On the Question of Angels

Matthew A. Bardin

On The Question of Angels SATB Choir, Bird Sounds, and Piano 2021

Program Notes: The text for this song was written by Ava Haymon, the 2013-2015 Poet Laureate of Louisiana, in 2008 and reads as follows: Thump. Bird-crash into the window. I wince and—brief sin—hope it’s the mockingbird that woke us up so early, expounding secondhand repertoire.

Rising sun shoots straight at me, backlights the splat of goo and feathers stuck on the pane.

In the warming air, soft currents stir the thumb-sized mess and, can you believe it, there’s an angel hovering with spread wings.

Splintered feathers swing like arms raising a chorale score for an alto to sight-read.

White and gray choir robe—it WAS the mockingbird!—ruffles in slow flight.

Call it suicide mission: credo/collision/death/angel.

Call it the misery of the world, the grisly accidents, murderous barriers, random enemies, aimless war on whatever wants nothing more than to sing.

Call it the demise of a bird that may be the very one come to tell us what we all long to know.

My goal in writing this song was to create an almost hypnagogic which where the listener is just coming out of sleep. In this groggy, slow-to-wake state, they are able to which the miraculous within the mundane, which ultimately brings more questions to be asked after they have had their morning coffee.

Approx. 8 minutes in duration Completed 09/15/2021 In Baton Rouge, LA M.A.B.

Performance Notes: •

•

• •

The five different birdcall lines can be realized in a variety of ways depending on the size and abilities of the group: o Members of the group can move from singing their part to whistling the bird calls during the performance (see below) o The whistling portions can be pre-recorded and played back during performance. o Actual bird calls may be used in place of whistling in a manner similar to the above bullet point. o If not performing live, these sounds can be inserted after the other music has been recorded.

In performance, the majority of the choir should be singing the SATB lines. If performing the bird calls live, no more than three people per part should be whistling the bird calls.

Tempos are flexible but should remain relative to each other in performance.

If needed, the piano or choir may be amplified.

On Notation: • • •

•

•

•

All accidentals carry through the measure, but not the octave, as is common practice.

Cue notes should only be sung if absolutely necessary.

The symbols shown below indicate to fade in and out from/to silence (or as quietly as possible) respectively.

On the note shown below, the choir should make a forceful, unpitched sound.

When performed in sync, it should mimic the sound of a bird in flight hitting a window.

When performing the bird calls (shown below), each performer should choose a bird call and whistle it in whichever octave is the most comfortable. The tempo they choose can vary. The performer should repeat the boxed measure ad lib., taking care not to intentionally sync with any other whistling around them. They should continue this until the line on the score ends; at which point they should return to their normal choir part.

Performers should attempt to whistle on the pitch shown, if possible, but it is not 100% accuracy is not necessary. The intended effect is for a background wash of sound.

On the Question of Angels For SATB Choir and Piano Comissioned by University Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge, LA Text by Ava L. Haymon

Matthew A. Bardin (ASCAP)

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On the Question of Angels

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a tempo (q = ca. 69)

˙ ˙ ˙ bœ

Ó

∑

Ó

∑

œ œ Ó

fea-thers

er - ing

bœ

. ‰ œœœ Ó J œœ. œ ‰ J Ó

wings

˙

&

Ó

Ó

Œ

˙

Ó

Ó

Œ

mp

‰ j œ. splin . mp ‰ œJ

. ‰bb œœœ J mf p œœ. œ n œ j J ‰ œ ‰ bœ ‰ ‰ J J3 œ> œ. Ó

Œ

p

œ œ œ

b˙ hov

‰ j j‰ Ó œ. œ. splin-tered

œ œ

˙

Ó

. ‰ œJ

with spread wings

. . ‰ œJ œJ ‰ Œ fea-thers

œ

∑

with spread wings

œ

Ó

splin

‰ j j‰ Œ œ. œ.

œ œ œ

œ bœ

˙

wings

∑

œ œ œ -

œ

with spread

∑

œ œ œ

œ. ‰ Œ Œ ?

J B. ¢

Pno.

˙

gel f

f

° b˙ &

œ

∑

œ œ œ ?4 œ bœ 4 œ œ œ 3 ° mf

er - ing

-

˙

mf

T.

hov

f

-

hov

A.

gel

4 &4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

65

E a tempo (q = ca. 69) b˙ œ œ œ œ bœ

f

? 4<b>˙ B. ¢ 4

Pno.

‰

13

Ó

splin-tered

. . Œ ‰bb œœœ bb œœœ ‰ J J mp œœ. œœœ. œ Œ ‰ J J ‰

‰ œj œj ‰ Ó . . fea-thers

p

b˙

œ œ œ

hov

œ. ‰ Ó J Œ Œ

er - ing

-

er - ing

-

. . ‰ œJ œJ ‰ Ó fea-thers

. Œ ‰ œœœ Ó J œœ. œ Œ ‰ J Ó

Œ Œ

. ‰bb œœœ J œœ. œ ‰ J

14

On the Question of Angels

° <b> œ & 69

S.

A.

T.

& Œ

=

{

A.

œ.

bœ

T.

& œ ‹

? Ó B. ¢

Pno.

{

œ.

œ

œ

with spread wings

˙

pp

˙

Ó

hov

j œ œ œ œ

j œ œ

rai - sing

a

˙

˙

for

an

pp

Ó

˙

hov

œ. b œ .

œ.

swing like arms

Œ Œ

œ

with

spread

-

œ with

-

œ

œ œ œ

to

spread

-

-

˙

Ó

˙

˙

o Ó

ing

œ>œœ œœ. ‰ bb œœœ. bb œœœ. ‰ Œ œ J J . . p nœœœ œœœ ‰ J J ‰ Œ œ . >œ

˙

er - ing

-

. ‰ œœœ J œœ. œ ‰ J

Œ Œ

Awake, a tad disorted

∑

wings

˙ œ

F

˙

er

-

. œœœ ‰ œœœ nœjœ nœœœ J œ J .œ œ œ ‰ œJ J ‰ œJ ‰ b œj ‰ 3 °

œ

-

˙

hov

er - ing

-

f

chor-ale score

˙

œ œ œ

mp

° œ &

al

œ.

swing like arms

b œ. & b œœJ ‰ Œ œ. ? œœJ ‰ Œ

& ˙

œ

mp

72

S.

œ

with spread wings

& <b>œ ‹

? Œ B. ¢

Pno.

œ

to

œ

wings

˙

sight

o

bw -

read.

Ó

∑ o

mf

˙

wings

˙

F . . Œ ‰ bb œœœ bb œœœ ‰ Œ & Ó J J pp . . nœœœ œœœ ? œJ ‰ œ ‰ b œj ‰ ‰ J J ‰ Œ J3 œ . >œ °

˙ Œ Œ

w . ‰ œœœ J .p œ œ ‰ œJ

Awake, a tad disorted

b œ nœ J

œ. Œ œ.

j œ bœ Ó

bœ œ

{

75

& œ œ bœ œ Œ

Pno.

? Ó

=

{

Œ

n œ.

n œ.

p

{

& <b>œJ

œ

bœ

bœ œ J p

mf

?

œ

Ó

œ bœ œ Jœ

œ J

accel.

j œ b œ b œj œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ b œj b œ œJ œ b œ b œ œ bœ J

j ‰ œ. ‰ œJ œJ ‰ œ. ‰ j ‰ ? Œ ‰ b œ œ œ . 3J J3 b œ. œ œ. Œ >

85

Pno.

∑

œ. b -œ b œ. -œ J J

œ bœ bœ œ bœ œ bœ bœ bœ œ.

J ‰ œ ‰b œj ‰ J b œ œ b œ bb œœ œ b œ b œ œ ‰ Œ j J J3 œ b œ b œ œ œ œ.

-œ n œ > œ.

œ œ bœ & bœ œ œ

=

Œ Ó

15

mf

80

Pno.

On the Question of Angels

j œ bœ

bœ œ œ œ bœ

j j œ. œ. ‰ œ. œ. ‰ Œ

œ.

œ.

n œ. œ

Œ Ó

n œ.

Œ œ Ó . œ .

œ. œ.

∑ mf

Œ Œ

œ. œ.

∑ f

bœ œ j œ bœ bœ J ‰ J ‰ b œ ‰ œ . b œ œ œ œJ b œ J œ b œ b œ œ b œ b œ œ. .

3 °

16

On the Question of Angels

G

tempo I (q = ca. 96)

° &

S.

U ∑

B.

1

U ∑

¢

Ó

Ó

mf b œ ™ b œj œ ™

U ∑

J

was the mock-ing-bird

2 Œ ‰ mfj 3 b>œ œ b œ 3 œ 4 4 œ 4 œ 4w

U ∑

?

Ó

Ó

was the mock-ing-bird

3 4 Ϫ

œ 24 b ˙ J

White and gray choi - ir

robe

°

&

j #O > #Oj

O.

j O

#-O

O. Œ

‰ > Oj

j O

O.

‰

-O

Œ

&

Bird Sounds 3

&

> O. > O. > O. > O -O bO O O R O J

4

&

Œ

5

¢&

{

G

Oj

j O

Œ

Oj

ruf - fles in

slow fli-ght

was the mock-ing-bird

o

Repeat ad lib. independent of others

O. Oj O.

o 

Repeat ad lib. independent of others

o 

Repeat ad lib. independent of others

o

Repeat ad lib. independent of others

tempo I (q = ca. 96) ca. 5 seconds

U ∑ & p ? <b>œ b œ UÓ

 o 

Repeat ad lib. independent of others

j r Oj r O r O. ≈ ‰ O. ≈ ‰ ‰ O. ≈

O. Oj O. Oj O. Oj O.

b œ œ b œ 44 œ œ nœ Ó J

2 Œ ‰ mfj 3 #>œ nœ b œ 3 œ 4 4 œ 4 œ 4w it

2

Pno.

Ó

it

& ‹

T.

Ó

mf

it

&

A.

> 3 j # œ n œ b œ 2 Œ ‰ œ 3 b œ œ b œ œœ œ 4 w 4 œ 4 nœ 4 w

Only sing cue notes if too high for altos

ca. 5 seconds

89

∑ ∑

2 4 2 4

∑ ∑

3 4 3 4

∑ ∑

4 4 4 4

∑ ∑



On the Question of Angels

° &

∑

2 4

∑

3 4

∑

∑

&

∑

2 4

∑

3 4

∑

∑

94

S.

A.

& bœ ™ ‹ White mp

T.

B.

Pno.

=

¢

j bœ œ ™

œ 24 b ˙ J

∑

2 4

{

&

∑

2 4

?

∑

2 4

° ˙™ &

poco accel. mp miss

-

& ˙™

-

ion:

miss

T.

B.

Pno.

¢

-

mf

Œ

& b˙ ‹ cide ?

-

Œ

Œ

˙

Œ

{

∑

?

∑

∑

∑

∑

o o

6 8 ™™

∑

6 8 ™™

∑

pp

∑

pp

su

-

i -

3

œ œ œ œ œ su

H

-

i

∑ ∑

do

-

b œ. Œ J

6 b œ. .

8 ™™ J b œ

pp j b œ. Œ

death

Œ

do

-

‰ œj 86 ™™ œj Œ . .

∑

Call it

death

pp

Œ

œ bœ œ œ bœ

slightly faster, moving forward q. = ca. 104 pp

‰ œj 86 ™™ œj Œ . .

Œ

3

Call it

3 4

ion:

pp

∑

∑

˙

∑ ∑

slow flight

∑

cre

&

œ

∑

-œ

H

Œ

∑

cide

poco accel.

œ

p

3 4

cre

mf

ruf - fles in

3 4

∑

œ

œ

bœ œ bœ J

robe

œ

mp

A.

3 4 Ϫ

and gray choi - ir

?

99

S.

17

j œ.

œ. Œ J

death

j œ. Œ

death

™ œ. œ. ‰ Œ

col - lis - ion

‰ ‰ œj .

œ. œ. ‰ Œ™

col - lis - ion

slightly faster, moving forward q. = ca. 104

6 8 ™™

p

œ. b œ.

J ∑

b œ. b œ.

J

b œ.

∑

j b œ.

° &

∑

&

∑

103

S.

A.

T.

B.

Pno.

=

¢

& Œ™ ‹

{

A.

T.

?

œ. Œ J

∑

j œ. Œ

∑

death

death

death

death

j b œ. Œ

Œ œj œj Œ . .

Œ

Œ œj œj Œ . .

Œ

∑

j ™ œ. œ. œ. ‰ Œ

Œ

Ϊ

& & Œ™ ‹

Œ œj œj Œ Œ œj œ œ ‰ Œ™ . . . . .

{

? bœ ™ bœ™

death

∑

j b œ. Œ

death

cre - do

Ϫ Ϫ

j j œ. œ. Œ

Œ

Œ

j j œ. œ. Œ

Œ

2. . ™™ b œJ Œ

j œ. Œ

™™ b œj Œ .

death

death

death

death

col - lis-ion

Ϫ Ϊ

Ϫ Ϫ

1.

mf

bœ ™ bœ™

Ϫ Ϊ

2 4

j œ. Œ

2 4

death

death

2 4 Œ

- lis-ion

™™ b œ ™ bœ™

∑

Ϫ

p

bœ

Ó

suddenly slower q = ca. 58 f

œ. Œ J

j œ ™™ œ. œ. Œ

2.

col - lis-ion

bœ bœ œ ™ J

lis-ion

™™ œ ™™ œ

j œ. œ. œ. ‰ Œ™

∑

™™ ™ œ. œ. ‰ Œ

cre

j ™ œ. œ. œ. ‰ Œ

col - lis-ion

cre - do

col - lis-ion

cre - do

Ϊ

Ϊ

œ. Œ J

Œ œj œj Œ Œ œj œ œ ‰ Œ . . . . . œ™ œ™

death

∑

∑

b œ. Œ J

1.

∑

death

°

∑

j œ. Œ

death

b œ œ œ b œ b œ b œ œ œ b œ b œ nœ J ‰ J f

∑

cre - do

∑

∑

Ϫ

Œ

col - lis-ion

° &

™ & œœ ™

Ϊ

œ. Œ J

death

j b œ. Œ

∑

j œ. œ. œ. ‰ Œ™

cre - do

b œ. Œ J

∑

col - lis-ion

j & b œ. nœj b œ b œ. b-œ b œ . .

? Œ™ B. ¢

Pno.

b œ. Œ J

cre - do

? Ϊ

109

S.

On the Question of Angels

2 4

>œ Uœ

>˙

an

-

gel

-

U œ œ >

-

U œ> œ

f

˙ >

an

f

>˙

an

b>˙

an

gel

gel

>œ Uœ

f

-

gel

suddenly slower q = ca. 58

2 4

˙˙ ˙˙˙ ˙

˙˙ ˙˙˙ ˙

2 œ œ œ 4

n˙˙˙ ˙ °

˙˙ ˙˙

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

18

f

On the Question of Angels

S.

A.

I 115 ° œo ‰ Œ 3 & J 4

∑

oj 3 & œ ‰Œ 4

∑

∑

∑

pp

∑

4 4 œ bœ œ œ bœ œ 3

∑

4œ 3 œ œ 4 œ œœ

Call it the mis-e - ry

∑

°

j #O

&

> #Oj

O.

j O

#-O

∑

O.

. ‰ Oj OJ > Oj

Œ

Bird Sounds 3

&

> O. > O. > O. > O bO O O O

4

&

Œ

5

¢&

Oj

j O

O. J

-O

&

{

∑

pp

2

Pno.

4 4

Call it the mis-e - ry

o j 3 T. & œ ‰ Œ 4 ‹ o 3 ? œ B. ¢ J ‰Œ 4

1

∑

19

Œ

∑

Œ Ó

pp

3

œ œ œ œnœ œ

Call it su - i - cide

mf

œ Œ Ó ∑

pp

3 œ œ œ œœœ

Call it su - i - cide

∑

Repeat ad lib. independent of others

Repeat ad lib. independent of others

-O

r Oj r O. ≈ ‰ O. ≈ ‰

O. Oj O. Oj O. Oj O.

4 4

œ

mf

∑

Repeat ad lib. independent of others

‰ Oj Or≈ .

Oj

O. Oj O.

Repeat ad lib. independent of others

Repeat ad lib. independent of others

&

∑

I 3 4

∑

∑

?

∑ 43

∑

∑

4 4

∑

p. œ b œ œ. œ 4 œ bœ œ 4 œJ J

œ. b œ ‰ Œ ‰ œ. b œ œ œ œnœ. œ. œ b œ . . œ œ œ œœ œœ œ. b œ œ œ œ. nœ. œ. Œ œ œ œJ J

20

On the Question of Angels

° &

S.

& œ

A.

& œ ‹

T.

B.

1

¢

Œ

mf

Ϫ

Gri - sly

ac

pp

Ó

Œ

œ

pp

∑

œ

Call

?

bœ

œ

it

the

œ

3

œ

Call

it

the

pp

Ó

3

œ

∑

œ bœ œ

de - mise

œ œ œ

de - mise

œ

œ

mf

Ó

mf

Ó

Œ

Œ

∑

-

bœ J

ci -

∑

°

&

2

&

Bird Sounds 3

&

4

&

5

¢&

Pno.

∑

mf

œ

slightly more energy q = ca. 76

poco accel.

121

{

poco accel.

. <b> œ b œ. œ bœ œ & <b>œ

n œ b œ. nœ b œ J

?

∑

œ œ J

œ nœ b œ œ nœ b œ °

œ œ ∑

nœ nœ

slightly more energy q = ca. 76

œ bœ œ bœ

œ œ

Ó ∑

On the Question of Angels

° bp˙ & 124

S.

p

nœ

Ó

dents

pp

& œ bœ

A.

Call

pp

B.

1

¢

?

it

the

mis

3

œ

Ϫ

the

mis

Bird Sounds 3

&

4

&

5

¢&

{

-

e

j œ

e

bœ

mf

Œ

-

bœ J

b˙

pp

œ

- ry

œ

œ

œ nœ

œ

œ

3

œ

œ

œ

Call

it

su

-

pp

Ó

- ry

∑

3

œ

Call

Œ

Ó

ri - ers

Ó

mf

f

it

œ

su

-

∑

o 

& &

-

j bœ

bar

∑

°

2

Pno.

Ϫ

œ

& œ œ ‹ Call it

T.

Ϫ

œ

mur - derous

3

21

o  o  o  o 

&

∑

∑

∑

?

∑

∑

∑

i - cide

œ

i - cide

22

On the Question of Angels

° nœ œ œ ™ b œ b ˙ & J accel.

127 pp

S.

Gri - sly ac - ci-dents

pp

mf

& œ Œ Ó

A.

T.

B.

Pno.

=

¢

œ œ œ œœœ

& œ Œ Ó ‹

Call it the de-mise

pp

∑

&

?

j j œ œ b œ œœ œ œ bœ

° ˙™ &

Œ

T.

B.

Pno.

Œ

Ó

Œ Ó

3

Call it the mis - e - ry pp

œ œ œ œ™ 3

j œ œ

mf

Œ Ó

Call it the mis - e - ry

œ ™ b œj b ˙

œ

mf

Ó

∑

-

j bœ

ci -

j œj œ b œ œ bœ œ nœ b œ œ œ nœ b œ œ b œ œ nœJ b œ œJ

œ. -œ. œ -

aim-less war on what-ev-er wants no-thing more than to

∑

nœ

Œ

j œ œ b œ œœ œœ œ nœ œ œ bœ œ nœ

œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ.

œ œ™

pp

Gri - sly ac

Ó

3

e-

mf

œ b œ œ œ ™ b œj b œ

Ó

mf

œ

pp

-

œ J

mp

sing

pp

∑

œ œ

œ

œ

œ bœ œ œ ™

j bœ

œ œ œ œ™

j œ

3

Call it the mis - e -

∑

& ‹

∑

pp

∑

3

Call it the mis - e -

?

¢ b˙

{

œ

j œ œ œ œœ œœ œ

∑

&

Œ

nœ

∑

p

∑

mf

œ nœ ™

œ

pp

ran - dom en

mur-derous bar - ri - ers

accel.

mies

A.

Ó

Gri - sly ac - ci-dents

132

S.

3

j œ œ œ ™ bœ b˙

?

{

3

Call it the de-mise

mf

Ó

mur-derous bar - ri - ers

œ bœ œ œ bœ œ

pp

œ ™ bœ b˙ J

œ

nœ

Ó

dents

Ó

nœ

œ

mur - derous

nœ

& œ nœ b œ œ œ b œ œ ? œ nœ b œ œ œ b œ bœ b œ nœ °

Ϫ

bar

Ó Ó

-

j bœ b˙

pp

Ó

∑

ri - ers

œ bœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ J J J J bœ bœ œ

p

∑

∑

On the Question of Angels

Tempo I (q = ca. 96) f

° œ & 136

S.

A.

& bœ

œ

˙

B.

Pno.

& œ ‹ ry

mf

Œ

∑

pp

Ó

3

œ bœ œ œ bœ œ

Call it the de - mise

mf

Œ

? ¢ Ó

{

∑

Ó

œ

œ

more than

ry

T.

o

23

pp

œ œ œ œ œ œ

Ó

3

Call it the de - mise

Œ

œ œ

œ

œ

œ

wants no - thing more than

Tempo I (q = ca. 96)

œ bœ & œ

œ

?

∑

Œ

œ

œ

mf

Œ

pp

œ bœ œ œ ™

Ó

3

Call it

mf

œ

œ

to

sing

Œ

œ œ œ œ™

pp

Ó

œ

œ

œ

-

3

Call it

œ

the mis

the mis

œ

Ϫ

f

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

-

j bœ

e-

j œ

e-

o

‰

24

On the Question of Angels

° œ & 140

S.

rall. ppp

to

& bœ

A.

œ

œ

œ

& œ ‹ ry

mf

Œ

B.

Pno.

¢

{

mf

Œ

ppp

œ

to

sing

? œ

rall.

œ

œ

Ó

œ

Ó

œ

œ

3

Call

œ

it

œ

œ nœ

œ

3

œ

œ

Call

it

su

-

œ

su

œ

œ

-

3 4œ

œ

3 4œ

œ

3 4œ

œ

i - cide

œ

mf

œ

sing

ry

T.

œ

i - cide

œ

3 œmf 4

Œ

4 4

mf

Œ

4 4

mf

Œ

Œ

4 4

Œ

Œ

4 4

Œ

Œ

&

∑

∑

3 4

∑

4 4

?

∑

∑

3 4

∑

4 4

On the Question of Angels

S.

J Slower (q = ca. 76)

° 4œ &4 143

pp

Call

pp

A.

4 &4 œ

Call

pp

T.

4 &4 œ ‹ Call

pp

B.

?4 ¢ 4œ

3

bœ it

3

bœ it

3

œ

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26

On the Question of Angels

<e = e> [3•2] 145

° 5 œ bœ œ œ œ &8

<e = e>

2 œj 4 œ™

4 j 4œ œ

2 j 4œ œ™

4p 4 j bœ œ

us what

5 &8 œ œ œ œ œ ‹ be the ve- ry one

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4 pj 4 bœ œ

j œ nœ

us what

?5 œ œ œ œ œ B. ¢ 8

2 j 4 œ œ™

4 pj 4 bœ œ

j œ nœ

S.

be the ve - ry one

A.

5 &8 œ œ œ œ œ

be the ve - ry one

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be the ve - ry one

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<e = e> [3•2]

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Pno.

Œ

? 5 œœ œ nœ 8 œ nœ

come

come

come

come

<e = e>

‰ 24 ‰ j œ. b œ mp œ œ 2 œ œ. b œ 4 œ

p

to tell

to tell

to tell

to tell

4 4 œ bœ œ .

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j œ œ

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j nœ. b œ nœ. b œ J

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w

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all

mp

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On the Question of Angels

149

S.

long

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know

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4

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bœ ˙™ b œ ˙™

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mf

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‰

j O

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‰



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o 

O. > O. > O -O O R O J

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o 

-O

j r O r O. ≈ ‰ O. ≈ Œ

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o

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> O. > bO O

n œœ Œ˙™ œ ™ ™ œ ˙™

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w

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∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

° w &

27

b œœ œœ

°

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Repeat ad lib. independent of others

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f

p

Ó

ppp

o



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ca. 10 seconds

U ∑ U ∑