f 

 

p  p

















5 5                       Vln. I                 f 55 5 5 5 5     Vln. II                              f 5 5                           Vla.      



     5

Tempo I

Vc.

  



 5                                   5 5 5 pp 5 5 p 5 5                                 5   pp 5 5 5 5 p                   

  

Vla.

pp    



    

Vln. II



 

       

65 Più Mosso

Vln. I



  

 

 

Vla.



ppp

 

Vln. II

Vc.



   

Vln. I





  



         5            5 f 5

   



*strummed notes (with tremelo markings) should accelerate with the rising arrow and decelerate with the falling arrow

IV. Orchid of Contemplation

  

strum (with pick)*

q=76 lament

Violin I

Viola

Violoncello



 

Violin II

 



arco









Vc.



   

 Vln. I  18

 

 



Vla.





 





Vla.

Vc.





 



   

 f

  

strum (with pick)*





  









 

arco gliss.

 mp



 





     

              mp strum p      arco



  p



  



3  3        f pizz. 3          f 3     arco  







 

 



  



strum





pizz.

 



     

    p

 

       

      





  pp

           gliss.     

 

pizz.

        



 



3   Vln. I              mf    Vln. II  



  



 

 

      

pp arco

ppp



           

Vln. II

Vc.

 



 



    

  arco 



strum (with pick)*

     



pizz.

   



       





Vla.

  



 Vln. I  Vln. II



       



pizz.

15 Ching-chu Hu

 

    

pizz.

arco

mf pizz.

arco     mf 

  



  gliss.       Vln. I  31

 

Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.











 Vln. I 



Vla.



 Vln. I 

cresc.









  44



 

 

dolce









 f













        pp         

 

  







arco



             5









 





 

 



 



pizz.





                  6

 



 

   



 



 



gliss.

     

       



     









    

 



  







arco

strum

    



arco

      pizz.

      

 



 

    





 



Vla.



3    

      

Vln. II

gliss.

ff     

  



 

Vla.

  

 



 

Vln. II

    





Vc.



cresc.

       

Vln. II

Vln. I





cresc.

Vc.

cresc.



D                    

Vc.





gliss.

 

    

gliss.

 

 

IV. Orchid of Contemplation

 Vln. I   50

Vln. II

 

Vla.

 

Vc.



 

 Vln. I  56

Vln. II



Vla.



Vc.







      pp      



      3 



        





 

Vla.

Vc.







  Vln. I    

Vla.

Vc.



   

pizz.





gliss.   



  

Vln. II











   





 







 

 

gliss.

3 



   



  flautando         











    gliss. 



 





 

 

pp         

         



 

       











 

  

 





flautando

















arco





       



62   Vln. I 

Vln. II

             

pizz.



  

  



     

flautando

  



  











arco



ppp



ppp

 

 



     

ppp



pizz. ppp

 

Violin I

  

Violin II

Viola

   

 Violoncello  

  





f   pizz.



 Vc.    Vln. I  

Vln. II



Vla.

Vc.



   

    

f pizz.



 

pizz. f



 Vln. I  



  

 







              f     

         



     



arco  

  

   







        mf                     mp   arco               mf                 

 





 

arco

    





       

        f p arco pizz.                  p f      

 p  



 

                               3                                                  

Vla.



       

           Vln. I            Vln. II        mf mp arco      5

V. Dragonfly Ribbons 

q=126 driving





 

Ching-chu Hu           f                pizz.   f                        

 







       f      arco pizz.   p        

    

f pizz.



    



   

f pizz.

 

   

pizz.

           

        pizz.

   



       Vln. II                mp     Vla.                                f arco       pizz. arco                  Vc.        mf   

arco  

    

 Vln. I   Vln. II

Vla.

    Vc.    Vln. I   20

    

Vln. II



Vla.

Vc.



     mf                                            



   

arco











 

              p

 Vln. I    

                 mf        Vln. II            mf       Vla.          pizz.               Vc.     mf 25

 Vln. I  30

  

         

Vln. II

    

Vla.

      

Vc.







                                          

  



 

   

 

      



cresc.

             cresc.                   mp cresc.                     mp



cresc.

      



    

  



                             mf          

cresc.



 



          

     

        dim.               dim. p            dim.

   p

    p       





          



B        

           f               mf                

              

                    mp arco         mp

                                

V. Dragonfly Ribbons

 Vln. I          p  Vln. II               mp Vla.      mf     Vc.  34

                   mf                           mf                 

C                      Vln. I    f                 Vln. II        f p f pizz.          Vla.         f pizz.              Vc.   39

       Vln. I             Vln. II       pizz. f p         Vla.    mp arco f                Vc.      p

               

Vln. II

  

Vla.

Vc.



 

    

 

  

 f        

pizz.





 



 

     

    

     

 

     

  

 

          p mf arco                         



D                         Vln. I  

      

                                 

         

        

  

               



 

      mf        

   mf



            arco                     mp

 

   mp



  

    



arco pizz.                            mf pp mf pizz.              arco pizz. pizz. mf                       p   mf .         gliss    pizz.

V. Dragonfly Ribbons

 Vln. I  

  

 

Vla.



   Vln. I      59

   

Vla.

 Vc.  









 

Vc.



69   Vln. I 

 





 



 

Vla.



 

 

 

 

 

          pizz.          arco      

   

Vln. II

Vc.



     

    

arco





   



        ff         

arco





 



    





     

         

       

arco

          f                    mf

pizz.





   

  



        





E      



               

   

       

               

f              mf pizz.      f            

             Vln. I   

Vla.





      

arco





        mf  f        mf          

pizz.

  f      pizz.         mf



        

Vln. II



 

     arco       

    



  pizz.   

 Vc.      

Vln. II

       

arco

    

Vln. II

   



  

 

  



           p mf                             mf pizz.                      mf  

arco



    







V. Dragonfly Ribbons

   Vln. I         74

 

  

Vln. II





  



        

 

 

pizz



        

                             Vla.    f                         Vc.           f    80

Vln. I

            

Vln. II

 

Vla.

Vc.



 Vln. I  85



 

f  









         



Vla.

Vc.

 



Vln. II

       

arco

 





 

Vla.

Vc.

     



  

pizz.



 

    

    













    

arco







 

             

                    pizz.                 pizz. f              

 



 



      f           f  arco         mp        

90             Vln. I 

Vln. II

  

         f

       arco               

       



        f              arco  f  pizz.              f      mp         

 

 

       mf            



          arco        mp

H                  mp f  3                                                mf mp f   arco  pizz.                                pizz. mp pizz. arco                                         

   

  

V. Dragonfly Ribbons

   Vln. I   

   

    

  



               mf arco    f                     Vla.       mf            Vc.    

Vln. II

 Vln. I  99



                   pizz. mf                      f arco                  mf

                 arco             Vla.               Vc.  f

 Vln. I   103

   

Vln. II

         

Vla.

Vc.

 



 

        

       Vln. I    107

Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.



     



 

       

             mp       f 

        



     mp 



 

      



       

 

   



Vln. II







  



            



     mf

                       f                                      mf

   

                                            



I        ff







        

                                          

     ff

 mf          



          

V. Dragonfly Ribbons

                                                

   110

Vln. I

             

Vln. II

Vc.



113

  

Vln. II



 

Vla.





   



 

 







      

   

     



     

 

   

    

      mp

 

    

 



 





      



   

 



115

Vc.



     

 Vln. I   Vln. II



           

 

Vla.



      

 

  Vln. I 

Vc.



   

Vla.

              

 

 

           





     

    





            Vln. I 

 

        

   mf      mf mf







         

       

         









                                                       Vln. II                                  Vla.          gliss.      Vc.  118

  121

Vln. I



Vln. II



Vla.

Vc.





V. Dragonfly Ribbons

 









      



 ff



   f                

            f





        



   



124                                           Vln. I  mf f    mf               Vln. II                mf f    mf                       Vla. 

Vc.









   

    





    

Vla.

Vc.





       



  

  







  

    Vln. I  129

   

 

Vln. II

ff pizz. (strum with pick)

Vla.

Vc.



       ff  

  



  

      



         

    

   



  

   f 

  

 

 f







 

  



                

127               Vln. I    

Vln. II



   

    

 

pizz.



 

   

 

    

 

 

   



  



