verfaultes Kreis(-)chen (2018-19)

HAOSI HOWARD CHEN

verfaultes Kreis(-)chen for viola, contrabass, and piano

(2018/19)

PERFORMANCE NOTES

GENERAL:

1. The title of the piece refers to a “rotten scream” and/or a “decayed circlet”. The juxtaposition of the two translations are absolutely intended, and the piece should have a rough yet singing quality in its performance.

2. The tempo is rather slow in this piece. However, the longer phrases/lines, especially the longer/gradual bowings should be carried through with the greatest attention. Likewise, the longer dotted-notes (quavers, for example) should therefore be held a bit longer just before they are let go.

STRINGS:

1. The score is notated in fingering notation, which means that the contrabass (in solo-tuning of [F# - H - E - A]) sounds a Major 7th (M7) than notated.

2. Above the diamond noteheads, regular noteheads in parentheticals indicated the sounding pitch (again, for the contrabass it would sound an M7 interval lower).

3. To avoid rhythmic confusion, the contrabass harmonics in mm. 8 are supplemented with a small line of rhythmic notation in parentheticals on top of the staff.

4. The mutes required for both instruments are regular mutes, but should be of good quality and provide enough contrast to the unmuted sound.

5. “pizz. ord.” indicates a normal right-hand pizzicato, cancelling any previous indication of snappizzicato and/or left-hand pizzicato.

6. “m.s.t.” = molto sul tasto 7. “s.t.” = sul tasto 8. “s.p.” = sul ponticello 9. “m.s.p.” = molto sul ponticello 10. “c.l.b.” = col legno battuto 11. Whether it is the vertical-bowing or the circular-bowing, both should be executed in such a way that the frictional sound-quality has its vocal character. The players might consider applying slightly more bow-pressure as these actions become slower—to maintain the presence of tone. The same principle applies to the bowing near the F-hole (viola) and bowing on the bridge (contrabass).

PIANO:

1. It is important that the piano on which this piece is performed has a well-functioning sostenuto-pedal.

2. The diamond note head indicates that the corresponding key is to be pressed down silently.

3. The “Ped.” symbol alone indicates the use of the sustain-pedal (right).

4. The “sost. Ped.” symbol indicated the use of the sostenuto-pedal (middle).

5. The “u.c.” symbol indicated the use of the “una corda” soft-pedal (left).

6. The “*” symbol, used for letting go of the pedal refers only to the sustain-pedal (right). For the other two pedals (middle, left), their individual duration of usage is indicated by a hooked line.

7. When the “Ped.” symbol is accompanied by “½”, it indicated the use of a half-pedal for the sustain-pedal (right). This degree of variation may differ from piano to piano, but the desired result is a light blending of sustained colors, while still allowing for the distinct perception of the slightest articulations.

8. When the “Ped.” symbol is accompanied by “sfz” and an accent mark, it indicates a clear, attacking use of the sustain-pedal (right). There should be the sound of an attack of the pedal mechanism, and the resulting resonance with its natural decay.

PROGRAM NOTES

This piece draws inspiration from 2nd movement (Andante con moto) of Franz Schubert’s 2nd Piano Trio in E-flat major, Op. 100, and was composed for the Kunsthalle Karlsruhe’s exhibition of paintings by Sean Scully. Specifically, this piece is an homage to Sean Scully’s “Why and What Blue” (1994).

Link with information and picture of the painting can be found on Sean Scully’s website: http://seanscullystudio.com/new-arts-holder/paintings/why-and-what-blue/ The duration of this musical piece is ca. 4 minutes.

verfaultes Kreis(-)chen for piano trio (with viola & contrabass)

Haosi Howard Chen (*1991)

viola [C - G - D - A] [IV - III - II - I]

contrabass [F# - H - E - A] [IV - III - II - I] (solo-tuning, sounds a Major 7th lower)

piano

=

°B 5

vla.

m.s.t.

°B

pno.

= vla.

cb.

¢

°9B ¢&

{

œ

O.

œ

O.

œ

O.

œ

O.

3 2 œ

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O.

O.

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∑

4

O.

3 2

pp

∑

∑

œ O.

∑

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s.p.

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Ó™

‰

ord. pizz.

œ O

(2 + 3)

Π&5 8

p

s.p. arco

O J

p, cantabile

sfz

>œ ™ O™

4 OJ 4

O

arco

Œ

5 Π8

&

?

4 Π4

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p

p, semplice

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4 4

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II

˙

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IV

fp

œ

III IV

11. Flag.

O

Œ

ord.

(IV)

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O O Oj O J J J 3

3

4‰ 4

O

?

œ

silently depress the indicated white-keys

~~~~ ~ ~~~~~ Ó

sost.

°

&

sfz

‰

p

bœ

O J

7. harmonic

2

q

ord.

œœ O O

4 4 0

h

3

O #O

O

4 4

poco f

>œ.

(2 + 3)

Ó

silently depress the indicated white-keys

I

B

œJ ™ +

&

pizz.

II

2

O

œj O ‰

œ

4 4

>œ.

O

s.p.

2

B≈

3 j ≈ #œ ‰ #O

>œ. & œj ‰ ‰ J 3

f, sub.

3

3

© 2019 hhchenmusic@gmail.com

*

Œ

?

ŠϪ p

-œ ™ OJ ™ ‰

IV

4 4

poco f sul IV ord. arco

III

œ O

4 4

OOOOOO ™™™ OOOO ™™™

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‰

?≈

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4 4

poco f

>œ.

6 ™ 8 OOOOO ™™ ™

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q

9. harmonic

5Ó 4

II

m.s.p.

6 ‰ 8

œ 6 OOOOO ™™™ 8 bœ

/ q.

4

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0

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III IV

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3

espr. poco

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III

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f

jŒ œ*

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j #-œ Œ

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III IV

O O O J J

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II III

ord. pizz.

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(2 + 3)

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ff

p

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≤ œj ˙ 3 ≈ ≈ j ≈ j ‰ &‰ 4 4 O œ™ œ œ -œ ™ p, dolce >.

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III s.p.

m.s.p.

u.c.

3

& 44 Œ

pno.

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pizz. ord.

q = ca. 28 (e = ca. 56)

‰ r j œ œ œ

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p

con sord. m.s.p.

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& 44

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+

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≥ II O.

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cb.

q = ca. 28 (e = ca. 56)

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2

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ord.

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‰

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‰

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4

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3

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j #œ œ œ .

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ord c.l.b.

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3

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˙

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ca. 3"

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accel.

(2 + 2 + 3)

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f, sempre

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»0 3 ? 7 0 œ ‰ >œ ¢ 8 œ

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crini IV

silently depress the chroma c cluster

8

(II) III

p, dolce

senza misura

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3

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f

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1/2 °u.c.

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3

°

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sost.

3

f

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ff, sub. (sempre ff)

& 78#˙

pno.

≈ ‰ ‰

as rapidly as possible

pizz.

cb.

harmonic-gliss.

senza misura

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f

espr. molto, cresc.

3

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p

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≈ œj™

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f

A

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(2 + 2 + 3)

vla.

≈ œr œ -

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7. harmonic

IV

j -œœ ™

≈ O™j

s.p.

p

& 44#-œ

°16

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s.p.

p

cb.

ord. sul I

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B 4 4

∑

B

3 Π2

˙™

f, cantando

senza sord.

4 4

B

∑

3 Π2

4

p

q = ca. 36 (e = ca. 72) senza sord.

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˙™

arco

f, cantando

b˙

˙

4 ™ 4 ˙

4 4

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#˙

7 8

p

w

b œJ ‰ ‰b œJ ‰ Œ -3

‰ ‰ œJ 3

rfz

œ b œO<b>œ œ bœ 5

bœ >

˙

> nœ

˙

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rfz

p, cresc. e espressivo

˙ 0

p

q = ca. 36 (e = ca. 72)

4 4 œ.

3 4 œ. œ. œ. 2 œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. 4 œ. œ. œ. œ.

>. ppp 3 4 j 44 œ ‰ 2 œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. 4 œ. œ. œ. œ. œ œJ p f ° u.c. pp

7 8

œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ.

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# œ.

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vla.

3

°23B

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3

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pizz.

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» bœ

p, sub.

4 œœ 4

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+ œ œ

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C

+ œ œ

+ 3 œœ 2

O.

3 O 2 .

m.s.t. arco

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pp

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O.

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5

cb.

¢

?

{

ww

più p

=

f

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&

pno.

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5 j 4

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fp

h

b˙

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U

O

f

O

0

=

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vla.

cb.

~~~~~ ~~~~

sost. u.c.

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bO

O œ

4 Π4

? ¢ 4Œ

{

4

“U” ˙˙ ˙ 4

pno.

U˙ ˙ &4 ˙ 4

ppp

*°

u.c.

U ¿¿ ¿¿

œ

œ

U œ. b œ. b œ. nœ J . nœ. #œ #œ

Œ

moderate-speed circular-bowing; all strings are stopped

U  ¿¿ ¿¿

5 8

n ~~~~ ™™ ~ ™ b ⁄ ~~~~ ™™ sost. °

Œ

, U >˙˙ ˙

*°

‰ ‰ &6 8

6 ‰ ‰ 8

(loco)

p

bœ

œœ

U ¿¿ ¿¿

°

ritenuto molto

÷

Œ

U  ¿¿ ¿ >¿

÷

bœ °

-. ¿ -. ¿

‰

, œj pp ‰ œ̇ > * ° sfz

Uœ ™ ?

Œ Œ

U œ œ œœ ™™ <n> œ œ™

4 4

°

-. ¿

“” , œr œ̇ ,p œ̇œ R *

pp

-. ¿

-. ¿

-. ¿

‰™ ‰™ > ° sfz

4 4

Uœ ™ œœ ™™ 4

8

bow near the F-hole on the side of the IV. string

ritenuto molto (loco)

#œj œ J >O

4 4

rfz

œ œ œ œœ &6

bow on the side of the bridge (on the side of the I. string)

Œ

, œj ˙ œ

bœ 6 œ œ b œœ 8

œœ

p, semplice

3

B

rfz

œœ

always decreasing in its rapidity, and increasing slightly in bow-pressure

U ¿¿ ¿¿

3

3

b œ. œ. pp

Uœ ™

IV

4 O O OJ O™ 4

5 Œ j‰ j 4 ‰ 8 4

b >œ œ bO J J

7. harmonic

allargando tempo I (q = ca. 28) ” (2 + 3) b“œ

&

3 2

7. - 9. harmonics

œ. 4 ‰ J 4

Ó

silently depress the chroma c cluster

sul II

ff

O.

w >

tempo I (q = ca. 28)

O. J

m.s.p.

poco f

3Ó 2

∑

slow-speed circular-bowing (w/ more bow-pressure); all strings are stopped

, U >˙ ˙˙

C

∑

∑

O

° U ¿¿ ¿¿

pp

∑

5˙ 8

fast-speed ver cal-bowing from the bridge area to and across the fingerboard, all strings are stopped

&4

p

p, dolce

#O

espr. molto, cresc.

?

Œ

bœ

IV œ ˙™ œj B 4 ‰ 3 Œ ‰ ‰ 5 &8 rO -O 4 œJ

senza misura

b œ. œ. >œ ™

Œ

bœ

≤ nœ nO.

I

& œ

pno.

4 Ó 4

allargando (2 + 3)

pp, sempre

(ca. 2")

pizz. ord.

4 4

moderate, decelera ng

O. O.

m.s.t. arco

4 4

(II)

very rapidly sul I

>. .

O O O. . #O

Ó

U Uœ œ O

ca. 3"

ord. c.l.b.

cb.

5œ 4

UU >œ0 IIœ

°B

sfz

(3 + 2)

f

28 senza misura

vla.

œ

IV pizz.

Œ Œ

4

U

3" (f)

U

3" (f)

,

U

3"

, a er the 3" freeze, let go of the pedal cleanly at once