King Tides

King Tides The Power of the Sun and the Moon Piano, Violin, Cello

Christina Rusnak

©Copyright 2025, Christina Rusnak Rusnak Music Press, (BMI) All rights reserved, internationally

Photograph by Patricia Davidson ©Copyright 2014, Patricia Davidson

Rusnak Music Press

King Tides Duration ~ 6:30

Notes: King Tide is a term to describe the highest tides of the year. While both the sun and moon influence our tides, the moon’s gravitational pull is about twice as strong than that of the sun.

Depending on how far away the sun, moon, and earth respectively are from each other, we experience different tidal forces. When the earth, moon, and sun are in alignment we get a new moon (moon between the sun and earth) and full moon (earth between the moon and sun) resulting in an increase in the gravitational pull. However, when the moon’s position is closest to the earth, defined as a ‘perigee.’ the gravitational pull is greater. So a full or new moon that is at its closest to earth will result in perigean spring tides. These greater tides exhibit spectacularly high waves which crash upon their arrival on western shores.

The King Tides draw crowds who are mesmerized by these spectacular forces of nature along our shores. Each year, some individuals get too close to the water and are swept out into the ocean. I included a short section representing the Sirens from the Odyssey, calling to join them in the sea.

Unsung Poem for Sirens: Do you want to see?

Won’t you come with me?

To the wondrous world of the sea?

- Christina Rusnak 2025

Performance Notes: Imagine yourselves at the coast in winter watching the crashing waves as they arise from far out in the distance. The piece is one of contrasts, thus the dynamics are directional and not absolute. As always is the case, the performance space can dictate the performers execution. It is to be performed energetically with moments of repose.

Rusnak Music Press http://christinarusnak.com

King Tides

Score

 = 72

 

8

Pno.



L

SA

    

                                             

  

  glis. 

      



E

R

       

 

glis.



    

  

  



 



  

 glis.

 



     

      

  

glis.



   



glis.

    

 

   





  

N LY

Vc.





  

 

8

Vln.

  







   

   

O





SC

Pno.



 

5



O

 



PE

Vc.



U

 

5



R

Piano



Christina Rusnak

                                      with L. Arm, SILENTLY  hold notes A0-A2 and press sostenuto pedal          Sust. Ped.   

Cello

Vln.



 

Violin

Piano Trio

©2025, Christina Rusnak, Rusnak Music Press (BMI) All Rights Reserved Internationally

       

 

       

         

2



11



  

18

Pno.



   







 

 













 

 



   



 

E







R







 

         

                      

 







      

   

                          

 







    









   









       

              

O

Vc.



poco rit.

N LY

    

A Vln.

 

L

   

14

Pno.





3

      a tempo

O

 



 





PE

Vc.





SA

 

14

Vln.



                                               11                                                                                             

SC

Pno.



U

Vc.

 

 







R

Vln.

King Tides

King Tides

                3                              21                                   



      



 





  

 

 

                   

 

           

  

    



 

                           pizz.                                             

     

27

Pno.

 



 

    

       







      





N LY

   

            





R

 

       

 ord.   

 

  3 3

O

Vc.



          



SC



27

Vln.

  

B 





sul pont.       

      

24

Pno.



 = 76-80



PE

Vc.



R

 

24

Vln.

  

 

E

        

poco accel.

O

Pno.

  

SA

Vc.

U

Vln.

3

L

21

3

       



 

     

4

King Tides

                      



33

Pno.

     

Vc.

poco rit.



 

35

Pno.

 





 

                            

                          



      

      ord.     

35

Vln.



 

 



  



                             

                 





         

 = 66





   

 



   



                  

poco accel.

LY

   









O

Vc.





PE

Vln.

 





N



33





SC

Pno.



 

E





30

  

      

O

   

R

 



 

U

Vc.

sul pont. arco

          

L



R

Vln.

              

SA



30



 = 76-80

C

L

                                                38                                                           

Vln.

Vc.



        

     

 

   



  



 



      





   



  

 





 





    

 



     

                  

   

 



   

E

R     

         44

Pno.

 

3









     

        

  

      



N LY

     

44



 

O

Pno.

  

   

 = 80-84  

    



           

  

O

                     3  41                           

PE

Vc.

  

R



poco accel.

41

Vln.

           

      

  

SA

Pno.

  

5

SC

Vc.

    

 

U

Vln.

King Tides

        



 

    

  

  

  

53

Pno.

  

  

 

 

  

 

    



      

   



  





  



                

  

   







 



  



 = 84





  

 

3





 

E

   

ritenuto  = 66

 

 





  





 



   

poco rit.



    

    



         

 







 



                       

N LY

Vc.

 



R 

 

53

Vln.



    

                                        

O

Pno.

PE

Vc.



                                50    50

Vln.



          

     



R

Pno.

 



O

Vc.

 ord.      47           

 

SC

Vln.

                       

L

 

47

    

SA

   

King Tides

U

6

3

3

 

 

  



      







      

 

3

 

  











   



SA

        



    

  

 







   

 

                        









      

 

                         



 



                                                             63                                                          





LY



poco accel.

O

Pno.







N

Vc.



   

63

Vln.





E

  



R

  

60

Pno.





R



PE

Vc.



   

O

 

3

60

Vln.



3     

                        

57

Pno.



SC

Vc.



              



3

U

Vln.

 = 76-80

7

L

D

King Tides

8







R

  





  



 

   

 



 



   



R

E

poco rit.

 



  

 









 



  

poco accel.







LY







 = 66

                                        3             

N





71

Pno.





  

O

Vc.



                                             3 3      69                                                 71

Vln.



O

Pno.



   

 



PE

Vc.

  

SA

 

          

U





69

Vln.



L

        

66

Pno.



  

SC

Vc.



                                              

66

Vln.

 = 84

King Tides

King Tides



82

Vln.

Vc.

Pno.

      82  



ord.







 





 



     

 

L

  

  





 

 = 76-80





 

poco accel.

 

 

 











 



                      

 



    

        







       



        

  

 





F   



 



 















    



 



    



 





    

 







  



           

 



LY

         78            





         



3





N



  

poco rit.







E





    



R

 

 









O

Pno.

 

   

PE

Vc.



  

 

  

O



78

Vln.

  

       74   on A string



SA

Pno.

       



just a little faster

SC

Vc.



espressivo

R

Vln.

The Sirens  = 76-80

U

E

9

 



 

           

10

L

SA

   

91

Pno.

poco rit.

5

             

                  5

    



E

R

 = 80 





    3



                      







  

     

LY

Vc.

   





 

 

            

N

 

91

Vln.

  

O

Pno.



O

Vc.



PE

Vln.

 = 90

                                         88 3                                                                         

88

SC

Pno.

poco accel.

U

Vc.

                         3                                    3 85                                                                  

 85 = 80

R

Vln.

King Tides

         

       

                      



97

Pno.

 

100

Vln.

Vc.

Pno.





 

 

 

  

L

       

 

 



       



 

          

      

    

 

  

 

        

 

     

       



   

3

 



 

 

 



     

                         100                                       









 

      

  







              

  

       





LY





 

 



N

3





E

  

G  = 84 

    





            

O

Vc.

 

               

 

PE

Vln.







O



97



 

 

R

         

    

SC

Pno.

 94          

 

                    

poco accel.



U

Vc.

 

11

SA

 

R

Vln.



             

94

King Tides

6



3

12

King Tides

       





 

109

Vln.

Vc.



 

109

Pno.

 

 



 

   

L



  



     





  

     poco accel.



  

  

  

  

 

 





                   

   



 



                      



          





 

    

 

 

      3 



   













   

 



       

 

 

 = 90

 

 



  

 

 





  

     

LY

         

    

   

    





  





N





106

Pno.

 







E

Vc.

     



PE

Vln.





    

     

O

  

106

       

           

    

         

R

  



SC

Pno.

         



O

 

103



      

U

Vc.

 

          

SA

             

R

Vln.

   

    

103

   





 



        

  

R

PE    

      

118

Vc.

Pno.

    

  

     







 



   

 

  

   





      



                          

     



 











                                                             118                                                                      

N

Vln.

 

 

  

 



LY

 

115

Pno.

 



O

Vc.

3

                                     

115

Vln.



6

    

      

E





         

O

Pno.

  



R



112



L

 

                3                                         

SC

Vc.

   

U

Vln.



13

SA



112

King Tides

14

King Tides

  

poco rit.



 

    

 

   

 

       

SA

    121                                   









ShhShh Press strings with left arm Lightly brush bow acrross strings OR rub bow along the corner of the body



 







LY N O

SC

O

R

E

U

Pno.



       

R

Vc.

 



PE

Vln.



L

  

121



http://christinarusnak.com

Rusnak Music Press