'Bennington' for 12-part a cappella SATB choir

Keane Southard

Bennington For

12-part a cappella SATB choir

(2015) (Duration: 6 mins.)

Program notes: Bennington was composed in the summer of 2015. It is inspired by a vocal warm-up that I heard earlier that year in a theater production at Bennington College for which I played piano. During that warmup, the ensemble of about 20 began by vocalizing on any pitch and each person moved to any pitch they wanted to and whenever they felt like it. The result was very striking to me, and I immediately thought about the possibilities of writing a choral work where pitches are not specified and each singer has the freedom to choose his and her own (within certain boundaries.) It is dedicated to the college and my two years living and teaching there.

Keane Southard 2015

Performance Instructions: 1. In terms of pitch, this piece uses a three-line staff where a note on the highest line means that the singer should sing any pitch in the highest third of his or her vocal range, a note on the middle line signifies any pitch in the middle third, and on the bottom line any pitch in the bottom third. Singers should strive to find a good variety of different pitches within each register instead of returning to the same pitch for each successive note in that register.

2. In the beginning (m. 1-34) and ending (m. 93-126) sections, dashed barlines are used. This is because these sections are supposed to have no sense of meter, metric accents or even audible beats. Time signatures have been provided (4/4 for the most part) in order to facilitate coordination between the singers and conductor. The effect should be of a sound-cloud that gradually changes shape. The middle section (m. 35-92) should emphasize the fact that it has meter, beats, and accents to contrast with these outer sections.

3. In the beginning (m. 1-34) and ending (m. 93-126) sections,

singers should take quick discreet breaths when needed.

However, breaths should not be taken between pitches and all changes of pitch and syllable are to be legato spanning a single breath in order to not accent the new pitch or syllable.

4. All diminuendos (reverse hairpins) followed by a rest should

end niente.

Pronunciation guide: Five vowels sounds are used in the piece: -“Ah” is pronounced like the vowel sound in “Mama” -“Oo” is pronounced like the vowel sound in “Food” -“Ee” is pronounced like the vowel sound in “We” -“Oh” is pronounced like the vowel sound in “Go” -“Eh” is pronounced like the vowel sound in “Set” Fifteen consonant sounds are used in the middle section of the piece (combined with the above vowel sounds): -“B” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “Boy” -“D” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “Done” -“P” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “Post” -“J” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “Joy” -“T” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “Tone” -“K” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “Kid” -“F” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “Find” -“Y” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “You” -“G” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “Go” -“P” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “Pie” -“S” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “Say” -“Z” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “Zoom” -“M” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “Man” -“N” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “Night” -“Z” is pronounced as the beginning consonant in “Zoom” This guide is to avoid any confusion between how the syllables in the piece would sound if reading them in English and how they should sound in this piece. (For example, “Gee” in this piece is pronounced differently than the same English word.)

Keane Southard/Spindrift Pages Email: keane.southard@hotmail.com Website: keanesouthard.instantencore.com

Bennington Keane Southard

q = 60 High Soprano 1 Middle Low High Soprano 2 Middle Low High Soprano 3 Middle Low

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6

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B q = 132 f       

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  

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

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  



   

Tah



    



 

Bah

     

Dah

  

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  



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   



     

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Fah

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

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       

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(Ah)

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   

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   

B3

(Ah)



     

Dah



     

 

    

Fah

          

     Kah

  

  

Yah







Jah

f

    

   

Tah

Bah

         

Ah



Gah

f

B1



Jah

         

  

          

Kah

(Ah)

    



   

Tah

Bah

          f



Gah

f

  

          

Jah

Pah

    

    

Kah

          f

      Gah

f

  



Jah

Pah

    

          

Kah

         

f

    

          Pah

 

      Gah

        Tah

  



    Fah

    

7 43

S1

       

    

   

                

Foo

S2

     

   

     

Too

S3

  



   

Joo

 

         

A1



 



A2

        

     

Too

A3

  



T1

   

 

         

     

Too

T3

  



   







 

          

B1

B2

    

     

Too

B3

  



    Poo







   

Joo

 

  



   



Boo

          

   

Koo



Doo

     



          

                   

  

Yoo

Foo

   



Boo

Doo

       



Koo

Goo

    

   

          

Joo

Poo

   

   

                 

     



Yoo

Foo

T2



Goo

     

  

Boo

Doo

       

 

Koo

Joo

     

    

   

          

                 

Poo

   

    Goo

     



Yoo

Foo

   

   



Doo

      

    



Boo

Poo

   

   

Yoo





    Goo

           Koo



8 pp

52

S1

       Ee Oh Ah

S2

      Ah Oo Ee

S3

       Oh Ee Oo

 

             

Eh Oo Ah

Ee Eh Oh



           





Oh Eh Ee

Ah Oo Ee

Oo Ah Eh

f



   

Oo pp







A1

Ee Oh Ah

 

Eh Oo Ah

Ee Eh Oh

Oo

A2

A3



 

Ah Oo Ee

Oh Eh Ee

      

  

Oh Ee Oo

Ah Ee Eh

       Ah Oo Ee



 Ee

 Ah

    



Oh



 



T1

Ee Oh Ah

T2

      Ah Oo Ee

T3

       Oh Ee Oo

 

        

Oo



Eh Oo Ah

Ee Eh Oh

Oo

Ee



      







Oh Eh Ee

Eh

Ah

        



Ah Ee Eh

Ah Oo Ee

Oo Ah Eh

Oh

 

    



f

    



 

Eh

See

f

    



     

 

Oh pp

  



     

 

Ah



f

Oo

     





Ah pp

     

Oh



B1

Ee Oh Ah

 

         

Eh Oo Ah

Ee Eh Oh

Oo



      

    

 



    

B2

Ah Oo Ee

 

f

     





Oo

   

Oh Eh Ee

Ah Oo Ee

Eh

f









B3

Oh Ee Oo

               Ah Ee Eh

Oo Ah Eh

Oh

Oo



f









Ah

    

  

 Pee

   



Pee

pp

      



Jee

Ee

    

 

Jee

pp

    



Jee f

Ee pp

Ah

    

pp

      



See

Eh





See f

pp

      

   

f

Kee

Eh

Oo Ah Eh



  

pp

    

   

Kee

Oh

        



   

pp

      

   

Kee f

Eh pp

             Ah Ee Eh



C 

f









     Pee



9

S1



   f

S2

 

f

f

59

  



 

 



Zee

   

  

 



Zee

S3



  

   

 

  



  

 

   

A2

 

 

 





 

A3

 

  

T1

  

T2

  

  

 



 

  f

 

  



 

 

T3

f



B1

  



 



 



Nee

  

  



 



  



 

  

  



 

  



 





 



 





  





f

















  







  





 

  







Zee

  

f



 





   

   Tee

   













Bee

f



 





    Bee

f

   



Zee f

Tee

B3

  

Zee f

Tee f

B2

 

f

  

Nee

  



Gee

Nee

 

  

Gee

f

   



Gee

f

 



f

Mee

  

 

 

Mee f

   

 

f

Mee f

  



Yee

f A1



Yee f

Zee

  

  

Yee f

f

  

  



 





f  Bee

10 fp

65

S1

  





  

fp









Doh fp

S2

 

   











  











Doh

A1

A2

   



 

 

 



Toh

Noh

fp



  



Toh fp

A3

  

   



  



Toh

T1

 

T2

 

Moh fp

T3

  

 

  

B1

B2

 



  

B3

Zoh





  

             

     

  

   

Yoh



 



  



 







   









  



 

  





  





 





  





  





Koh fp

   







   Koh

   



  Soh fp

  



  

Soh fp

   



  

Soh

fp

  

   

      Goh fp

  

  

Yoh fp

fp



Koh fp

Yoh fp

Zoh

    

   

fp

Zoh fp



    fp

Boh

  



fp

       

Moh



   

Poh

Boh fp

fp

   



Boh

  



f

    

fp

fp



Poh

fp

  

Moh

 



Noh

fp

  

   

Noh fp





Poh f

fp

fp

    





Joh

fp

  



    

Joh fp

fp S3



Joh fp

Doh

    

f

   

    

Goh

fp

  

   

     Goh

11

S1

73 D   

f



 

 

Mee

Oh

f

S2

  



 

 

Mee

Oh

f

S3

  

 f

A1

  

A2

A3

  

Oh

 

 

      

Too f

Ee

Oh

 

 

     

Too

Ee

Oh

Oo

      Kah f

T3

        Kah

B1

Beh Ah

   

  

Ee

      Goh



Oo

    Pah



Oo

Oo



Goh

   

    Pah



      Foo

Ee

f           



Goh

   

f          Beh Ah

B3

Oo



Foo

   

    Pah

  Jeh

Foo

Ee

f          Beh Ah

B2

Oo

   



Ah

Ee

  Jeh

      

Too

f

T2

Oh



Ah

     

       Kah

Mee

  Jeh

      

 

f

T1

 



Ah

  f

 

 

      

Eh

     See

Oo

   See



   See



Oh

   See



        

Zoo

 

Ah

       

 

Ah

         

 

Ah

        

Zoo

See

    

Ah

Zoo

     

Oo

       

Zoo

Eh

Oh

Oh

Ee

Ah

Zoo

      

     

    

    

Ee

E        

Zoo

     

Eh

Oo

    

Ee

     

    

    

     

   See

Ah

    



Oo

    



Oo

    



Oo

      



Oo

  Bah

      

  

Oo

Sah

       

 

Oo

Mah

12 77

S1













ff

    



    



Gah





S2





Seh

ff

     



  



Pah

S3





Teh

ff

      









Jah

A1











 







  

   





  











 

















 























 





Beh

ff

     

  



Zeh

ff

     





Kah

T1



 



 

  

  

ff

  

     



  

Yeh

ff

  

  

     

Tah

T3

     

  Jeh

Zah

T2



ff

     

Nah

A3

  Keh

Yah

A2



Peh

ff

  

     



Dah

  Meh

ff

B1



   

  

     

  

Deh

ff

B2

   

  

         

Geh

ff

B3

    

  

 



    Neh

fff

84

S1

  

13

rit.

 



















































































































 3

Mee

fff

S2

 

  



3

Gee fff

S3

  

 

 3





 







Zee

fff A1

  

 

 3

Pee

fff A2

  



























 









3

Nee fff

A3

   



 3

fff T1

  





Kee

 

3

Tee fff

T2

 

 

3

Bee fff

T3

 

  

3

















































Dee

fff

B1

     3

See fff

B2

   



3

Jee fff

B3

    

Yee

F

14

q = 60

92

S1

  



pp

mp

 





Hmm



f



mp













Ah

(hummed with mouth closed)

S2

 



mp

 











Hmm (hummed with mouth closed)

S3

  



mp

 





Hmm

pp

f





mp















Oh

(hummed with mouth closed)

pp

mp A1

  



 





Hmm



f



mp



Ah

(hummed with mouth closed)

A2

 



mp

 











Hmm (hummed with mouth closed)

A3

  



mp

 





Hmm (hummed with mouth closed)

T1



 

f





mp















Oh

pp

mp

  

pp





Hmm



f



mp



Ah

(hummed with mouth closed)

T2

 



mp

 











Hmm (hummed with mouth closed)

T3

  



mp

 





Hmm

pp

f





mp















Oh

(hummed with mouth closed)

pp

mp B1

  



 





Hmm



f



mp



Ah

(hummed with mouth closed)

B2

 



mp

 











Hmm (hummed with mouth closed)

B3

  



mp

 



Hmm (hummed with mouth closed)



pp

f





Oh

mp





15 99

S1







mp











Hmm

f

pp

 

S2











mp







Oh

pp

mp S3

 













Hmm

A1











f



Oo

mp











Hmm

pp

 

A2







f





mp







Eh

pp

mp A3

 













Hmm

T1











f



Oo

mp











Hmm

pp



 

T2





mp

f











Oh

pp

mp T3

 













Hmm

B1











f



Oo

mp











Hmm

pp B2

 







mp

f











Eh

mp B3

 



 Hmm

pp











Oo



f



16

G 

104

S1



 





pp

f

mp











f

mp

Ah

mp

 

S2







pp







Hmm

mp S3











Ee

mp













Hmm

A1



 







pp

f

mp











f

mp

Ah

pp

mp

 

A2













Hmm

mp A3











Eh

mp













Hmm

pp T1



 









f

mp









pp

f

mp







Ah

mp

 

T2













Hmm

mp T3





Ee

mp













Hmm

pp B1



 









f

mp









pp

f

mp







Ah

mp B2

 













Hmm

mp B3





Eh

mp





 Hmm







109

S1



H  

mp

   









17



Hmm



S2



pp

mp

 





   

Hmm

S3



 

mp



mp







Oh

pp

 

f





f

 

mp



A1



Hmm







mp





Ee





 Hmm

mp

   







 





Hmm



A2



pp

mp

 





   

Hmm

 



 

mp



mp







Oh

pp A3

f





f

 

mp



Hmm







mp





Ee

T1







pp









Hmm

mp

 



  

Hmm



f

 

mp





mp





Ah

 Hmm

mp

   

T2









 



Hmm

T3









pp

f



 

mp



mp











Eh

B1



   







Hmm

pp

mp



   

Hmm

f

 

mp





mp





Ah





Hmm

mp B2

   









 

Hmm

pp B3









 Eh

f

 

mp



mp











 Hmm



18 115

S1



pp

f

 



mp





mp

 





Oo

 









f



mp

 

mp





Ah



pp





Hmm







 





f

 

Oh

pp S3



Hmm

pp S2







f



mp

 

Ah

pp A1





f







mp



 

mp





Oo





Hmm

 

A2





 





pp

f





mp

 

Ee

pp A3

 





f





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