ΝΕΣΤΩΡ ΤΑΙHΛΟΡ: HUIS CLOS (Κεκλεισμένων των Θυρών) by Nestor Taylor

Composer’s note

HUIS – CLOS / CLOSED DOORS

"And if other people's opinion of you is negative, in a world where everyone else means everything to you - then my friend, welcome to hell."

These nine pianistic monographs were written in different time periods, but they are linked stylistically through a dark, if not claustrophobic atmosphere. The music is like a theatrical landscape where the focus is not necessarily on the plot, but on the psychological state of the protagonists, who, we gradually realize, are ourselves.

In this sense, the choice of the title ‘Huis-Clos’ is not accidental: inspired by Sartre's book, this piano cycle explores the concept of alienation, alienation from ourselves, the labyrinth of dark mirrors and mirages into which we anxiously bend to find our true image.

However, ultimately, the personal path to salvation, in the end, does not pass through the judgment of others, but it is found in the light that we ourselves have to offer; not in a transcendental, but rather a simply human way, free from rules and social conventions. Therefore, it is not moral concepts and thoughts that matter, but our actions in the here and now - what we choose as an absolute necessity during this short life.

Ν. Τ. 18.10.2022

     Κεκλεισµένων των Θυρών Allegretto

Βroken

Στην Αλεξάνδρα Παπαστεφάνου

11 a tempo narrante; poco rubato 19 quasi a tempo 27 35 Maestoso                      poco avvivando cresc.  rit.  p   p    più sostenuto   mf   rinforzando    fz  6 3 3  mp   f, espr.    meno f               p    3 5   p, misterioso   cresc.               ff con intensita   cresc. e molto affrettando                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

I. Through the

Μirror

ΗUIS - CLOS

    43 50 57 Vivace; con bravura A tempo 64 allargando rall. molto                      ff ff cresc. molto     fff   espr. ff    f cresc. ed precipitando [poco a poco]    (ten.)                    mf          molto                        sfffz         f, dim. poco a poco            sub. fff   (lunga)         f Μορτιάς-Πήλιο, 01-viii-07 dur. c. 1'.30" ΑTTACCA                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                2

II. Erinyes

      Veloce - ostinato h = c.80

3 5 7 9 12                      mp legato, sim.  *)  sempre ten. (come sopra)     cresc.               p sim.  [gradually reverse accents]    mf - quasi f  p, sub. 5:6  *) All notes in the L.H. should be played as 'white' notes, unless otherwise indicated. Upper stave accidentals do NOT affect those appearing in the lower one.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     3

start increasing the volume, but always in an accompanying manner]

*) Do not break the flow; try to maintain as much as possible the feeling of a constant crotchet beat, even if the l.h. has momentarily stopped playing the ostinato figure.

      15 18 20 22 25 27          poco f  mf  5:6  non troppo f [L.H:

 3    f  più f 5:6   3 cresc. 3    f  sff 5 3 5:6             6     sff    sff 5 5 

           *)                  6 6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               4

      30 33 Un poco più vivo; aggressivo h = c.88 36 39 42 44                                       sff   f, cresc. ff 5 5 3   3  sf     5 3 3 3 3  5                      3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3     33 3                           3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3  sff mf, cresc.              3:2  martellato            3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3   sff    sff martellato             martellato               3 33 3 3 3 3 3 33   sff                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   5

    46 49 53 56                                             rin - - for - - zan - - do             3:2   3 3 33 3 3 3 3 3 3  mf  sff p, cresc. sfp 333 3 3 3 3  333 3 3 333  p, cresc. sfp sfp 3 3 3 3 3   3 3 3 33 333  f                3  ff 3 3 3 3 3 3      sec. Χολαργός, 30-xii-2007 dur: c. 1.'40" 3 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               6

poco affretando . . . . . . . , a tempo primo, ma senza trascinare

    Moderato ΙΙΙ. Primo Momento 7

13 tratt. . , poco a poco più animando 20 rit. . . . . , quasi a tempo rit.                                p       cresc.       sf, dolce >  pp, sub.      mormorando   mf p        cresc. molto     smorzando pp   f  Xολαργός 11 - iv - 2010 dur: c.45"                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    7

     Poco maestoso; con passione

accel . . . . poco a poco . . . . . . (molto più) . . . . . . . . . . . rit. . . . . , Poco più sostenuto; narrante 7 rit. . . . . . , a tempo 13 18 24 animandosi                                                                                              sfp mf, cresc. molto ff, esplosivo strepitoso    ffz   p  mf, espress.  3  sfp quasi rubato rfz rffz mf  3 7 3 3     sfp   cantabile espr.         cresc., incalzando . . . . . . a tempo f ancora più intenso  3 5         3 5 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         8

IV. Brief Encounter

Maestoso 30 34                       (corta)   ff, sonoro    p  mf  perdendosi   ATTACCA  Μορτιάς, 24-viii-08 dur: c. 1.'30"                                                                                                                                                         9

V. Gladiatores

     Con velocità q. = al meno 86

8 16 25 32                      p mf cresc.   f molto ff         p, espr. sf  mp    sf p sim.  p  sf    p   f   f       p  sempre f molto espressivo   persistente   sf  sf sf sf sub. meno f                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            10

   40 47 53 precipitando al fine           sf  sf sf sub. meno f  sf  sub. ff, ruvido f ff   mf molto (ben articolato!) sffz    Χολαργός 19-iv-2010 dur: c. 50"                                                                                                                                                                                                                    11

pp, con molta espressione e rubato

VI. Secondo Momento

      Quasi lento

5 10 15 19 22 calando                                                                         

    sim.  p  cre- scen- do . . . . . . . . molto    ff f  f  dim. p sf (l.v.)    sf in p  p dim.  mf  sf        f  sf   poco meno f      ATTACCA   (l.v.)       p dim. ppp Χολαργός 2009 dur: c. 1'.45"                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               12

VII. Don't Look Now

    Spiritoso

q = c. 88 6 9 sempre in tempo 13 16         sf    (l.v.)  sf    sf   un poco meno        pp (come echo)     pp       pp             sim. sf   sf   sf   p     p    p       mf più intenso   3                       cresc.    sim.          mp sub.  un poco di più       pp                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  13

 19 23 agitamente . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . molto (!) 26                                 quasi f, cresc. poco a poco    p     f            rinforzando  sffz    l.v. ATTACCA      Χολαργός, 2009, dur: c. 1'.10"                                                                                                                                                                                                                    14

VIII. Wait until the tram stops [Yes, I am Flying!]

      Meccanico; quasi Allegro

4 7 10 13 16       mp  mf, appoggiato    poco sf   sempre appoggiato      sf     sim. come sopra  sf         sf                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             15

incalzando [se possibile]. . . . . . . . . . , mantenere il tempo

    19 22 25 28 31

34                                               pp, leggierissimo, ma sempre ben ritmato  poco sf      p   (sfp) (sfp) (sfp) (sfp)  crescendo poco a poco (sfp) (sfp) (sfp)  molto rffz   [YES, I AM FLYING!] mf, dolce ma ben tenuto  (sfp) sfp cresc. p                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  16

      37 pochiss. tratt. , 39 41 43 46 48  f   mp    cresc.  ancora più fp (ma sempre agitato)   f        sf con impeto                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    17

  50 53    sf  f, marc.       ff secco  Χολαργός, Απρίλιος 2010 dur: c. 2'.15"                                                                                                                                                                     18

IX. Chorale - Finale

Sempre in tempo, ma un poco pesante

   Andante nobile

7 12 17

animando poco a poco 22                                                              mf, espr.      p, ma con il tema sempre in rilievo    f                            3    p, sostenuto   mf   p, sub.   3 5      mfp                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               19

   25 Libero; quasi recitando 28 33 37 40                                                                                       ardito più  3 3 5  poco f    3  fz 3 3         3  3 3  5 3                  5  5 5 5    ancora più f                 cresc. ed agitando                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      20

Monumentale; tempo I 46 50                                          ff, pesante    ff, pesante   (ben marc.)  sff sff  sff (pausa lunga)      fff, drammatico Χολαργός 20-vi-2010 dur: c. 2'.20" TΕΛΟΣ                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          21

ΝΕΣΤΩΡ ΤΑΙHΛΟΡ: HUIS CLOS (Κεκλεισμένων των Θυρών)

Σηµείωµα του συνθέτη

Composer’s note

HUIS – CLOS / CLOSED DOORS

II. Erinyes

V. Gladiatores

VI. Secondo Momento

VII. Don't Look Now

VIII. Wait until the tram stops [Yes, I am Flying!]

IX. Chorale - Finale

Articles inside

Composer’s note