"For Natalie" for Solo Cello

Keane Southard

For Natalie for

Solo Cello

(2010/19) (Duration: c. 4 mins.)

Program notes: For Natalie for solo cello was written in the summer of 2010 for my friend and cellist Natalie Spehar. The work was revised in 2019. This is my first work for a solo string, woodwind, or brass instrument.

There are many restrictions that are naturally inherent in writing for a single one of these instruments, and in confronting the restrictions of string instruments, I did not want to fall into the trap of relying on double stops using open strings or the typical double-stop intervals. I feel that these have been overused in solo string works and my ear is tired of them. My solution was to change the tuning of the bottom string so that the lowest pitch playable on the cello would be the G a perfect fourth below the normal standard range. This then provided me with new pitches to utilize and larger double-stops between the bottom two strings, as they are now an octave apart instead of a fifth.

This new tuning is exploited while I create a kind of groove by the use of extended techniques.

Keane Southard 2019

Performance instructions: 1. A scordatura tuning is used for the entire piece where string IV is dropped a perfect fourth as follows:

The score is written with string IV transposed so that each note on this string will sound a perfect fourth lower than written.

2. A portamento differs from a glissando in that a portamento is a quick slide to the next note at the end of the duration of the note, whereas a glissando is a slide from note to note at a constant velocity. A note followed by a glissando should not be held any longer than any other pitch within the glissando but should be only a starting point for the glissando. When a note is both the end of a glissando and the beginning of another, the note should only act as a change of direction and should not be held longer than any of the notes within the glissando.

3. In general, harmonics are notated by either a diamond notehead (◊) which indicates the pitch where the finger should be placed to produce the harmonic, or by a small circle over the note intended to sound as a harmonic. For natural harmonics, both methods are used depending on context. If several different natural harmonics are used in succession, where to produce the pitch is given by the diamond notehead in order to show the easiest way to transition from harmonic to harmonic.

In addition, the note intended to sound is given above the diamond notehead in parenthesis. Otherwise, natural harmonics are indicated with just the pitch to be sounded while the performer chooses how to produce the pitch. All artificial harmonics are designated with the stopped pitch as a regular notehead and the node to be touched a perfect fourth above the note with a diamond notehead. The note produced should be two octaves above the stopped pitch and is NOT notated in the score.

4. A snap pizzicato is indicated by a circle with a vertical line through the top of it. This symbol is placed over or below the note to be played this way.

5. A separate staff is given below the traditional cello staff in order to clearly indicate two percussive elements. Notes on the top of the percussion staff indicates when the cellist should quickly slap their left thumb with a flick of the wrist on the top (when upright) of the cello body behind the fingerboard. Notes on the bottom line in the percussion staff indicate when the cellist should stamp their (either) foot.

6. Notes that are indicated to be played on the strings behind the bridge (indicated by a half circle through the stem and an “x” notehead) can be played on any of the four strings (the choice is left to the performer.)

7. Notes with triangle noteheads (∆) indicate that the performer should play the highest note possible on the string indicated or if no string is indicated then the highest possible note on the instrument.

8. Measured tremolos are indicated with a line through the stem of the note to divide the duration of note by half and double the frequency within the duration of the note. Unmeasured tremolos are indicated with three lines through the stem of the note and indicate that the performer should repeat the note as fast as possible within the duration of the note.

9. A dashed line between accidentals above a trill indicate a gradual change from one size of a trill to the next over the given duration.

10. Notes that are in parentheses at a dynamic level of “n” (niente) indicate where a glissando or portamento should end and because it is at a dynamic level of niente, these pitches should not sound.

Keane Southard/Spindrift Pages (ASCAP) Email: keane.southard@hotmail.com Website: keanesouthard.com

For Natalie

suono reale



q = 108

  

      

o



Violoncello

tasto



 

   







sfz fff heavy, with much bow (hit top of body of cello

 

 

Thumb Slap Stamp Foot

3

  

 

   o

  

         fff

 

Vc.

arco normal

    

fff

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

 

f

p

II

  (slap strings with l.h.)

sfz

gl i ss gli . ss.

  

   







    

pizz. o





mp

sfz









(sim.)

 

f

   

ff

arco normal

 port. p



mf

ff

gli s

    

mf



(stamp foot)



 



(sim.)

f

sfz

 

gli s gli s. ss.

III IV

II



mf

ff

  

p

mf



3 1

gli ss.





III IV

II



sul. (l.h. pizz.) pont.

s.



 

 

3 1

 



    

sul. pont.

 





 





 





mf

p

mf

   o





legno  battuto pizz. o     

 

port.





III IV

II

 

f

 







mp

sfz





 arco normal

col

  



  . t r  po



col legno battuto

ff

     



ff

arco normal

5

.

arco normal

 

mp

port

by slapping left thumb)

Vc.

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

(bowed behind bridge) normal

col legno battuto

pizz. o

     







Keane Southard III IV

 

f

 p



sim.

 f



 

  sfz

II

III IV

  III IV

II



mf

ff

3 1

   sim.

 





 

 

mf

mf

©2019

sul. pont.





 p

2

7 Vc.

     

   arco normal

    

fff

 

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.













arco normal

col legno battuto

   

  

   o

     



pizz. o

mp

sfz





ff





 

f

p

III IV

 II

 



 

f

sfz

 mf

ff

3 1







 



III IV



II

 

  

 





 

    

sul. pont.

mf

p



mf

              .             liss  g  o o gliss.                   Vc.  f     Th. Slp.     Stmp. Ft.  arco normal

9

f

molto rit.

    11

Vc.

o o s. o o glis

 

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

3    3 3                                                 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3    

A tempo



suono reale

13

     

   







  

fff

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.













  

   

legno  battuto pizz. o        

mp

sfz

 ff





 arco normal

col

Vc.

tasto



  

o

f

 p



 f



 

II

  sfz

III IV

  III IV





mf

ff

II

3  

  



 

3 1

 





 

sul. pont.

 

mf

mf





 p

3 15



     

   

   o





Vc. arco normal

    

fff

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

  

   

 

17



  ff

     

   

   

pizz. o

sfz



        fff

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

  

o

 

19





   







o



Vc. arco normal

    

fff

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

 

  

   



mp

 

f









ff



arco normal

col legno battuto

f

II

sfz

  



 



III IV





mf

ff

II

 

 

3 1

 

f

 p



sul. pont.

 











 

 

mf

 p

 f

 

II

sfz

 

  



III IV





mf

ff

II

 

III IV

3 1





    

pizz. o



p



 







mp

sfz







arco normal

col legno battuto







sul. pont.

 





 





 

 

mf

 p

mf

  



col legno battuto

mp

sfz

ff

     

  

pizz. o



arco normal



Vc. arco normal

 



mf

  





III IV

 

f

 p



 f



 

II

sfz

 

  



III IV





mf

ff

II

 

III IV

3 1

 







   

sul. pont.

mf

mf



p

4

21

   



III IV

Vc.

  

Vc.

3



3



3

           

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

26 Vc.





sfz pp

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

                 pp

sfz

   

   

 



3

3

 

   

IV

3

 Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

 

  pp



3

 3

IV

o o

3 3           

IV

 

3

ff



mp

    ff



3     

3

3

mf



3

   3

  

    mf

rit. gliss.

 

III IV

Vc.

3

      3    

3

         p

III IV

 

3

mf

o

3

f

28

3

3 3 o          

   

            3 

  

3

A tempo 3

 

f

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

 

                                  III 3

3

          

f

rit.

           



          3 3 3  p mf    

ff



          3   3 3 



3

ff

24

3

3        3  mp f    

     Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

      3      3 

gliss.

(continue tremolo through gliss.)

gliss. gliss.

   

p



 

 



 



 

gliss.

gliss.

gliss. gliss.



 

 

. gliss s glis .

 

 

gliss.



 

. gliss gliss.



 

gliss. gliss.



 



 



ff

gliss.







5

A tempo

30 Vc.

   

  

  

rit.

  





mp

sfz

           normal



 

  

pizz.

(IV)



arco



mp

sfz

fff

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.



 



  

  

   

  

  

   

ff

Vc.





 

 

   

f

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

 

 

  

     



  









arco

 

        

      3

 pizz.          sfz



arco

                 

pp

sf

3

ppp

ff

ppp

   



accel.



    

 



III IV

      normal

ff

  



ff

                              

q = 48

 

gliss. gliss.

          gliss.                

gliss.

 



sul pont.

gliss. gliss.

 

. gliss gliss.

 

. gliss



               q = 80

3

Vc.

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

(IV) arco

(3/4 flat)

(q = 112) molto rit.





p

mf

36

arco

f

q = 80

  



sfz

ff

32

  

pizz.







p

(1/4 flat)               

sf



3

sul pont.

ppp



ff



 

6 40





Vc.



 



 ppp

 

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

(q = 112) molto rit.

accel.

q = 48

                                   

 

gliss. gliss.

gliss. gliss.

  

gliss. gliss.

 

  

gliss.

 

III IV

                      normal

 

ff

 



gliss.

gliss.

p

n





ff

q = 80

 3                       





 3                     



43

(half-step trills)

Vc.



(port.) f

sim.

 



  







   



  

              

ff

mp

 

46 Vc.

ppp

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.



 50

           f

Vc.

normal

sul pont. (whole-step trills)

III IV

    

    

III





II

           III

III II

II

III II

III II

III II

p





 

         

    

     

III





mf

III





 





(in time)

accel.

                   

normal   sul pont.                                               f



             

53 Vc.

7

q = 120

   

                                                              



 

                                                          ff

58







 







 

ff

p



  





f

normal            II I                

pp



Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

      II I                 

 

sul pont.

Vc.

  

q = 80







 

 

f







ff

63 Vc.





69



 



gliss.

 



gliss.

gliss. gliss.

   

  



   gliss.    gliss. 

gliss.

 

gliss.





 



III IV





gliss. gliss.

pp

 

gliss. gliss.

 

 

 

Vc.

  gliss.  gliss.  



f

mp

 



gliss.

  n.

gliss.



pp



 

 

 

 

 

 

 ggliliss.  ss.  







gliss. gliss.

mp

pp

q = 100 3

       col legno battuto

3



       

pp

 (IV) normal





3

        



col legno battuto



3

        p



8

75 Vc.

3





        





col legno battuto

normal





II

3



        

normal II





3



III IV 3

col legno battuto

 3        

Vc.



3

3

3

mf







      







   





3

normal

   3       (on the string)



(IV)





p



82 Vc.









3

mp



II







   





 



3

 

3

 



II 



mf

 85

Vc.

3

                           

mp

79

3

3

                           





3





3

3



3



3

molto rit.

3

                       

III IV

3



3

3



3

3



3

3



3

3



3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

                               

3

                                                    f

e= 60 molto accel.

87 Vc.

3

     (III IV)

3

    

3

    

3

3

   

3

    

3

    

3

3

   

3

    

3

    

3

3

   

3

    

3

    3

                                               ff

q = 80

 88

Vc.

9

    

3

      

3

      

3

      

3

      

3

      

      

      

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

(e= 90)

 

    

 

3

    

3

    

 

  

 

3

3

3

q = 108 90

 Vc.





 

3





 3

fff



 

  

92



 





 

fff

 







col  legno battuto pizz. o        

ff

mp

sfz



f







  gliss.



p

 f

  

   sfz



 pizz. o       ff

II mf

III IV

  

 

  III IV



 , 3



  sul. pont.

  

mf

ff





col legno battuto

  

 II

 

 

  sim.



 

arco normal

3



 

,



 

  p



mf

 o 

 

 3

3

3

  3

 gliss.





3

arco normal

Vc.



 3

3

3

arco normal

 

 

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

 o  



gliss.

(gliss. while maintaining triplet figure)

                                3



po rt.

    

3

po rt.



3

mp

sfz





 

f

p

 f



II

 II

   sfz

mf

III IV

 

po r t.

89

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

 

                                                                 rit.

Vc.

3

III IV



  

  sim.



 

sul. pont.

  

mf

ff



 

mf



 

  p



3



 

Vc.







3

arco normal





fff

 

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.









 

3





 

 

Vc.

arco normal





fff

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

  

Vc.

   arco

fff

Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

 

 

mp

  

 

f





 pizz. o     

mp

sfz



 

ff 3

 3











 



p

II

 



 

 

f

 

 

  ff





  p

 

III IV



 

  

 

 



 

sul. pont.

 



mf

sfz





 

3



 





3

fff







 

 



  

mf

ff



p



 

         

 

  

gliss. gliss.

growl! gliss.

 

 

            



   

       ffff

 

fff



pizz.

 

 

sfz

p

ff

  



p

mf

 



 





III IV

II

  

f

  

ffp

 

sul. pont.

mf

ff

II

 



  

III IV

 

 



 





  

mf

 



 

III IV

mf

sfz

f

 



                       p

3

 

III IV

II

arco normal

 

 





                

  100



ff

   



col legno battuto

sfz

 

 

3

98



col legno battuto

fff Th. Slp. Stmp. Ft.

 pizz. o    

o





 

  arco normal

3

arco normal

Vc.

 

ff

 

96

   o

po r t.

94

po r t.

 

10



















