"Canon for Three" (2015)

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ERIC NATHAN

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Canon for Three

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For Three Sopranos

Copyright 2015 – Eric Nathan. All rights reserved.

P U B L I S H E D B Y N A T H A N A R T S (ASCAP) WWW.ERICNATHANMUSIC.COM | Providence, RI USA | (914) 391-8394 *PLEASE NOTIFY NATHAN ARTS OF ALL PERFORMANCES*

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Composed for Lucy Shelton, and dedicated to Lucy Shelton, Tony Arnold and Dawn Upshaw.

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***

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I N S T R U M E N T A T I O N:

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Score in C

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3 Sopranos

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Total Duration: c. 5 minutes

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PERFORMANCE NOTE: Canon for Three may be paired with Soul Perching (for soprano, clarinet, violoncello) in performance.

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A condensed, two-page version of the canon (with instructions on how to realize the canon) is found on pages 1-2 of the score.

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A full realization of the canon for three voices is found on pages 3-7 of the score.

TEXT:

“Hope” is the thing with feathers (314)

By Emily Dickinson “Hope” is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops - at all And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard And sore must be the storm That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm I’ve heard it in the chillest land And on the strangest Sea Yet – never - in Extremity, It asked a crumb - of me.

Canon for Three

œ

œ œ

"Hope"

is

p

And

the thing

sweet

3 &4 Œ

Verse III

-

Œ

fea - thers,

with

p

œ J

˙

est,

in

#œ

3

œ œ œ I've heard it

Verse II

&

in

œ

the

soul

#œ

œ

˙

œ 3

j#œ œ

3

the stran

p

9

œ

-

gest

‰

L

& #˙

SA

Verse I

#œ

words,

& #œ

PE RU Verse II

could

Verse III

&

-

œ

3

œ

p

œ J #˙

mi - ty,

œ

3

P œ œ J

p

‰

sings

j œ

And

must

the

œ

ne

œ

a - bash

-

œ

ver,

-

œ J #œ

3

the

‰

ne

p

lit

j œ œ It

-

3

œ

asked

œ

œ

-

tune

est

P œ # œj œ 3

land

and on

œ #œ œ

with - out,

œ

with - out

p œ #œ ˙

ΠF

œ

And

j# œ œ

3

the

‰

œ

3

Yet,

œ

Œ

heard,

3

π j œ œ ver,

3

ne

3

-

ver

ver,

Bird

œ a

3

in

p

#œ

j #œ œ

That

crumb,

œ #œ œ

j #œ œ

kept

œ

-

-

j ˙. œ at

p

3

the

Œ

ex - tre

3

Coyright 2015 – Eric Nathan. All rights reserved.

œ

3

stops

π œ

œ

poco

œ J

That

œ

‰

j œ œ œ

-

j œ œ

p

tle

œ

ne

j j #œ œ œ 3

That

p

the storm,

p œ J

œ

44 œ

chill

F œ

be

Sea,

œ

p œ ‰ J

4 j3 # œ j œ #œ 4 œ œ

œ

land,

œ

#œ

with fea - thers,

3

poco

œ 43

3

is

p

œ

3

P 43 œ # œ # ˙

SC O

&

the chill est

And

sore

Verse III

jœ œ œ #3 œ

3

thing

j œ œ

-N

per - ches

P

the poco

Gale,

P œ j œ Jœ œ j #œ œ 3 3

4 #œ 4

œ

is

P ‰ œj œ . the

3

#˙

"Hope"

OT

& #œ œ

3

RE

Verse I

in

p 3 œ 4 J

œ #œ œ ˙

5

œ

3

3

& 43 ‰ # œj # œ .

Verse II

p

PE

œ

P j œ- œ ˙ J #œ

R

Verse I

3

FO

p 3 œ &4

RM

Freely, with hope perching in the soul q = c 50

Eric Nathan (b. 1983)

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Text by Emily Dickinson "Hope is the thing with feathers"

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(see "Realization" copy for a full realization of canon) Performance Note: Each performer sings through Verses I, II and III in order (keep cycling through this page).

Soprano I begins alone, Soprano II begins Verse I when Soprano I begins Verse II, and Soprano III enters when Soprano II begins Verse II. Soprano III sings Verse III a cappella.

44

all,

π œ J #˙

œ

œ

so

ma - ny warm,

3

j œ œ a

-

crumb

œ

44

œ of

U

œ

me.

Wait for Soprano III to finish Verse III, then continue to next page

44

Canon for Three

2

Verse Sop. II

4 &4 œ Œ Ó perch

VerseIIII Sop.

4 &4 Ó & 44

p

Œ

œ #œ ‰ Ó

Ó

perch

Ó

perch

Œ

p

∑

Ó

perch

œ #œ ‰ Ó

Œ

perch

(m)

π

playfully, delightfully

œ Œ

‰ œ œ

Œ

Ó

perch

∑

(m)

π Œ œœ‰ Ó

œ #œ ‰ Ó

perch

perch

∑

p π ‰ œ œ ≈ ‰ J R

perch

playfully, delightfully

œ Œ

p π ‰ œ œ ≈ ‰ J R

Ó

p π ‰ œ œ ≈ ‰ J R (m)

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Verse III Sop. III

π œœ‰ Œ

playfully, delightfully

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p

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To be performed as written, in counterpoint With three sopranos performing one staff each until end

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13 Playfully

Please look at each other and engage as if in a dialogue - this is no longer in canon playfully, delightfully, with a sense of humor and a smile in the sound

(m)

Ò p œ J

&

Ò

œ # œ Ò # œJ

Ò

Ò

(m)

SC O L SA

Ò

(m)

(m)

(m)

PE RU

Ò

(m)

p œ J

&

œ #œ

(m)

(m)

Sop. VerseIII III

#œ Ò J

#œ œ

œ #œ (m)

10-20"

∏

10-20"

∏

OT

(m)

œ #œ

(m)

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Verse Sop. IIII

p œ J

RE

Sop. II Verse

18 p & œ #œ ‰

FO

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Improvise: - with pitches in boxes in a random order of groupings (within each grouping, perform the notes in the order written) - with spacing between gestures (slight pauses) - differnet spacings are encouarged Mix it up and sing twice in a row before the next performer sings!

Sing and communicate freely, try to respond to each other And do not worry about improvising "correctly" – anything you sing is correct here!

Ò

œ #œ Ò #œ œ (m)

#œ J (m)

Ò

(m)

œ #œ Ò #œ œ (m)

(m)

10-20"

∏

3

Canon for Three

AN CE

[Full Realization of Canon] Text by Emily Dickinson "Hope is the thing with feathers"

Freely, with hope perching in the soul q = c 50

P œ œ œ- œ ˙ j œ œ J #œ

p

j œ

SC O

j & ‰ #œ #œ. &

-

ver,

ne

-

˙

P œ œ œ- œ ˙ j œ œ J #œ -

est,

in

L

p œ

œ J

And sweet

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Sop. II

ne

œ

œ

SA

Sop. I

And

p

13

"Hope"

3

3

3

is

the thing

RF O the

R

œ

œ

RE

words,

œ

3

with

fea - thers,

œ

the

ver,

ne

P ‰ j œ. œ the

j œ œ

p

"Hope"

- ver

is

#˙

œ #œ œ

j# œ œ

j œ œ

3

with fea - thers,

with - out,

poco

Gale,

œ

3

tune

π j œ œ

3

3

thing

F œ œ

œ

3

P œ # œj œ Jœ œ j œ 3 3

44 # œ

poco

And sings

p

‰

& #˙

"Hope" is

FO

in the soul

-N

9

fea - thers,

p 34 œJ ‰ #œ

3

per - ches

Sop. I

with

˙ # œ œ œ & #œ œ

5 Sop. I

is the thing

3

œ #˙

3

3

"Hope"

p

OT

Soprano I

3

PE

p œ & 43

RM

Eric Nathan (b. 1983)

3

is

Coyright 2015 – Eric Nathan. All rights reserved.

œ the

3

the

j ˙. œ at

all,

p

44 œ

p œ ‰ Œ J

44 # œ

P œ # œj œ œJ œ j œ 3 3

heard,

3

œ œ J

with - out

œ

stops

That

œ

And

thing

3

with fea - thers,

That

Canon for Three - (Full Realization)

p œ 43 J ‰

˙ & #œ œ œ #œ œ 3

per - ches

œ

could

a - bash

p

Sop. II

œ

‰

& #˙

And

&Œ

Œ

L

j & ‰ #œ #œ.

And sweet

PE RU

p œ

Sop. III

&

"Hope"

œ

œ

œ

-

œ

œ

œ

ne

-

3

3

œ œ

-

œ

is the thing

the

tune

3

3

P

3

˙

est,

in

P ‰ œj œ .

P j œ- Jœ ˙ #œ 3

with

œ

in the chill est land,

œ J

fea - thers,

œ

j #œ œ

That

j œ œ

ne - ver

"Hope" is

with - out

œ

3

is

-

est

œ the

3

land

and on

p

44 œ

p œ ‰ Œ J

44 # œ

P œ # œj œ œJ œ j œ 3 3

heard,

3

π œ J #˙

P œ # œj œ

3 4 #œ œ # œj 4 œj œ

jœ œ

the

all,

3

poco

3

ma - ny warm,

at

chill

œ œ J

j ˙. œ

stops

the

œ #˙

so

3

œ

p

kept

œ

p

the Gale,

œ #œ œ

j# œ œ

p

Bird

π j œ œ

ver,

That

with - out,

‰

j œ œ

tle

œ 3

p

#œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ 3

SA

Sop. II

3

3

I've heard it

p

œ J #œ

ne - ver,

SC O

Sop. I

p

p

œ

3

#œ

the lit

j œ œ

words,

25

3

F œ

poco

And sings

P œ œ J

3

the storm,

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& #œ

21 Sop. I

in the soul

RE

Sop. II

be

AN CE

must

Œ #œ

RM

sore

p

Œ

RF O

œ

PE

#œ ˙

R

&

p œ #œ ˙

OT

Sop. I

P 43 œ # œ # ˙

FO

œ

17

4

œ

And

thing

3

with fea - thers, That

the stran

-

œ

#œ

œ

Sea,

P œ #œ #˙ 43

˙

per - ches

in the soul

œ œ & J #˙

‰

3

mi - ty,

It

P œ œ œ J

& #œ

a - bash

p

‰

Œ

PE RU

SA

&Œ

Sop. III

the lit

j œ œ

And

p

L

37

p

3

I've heard it

j & ‰ #œ #œ.

And sweet

3

œ œ œ

p

-

œ

3

œ

ne - ver,

#œ in

œ J

˙

est,

in

F œ

œ

3

œ

sings

the

œ

3

-

œ

œ

ne

-

tle

3

œ

π j œ œ

crumb,

ver,

a

That kept

3

jœ œ

3

jœ œ œ #œ 3

œ

land,

P ‰ œj œ . the

Gale,

p

poco

jœ œ is

heard,

3

the

œ œ œ

crumb

3

of

π œ #˙ J

me.

ma - ny warm,

j ˙. œ at

chill

œ œ J U

all,

3 4 #œ œ # œj 4 œj œ

the

#œ

That

3

œ

p

with - out

œ

so

œ

ne - ver stops

Œ

j œ œ

3

Bird

-

œ #œ œ

with - out,

‰ œj # œ œ

j œ œ

P

the chill est

ex - tre

p

p

œ #œ œ

Œ

tune

a

œ j #œ œ 3

œ j# œ œ 3

π œ œ œ

œ

3

asked

œ J #œ

SC O

& #˙

words,

Sop. II

œ

3

could

Sop. III

j œ œ

RE

Sop. II

p

in

p œ #œ ˙

poco

And

p

33

ver,

the storm,

p œ 43 J ‰ # œ

˙ & #œ œ œ #œ œ

-

-

must be

3

Sop. I

ne

F

PE

sore

Sop. III

Yet,

œ

j jœ #œ œ

R

&

gest

œ 43

poco

RM

#œ œ

3

œ

3

RF O

j#œ œ

3

FO

Sop. II

&

p œ J ‰ œ

OT

Sop. I

3

-N

œ

29

AN CE

Canon for Three - (Full Realization)

5

-

44 œ

est

land

P œ jœ #œ

p œ ‰ Œ J

3

and on

p

œ

And

Sop. III

&

œ

œ

Sop. II

&

œ J #˙

3

& #œ

3

&Œ

œ

Œ

œ œ œ

3

j#œ #œ œ

3

the stran

œ

œ

gest

&

œ

œ J #˙

PE RU

Sop. III

SA

57

-

3

mi - ty,

‰

j œ œ œ

the chill

asked

p œ #œ ˙

3

œ

œ

œ

ex - tre

-

Œ

3

a

#œ

That kept

p

U

œ œ œ

crumb

œ

so

3

œ

poco

-

est

œ 3

ver,

crumb,

F

in

œ 3

P œ # œj œ 3

land

and on

œ #œ œ

j #œ œ ex - tre

j œ œ a

me.

ma - ny warm,

44 j3 # œ j œ #œ œ œ chill

of

π œ #˙ J

3

œ

p

That

j œ œ

p

π œ œ œ a

œ #œ œ

Œ

‰ œj # œ œ

-

j #œ œ

the storm,

the

ne

in

crumb,

land,

Yet,

j œ œ It

est

œ

œ 3

ver,

p 3 3 œ ‰ œ j jœ J #œ œ

34 œ

p

-

tle Bird

jœ œ œ #œ

Sea,

L

p

-

-

RE

&

œ

in

SC O

Sop. III

3

p

P

#œ

3

a

3

the lit

I've heard it

53

asked

œ J #œ

3

ne

π œ œ œ

j œ œ œ œ

a - bash

p

be

3

It

œ

49

must

p

mi - ty,

P œ œ J

Yet,

P œ #œ #˙ 43

‰

could

Sop. III

Sea,

p

-

Sop. III

gest

#œ ˙

œ

sore

45

-

œ

RM

the stran

œ

œ 43

F

RF O

3

œ

poco

PE

j#œ #œ œ

R

œ

FO

&

p œ ‰ œ 3 j j3 J #œ œ œ

OT

Sop. II

3

-N

41

6

AN CE

Canon for Three - (Full Realization)

crumb

-

U

œ œ œ of

me.

44

Canon for Three - (Full Realization)

7

& 44 œ Œ Ó perch

Sop. II

& 44 Ó

perch

Ó

p

perch

∑

Ó

perch

Œ œ #œ ‰ Ó

Œ

perch

(m)

π

playfully, delightfully

œ Œ

& 44

Ó

‰œ œ perch

playfully, delightfully

œ Œ

Œ œ #œ ‰ Ó

Ó

perch

∑

π Œ œœ‰ Ó perch

perch

∑

p π ‰ œ œ ≈ ‰ J R (m)

Ó

p π ‰ œ œ ≈ ‰ J R (m)

R

Sop. III

p

Œ œ #œ ‰ Ó

p π ‰ œ œ ≈ ‰ J R

RM

Sop. I

π œœ‰ Œ

playfully, delightfully

PE

p

RF O

To be performed as written, in counterpoint With three sopranos performing one staff each until end

AN CE

61 Playfully

FO

Please look at each other and engage as if in a dialogue - this is no longer in canon playfully, delightfully, with a sense of humor and a smile in the sound

-N

p œ œ # œ # œJ Ò Ò J Ò

(m)

(m)

&

PE RU

&

SA

(m)

Sop. III

(m)

SC O

p œ Ò J

L

Sop. II

(m)

RE

Sop. I

66 p & œ #œ ‰

OT

Improvise: - with pitches in boxes in a random order of groupings (within each grouping, perform the notes in the order written) - with spacing between gestures (slight pauses) - differnet spacings are encouarged Mix it up and sing twice in a row before the next performer sings!

Sing and communicate freely, try to respond to each other And do not worry about improvising "correctly" – anything you sing is correct here!

œ # œ Ò # œJ (m)

p œ J (m)

Ò

œ #œ Ò #œ œ (m)

œ #œ (m)

(m)

#œ Ò J (m)

10-20"

∏

(m)

#œ #œ œ œ Ò Ò

(m)

10-20"

∏

Ò

(m)

œ #œ Ò #œ œ (m)

(m)

10-20"

∏