Harrison - The Perilous Chapel (sample pages)

PlttreiM~~,, 111'

<111 14 ~,ai ~

7li CIS

The Perilous Chapel was composed by Lou Harrison in 1948 as a ballet for Jean Erdman.

Exploring the struggles of the subconscious, the work pits the forces of anarchy against the power - and ultimate triumph - of the divine. Although the ballet comprises six movements, the concert version sounds as three large sections, since Movements I and II and Movements Ill to V are to be played without break. The sixth movement, in itself a third the length of the composition, stands alone, exemplifying, in Harrison's words, "a dance on the floor of Heaven." The entire work may be viewed as an emotional arch, beginning and ending in tranquil serenity. The forces of evil, portrayed in the barbaric dance of Movement Ill, reach the height of their power in the middle of Movement V, a musical representation of chaos. The dramatic close of this section is then abruptly countermanded by the heavenly transfiguration of the final Alleluia.

According to Harrison, the instrumentation of The Perilous Chapel was inspired by Persian miniatures; the title draws from the works of William Blake. A tetrachordal motive pervades the composition, found in the accompanimental figures of Movements I and V, in the repeated ground bass motive of Movement VI, as part of the melodic figuration of Movement I, and, with octave displacement, in the flute line in Movement Ill. In 1987, during a recording of the composition, Harrison revised tempo indications and movement designations, as well as a number of technical details. These revisions are reflected in the present score. The recording, produced under the composer's direction, is available on Opus One 129, performed by Ensemble Nova.

Two matters of performance might be best clarified here. First, the score contains two types of accent marks, the normal accent(>) and the vertical accent (A). The latter is the stronger of the two and requires a marcato execution. Second, the lengthy harp glissando at the end of Movement IV might well be executed as a series of descending glissandos on each beat, beginning on progressively lower pitches.

Leta Miller University of California Santa Cruz 1989

Cover Art by Mark Bulwinkle

LOU HARRISON

THE PERILOUS CHAPEL FOR FLUTE, DRUMS, CELLO AND HARP

PEER INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION NEW YORK PEER MUSIKVERLAG G.M.B.H. HAMBURG

THE PERILOUS CHAPEL Lou Harrison (1948) Edited by Leta Miller

I. Prelude Andante (J=76) Flute

..

Violoncello

....

2 Drwns

,

-,

Andante ,.

~

I~-

..

-

-

.. . - - -- - -simile ~

-

, ,.

-

-- -- ./

··~

-

-

(J =76)

-

-- -- - - -. - - - . --. -- -- - --- -- --- ,

~

~

~

-~..

...,,,--

--

mp express.

,.

'

Harp

-

.., -- mp- - - - -- -

-'

~

- - --

........_ H

I

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

s

10

15 © Copyright 1990 by Peer International Corporation International Copyright Secured Printed In U.S.A. All Rights Reserved Including the Right of Public Performance

.. .

3

---~

Fl.

Hp.

26

----------------------------,_ ~~ f:. #~ ... ..#t

~

f:

/ ' ,..---;-6-

~

I

-,,_' I)

--

~

I

' I

---

- •-,,-

...

'

◄

I - ..

I

\

29

a----.

~~~

~

.. -

I

~

~

.

;

,,_ '~ I)

-- -- - --

-

,

\

- -

I

--

/_

n ~

-- -

-0-

u-

......---;

- -- - -- - -

JJ.J,.J

-

.-

~

- -- -

~--~

- .

-

·-

=::::-----

- -- -- - -

6

II. Poco maestoso

..

J

normale a~------. ,,.11. _ _

., - -

Fl.

,

- ..

Ve.

I

(J =108-02) a .,..--..,._ ----....... .. .., . ,,.,.- -' ,. ,_ - "

-M

"

f C'

....

I

-.----.

-.. -.

- mp .

- -. .. ,.

.- - ~

.

~

~

Dr.

---

H

J

••

-

-

•,_

...

-

-.,- -..

....

,

,. j

..

, I

1

9

.. ---.

-

a

==:-

~

a~ ----........ .

- ...

- --. ·... ·"

~~

I

. . ··- -

-.

">,-=---

,

.

-

~

P_oco maestoso (J= 108-112)

Hp.

~~ ==:-

. ·-

._,,-.,.

-~

- -. -- .... ..

-

,_

>

I'

I

~>

==:-~ ! ,.. ~ ,-.#~ ==:-Jj =r

~t f

,. ,.

-

n,

"

#t

~"tv

~

~=#~

-

.. ,

_,.

.

~.:_,

-

....

..

- it~ ,

--

,_

#i ....

,

~

#~

fl'.::

#i

7

''- ..,. .

··-

-

~

t)

- ..

I

ri.~

.,. . ~

I'

--------

..

r

-.

. )rr f""

.

ri~

.

r

.

~

'

I - .. ,.. ~

15

J "

-

~

~~~ ~#~

.. tJ ~

J

I-

- --

!:

~

,.

-~.. . ,. ,.

-

~

11 ::::

~ ~#~

~

I'-

~-

_'tr

-

I'll)

"

'>

"

.

. ..

-

~

.

~

~

r

-

u ~

---- - - .. ~

"

-

-

.

--=---- " - u,.

-

- .. ff*

--- .....~--= • •

'

----

- ,,, -

r

u

-------

-

-

-

-

I

18

·-""-

#~~

. . -~ -

- -

I

;..

1-- ..

w

tt~

~

~~

. .

I_

~

r

LU

.. .

~

~

,~

..,. -- . .......

,__

..,

.,.-.

~

..,, -~..

tJ

'

... >-

>

~

.

n

~

11

.~

\

-

-

•

. . '

II.

.,. .

,_

-

~

... "k#i .-~..,. -. -

,,_

..... (2. ..... > .,,_

>

>

-

+f"!'

-

~

-- .

10

III. A A

re-

A

Fl.

ff marcato

Ve.

Dr.

,--3---,

3

tr-·---~# --

5.

~

--

t , - ~........- ~ I

:;

Jl~o.-~)

I

., #~ -

I

.E~----~

-

- - 1---

I

--.I

11

~

I

I

--.I

I

# s.fz

sjfz

9

>

>

simile ..---3---,

,-.-3---,

,---3----,

11

>

>

I\

sfz

,----3---,

13

sfz

,--3---,

I\

sfz

--3----. >

13

IV. Brilliante

.. ...

J

Dr.

--

~

'--.I mf

I\

- .- - - -

I

I

I

f

I

I

I

I

I

I

A

~~-

~

--------

:::,..>>>:::,..>:::,..>

,

-

,_ ,_

·~

- - I

~

~

~

---

I

'-

-6'

>

I

-------- --

:::,..>:::,..>:::,..>:::,..>

>

I

I

-

_.,

4 >

- - - - - .- - - - - - - -...I I

-.

A

-.

>

tJ

I

I

I

-

i----......

I.· 19'.

I

I

I

I

A

A

~

~~ ,_

-- -

~

' - ,_

I

I

I

6

tJ

,

~

>

-

-

-

I

I

I

A

~~ ~

f:. fl-,.,_ f:.fl- f:. ~

~

,

.._;;;;,

4 >

-

-

.

-6 •

>

>

V

-

..

-•

~

>--

V

,.

-....__, >

-e,'

tJ

-'

I

-h:

r.·

~

>

---

"'-,I

sempre

-

' .,

. ""-

- - - -

I

A

,_ ,_

~

I'

-

~

,_ ,_

~

I

"'-,I

I

~r.· h

,i

....

- ---

I

~

-"' -...

J

I

tJ

Hp.

1

I

I

~

. .

.-

'

(J =120)

-

- - -6

.. :

14

Poco liberamente, e poco meno mosso (J=96)

-

)

..

>

>

>

>

>

I

I

I

I

I

>

-

,

~

I"

~

.-

~

fl _...,-

- .... • V

•

·,

' ~

20

~

I J

I

I

J

•

-

-

•

-

JJJ-

,_

-

......

T

j

.

J

,_

-

~

.

-

. ..1

-

..___

~

1,J-

T

--------J-

J ~

]-

-

.....

..____

T

-

T

T

m.r·-----==============. if

.:i.

-

•

-

•

-

-

I

' 22

.I 0,1

··-tJ

•

-

1-

"

1.J-

J-

-

-

I

---

-

I

]-

·- -

-T

1.J

-

J ·- ~

.I ,_

..___

~

T

.7-

il_l

-

.:i

-

-

J-

-

~

- ..

-

I

J

.I

.7 ·- -

-

I

1,J -

I -.

I

-

1,J

... .-.

•

~

...

,_

~

1.J

J

-

.

..

-JJ ..-I-

-

T

~

F -

-

..._

J-

~

--

--

~

J-

----....I

-T

..1 .. ,,,

~

J

..1 " .. -

-

]-

-

..1

-

..1

-

.J-

24

~

~ .J: - ... ...7-

. ·,,. ., t.J

- ..

'26

.....

,_

,._ I, ..

.....

u

r

•

or1•

--~

T

-

-

-~

r-

•

-

-

~ !-.- L'l.--:-------__ 6 I I f' - r6 6 L

~

~

~

T

-

-IJ

6

-

I

I

'

--

~

--. - - I

~

--1

,"I

16

V. Energico ( J= 126) >->- >- >

>- >- >- ;;;;,,,-

Ve.

f

sim.

Dr.

Hp.

J

-

~

,. >-

q•

- -

~

.

~

~

-

;..

tJ

:: 1-,.

I

..-'

~

-1 j

.•.~·

I

✓

/

.-

~ _.-:

1._h. #~

-

"

I

,h_ -

,-

>

,.....,

- l

- I

_J

I

-.

ii-

-

.-

...

-

-

:

--~~ J-~·~ ~~

~

"·----- - -

-

~

:...i l >-

.

-

"

~

-

/

AqBb Eb

~

-

9

-

r

~

I

I

.

.... > - - --. -- -- - ·--; . • ,

~

~

-

·~

-

- - _h.#~

r

,-

.

-

J -

-

r

17

,,_ i■,.n. '

....

4JIL 4(1. L & &

~~

-

-

(I.

,_

.: .

(I. ,_

-

..

- - -~

"~ --

> ~

I

.-

-

- - r

I

-

-

"~ -- •

I

I

~

tJ

-

I

1-

--...........

- - ~:.

-.. tJ

19

-----=:::::

--

-

.-

'

-

I I

--

-

~ - - ·-

I.----~ - -- - ~,...

l

I

IL

~

l""""I

-

- .- • i;;s--,..

I

----.::-----=----- ----

\

'

._

(I.

"

=..,

.. >- >. """"'-,I

I'

'

____

18 J n

'

,1

J

.... "

>• • • •

"

J

I

~

I

~

Ll l

...

-

-

I

-

.-

- .... .. . : -

--

-

-"·

.

---

~-

.,_

f confuoco

28

-

L

-

(Chaos)

25

.-

L

• >

-

/

.

22

"

~

·- --

~

- - -

.. .

--

F" I

> ,._

~

- ,-- - - -

J I

- - - -.

- - - --

--->

- -

- - ..

I

... _

.-

-

r-

.- -• •-

IL r

-

IL

L

IL

- - - .

-. - - - - - - .... liiilll

-·~,._J -

~

~- -I L

~

-

22

VI. Alleluia

--

Poco adagio (d=SO) Ve.

Hp.

mf

3

--I '

-

--.

~

--

.-.!.L

-

- - ~.

-

al

---

-·

I

'

•'

' "

7

---

------

~

I

~ ~

I

I

I

I

11

•

"

.- -----.--

-

Jj_,--~

I

-

I

--

,_

.

~

..

"

•

---

I ~

... --..,,-...._

.

--

--

T

I

~

11

-

-

/

--

~

I

I

-

,,

-:

I

--

i l ~

•-

- ~

"I

.,

" "

- . ~

~

23

-----

----a

a

p

J ,.. ~ '

I

-

'

~. ,,

·-----"

-

..

~

'"

,.

w -

~

~.

~

7

I

l'I

- - -:::::::::::::=

-

""

~

-

..

.

I

l

-

~

~--~ --------·~

~

I

~, ~

/ . ~

. u

~

-

~

-

rs:

'

14

mp~'-'

"

u.J -; •

- .,-...,

-' l

'

-

~

7

.

•

~.~-,

~

~

L..J..I

71.

-----b

~

L...I...I -;•

:::!

24

------