Ghost of a Genius (No 98 from Paul Klee: Painted Songs)

Ghost of a Genius (Gespent eines Genies, 1922) No. 117 from Paul Klee: Painted Songs

Jonathan Posthuma

About Paul Klee: Painted Songs Paul Klee: Painted Songs is an ongoing series of instrumental chamber works inspired by the visual art of Paul Klee.

The series began in 2011 as a composition assignment from my first composition teacher, Luke Dahn, who asked all of his students to compose a work for clarinet and piano inspired by the iconic "Twittering Machine." Over the years, I have added to the series, continuing to draw on the wealth of inspiration from Klee's images, which are filled with musical references, textures, colors, and symbols that closely link musical concepts with his Klee's philosophy of visual art.

To me, these pieces are musical settings of visual poetry, hence "painted songs." What continues to fascinate me about Klee is both the diversity and consistency of his total body of work. Throughout his vast career, certain ideas continue to resurface and find new applications. In this spirit, Paul Klee: Painted Songs continues to expand, ever exploring the poetry of his work through musical interpretation.

Performing Paul Klee: Painted Songs Each piece within Paul Klee: Painted Songs can be performed separately and is considered an independent, free-standing musical work. But, performers are encouraged to recontextualize these pieces into "galleries." Like a curator of an art gallery, performers can combine these works in any order or number, interpolate them with other works by other composers, or arrange them for different instrumental forces. Some pieces are more flexible than others, but the full work is designed to be self-referential and open to interpretation. As the series grows larger, I have aided "curators" by arranging and composing my own "galleries," multi-movement works that were conceived together, but even these can be rearranged and will evolve as more "painted songs" are added to the series and developed in collaboration with performers.

About "Ghost of a Genius" (Gespent eines Genies, 1922) A ghostly pale figure, often assumed to be a self-portrait of the artis, is sketched faintly against a background of light green.

The figure tilts his head in an expression of curiosity or weariness. His bright blue eyes flash brilliantly, revealing memories of his former life, which are conjured up briefly by the soloist.

Performance Notes "Ghost of a Genius" is for solo clarient with flexible accompaniment. This version uses an ensemble of Violin, Marimba, and Piano. The drone-like passages should support the solo clarinet, which plays the three-part phrase molto rubato.

Between these phrases are breaks for optional improvisation by the ensemble (not the soloist).

The soloist "conjures" these ideas from the ensemble. Each improvised interlude should be distinct, but some suggestions for their dynamic range and character is suggested. Optional flourishes are provided for the soloist, but additional ornaments can be added.

Transposed Score

Ghost of a Genius (Gespent eines Genies, 1922) No. 117 from Paul Klee: Painted Songs Freely, Molto Rubato; q = 60

6 &4

Clarinet in Bb

∑

3

∑

Marimba

Piano

{

& 46 ww ™™

ww ™™

U ww ™™

œœ ™™

bowed, ad lib. & 46 ww ™™

ww ™™

∑

U ww ™™ U ∑

œœ ™™

ppp molto sul tasto, non vib., rebow ad lib.

{

? 46

ppp

∑

Pno.

{

4 4

∑

U ∑

6 4

Ó™

4 4

∑

6 4

∑

4 4

∑

U ∑

∑

4 4

∑

6 4

∑

4 4

∑

U ∑

6 4

4 4

∑

U ∑

niente

‰ Œ niente

∑

6 4

∑

? 46

∑

∑

U ∑

∑

4 4

∑

6 4

∑

4 #~~~ 4 ~ ~

6 4

6 4 6 4

depress silently, hold until next entrance non pedal

∑

U ∑

10

play into piano

U œ ˙

11

#œ- b˙

ppp

œœ ™™

bowed, ad lib. & 46 ww ™™

U ww ™™

œœ ™™

{

∑

4 4

U ww ™™

? 46

6 4

∑

& 46 ww ™™

6 & 4

niente

∑

U ∑

ppp

U 6 ∑ 4

8

4 4

∑

6 &4

? 46

7

Ó™

‰ Œ

f

10 - 15 sec. play E (sul G) alternate molto sul pont. and molto sul tasto, rebow ad lib.

Mar.

6

∑

fp p

Vln.

4 bœ ™ œ™U 6 bœ ™ œ™ 4U 4 #œ ™ œ ™™ 4 #œ ™ œ™ 4 w

5

6 & 4

9

Cl.

4

ppp sempre

15 - 20 sec. play E (sul G)

Violin

U U ∑ #œ bœ œ ˙ ™

like an incantation

2

∑

∑

U ∑

‰ Œ

niente

‰ Œ niente

j #œ- bœ ™ œ™ ˙

12

p fp p

U ‰ #œ bœ ™ œ œ ˙ 13

sffz f

œ-

p

ff

p 5 sec.

Ó™

∑

Ó™

Œ

Ó™

∑

Ó™

Œ

∑

∑

∑

U ∑

∑

∑

∑

U ∑

∑

Copyright © 2019, Jonathan Posthuma Demodocus Music Publishing

U ∑

14

˙˙

ppp

U ww ™™

˙˙

U ww ™™

molto sul. pont

ppp

U ∑

U ∑

3

& #w ™

15

Cl.

16

ppp

Vln.

Mar.

Pno.

&

œœ ™™

&

œœ ™™

{

‰ niente

‰

ppp

U ∑

Ó™

Œ

niente

pp

4 Ó 4

Œ

j #œ bœ ppp

4 4

∑

pp

molto sul tasto (one bow)

œœ

ww

ppp

U ∑

Ó

Œ

U ∑

4 4

∑

∑

&

∑

U ∑

4 4

∑

∑

{

& #œ b˙

˙

3

{

{

& ?

(one bow)

œœ

ppp

4 4

?

&

U Ϫ

œ

∑

?

Pno.

4 bœ œ 4 #œ

18

?

&

Mar.

Œ

Ó™

Œ

ppp

Vln.

œ ‰ Œ J

U ˙

17

sffz

19

Cl.

U™ Ó

out of piano

œœ ™™

pp

pp

‰

3

20

œ

U w

21

semplice

" #˙ niente

p

pp

œœ ™™

pp

‰

Ó

∑

Œ

∑

∑

U ∑

∑

∑

U ∑

œœ

ppp (pp - p) delicate and subtle Renaissance counterpoint

niente

∑

U ∑

∑

U ∑ U ~ #~~~ ~ u

U Ó

∑

niente

ww

U ∑

23

opt. improvised interlude molto sul pont. (one bow)

U ∑

Ó

œ #œ

U #w

22

"

U

˙ # ˙˙

ppp

n œœœ

œœœ

#w w

˙˙ ˙

nœœœ

œœ œ

U w w w

Copyright © 2019, Jonathan Posthuma Demodocus Music Publishing

U ∑

opt. improvised interlude

(pp - p) delicate and subtle Renaissance counterpoint

U ∑

4

U b œ & #œ J œ ˙

Cl.

pp

Vln.

Mar.

&

ww

&

Ó

{

{

p

œœ

pp

mp

œœ ™™

‰ Ó œœ ™™

‰ Ó

p (one bow)

Ó

œ

Œ

ppp

mp

p

mp

4 4

∑

∑

3 4

U ∑

4 4

∑

∑

U b œ œ #œ œ œ™ p

mf

niente

4 ∑ 4

" 44 ˙ # ˙˙

U ∑

n œœœ œœ œ

U bw w

œœ œ œ œœ

U w w bw

4 ˙˙ 4 ˙

devoutly

34

# # #>e >e fĖ

œ #œ e #e

opt. flourish and 8vb

(one bow) Vln.

&

{

&

Mar.

{

?

Pno.

Ó

Œ

œœ ™™

molto sul pont.

molto sul tasto

ppp

mp

œœ

ww œœ ™™

ww

‰ Ó

mp

∑

&

∑

?

∑

Œ

U ∑ U Ó

Œ

‰ Ó

35

U #w #%

∑

niente

œœ

ppp

U ∑

opt. improvised interlude

(p - mp) fluid, understated Baroque chorale

U ∑

36

∑

(one bow)

U ∑

∑

pp

3 4

33

‰ Œ

U ∑

3 4

∑

#œ ™ bœ œ œ ˙

mp

U ∑

30

U ∑

p

∑

& #œ ™ bœ ™ œ ˙

29

3 4

3 4 Ϫ

w

∑

32

dolce

niente

∑

31

28

pp

∑

ww

∑

p

p

U œ #œ nw

" 44 #˙

27

niente

∑

?

3U 4 ˙™

26

(one bow)

Œ ∑

&

Cl.

3

25

ppp

?

Pno.

3 U j #œ bœJ œJ œ œ ™ #œ bœ œ ˙

3

24

U Ó

U Ó

Œ #œ

mf

˙˙

ppp

∑

∑

∑

U ∑

∑

U ∑

niente

b˙ ™

Ϫ

(one bow)

˙

ppp

p

∑

∑

∑

∑

‰

Œ

Œ

Ó

niente niente

˙˙ ˙˙

mp

œœ œœ

œœ œœ

U #w ## w w w

˙˙

œœ

œœ

U #w w

Copyright © 2019, Jonathan Posthuma Demodocus Music Publishing

U ∑

opt. improvised interlude

(mp - mf) chromatic, song-like jazz-inflected Parlor Music

U ∑

5 37

Cl.

Vln.

& ùb˙ &

{

&

Mar.

Pno.

gliss.

bœ œ™™

Ó

Pno.

#œ bœJ 3

˙ ˙™™

œ

3

j œ œ

œ

œœ

ppp

j œœ

‰

j œ ùbœ ‰ ‰

sfz

˙˙

39

3

j nœ œ J

gliss.

ppp

œœ

{

38

j j3 œ œ œ

˙

˙ ˙™™

Œ

gliss.

ppp

˙˙ ™™

(one bow)

œœ

sfz

3

ppp

j œœ

∑

∑

∑

&

∑

∑

∑

?

∑

∑

∑

Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ gliss. n e # e # Ėecstatically e # e n e #e e # e # e e e j # e # ‰ n e nœ #œ & e œe e ne e e opt. flourish and 8va.

& bœ œ™™

{

41

mp

‰ ‰

ff

Ó Ó

42

43

U #% #w

∑

U ∑

niente (one bow)

∑

∑

?

∑

∑

∑

&

∑

?

U ∑

∑

∑

{

‰

sfz

?

&

Mar.

bœ œ

(one bow)

p

Vln.

‰ ‰

(one bow) ord.

niente

40

Cl.

œ

œœ

j œ œ

3

˙˙ ˙

œœ œ

˙ ˙

bœ bœ

f

∑

Copyright © 2019, Jonathan Posthuma Demodocus Music Publishing

Ó

Œ

œœ

ppp

U ∑

opt. improvised interlude

b œœœ

U ### w w w

U ∑

bœ œ

U #w ## w w

U ∑

(f - ff) jagged, aggressive Stravinsky or Bartok

6

j & #œbœ œ œ ˙ >>

Cl.

ff

45

p

sfz f (one bow)

Vln.

&

{

&

Mar.

Ó

Œ

œœ

˙˙ ™™

{

Pno.

?

˙

p

sfz f

j ‰ Œ œ

f

˙˙ ™™

œœ

ppp

p

48

œ #œ

w

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

pp

j ‰ œœ

sfz

mf

œ ‰ Œ J

f

∑

pp

∑

∑

œœ ™™™™™™ œœ ™™

∑

∑

U ∑ í ™™

50

(heavy pressure)

˙

p

K ® œr œ bœœ œœ œœ

n œœœ ™™™™™™ b œœ b œ ™™ b œ ™™™™ œœnœœœ ™™™™™™ œœ b œ œ œ ™™ b œ

f

» ‰ j ‰ ™™î œœ pizz.

U

pp sffz

p

˙ ˙˙

∑

51

∑ œ™™ b œ œ

repeat ad lib., with variation

& í ™™ ˙

{

p

mf

&

&

Œ

˙

repeat ad lib., with variation

{

Ó

∑

&

?

j ‰ œœ sfz

sfz

∑

49

Mar.

(more pressure)

mf

j ‰ œœ

mf

?

Vln.

sfz mf

relaxed

47

(one bow)

&

Cl.

˙˙ ™™

molto sul tasto

r œ #˙ >

46

p

ppp

?

Pno.

‰ #œ bœ ™ œ œ œ ™™ > >

‰ #œ bœ œ œj ˙ > >

44

U Ó Œ #œ bœ ™ œ œ ™ 52

U

f

53

j œ#œ ™ b˙ mp

54

Ϫ

bw w w w bbbw w w

6 4

j œ ˙

finish phrase, ad lib.

j 6 œœ 4

sffz

sffz

U ‰ œj ‰ ™™î œ

U

sffz

∑

U ∑

∑

∑

∑

6 4

U ∑

∑

U ∑

∑

∑

∑

6 4

U ∑

∑

U ∑

∑

∑

∑

6 4

U

bœ œ

œ™™

(heavy pressure) (with mallet) p f pp sffz

U ∑

opt. improvised interlude

(mf - f) frayed, tattered subsiding chaos

j ‰ Œ œœ

finish phrase, ad lib.

sffz

Copyright © 2019, Jonathan Posthuma Demodocus Music Publishing

6 4

7

molto rall.

6 & 4 #˙

55

Cl.

b˙

˙

pp

Vln.

& 46

{

Pno.

57

ppp

U ∑

3 4

∑

A Tempo (q = 60)

yearning

58

œ #œ w

p

4 4

∑

solo ad lib.

59

60

w

mp

∑

U ∑

3 4

∑

4 4

∑

Ó

∑

3 4

U ∑

6 & 4

∑

3 4

U" 4 ∑ 4 ˙˙ #˙

{

4 4

∑

pp

? 46

U ∑

3 4

∑

Œ

œ

w

œ

∑ w

p

j ‰ ˙™ œ ˙ ™

bowed

Œ

w

w

p

∑

∑

niente

∑

œ n œœ b œœœ

˙˙˙ ˙

# ˙˙ # ˙˙

˙˙ ˙

# ˙˙ ˙

œ œœ bœ œ

˙ n˙

˙ ˙

˙ ˙

˙ ˙

4 ˙˙ 4 ˙

∑

pp

Ó

ppp

? 46

61

arco

ppp

& 46

Mar.

3U " 4 4 ˙ ™ 4 #˙

56

ppp

∑

˙˙ ˙

## ˙˙˙

bn ˙˙˙˙

## ˙˙˙

˙ ˙

## ˙˙

˙˙

## ˙˙

p

#e ™ #e #e#e e e#e#e#e e # e e # e e Œ j e e e e e#e & #e J #e e #e e # e e e e #e # e e e e ™ ej # E ™ opt. ad lib.

62

Cl.

molto espr.

63

p

Vln.

&

{

&

Mar.

ww

ww

˙˙

niente ppp

Pno.

{

?

p

∑

j ‰ œœ œ œ

˙˙

niente ppp

p

j ‰ œœ niente

œœ

ppp

w w

∑

mp

#n#˙˙˙

˙˙ ˙

˙ # ˙˙˙˙

˙ ˙

˙ ˙

˙ ˙

˙ ˙

& ˙ n ˙˙

65

mf

j ‰ ˙™ œ ˙ ™

?

64

3

66

f

w w

p

p

#˙˙˙˙ ˙

˙˙˙ ˙

˙ ˙

˙ #˙

˙ ˙

w

niente ppp

∑

˙˙˙ ˙

niente ppp

j ‰ œœ ˙™

w w

#˙˙˙˙

∑

Copyright © 2019, Jonathan Posthuma Demodocus Music Publishing

∑

˙˙ ˙

b˙˙ b˙

nb˙˙˙

nnb˙˙˙˙

˙˙

bb˙˙

˙˙

n˙ ˙

f

#˙ ˙

e

mp

j ‰ œ ˙˙ ™™ œ

w w

∑

mf

67

8

68

Cl.

Vln.

&#%

{

& &

Mar.

69

{

#e E ™

e E p

w w

j ‰ œ œ œœ

˙˙ j ‰ œ œ œ

˙

niente ppp

p

?

niente

mf

ppp

Œ

∑

ww

p

# ˙˙

˙ # ˙˙

˙˙ ˙

˙˙ ˙

˙˙ ˙

˙˙ ˙

mp

∑

j ‰ œœ ˙˙ ™™

w w

w w

˙˙

niente ppp

niente ppp

∑

˙˙˙

73

∑

j ‰ œœ ˙˙ ™™

p

∑

72

74

75

∑

pp

∑

∑

nn˙˙˙

˙ ˙˙

b ˙˙

˙˙ ˙

˙˙ ˙

˙ b ˙˙

n˙˙ n ˙˙ p

˙ ˙

Sul G poco vib.

j ‰ œœ œ

˙˙

niente ppp

pp

j ‰ œ œœ œ

ww

niente ppp

non cresc.

∑

˙˙ ˙˙

˙˙ # ˙˙ ˙˙ ## ˙˙

n˙ ˙

˙˙

Cl.

Vln.

& &

{

&

Mar.

Pno.

∑

{

niente

∑

˙˙ ˙

˙˙ ˙

˙ b ˙˙ ## ˙˙ #˙

b˙ b˙

b˙ #˙ ˙ #˙ #˙

pp

n˙ ˙

# ˙˙

∑

∑

Ó

6 4

∑

79

∑

U b œ œ ˙™ #œ

(wait for resonance)

80

ppp

p

ff

4 4

∑

∑

4 4

∑

∑

4 4

∑

∑

4 4

∑

4 4

niente

˙™

ppp

6 4 ˙

w

?

∑

& n˙˙˙ ˙

nnb˙˙˙˙

n ˙˙˙ n˙

? ˙ ˙

bb˙˙

˙˙

ppp

Œ

6 4

78

∑ j ‰ œ

w

j ‰ œœ

77

w

non cresc.

ww

move into piano 76

∑

niente

ww

˙ nn ˙˙

? ˙˙ ˙

71

ww

ww

∑

& #n˙˙˙

Pno.

70

j ‰ œ

niente

6 4

∑

b ˙˙˙ ˙ bb ˙˙

Ó™

∑

6 4 ˙˙ #˙

˙ nn ˙˙

b ˙˙˙

w ™™ #w w™

6 ˙ 4 nn˙˙

˙˙ ˙

b˙ ˙

w™ w™

pppp

Copyright © 2019, Jonathan Posthuma Demodocus Music Publishing

l.v. (hold chord until end)

4 4

9

4 & 4 #œ ™ bœ ™

81

Cl.

pp

Vln.

Mar.

Pno.

(wait for resonance)

U œ™ œ ™™

6 4 #œ ™

82

f

pp

bœ ™

Ϫ

Ϫ

ppp

4U 4w

83

U ∑

84

niente

& 44

∑

6 4

∑

4 4

U ∑

U ∑

& 44

∑

6 4

∑

4 4

U ∑

U ∑

? 44

∑

6 4

∑

4 4

U ∑

U ∑

4 & 4

∑

6 4

∑

4 4

U ∑

U ∑

{

{

? 44

6 4

4 4

Copyright © 2019, Jonathan Posthuma Demodocus Music Publishing

U ~ #~~~ ~ u