Three Polaroids for String Trio
Colin Payne
Three Polaroids was written for Diana Moisejenkaite, Catalina Barraza, and Jin Hyun Kim. Original premiere was April 26th, 2016
The version enclosed is adapted for 2 violins and cello. A version of the standard string trio is available by contacting the composer at clnpn5@gmail.com
Š Copyright 2016 by Colin Payne International Copyright secured. All rights reserved. First printed April 2016
Program Note: In a Polaroid picture, integral film is used, which involves the spreading of a reagent between an exposed negative and a positive receiving sheet. These two sheets are pressed together and held by a white border. Within a short period with the help of ambient temperature, a photo develops. While I do not use temperature, I do allow motives and melodies to evolve in a short time span: a nod to character pieces and bagatelles. Similar to the negative and positive sheets, I have incorporated collage technique to juxtapose fragments of old material (ie sections of Monteverdi madrigals) with new material (having the string ensemble resemble traffic in a city) in a form of counterpoint. "Three Polaroids" serve as quick snapshots of places, and especially people that I have the good fortune of meeting.
I- The City Speaks
II- Tamar (dedicated to pianist Tamar Mikeladze)
III- Diana (dedicated to Diana Moisejenkaite)
Three Polaroids
Score
I- The City Speaks
Using 1st finger on highest part of fingerboard use the 3rd and 4th fingers to trill beyond fingerboard; Adjust tremolo bowing as you see fit A
Fast;
Every part of the ensemble should be playing at different tempos but sync up at red solid line
Violin I
III & II
Violin II
Cello Global Time Clock
II
Repeat twice; 2nd time louder with quicker descent
Colin Payne
III I
Performance Notes (specific to this movement)
Keep playing figure until cued by second violin
Cue 1st violin; gesture is to be immediately followed by violin1
x2
~ 120
extreme marcato, au talon
10"
*
@~25-30"
extreme marcato, au talon
*
40"
Studder bow; Move the bow very slowly, with sufficient pressure such that the tone breaks up a bit into little irregular starts and stops. Note: to go between “Studder bow” and “Shake bow” let small short sounds escape from “Shake bow”
Shake bow: In a quasi tremolo fashion using small, quick up and down motions, shake the bow in a manner that no sound escapes the instrument (ie consistent contact) Mute strings with left hand; should give the percussive sound of muted picking by guitarist Only references slight hesitation...Notation begins again on down beat Non-specified pitch muted note; in this case muted open D string on cello
5 Play in 3; quarter note ~ 157
Create a distorted sound by adding intense bow pressure to which the audible pitch is nearly undiscernible; gradually (with glissando) decrease pressure to give audible sound (HINT: It should sound similar to a semi truck horn or Cargo boat horn as one moves past it)
*
© 2016
Violently
Three Polaroids
2
Vln. I
10
Cue Cello to start new phrase
Vln. II
Vc.
B
Vc.
Cue group to proceed to chord
Time markings will only appear as needed (ie when the piece is not metrically clear)
C
3
23
arco,pizzicato
1'
Vln. II
3"
marcato
10
Vln. I
Lento, ma in due
Three Polaroids
D Vln. I
3
E
using Glass slide, bow the strings while using the slide on left hand to glissando up and down the II &I strings irradically (don't develop a pattern)
Vln. II
Vc.
poco cresc; poco accel.
Fast;
Every part of the ensemble should be playing at different tempos but sync up at red solid line
F Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
Repeat pattern randomly
Repeat twice; 2nd time louder with quicker descent
Using 'wild' unmeasured glissando gradually decrease space of glissando (ie from full to half string, etc)
III I
Repeat pattern randomly
Begin after hearing 1st violin
Violently
5
arco,pizzicato
3
II- Tamar
dedicated to Tamar Mikeladze
Violin I
Violin II
Cello
Vln. I
Vln. II
Calm foreshadowing uproar
II
III
Violent, aggressive
7
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
gliss here does not need metrical accuracy
3
au talon
Vc.
3
3
0
0
G.P.
3
12
molto vibrato
©2016
5 Vln. I
Vln. II
17
Three Polaroids
3
3
au talon
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
22
molto vibrato
3
molto vibrato
3 30
26
molto vibrato
3
3
6
Three Polaroids Vln. I
Vln. II
34
au talon
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
spiccato
spiccato
3
3
pizz.
col legno
43
col legno
3
col legno
3
3
3
3
3
au talon
sul ponticello
3
3
sul ponticello
38
3
36
sul ponticello
(pizz.)
au talon
arco au talon
Three Polaroids
7 Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
48
51
Vln. II
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
III
60
Glissando up and down A string
Macabre, Enigmatic
II
Mysterioso, Tempo Introduction
55
Vln. I
col legno
3
3
3
8
Three Polaroids Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
Vln. I
67
(col legno)
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vln. II
Vc.
col legno
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Violent, aggressive
3 3 3 col legno
83
73
78
3
III-Diana
Dedicated to Diana Moisejenkaite
Violin I
Violin II
Cello
Vln. I
3
Vln. II
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
9
7 6 3 II 3 3 3 pizz. pizz. Playful, yet rushed
pizz.
0
arco
arco
Adagio ~quasi-cadeneza
Three Polaroids
10 Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
Vln. I
24
Vc.
Vln. II
Vc.
28
3
Release finger pressure
6
III
poco accel.
6
3
non-pitched glissando6
sul ponticello
3
2"
18
Vln. II
Vln. I
3
12
3
Three Polaroids
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vc.
30
33
3
47
Spirited ~ 100
39
3
11