Suite for String Orchestra (2012)

Suite for String Orchestra

Matthew C. Saunders (2012)

Suite for String Orchestra (2012) I. To Maestro Glass in his Diamond Jubilee II. Meditation in memoriam Maestro Hovhaness III. Finale for Maestro Sibelius Suite for String Orchestra is an homage to three composers whose work inspired and influenced me in the early 1990s, when I was in high school and just beginning to compose my own music. Each movement presents something of a fusion of my own style with that of one of these composers. At the time I first encountered his work, Philip Glass (b.

1937) was at the beginning of what is now a two-decades-long love affair with the symphony, which coincides with my own. I cut my teeth on works such as his Low Symphony, Itaipu, and The Canyon, and give a little cheer inside whenever I see his name in the opening credits of a movie. I first encountered the music of Alan Hovhaness (19112000) through his Symphony No. 50, “Mt. St. Helens,” the topic of which was the eruption of that volcano in May 1980, a source of fascination for both of us. A question I have asked myself as a composer many times over is “After the 20th century, what?,” and Hovhaness’ music provides one answer (as I hope to provide my own). I first encountered the music of Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) in Arthur C. Clarke’s 1949 short story “History Lesson,” which suggests Sibelius’ Symphony No. 7 to be an artifact that humans facing extinction might preserve against all odds. I was strangely drawn to the composer’s surname (Finnish, not Roman, as I inferred), and imagined the kind of music such a composer might write. The next year, I played trombone in the local youth orchestra, including the finale of Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2, which, to my surprise, was very similar to what I had imagined. Sibelius, of course, became my new favorite composer. Although he died twenty years before I was born, and wrote his last notes thirty years before that, my teenaged self understood the striving in his music, and as an adult, I understand how it was possible for him to simply stop composing. Other music that I was enthusiastic about as a youngster has faded in its personal importance, but work by these three continues to inspire my own work.

Suite for String Orchestra was composed under a joint commission from: Westminster College Symphony Orchestra, Melinda H. Crawford Perttu, music director Tabor College String Orchestra, Daniel Baldwin, director Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestras, Peter Stafford Wilson, music director Batavia High School Chamber Orchestra, Maura Brown, director Florida Gulf Coast University University Strings, David Cole, director Instrumentation: Violin I (divisi a 2, 2 solo players) Violin II (divisi a 2, 1 solo player) Viola (divisi a 2, 1 solo player) Violoncello (divisi a 2, 1 solo player) Doublebass

Minimum forces: 2-2-2-2-1

Dr. Matthew C. Saunders has taught music from kindergarten to college in styles from madrigal to mariachi, and strives to make beautiful music for and with captivating people. He has climbed mountains, saved someone’s life, and watched the moon rise over the prairie. He has loved, lost, and loved again; helped friends find salvation, and found it for himself as well; taught genius students, and learned from genius teachers. His dreams are to walk on Mars, hear a grand piano fall into an orchestra pit, make more people laugh than cry, and love his wife Becky passionately and forever. He plays trombone and is always getting better at playing piano, and in the course of a long, love-filled, productive life, he wants to compose the Great American Symphony, ride the rails, hike the trails, read all of the good books, finally watch The Godfather, and storm the castles in the air. He will never write unlistenable music, stop stargazing or lose money in Vegas. He doesn’t call his mother often enough, but he still tries to do a good turn daily.

He is always up for a few hands of euchre or a good game of chess, likely winning the former and losing the latter.

Contact Information: Matthew C. Saunders 257 E. 286th Street Willowick, Ohio 44095 (580) 461-1617—matthew@martiandances.com www.martiandances.com

A joint commission of Westminster College (PA), Tabor College (KS), Batavia (IL) High School, Florida Gulf Coast University, and the Columbus (OH) Symphony Youth Orchestras

Suite for String Orchestra I: To Maestro Glass in his Diamond Jubilee MATTHEW C. SAUNDERS (2012)

Allegro con anima (q = 144)

Violin I

Violin II

Viola

Violoncello

Double Bass

    

 



p



        div.             



p

               

 



 











  

















mf



6  Vln. I    6



Vla.

Vc.





p



 Copyright © 2012 www.martiandances.com





                                                 pizz.          

Vln. II

Db.





                

 

 

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 2 10

  Vln. I     

  



p

                                          

Vln. II

               

Vla.



   

Vc.

Db.

   

14         

  

  



 



   pizz.



p arco

mf

 

        



 

        

  

pizz.

mp







pizz.

mp

 

  mf

  

         Vln. I     15

    

Vln. II

  

Vla.

  

  





  

             

Vc.

Db.

                              



 







 

           



               







 

mp

  



Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders

                          19

Vln. I

Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.

  















 

      















  



 







 



 





mp

Db.

 

pizz.



        

3



24 23                          Vln. I                Vln. II                   mf

Vla.







arco



mp

Vc.

Db.

        

 



              

arco

 



mf





    

    pizz.

mf

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 4

                        Vln. I                                         28



Vln. II



   

  

Vla.

Vc.





  

Db.











       

         

                  





 





      

  

 

        

 





32

  Vln. I  



                                (arco)                    

Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

                             



 



 

         

 





 



pizz.





mf



 

   

       

   

       

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 36

Vln. I

Vln. II

Vla.

                              



38 

Db.



 

   

5

f

   



divisi                  f





f

Vc.

                 divisi

   

non divisi         

   

     



 

 

  

arco

ff

 

arco



sfz

 41     Vln. I 

Vln. II

     

                    

                 

Vla.

       

Vc.

        

arco            Db. 



 

 

   



 









                    

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 6 46

Vln. I

Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

  



 



47                                                                        

            

       

f

  

  

arco



  

  

  

 

   

   

   

  



  

  



53       Vln. I   52

Vln. II

Vla.

                  

          Db.   Vc.



            

       

 

       

mp



sub mp

mp



mp



  

 

    56

Vln. I

 

ff

                   

Vln. II



Vla.

sub ff









  mf

mp







ff

 



                              



ff



7



ff

 

Vc.

Db.

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders





mp









mp







          Vln. I   61

ff

Vln. II

    

 

  

 

ff

Vc.

ff

Db.

  

                      ff

Vla.



 



      ff

 





  



          

        







 





Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 8

 66        

   Vln. I  65

                        

Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

   

   

 



   

   

    

                 

       

 

     

     



   

  



     

  

   

 69    Vln. I 

 

       

Vln. II

 

 

 

      

          f

  





    

mp







       



  

                              

Vla.

  

Vc.

Db.

 



 

mf

 

 

 

 









 f

 f





















Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 74

Vln. I

 

Vln. II



74

9

















 





     mp

                            

Vla.

mp



Vc.

Db.















  



mf





pizz.

 

pizz.



  



mf

 79        Vln. I  

mf

 

Vln. II

    

   

Vla.

      



                   

                                    

  



  

  

  

  



Vc.













Db.















Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 10

86 83               Vln. I        f

mp

f

arco

          

mp

mp

                        

Vla.

f pizz.

   

Vc.

     

mf

 

f

  

 

mf

                      

Vln. II

Db.







 

                





arco

 

mp

mp



 

arco



mp

 88

Vln. I

 

 



 

                  

                             

Vln. II

   

Vla.



  



  



   

  

                                 

Vc.

Db.





 



                 

 

 

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 92

Vln. I

Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

   

        f

11 94                          

           

          

 



 











                    















 



 







  















f

     

      f

f

   

f

 



   Vln. I  

             



 

            



             



97

Vln. II

Vla.

Db.

 



  







 



f

f

f

Vc.

  

  f

  



  



f

f

        

mp cresc.

        

mp cresc.

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 12 102

  Vln. I  



 



Vln. II

Vc.







             mp cresc.                                   

           mp cresc.          

Vla.





f

         Db.   

      



f



               

       

        106

Vln. I

mp cresc.

        

Vln. II

 

Vla.



Vc.

Db.





  



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

f

f

                           f f                            f f                 f

      

f





f

     

f



110  110  Vln. I 



Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders

                

 

 



                               

 

 



                 

 

 



ff

Vln. II

ff

 

Vla.



ff

 

Vc.

ff

Db.



 



 



 

13

        

at the frog

at the frog



ff



       

         Vln. I   116

              

Vln. II

Vla.

  

Vc.

Db.







       

       

 

 



           

 

 

 



 

 

 



 

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



               

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 120               Vln. I     

                           

                

                             sempre f

                 

                               

14

Vln. II

Vla.

             

Vc.

Db.





        

sempre f

 

sempre f

 



      

sempre f







    

sempre f



127                   Vln. I       125

Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

                                                            

            

 

           

                        

          



                 



 

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders

           Vln. I                                 Vln. II                        130

   

 

            

Vc.

   



Db.

   



Vla.

 

                         

15

  

   

          

  

     

          

 



  

 135    Vln. I   

Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

                

                        

         

   

        

   

      

     

            

                      



 



      

       

 



    

    





  

   

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 16 140

   Vln. I     





p

                                        

Vln. II

subito p

Vla.

Vc.

Db.



   









   









 











 143

 Vln. I   

morendo

Vln. II

   

   



   



pp

pizz.

Vc.

pp

     pizz.

Db.



                                pizz.

Vla.



pp



     







  

   

   







  

   

   







  

   

   

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 17

II: Meditation in memoriam Maestro Hovhaness Andante mesto (q = 72)

   Violin I

(half) arco





             



(half) arco, con sordini



pp

  Violin II



(half) arco





 

pp





  

(half)

p

        

(half)

    p

               (half) arco, con sordini

 



pp

          



             



(half) arco, con sordini

pp

        

          

pp

pp

Viola

          

(half) arco, con sordini

pp

   

(half) pizz.

 



pp



pp

pizz.



 



pp

Violoncello

  Double Bass

  

(half)

(tutti)





















Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 18 6

  

                



10



Vln. I

 



 



                     

    





Vln. II





                    

 



                   



p

Vla.

 

                     



p

    half, arco











pp Vc.











half, arco

  

pp

Db.













pizz.

  

p

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 19 11

 























       

   

         

   



           

   





   



pp



Vln. I

















pp









pp

Vln. II

      

pp

 

          







 

       







        







 

        







 

        

Vla.





 

Vc.

Db.







   pizz.

mp

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 20 17



 

19 

        solo, senza sordino



p

Vln. I







(half)

        



pp













solo, sul G, senza sordino

         p

Vln. II







(half)

      







        



   



   

pp









(half)

pp Vla.

 

(half)

         pp

 









(half) arco, con sordini

     

pp Vc.







      Db.  







(half) arco, con sordini

       

pp







pizz.

  

pp



Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 23



 Vln. I 



   

solo, senza sordino

Vla.

Db.

   



   

 





 

   









 



  

  

         mp

Vc.

mp

21

(opt.: 1 stand)

mp

solo





Vln. II

     solo  

27

   

(solo or 1 stand)



  

(solo or 1 stand)



   







   

  

   Vln. I  28

   

    

Vln. II

 

Vla.



Vc.

 

  

   

   

mf

  

   

mf

 

 

mf

 



    



solo or 1 stand, senza sordino

                      mp

Db.















Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 22 33   

   

   

36 Andantino (q=96)               mf

Vln. I









 



     

   

  



half

pp

    

  

   

mf

Vln. II









half

pp

 



 

 



            mf

Vla.









  

half

pp





                        

    

    

 

mf

Vc.









half, pizz.

pp

Db.











    (pizz.)

pp

 

 

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 23

   38

half

    

     

mp

Vln. I

    

    

mf

half

  

 

mp



    

half

 

 

mf

    

mp

    

    

mf

Vln. II



half







 

     

     

     



mp

half

 

mp

mf



   





 

mf

Vla. half

  mp

mf

    

    

     

    

   

  

  

  

   

  

  

  

half

mp

mf

Vc.

mp

Db.



mp

mf

mf

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 24

46 Più allegro (q=126) 42                              accel.

f

Vln. I

ff

                     ff

f

     

  

   

  

  

 

ff

f

Vln. II

                                                         ff f

                   f

Vla.

ff

                                      f



    f

ff

    

     

    

              ff

Vc.

                                       arco

f

Db.



arco     f

ff



  



     ff

 

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 25

  

Vln. I



   

  

  

 

  

  

  

 

 



 



 



 



 

 



                           

 



   

 

 



                                

 



 



   48

 

ff

             ff

   



G.P.







 



ff

Vln. II

                         ff

  

   Vla.

    ff

  

   

  

ff

Vc.

     

     ff

   

   

   

ff

  Db.  







                ff

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 26

55 Molto meno mosso (q=60)      55       

  

 



     







    

  





    



 



       

     







     

     

  





  

     



 



     

  

   



         

   



ff poss.

Vln. I

    Vln. II



  

ff poss.

    ff poss.

  

  

ff poss.

ff poss.

Vla.

ff poss.

   

ff poss.

Vc.

      ff poss.

Db.

       ff poss.

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 27

61



  Vln. I





       solo

 

mp espressivo



solo

        



G.P.

 

pp







 



 

 





  



 

 



 

 



 

 



 

 



 

 



 

 



 

 

pp

solo

 

pp

Vln. II



  

solo

 



   

pp

Vla.





 

solo

 

 

   

pp

Vc.





 

solo, pizz.

Db.





pp

 

 

   

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 28 68

 

68

Tempo I (q=72)







half, sul tasto

   

p

 



Vln. I (half) arco, con sordini

             pp

half, pizz.

 

 





pp

Vln. II





 

pp

      

arco, sul tasto

       

p

(half) arco, con sordini

            



           



pp

(half) arco, con sordini



 

pp



pp

       

         

pp

Vla.

            



 

   

(half) arco, con sordini

pp

half, pizz.

 







 



   

 



p







         

pp

arco, sul tasto

pp Vc.



half, sul tasto

p

Db.















half, pizz.

pp





Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 29 73

       p

Vln. I

   



  

p

Vln. II



  



 



 

 

pp

  

  







 









pp

  

p

        

  

p

        

          

pp Vla.

          

 





    



  

 



 

p

pp



    p

Vc.

 

  

p

Db.









  





  

p







Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 30 78



 





 altri, divisi a 2, sul tasto

Vln. I

                pp



 

 



pp

sul tasto





pp

Vln. II

sul tasto

             



pp

           



pp sul tasto





pp

Vla.

pp

             

sul tasto



pp









pp

sul tasto





pp

Vc.







sul tasto





pp

Db.







half, pizz.

pp



















Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders

            solo, ordinario

82



   

 



   

  



   



   



   

   

Vln. I

  







Vln. II





 

 

Vla.



Vc.

Db.



 







   

 





   



   

 



   

 









 

 

 

31

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders

III: Finale for Maestro Sibelius

32

    Violin I  

 

 

     

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

     

pp

 

 

Andante misterioso (q.=68)

1

pp

Violin II

pp

Viola

     pp

Violoncello

        

            

        

p pizz.

Double Bass

pp

            pizz.

p

       

pp

        

     arco

mf

        



    Vln. I 

 

 

 

 

 

13  

  

 

  

 

 

 

    

  

 

    

 

 

 

 



     

8

Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.

2

Db.



 

     



        mf

      

   

2



 

  

  

sub pp

    (pizz.)

mp

   2

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders

   Vln. I  

 

15

Vln. II

Vla.

Vc.

  

 

      

    

 

 

 

 

    

    

   

  Db. 

2

 

 

 

 

 

  

    

    

     

 

   

  

      

      

33

 

   

            

 

 

 

   

   













div.         

                   

div.      

 

    

    



     

     

4



 



26    Vln. I    25

ff

   

Vln. II

  

Vla.

   

Vc.

Db.

 







ff



 

ff

  

ff

 

arco

ff

     

non. div.

non. div.

     

     

  

 

          

  ff

 

ff

 

ff





    

 

ff

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders

            Vln. I     33

Vln. II

Vla.

     



     



     

Vc.

     Db.  

 

 

ff

 

      



ff

 



                

 

34

 

    



 

 

 

 pizz.     



2

 



 

 



             2

    

ff

    



ff



2







 41

 Vln. I 

   2

2

        

Vln. II

    2

   

2



Vla.



   

Vc.

2

Db.





2

2

2

2

   2      

2





     

fp cresc.



    2

2



        7

fp cresc.

2



    2



44     

  

8        

        mf

 

 

7

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders

   Vln. I 

 

   

 

  

  

 

  

 

 

 

 

        

 

46

f

Vln. II

f

Vla.

f

 

 

 

arco



Vc.

Db.









35



fp

 



 



fp

fp

 

7

mf



 



fp





 





fp

 52

 Vln. I  Vln. II

Vla.

52 Allegretto amabile e chiuso (q.=84)   









 

         

Vc.







        



           mp





mp





 



pp

Db.







p











Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 36 58



 Vln. I 

     

Vln. II

     

Vla.

 

Vc.















62



         



         



mf



mf

        

pizz.







mf Db.

















 64

  Vln. I   Vln. II

Vla.

Db.



      







mp

    



   









 





















Vc.

      









(pizz.)              mp









Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders

Vln. I

  

    

Vln. II

  

    

71



Vla.



73



37



















mp







f intenso

             

arco



Vc.

Db.











2

f intenso









mp

2





 77



 Vln. I 

   

Vla.



Vc.

Db.





Vln. II





          







          













mf

mf



 



           2

f intenso









 

2





 

mf

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 38 83

  Vln. I  

mf

     

Vln. II



Vla.

Vc.

Db.

85            



mf

poco f

          

 



2

2

2

2

             

poco f





              

















mf

                    











mf







mf

   Vln. I  

92         

                           

  

        

                       

90

Vln. II

 

Vla.

 

Vc.

Db.







2

f

f

       

2

2

2

         f



f



f

    





    





    





        

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders

      

    Vln. I  96

     

      

2

2

2

 

   

 

   

2

       

    

     

Vla.

       2

    

    

   

                                  

Vc.

Db.

2

  

Vln. II

       

39

  

 







 

104      



     



 101     Vln. I 

 

  

 

 

 

  

  

Vln. II

Vla.



Vc.

Db.





 







 







ff

ff

                 ff

 





f

      



    



ff

ff

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 40 106

 Vln. I 











Vln. II





            f

                  

Vla.



mf

     

    



Vc.













Db.

















111

 Vln. I 



112          f

          

Vln. II

 

Vla.

     



mf



       

                              

Vc.













Db.















Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 41 116

Vln. I

Vln. II

     



      

mf



       

          

 



                  

                      Vc. f           Db.  

Vla.



                        

     

f

       



122                Vln. I   121

          

f

Vln. II

Vla.

                          f                   f

Vc.

Db.

             



      

f



f







      

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 42

130 126                        Vln. I       p

                            

Vln. II

    

Vla.

  

Vc.

Db.



  

  

  

p

   



   





 





mf

    p



 

 

 

 

p

p

                Vln. I                   131



Vln. II



f

                     

    

   

Vc.

  









Db.

  







 

Vla.



 

         

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 136

 Vln. I 

            

 

Vln. II

f

 

        

      

Vla.



          f

                    mf

 

Vc.



139 43           







  





  



f

Db.

   





f

                                       Vln. I  140

                                     

Vln. II

                    

Vla.

  

Vc.

Db.



  

 





















Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders

                Vln. I              Vln. II 

44

144

Vla.

Vc.

Db.



              f

             

      

     

 



 

     

f

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



     

f

ff

     

ff



  

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



150     (e=e)   149                           Vln. I                                     

Vln. II

 

Vla.



Vc.

Db.





          

             



 



      



mf

 mf





 mf

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders

                           Vln. I  153

p

                                     

Vln. II

G.P.

   

p

Vla.

Vc.

Db.



pizz.

 

   

 

   

mp pizz.

 



mp pizz.

  

   





   



   







Vln. II

    

   

    

     

ff arco

Vla.

ff arco

Vc.

 



 





  

  

  

  

     

     

   

 

  

   

   

     

  

  

  

    

     

   

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

   

 

   

















 



ff arco

Db.

  

ff

 



158 Allargando (h=56)          Vln. I         ff



 

mp

158

45

Suite for String Orchestra/Saunders 166   Vln. I   

  

  

 

  

  

  

   

     

  

      

     

     

 

    

      

 

 













46

Vln. II

     

Vla.

Vc.

Db.



 

    Vln. I   

  

  

  

       

     

     

    



Vc.

  

 

 

 



 





Db.

  















171

Vln. II

Vla.





  

non. div.





   non div.   



non. div.



12'37"