Sonata No .2 for Violin and Piano "Chaconnesque"

Keane Southard

Sonata No. 2 for

Violin and Piano

“Chaconnesque” (2020) (Duration: c. 15 mins.)

Program notes: My Sonata No. 2 “Chaconnesque” for Violin and Piano was begun in late 2019 and completed in December 2020. The impetus for this piece was the opening harmony and a desire just to explore and enjoy it. Like a traditional chaconne, this work features a repeated harmonic progression, this one consisting of nine harmonies with the first, fifth, and ninth being the same. However, in my piece the harmonies are stretched out over a much longer period than usual with each usually lasting between twenty and thirty seconds. I wanted to take time exploring these beautiful harmonies in different ways and fully basking in them, which presented me with the challenge of how to create a compelling musical narrative that doesn’t become boring or too static when there are essentially only seven different harmonies (excepting some small changes) used in a 15minute-long work. The solution was to create more contrast through the other musical elements such as texture, voicing, dynamics, tempo, and playing techniques.

The music cycles through the harmonic progression four times throughout the piece. The first time features the piano holding the harmonies while the violin plays improvisatory cadenzas above it which climb higher and higher. The music finally “takes off” and jumps into the second cycle where the harmonies are always activated through repeated arpeggios and tremolos, creating a thick and continuous wall of sound. The third cycle finally introduces silences and rests, using only short fragments tossed between the two instruments and sharp contrasts of timbre. The fourth and final cycle is a kind of condensed summary of the first three, lasting only a fraction of the length of the others while shifting between the characters and textures of each. The piece then ends with a return to the beginning chord which finally slowly floats away as the violin descends back down to earth.

Keane Southard 2020

Performance instructions: 1. At letter “A”, the boxes around some chords mean that they may be played anytime between one and three seconds after the first chord of the measure and thus do not need to align with a specific note or rest in the violin part.

2. Tenuto marks (-) over notes indicate more weight/stress on the note and does not indicate space to be placed in between that note and the next (unless the tenuto is combined with a staccato).

3. Glissandi in this piece are very important. All glissandi should last the entire duration and move at a steady velocity. If anything, the glissandi should be over-emphasized.

4. Unless otherwise indicated, the damper pedal should be used discreetly to allow for maximum clarity.

5. 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.

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

Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano "Chaconnesque" Keane Southard In Tempo, yet very free q = 42

 

 

  

           

ppp

 





 

f

      mp



 

(change bow when needed)

                              

ppp

f

p

      

mp

   

2













 f





p



f

 

3

   

mp

     





(ped.)

   

3





        





  3                                                  f

p

mp

f

    ©2020

mf

2

 3        

4

mp

     

ff p

mf

3                                         

pp

f

mp

f

mp



                          mf

3

3

 p

              



f

p

mf

(this chord may be played anytime between 1"-3" after the first chord of the measure)

             mp

     

3

f

      

7

                       

A    

5

p



   

  

 



 













u.c.

















of trill:)  (speed slow-fast-slow         3

f



8



 

 

p

 

 

 

                     3

f

       

3

6

mp

    ff

sim.

     

mf

p

   t.c.  

   

u.c.

                                                  

9

p

f

       





3

p

 

pp

   

               

10

mf

f

           f

p

       u.c. t.c.  

pp

  mf

 

  pp

               3

mf

p

     3





B 4 11



           

             3

f

poco rit.

3



       



3

    ff p        u.c. t.c.    14



 



17



 



    

                 

on the string

3

   

 

3

        

   

 

 

 

pp

 

ff

 

 

  

sffz

  

IV

 

f









   

 

     

 

 

 

 

  mp

          

      

    

C

ff

   

                       

3

q = 108       6          6 6

      

pp

t.c.

    

     



   

     

accel.

   

A Tempo/In Tempo (q = 42)

        

  

  

5

     

  f      

(mp)

20

 

                

   





        

23

  



   





26

 







(mp)

     f  

     







        

f

           mp

    

(mp)

 

           





f

    

 

 

 

f

         

  





IV





 





    

 



mp

   



        











    f

   



(mp)



    f        (mp)

 

5





6

6

             

29

   

32



      

   



(mp)

     

    

mf

(p)

 







 



p



 mf         

 una corda



 (slow------------------fast)                     

3





D                 

       f 

35



mp

p

  



 

 

(mp)

 

 



                f











            

 

p

 

mp

          

 





    mp



 

(p)

 

38



7







f

 

  



mp

             





   

f



41

3

f



   



  

                  mf    

      

43

3

 

mf

(p)



                   

(p)

f

 

   





f

             

 



 

   

p

    



  

                    

 mp      

       





mp

 

mf

mp

f

 

     



p

               

  

   

mp

(p)



        

8 46





                 f

    

mp

E



           

f

  mf

 (ped.) (sos.)



 











 



sos.

IV

  

      

f intense

  ff      (mf)



mp

             ff    

 

  





       

    



  

                  









ff

    

 



53

    



         

(mp)

tre corde 49

3

f



   

I



mp

                                 f

(mf)

ff

 

 







mf





9

                

6                  f 6

56

mf

7

mp

 









       ff    





(mf)



 



(ped.) (sos.)

            

59

   



 



   

        ff









 





   

f





ff



62



  

       

ff







    ff



(f)

    

      



  

       6

 

6

      6

                  

   

 

10 65

F 



 

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

                                  

fff

   



     

fff

 



    

 67

5

      

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

     

  

5

5

5

5

5

          mp

   

     

f





                mp 5

69

5

5

  

    5

5

 

5

5

 



f



   

5

mp 5

n



 5



 5





5

5

  

  

5

5

5

5

5

    mp

f

                 5

5

5

5

5

(mp)

5

11

71

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

                   

              6                        



 

5

73

5

5

5

5

     



5

5

5

5

   

5

5

5

5

5

5

       

        

      



5

        





mp 5

                5

75

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

       





 

5



 5

  



5

5

5

5

   

f

5



5

          

 

 

f

 

     

    

5

5

3

3

3

                 5

5

5

(mp)

5

5

12 77

5

III IV

5

      

   

  

 



f

 n

5

 

mp

             

         3

mp 5

5

5

5

5

f

     5

79



5

5

5

5

      



5

5

5

5

(mp)

5

5

3           5 5

       

   

5

5

5

     

 

 

 

5

mp

f

5

  5

 

5

f

   

    

5

(mp)

sos.

 

 

f

 

 

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

5

           5

(ped.) (sos.)

5

5

   

5

5

             5

81

5

5

               

    

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

83

G



13

  



ff

5

5

5

5

5

5

 

  

              mp

   

5

 

ff



f

                                        ff



5

85

5

5

5

5

5

5

mp

5

5

5

5

(mp)

    

5

       

f

5

  

                      5 5 mp 5                                          

 

5

5

   

87



5

 n

  5

   5

 

3

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

            

mp

  

 

       5

f

 

 

 

 

 

3

      3

                                    5

5

(mp)

5

5

5

5

5

14 89

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

                                  

  

      

mp 5

5

           5

5

91

f



5

5

      

   

5

   

 

          5

  

     5

         

   

f

    

(ped.) (sos.)



 

(mp) 5

5

 

5

 



f

n

                      5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

                                         mp

5

93

5

5

5

5

5

5

                    mp

      f

  

             

5

5

5

 

 

 

 

  

   

3

3

5

           

                                         5

(mp)

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

95



5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

15

                                      

    

        

 



5

  

97

mp

5

 f

5

 

     



   

 

    

 

  5

 

 

 

3

3

  f

         5

5

5

(mp)

3

3

 

mp

5

               

mp

   

 

f





3

3

       

                                     mp

5

H   99   

5



ff

    



ff

  ff



5

 

5

   



f

5

5

 

5

 

5



5

5

5

      mp

                       5

  5



n

5

 5



5

 5



5

5

5

5

              

mp

mp

f

5

(mp)

5

16 101

5

5

5

               

        



5

 

  



5

5

5



      

6

mp 5

5

                    5

103

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

                     

5

         

5

5

5

5

5

   f   5

5

       

                            6 3 3 f  3                                          5

(mp)

105

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

                     

   



    

5

5

5

5

  

5

    

           

f

    mp 5

5

5

5

                                         5

5

5

5

5

5

 

107



  

17

 n

5

5

 

5

5

5

        

mp

 3                     5 5 5 f                                         



5

5

5

5

5

(mp)

5

5

5

 

  





5

5

5

5

                

           

109

5

                

5

5

5

 

         

3

3

                                        

111



5

5



5

5

                     5

5

            

5

 

5

5

         3

  3

I

 

5



5

  



5

 

ff

      

             5

5

5

5

5

5

                                        5

5

5

5

ff

ff



5

18

  

   

 

113

p

             

f

mp 5

5

                 

mp 5

5

5

mp 5

5

5

115

 

 

117



f

5

(mp)

 

5

                    

5

5

       

  



       5

5

  

 

fp

                                       mp

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

                                     

   

5                           5 5 5 5 5

f

mp

              

5

f

  

    

5

                                



5

5

5

5

   

 

f

   

     

     

3

                                       5

(mp)

5

5

5

5

5

19

 

IV

119

 

 



f

5

    



                  3



p

7

7

f

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

                                         mp (both hands) 5

                                            

121

 



    

5

5

      

 

5

5

  

5

5

   5

5

 

  

5

5

                                     mf

 

123



 

        

      

  5

 

  5

   

5

    

5

 

  

5

5

  

                                       

       

          

       

   

 

  

    

20 125



on the string  J 0 0 0 0 00 00 00 00 0 0      0 0 0 0 0 0                                               

    

fff ff

       

  

            

 

f

128



  

  

     0 0   00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00     0 0                

 

 

 



0 0

0 0 03 0

0 0 0 0 0 03

0 0

    0 0   0 00 003 00   0 0   0      3

f

 





 



 

    

 



f

   

   

 

     3

 

          3

3

   

 



3

3

 

 

0 0 03 0

 



 

                3 0 0

 



131

                      





   

 



  

    

 

  

      III                          

(all rolls start before the beat)



   



              

 



ff

fff





 

I  II    3

            00 K 00       3 3 3   3

134



ff cresc. poco a poco (to m. 146)

  





        

0 0

  

3

 





140



  

   

   

              

  

5

    

  

  

    6

      

         

  

 

 



 

      

  

3

III IV

3



 

             

      





3

3



3



  



  

 

6

  

3



          

6





3

6

  



  

  

  

 6

  

  

21

0 0

3

 

 





  

 

0 0

    

ff cresc. poco a poco (to m. 146)

 

     0 0



 

  

137

0 0







22

II III

               

142

       

144

 

   

     



 



                               

   



6

I II

6





         6

6



3

3

6



6

    











III IV

                                                                

  

  

  

     6

3

     





I II

   

II III

               3

      

5

 

   

145





ffff

  

5





5

fff







   













sfffz

    



L (in Tempo)

  

147



Slightly Faster q = 120

      pizz.

      

p

     

152

  



   

  

p

mf

 

 

 

         

156

 



mf

      

 

 

 

3



  

   mp

           

f

p

 mf

   



p

 

f

mp

   



f

       

pizz.





p

    

f



 p

f

  

   arco          3   mp

  

p



f p



 

 

3

p



f

    



mf



 

mp



p

    

arco   

pizz.

mp

   

23

    

arco

     





3

pizz.





      mp

     

mf



3

 

mp

    





3

 mp

 p



mp

      3

24

    

arco

   



3

f

               

mp

  

pizz.

  167     



arco





3

   

mf

 

mf



  



     



 

 

p

    



f

     

 f

     

  

norm. sul pont. (slow------------------------------fast)



f



mp

 

arco

   

f



  



f





pizz.

3

pizz.

3

   

mf

      

p

f

3    mp              

mp

p

 

f





 

 

arco

              

arco

mp

      

p

       mp f p             3 

p

        ff       

      

pizz.

arco

3

       

ff

mp

f

f

M  163     

 



pizz.

0 0

160

        

p

f

     



3

p

   3



3

f

171

   

norm.

 

  

pp

 









   ppp



IV

 

  ff

  

ff

      

pizz.

175

3



    



  



p

p

    

          

  





3

  

  

  

     

3

  

     

3

  

   

179

pizz.

 

mp



 f

    

p

   

     



arco

fp

   

 

 

   



3

 



  

N

mp

   

  arco

   



p

ff

    









 

pp

       f



   



f

mp





mp

ff

   

   



p

            

p

 

3



p



         







25

  

 f

pp

             3

3

26 183



     mf

5



p

 

186



   

   



pp

f

       

  

190

 

  





f





 

     

f





3

 



                           O

sul pont.

ff

    

  



3



3



       





3

  



3

 3



 pizz.    

pp

mp

sfz

         mp

p

  



        

ff

  

  

   

   

3

3

    3

arco norm.

p



ff

3

f

mp



 

  

p

                  3

  

f

fff

6

f



pp



sul pont.

         

f



pp





    

  norm.     

 



  

      f

mf

 

      

    

3

        f

3

       

ff



3

        

             

193

   

3

 

 

 

3

   

 

     

       

P        

196

     mp





fff

    

    

    

p

3

   



(silently depress chromatic cluster)

     

          3



  

    

3

mp

 

f

    mf







       



   

 

    





sfz

mp



 

 

ppp

     

 

   



 

 

3



 



       

 III



 

    



f



   norm.        

 

 

col legno battuto

sos. until m. 249

200

   

mp

mf



 

     



  







fff

    

 3

mp

      





27



ff

 n

    f

f



    

         

204

pizz.

arco

           

p

 

     3



pizz.





  

pp



 

    

   











   

     

 

     

mp

         ff   

    p

pizz.







 

I  

      

arco





     f

ff



 

mf





f

p

 





3

 

   

3

 

             f            

Q

211

 3        arco

p

p

f

3

 pp



mp



207

f



  



6

p

        mf



3



28

            f

           

col legno tratto

 

mf

     p



       

215

pizz. arco (norm.)

mp



glis

   

s.

mf





   

s. glis





                  ppp    

 

mf

                       pp f     

  



  

f



 mf

3



     3



mf

f

     

   

  

f





  3



   



  mp

 



3

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

3

          p   

223







 

f















      pizz.





 











 









 

   

norm.

p

3

   



          

    

3

pp

   

p



29

  

  

col legno battuto

220

o o

 











arco

sffz

 

      f

         

f

ff

          

30 226

II I

             

R

      

       

ff

  



230

 



mp

 





arco





 





 

pp

     



sfz       3











mf







p

    



  



n

        

        p

   



   



             

f

    

   



      

f



     



       

f



sfz

f

   

f

3

mf



       f

       

   

pizz.

ff





3

233



f



p



     

mf



3



   

mf

 



mf

          

3



  

       

3



                      

    



     

ff

      



   arco      

pizz.











 

     



f

ff

mp

   









gliss. mp

                      3

pizz.



















3

   ff

3

   

  

dim. poco a poco



ff

    

 



3

ff dim. poco a poco

 

3



f



molto rit.

    

        IV

norm.

f

3

p

p

             

sul pont.

mf

           

 

p

3

   

3

f

  



mp

mf

 

p



  

mf

 

mf



ff

244







mf

pp

     

241

      

p



31



ff

           



S

       

237



  

(f)

              (f)



32



247



arco

    

  



   







 



 (mf)

    





3





(mp)

    







3

  









   

   

   

   

p



256



    

mf



   

   

        





 



 

    mf         

pp

 



   

 3

   

mf

mp

   



3





p



         3  (release sos. ped.)

3

q = 120

 



T 250

 

(mp)

(mf)



 





(e = 48)



(mp)







  

     









        ff

  p

             ff

      

p

259





        pizz.





       

263



f





3

265







q = 108

33



   mp

     

     

 

mp

p







 

  



3

        

      

 



p

f





     

      

 

p

arco

Slightly Slower

U

  



f

                        6



mp

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

                  

   

  

 

    

p

5

       5

5

(mp)

f

  

 



ff

                     5

pizz.

5

    5

  

   

f

 



    3

ff

        

f



    

In Tempo, yet very free (as at the beginning) q = 42

                                                    

       fff    ()      (catch resonance)

5

mf

3

mp









  



  

 







dim. poco a poco



    



   

 







    

     5

 

  

 

(p)



 



(p)

  

  

3



  



 

5





 

3

  









 





 

(slower than normal on rolls)



271



dim. poco a poco

               mp          

3

 



V e = 66 rit.        268   

3



fff





rit.



 267 arco      



34



35



3



(pp)







e = 52

















 



   







(ppp)





ppp

 



   





















279











3







 

 



277



   



  







(pp)

  

 

 



  

  

3

    





   





274













 

f

 pppp

 







  