Piano

Michael Goodman

Piano

Three songs for Baritone voice and chamber ensemble on poems by Dick Allen, Patrick Phillips, and Floyd Skloot

(2012)

Š 2012 Unanimous Productions

Contact Information Michael Goodman 2300 Oakdale Rd. 17 Modesto, CA 95355 Cell #: (517) 256-3197 Email: michaelgoodman9@gmail.com michaelgoodmanmusic.com

Instrumentation Flute/Piccolo B b Clarinet Violin Cello Baritone Voice Piano

Program notes Piano is a song-cycle that comprises of three poems that involve a musical subject. Although the titles of each song represent a musical element, they each have a much deeper meaning to the poem/song than the titles portray.

In the case of Floyd Skloot's work Silent Music, it represents a connection between a pianist and the ambience of her surroundings; for instance the creaking of the bench.

Patrick Phillips' Piano, the work is presented with a broken piano that was heaved through an open window. As the work progresses, the piano is no longer represented as a broken, abandoned, or unloved object, but a broken, abandoned, and unloved piano with it's true inner self still intact.

The cycle closes with Dick Allen's The Accompanist. This humorous work describes the relationship between the singer and the pianist. In the context of recitals, the singer always receives the most credit for a performance, regardless of the difficulty of both parts, and the pianist is left alone on the black bench. Although the singer receives the most credit, the singer shows concern towards the pianist. At the conclusion of the work, the singer stands back as the pianist finishes the song, allowing the pianist to receive much deserved credit.

This score is in C Duration ca. 12 minutes

Texts Silent Music

Piano

- Floyd Skloot

- Patrick Phillips

My wife wears headphones as she plays

Touched by your goodness, I am like

Chopin etudes in the winter light.

that grand piano we found one night on Willoughby

Singing random notes, she sways

that someone had smashed and somehow

in and out of shadow while night

heaved through an open window.

settles. The keys she presses make a soft clack, the bench creaks when her weight shifts,

And you might think by this I mean I'm broken

golden cotton fabric ripples across

or abandoned, or unloved. Truth is, I don't

her shoulders, and the sustain pedal clicks.

know exactly what I am, any more

This is the hidden melody I know

than the wreckage in the alley knows

so well, her body finding harmony in

it's a piano, filling with trash and yellow leaves.

the give and take of motion, her lyric grace of gesture measured against a slow

Maybe I'm all that's left of what I was.

fall of darkness. Now stillness descends

But touching me, I know, you are the good

to signal the end of her silent music.

breeze blowing across its rusted strings.

Reprinted from “Prairie Schooner,” Volume 80, Number 2 (Summer, 2006) by permission of the University of Nebraska Press.

Copyright © 2006 by the University of Nebraska Press.

What would you call that feeling when the wood, even with its cracked harp, starts to sing?

Poem copyright © 2008 by Patrick Phillips. Reprinted from his most recent book of poetry, Boy, University of Georgia Press, 2008, by permission of Patrick Phillips.

The Accompanist - Dick Allen I've always worried about you-the man or woman at the piano bench, night after night receiving only such applause as the singer allows: a warm hand please, for my accompanist. At concerts, as I watch your fingers on the keys, and how swiftly, how excellently you turn sheet music pages, track the singer's notes, cover the singer's flaws, I worry about whole lifetimes, most lifetimes lived in the shadows of reflected fame; but then the singer's voice dies and there are just your last piano notes, not resentful at all, carrying us to the end, into those heartfelt cheers that spring up in little patches from a thrilled audience like sudden wildflowers bobbing in a rain of steady clapping. And I'm on my feet, also, clapping and cheering for the singer, yes, but, I think, partially likewise for you half-turned toward us, balanced on your black bench, modest, utterly well-rehearsed, still playing the part you've made yours.

Poem copyright © 2007 by Dick Allen, whose most recent book of poetry is “Present Vanishing,” Sarabande Books, 2008.

Poem reprinted from “North Dakota Quarterly,” Vol. 74, no. 3, Summer 2007, by permission of Dick Allen.

Piano

Score in C

Silent Music

Light, and hollow q = 75      

Flute

B b Clarinet

 



  

Violin

Violoncello

Baritone

Piano

    

Fl.

Cl.

Vn.

Vc.

B

Pf.

 

   







 







   





 







  

















   

 





 

 

   







  

 

























 



























 



























1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

 

             







Black Keys Etude - Chopin

 











 

ª 10

 





Michael Goodman Floyd Skloot    



          

        

cresc.





  

        cresc.





  

rall.

      

 

       



cresc.

        loco

9







    

 

                             cresc.

 















 















 















10

11 12 13 © 2006 "Silent Music", University of Nebraska Press. 2012 Unanimous Productions

14

Piano: Silent Music

2

Fl.

freely   

17

a tempo 









Cl.

 













Vn.

 







 



 

Vc.

 



 



 

B

 

molto vib.

IV.

  

 

 



   



My

Pf.

 



 



Fl.

Cl.

  



 

Vc.

  

wears



  

head - phones

as

she

 



 





  

 



  

 19

20

in

the

 







  















 



win - ter

 



 



  





    

-

 

         



 

Sing - ing

   

 

18

Etude 23 - Chopin





e - tudes

  

light

Pf.



Cho - pin

         

  



plays



 



wife



17



  



16



Vn.

B

 

20

 



          



15

ª



 



 ran



 -

dom

   

21



 22



Piano: Silent Music

Fl.

Cl.

Vn.

Vc.

B

   

      II.     I.      

 

 

 

 

                   

 

               

  







 





















notes



  



loco







loco

 



 





 



Cl.



Vn.

         

Vc.

    

     



night



 sways









    

  

  

27



  in

out

and





of





    







sha

 -

dows



 

 









 









 

    

       



25

28 





 



  





loco

       

set - tles

26

 



                             while

 

24









she

23

       





  



Fl.

Pf.

 

                          

ª

B

 

 

 Pf.

 

3



 

     

 

















 

   The











28

29

30

Piano: Silent Music

4 31 Fl.

Cl.

 











Vn.







Vc.

 





  keys

Pf.



      she

press - es

makes a

soft







     



B





 



  



  

 



 





  





 









clack!

The

  



 

bench

creaks

  -



 



weight shifts

gold - en



 



 

     





 



 

when her





cot - ton



 

fa - bric









 



 













     

31

32

33

34









Cl.











           

Vn.





 









 



Vc.

B



 Pf.







cross

her

shoul



side



ders

  and the



                     36 *Unsyncronized key clicks as fast as possible. ** soundboard

body side

   -

 



sus - tain









S.B.** body

      37

       





Knock on specific location



 





Knock on specific location



  



pe - dal clicks!

  

  35



body

a -



39   *        

Fl.

  

rip - ples



ª



 38



Inside the piano

   



 39

    

Fl.

Cl.

Piano: Silent Music

5

       





  

body side

pizz.

Vn.

 

Vc.

 

B

 

Pf.



sul pont. arco





   

pizz.

 

Clack!



S.B. body



 



body side

 



   











sul pont. arco

  



 







  

  





Creak!



    





 

    

 



 









     



 

     

     

 

Click - i - ty

click - i - ty

         



  





43









44

 

              





gliss across strings with finger tips inside the piano.

42









47 freely













 



  



   



arco















  



dim.





      

Clack!







        

Click!



    





    

 

arco

      

clack!

Pf.





      

41

Cl.

B



   

      

 

 

excessive bow pressure

 



  

Vc.

 



 



Fl.

 

 

40

ª

Vn.



  

Creak!



excessive bow pressure

   

 



 







 45





 



 



This

is

the

hid - den









  



 46



47



Piano: Silent Music

6

Fl.

Cl.

Vn.

Vc.

B





a tempo 









 













 mel

Pf.

-

   



o

dy

-



 







  

    



  that

I





 



   

know

so





well

 

  





 



   



 



 

 



 

         

her

bo - dy

find - ing

har

 

-



mo -







 



 















48

49

50

Fl.

 

Cl.

  



   

Vn.

 



Vc.

 



    ny

Pf.





ª

B



   in

the give

 



 

 52

  











  and

take

 of





mo -      

rall. 

 

 

 



tion

 



   53

   her

   

   lyr





 



      

 



 

51

 -

ic





 

grace

of

                 54



 

 

   

gest

-

  

 





  

ure

loco                55

 

Piano: Silent Music

56 Fl.

 

Cl.

 

Vn.

Vc.

B

a tempo

              









 





  



   a - gainst

a



 

 



    

 



    

 

56



Cl.





(dim.)



Vn.



Vc.

     (dim.)

B





 



















Pf.



  61





 



  

62

 -

 

      63

 





ness

  











 

60





  



  

still -

ness



  

   







64

  



65 a tempo 

 

  



59





 



     

 





dark

Now





58







 



 



 

  

 



   



 



  

of





 

 



     dim.

  

57





   

fall



 

  

rall.

Fl.

 



  

slow

 

ª

 



         dim.           dim.  dim.       

 

mea - sured

Pf.





7



        

de - scends

   to





loco



 65

 66



  

67

 









sig - nal





Piano: Silent Music

8

Fl.

Cl.

Vn.

Vc.

B











  









         





sig

-



 



   to

Pf.





rall.

















 



 





 



 





 

nal

the

     

  68

  

end

 of

 her

   69

 si



 -

lent



   mu





















-

sic

     

  70



 

   

 

71

9

Piano Patrick Phillips B

Pf.

ª

B

 

Lively, Sinisterly q = 86   

1

rit.







   

5



Touched

by your good - ness

   

     

 





6

 

 

 



I

like

am

  

4





 

that



gr - and

 

         







7

   

           

3

7 a tempo       

     

       ª

2

    

       

                                                 







   

      Pf.



 





  

pi - ano



that we



     











8



9

Fl.

 



 



 



 



 

Cl.

 



 



 



 



 

Vn.

 



 



 



 



 

Vc.

 



 



 



 



 

B

    

   



found

one night

    Pf.

 



 

on



 

 10



     

Will - ough - by

       

 

that



       





 

       11



 







   

 and  loco             

some - one

had

   



    12

© 2008 "Piano" University of Georgia Press; 2012 Michael Goodman

smashed!





  

   13



Piano: Piano

10

Fl.

 



 

Cl.

 



 

Vn.

 



  

Vc.

 



  

B

  



some - how

    Pf.

 





     

heaved

 

    





loco





Fl.

 



Cl.

 



Vc.

B



   through an



  

   

 

 

o -

pen















  







     

    

   

  

     

 

 



 

 

     







 





 



  



and

  Pf.







 

   





  17

        loco

     

  18



 



19



  

 

 

16

 





 





15













 



18 With Concern q = 65  



               



win - dow

14

ª

Vn.





  

     20

  



Piano: Piano

 

 



 

  

  





 



  





  



Fl.



Cl.

Vn.

Vc.



B



Pf.

11

 



 

 





 

you

might

think

by

   mean

 

 

  I

mean I'm

bro

                            

      

21

ª





    -

ken

  or

         

22

    a - ban

-

doned

     





23

24

27 Fl.

Cl.

Vn.

Vc.

B











   

 



 

 









 



 Pf.







  or

un

 



-

loved

















   

 



 

25

26















to piccolo





 







   





  





       







 

     

27

28



        

 





 

  





 







 

 

  29



        

  30

Piano: Piano

12

P.

Cl.

Vn.

Vc.

B

   

  

 

  









 





 



  

 

 









   









 







 

  

 

Cl.







  



Vn.



Vc.

  

 

B

 





  Pf.



 



 





  Truth

 

   

  35



 

 



loco

 



 

 

  33

34

 

   

    



     

        



       



 

is

that

   I



36







     



 





 

32







                      

P.





36

 

 



         

 



  





31

ª





  



         Pf.

 



33 



Piccolo

   









  





don't

know

            37

Piano: Piano

P.



Cl.



Vn.

Vc.

B



 









  





 

  

 

e - xact - ly what



42 Fl.



Cl.



Vn.



Vc.



B



 





  

 

 

am

any

  -

     

            

 

     

 

 -

  



39











  



 



   





 

 

 





  







  

  

knows



in

the

al - ley

  

it's

43





a















   





pi -ano

   

 

the





 

 

41

  

 



40



 







  

    

than



age

42



 

   

  



more

  

  

 

 



 

 

  



 

 

a tempo           

wreck

Pf.





38

ª





I

 

 











 Pf.









rit.  

to flute





13







fill - ing



  

  44



Piano: Piano

14

Fl.

rit.       

46 a tempo      



poco accel. 





Cl.

  

 

 





  

Vn.

  



  







   

dim.

Vc.

B

  

   

   

      with



   

trash

Pf.



Fl.



     

    

  

 

45

ª



   

 

46





Cl.







Vn.

 









leaves.



   

 

dim.

 

and yell - ow

 

 

 





 







 

47



 

   

 

48



49

54 Lively q = 80 



 



     

  



  











(dim.)

Vc.

B

   

Pf.



  



50

  





(dim.)





                  



  



51







            





52

   53





pizz.

 









            54

Piano: Piano

Fl.







Cl.





 

Vn.

 

Vc.

 

B



   

   





 



  













                









15

    



  



  

 Pf.

Cl.







Vc.

    

      

 

56

 

 

 









  

 







 

Pf.

   



                 59

     



 







  











 



of what

I







 



58

 



 







 



 

  



  

   touch ing







   

  But



    

I'm all that's left

  

     

was





57







      

    

       



         

55

     

Vn.

B



   

          ª

Fl.







May - be



    



me

I









  

           60

















know you

    

 







are

the







  



61

Piano: Piano

16

Fl.

Cl.

Vn.

Vc.

B

   

 



Fl.



Cl.

 

Vc.

B















   



 



blow

ing

a

cross







arco



    it's

  

    





                              



  

         



                  



  

rit.

rust - ed



  









                                   



 64

67



strings

                           66



   

65









69 freely   

                                     



            

  What

loco

Pf.



 

 



  





 

  

63

         







     

 

62

               





 

ª

 



breeze



 



  

 





   

Vn.



      

good

Pf.

   

           





  

  68

   would you

         69

Piano: Piano

Fl.

Cl.

Vn.

 

  

 





 

 

  

 







 

  

  

 

 

 

Vc.



B





 



    

call

Pf.



 

   

that feel - ing







 

feel - ing

 

 

 



 













70

71

72

Cl.

  



 

Vn.

   

 

   

B

 

 



           



 

 



 



 

73







sing?

Pf.

ev - en with it's cracked



 

 

       

 



 



when the wood

freely   

Vc.



 

 















 



   







harp



rit. 





gliss inside the piano

 





starts

to

 



 

 76

                

77

   

74





 





Ped.

ª

Fl.

17

75

18

The Accompanist

Fl.

Lively q = 80     





 





Cl.

  





  





Vn.

  

 



  



 

Vc.

   

   

   

 

 

    

   

B

I've







 







 



al - ways worr - ied













  1

Cl.

  

  

Vn.

      

Vc.

  

night

Pf.

   

af - ter night

re - cei - ving

 



   

  5

 

or

wo - man

-



 



at

pia - no

bench

the

  



  

 4

rall.       3

     

 

 



such

     6

  

 













        as the

  

 



ap - plause



  



* Vocalist extend arm towards the pianist while saying "My accompanist."



3

nly



  

3





 

  





  

  o

man



3

  

         

the

  

2

      

B

  

             

           

Fl.

 

you

 

ª

 



a - bout

  

      

Pf.

 

  

sing - er

 

al - lows





*

a

         

      

 

3

3

3

7

© 2007 "The Accompanist", North Dakota Quarterly, Vol. 74, no. 3; 2012 Michael Goodman

8

   

 

19

Fl.

freely

 



 

 *



11





Cl.

 



 





  

Vn.

 



  



Vc.

 



  



   

B

    



warm hand

Pf.

 

please

for



 





 

my

ac - com - pa

-







  





      



    

 



 





 





10

11

12

nist.

  



 



 



9

* Look at the pianist with a blank face, then turn away. Pianist looks at ensemble, then nods head after the ensemble turns away.

Fl.





14 

Cl.

 



 

Vn.



Vc.

  

B

 



  13



  

    

con - certs

as

loco        

I

  

 



  



 



  





 

  



   

      watch

        14





     

   

        

 



    



   

 



 

At













       



 

ª

Pf.





your

 

  fin - gers

  

15

 

  

  

  on



 

 

     



the

keys

 

    





   

 

and how

16



Piano: The Accompanist

20

Fl.

 









Cl.

 







Vn.

  

Vc.

B



 

   



  

    

 

   



 

 



  

how

ex

  





swift - ly

Pf.

loco               

B



 

 



 



 





turn

sheet mu - sic

18

 



 

 



 



you



          









  

 

 

  

pages

 

   



track

the

 20



 







      





















   

 



    cov - er







 22

the

  sing - er's

  

 23



sing - er's

 







    











19

a tempo  

 







21







notes

Pf.

 





 





freely

  

 

   



Vn.

 

cel - lent - ly

 

Cl.



   

-



Fl.

 

     

22 

 



 



17

ª

Vc.





rall.

  flaws

    

  



Piano: The Accompanist

21

* highest note possible

Fl.

Vc.

B



freely



 



 







 

 





























** the curved lines indicates the direction of the smear.

It is suppose to be performed in a laughing manner.



 Pf.





26 Leisurely q = 60

rall.



 

24









 



25







26

ª *** from measures 27-31, play as solo with rubato; not in strict time. The tempo alterations are suggested markings to follow. The amount of change in tempo is solely based on the pianist.

accel.

a tempo

rall.

Pf.

accel.

                                

                    3

27

28

 

29

ª

31 Tempo primo Vc.

 

B

 

rall.

jazz pizz.



                  







                    I

Pf.

                                                                   30

31

32

Piano: The Accompanist

22

          

Fl.



Cl.





Vn.



 



Vc.

 



B

 



wor

 Pf.

         



           

-

 

ry

a

-

   





Cl.

Vn.























33

             



bout

  

 







ª

Fl.







       













 

B

 



         



      







Vc.

               







   



















  

whole

 Pf.

  

 















 34













Piano: The Accompanist



Fl.

 

Cl.

 



Vn.

 



Vc.

 



B

 



 

 













Cl.

Vn.

Vc.

B

 

















  











 







   







        



  

 -







 

times



 

  

  





















 



  

 





 

 







lived

in

the









      



35

life

Pf.

 

most







times

         







ª

Fl.





         

 





-



 



 

life

Pf.





23



rit.  



3







 36





 





3

   









 3

   









  









arco

3

 

3

sha - dows









of

re

    





-

flect

37

ed

  3



-

Piano: The Accompanist

24

Fl.

Cl.

Vn.

Vc.

B







 





















 



Pf.





then









the

sing



      

     

Cl.

  

Vn.

  

Vc.

   

B

   





    



 





er's

voice



 













 













 















 







 

























    

 



and

     

 

 

dies

Pf.



 

39









38

   









-



  



        



   

but

ª

Fl.



  



loco

jazz pizz.

fame.









         

    















      

 

 



       



  



39   





 







 40









Piano: The Accompanist

Fl.

Cl.

Vn.

Vc.

B



 













 



 

   

 





   

 are





   

  

Piccolo

  

 







just

your



 

Vc.

B





last

pi





 







 





 











 



  







  

loco

Vn.





 -

ano





41

42

Cl.











 

ª

P.





    

 

to piccolo



there

Pf.









25



3

arco



 

 





 



not

re



 

 











 







ful

at



3

notes

Pf.

  





   

-

sent

-

all

3







  



  

42







Piano: The Accompanist

26

P.

Cl.

Vn.

  

         



            

Vc.



B

  



 





car

 Pf.











-

ry

-













ing

us

to

the





















 

 

 

  43

         

P.

 

Cl.

          

Vn.

 



Vc.





B













end

in

  





ª

Pf.



         





       

 









-



       











 



to

those

heart





  44

       







  -

-



-

  

-



felt



Piano: The Accompanist

P.

 

Cl.



Vn.

























  





















 

 







Vc.

 

B







 

cheers

Pf.





Cl.

Vn.

Vc.

B









 











 



 



 

that

spring







 





 



  

 

   

 





up













  

  45

        

  

  

  

     



  



lit



   

 

 



  







  





           

  

 



 

in

Pf.





ª

P.









 





 



27

-





tle

patch

-











es

from

a











    

thrilled

   

46

  





au - di - ence





   

  

47

    

Piano: The Accompanist

28

P.

Cl.

Vn.

Vc.

B

      











      

 



like

 



rall.



 









 





 



  





 



  







sudden

 

 

wild

flow

 

   



- ers

bob - bing in

                         Pf.

 







48

ª

51 Lively q = 80 

Pf.



     

 

loco

51



clap - ping.

       

          







 



50





  

  



 

     



 

    

  

 

 

     



 

    













 

also



    

Vc.

and







        

my



  

 

        





Vn.

     









stea - dy





 

on

of

rain



    

 



I'm

                  a





Cl.

and

 



  



 

 



49

Fl.

B

 





  



clap - ping

  and

             

              52

   cheer

-

  

ing

for

the sing - er

    53



 

          

54

Piano: The Accompanist

29 rall.

Fl.

 





Cl.

 





Vn.

 





Vc.

 





B

    and







cheer - ing







for

the

sing

 -

 





er

3

 



 



Pf.

               3               3 3 3

3

3

3

ª

55

56

the ensemble applaudes towards the singer as the singer bows in response.

c.5" Fl.

 



Cl.

 



Vn.

 



Vc.

 



B

 

 (Speak theatrically) "Thank, thank you! Shall we continue, Maestro?"

Pf.







 57

              

Piano: The Accompanist

30 58 On cue Fl.









Cl.









Vn.

Vc.

B

  



            but

Pf.



     





     





I

think

par - tial - ly



   



like - wise

for

 



Fl.

Cl.

 

Vn.

         

B

  





you

half





   

mod - est

   

 

  

 62

ut - ter - ly

 

 - turned

towards



   

 

us

bal - anced on your

black

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

  



 





        







well

re

 

 



 63



 -



 





 



61



 

 

 









bench,

      

 



60



 



59

  

      





              



58

Vc.

   

  



 

  

     

            ª

Pf.









   

 



   

      

    



 

 

     



  

 



  

 





64

 

      

   

hearsed

 

 

   65

 

Piano: The Accompanist

Fl.

Cl.

Vn.

Vc.

B

Pf.

31

rall.  

  







 

*

 

 







 



  







  



   





  





       

67 a tempo



 



still

               











play - ing

the

part

 

that



  





  you've













 





 





 



 



 



 



66

67



dim.

made

 

a tempo

yours.

 



  



   



         

68

69

ª

molto rall.   (dim.)

B

  



  

(hum)

Pf.

                                         70

ª

a tempo

 Pf.



   



   

loco

   

Ped.

 



71

accel. 

       

72



   

     73



Loud applause by the conductor, singer, and ensemble towards the pianist!

    

  



          









74