Serebrier - Symphony No. 3

JOSÉ SEREBRIER SYMPHONY NO. 3 (Symphonie Mystique) for String Orchestra

My third symphony was written in the period of a week, to meet the deadline of an imminent recording session. It is in the traditional four-movement format, but there the tradition ends. Of the four movements, only the first is in a traditional form, in this case, A-B-A. The succeeding movements are all quite rhapsodic. The opening, the only fast movement in the work, is a rather brash, aggressive molto perpetuo with obsessive, repeated rhythms. The Slavic-sounding melody of the second subject reappears throughout the other movements in several guises, not so much as a leitmotiv, but as a memory of things past. The 2nd movement opens with a long cello line, which builds in a dark climate using the interval of the semitone, sometimes extended across octaves. A haunting high violin line intercedes, like a voice from afar. It leads to a series of interludes that have a feeling of unresolved conflict, and the movement ends quietly and questioningly.

The 3rd movement is also a fantasy or rhapsody, but very different in character from the 2nd. It opens quietly with the second violins, soon joined by the violas, and soon followed by anxious, anguished sounds. It is eventually interrupted by a sad, cryptic waltz that returns incessantly, over and over.

Eventually it gives up, and the movement ends in resignation. The unusual nature of the finale gives the Symphony its subtitle. After a short introduction (again based on the 2nd motive of the first movement), it changes character, leading to a repeated, passacaglia-like drone that serves as the backdrop for a distant voice -- a disembodied sound, wordless and mystical. Echoes of that recurrent 2nd motive from the first movement make their final ghostly appearances, hidden under the string ostinato. The subtitle was suggested by the musicians of the Orchestre de Chambre National de Toulouse, for whom the work was written. It seemed appropriate to retain the original French.

-- JosĂŠ Serebrier Duration: 25 minutes

Recorded on Naxos American Classics 8.559183 by the Toulouse National Chamber Orchestra

To C.

Symphony No. 3 José Serebrier

(Symphonie Mystique) Presto

        ff         ff        ff         ff         ff 

Violin I

Violin II

Viola

Violoncello

Contrabass

      8

Vn. I

    

Vn. II

 

pizz.

Va.



Vc.

Cb.







           



                

   

   

             

                



                                    

mf

 

 

 

 

 









 

(2003)

I.    













  

             



Va.

Vc.

Cb.





0118928











   mf

   



fff

          f            f            

 

   





       



 

 









© Copyright 2003 by Peermusic III, Ltd. International Copyright Secured. Printed in the U.S.A. All Rights Reserved.

         

       







arco

f



        







 

   

 



  

       

 





                              

           f

 



            p sub.

                                                                 f 



mf

fff

                        

Vn. II



           

               p sub.

13

Vn. I



  

                      









2

Vn. I

Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.

Vn. I

Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.

18                         

          

Vn. II











                          



 





  

                     



  

   





                                                                                                         



 

  

                                pizz.               mf  pizz.                  

   

         

      

            

               

                                          



              



        

Vc.



                                                                             

24                                                                                                    

Va.

Cb.



                  

29

Vn. I







mf pizz.

    



   mf



 























                         

                                                   34

Vn. I

                                            

Vn. II

Va.

Vc.



Cb.













 













 

 





 

 







 

 





 

 



                  39

Vn. I



Va.



Vc.

Cb.





Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.













 

     















                                                            arco                    arco                    arco                     44

Vn. I



  

   

 





 

             

                            pizz. arco                  

                   

Vn. II

  





    











  

    











  

 

                       









3

4

Vn. I

Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.

Vn. I

49                         

       



                                                             

                  

Va.

Vc.



      

              







             











                 

 

 



                               

Va.

    

               

                        

Vc.







   

                                                                    



                           

Vn. II

Cb.



  

                                                                                                           

60

Vn. I





                                                        



55                                                          

Vn. II

Cb.

 





   



  

 

      



      

 



 

       

    

    



      

 

 

       

    

Vn. I

Vn. II

65                   

 

Va.

 

Vc.

Cb.





      

   

 

72

Vn. I

  

Vn. II

   



    



 

                        

       

 



 









mf

mf

  

mf

  

               mf  pizz.

                 



pizz. mf



      





               







    

          

      









        

 

Va.

 

Vc.

                                        

Cb.



Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.







                                        

  80

Vn. I



5





  



 

 

     



   



          

 





   

                                      

        mp

 

mp

          









      

arco

mp

  

 

 



pp





6

     88

Vn. I

   

Vn. II



  

arco

pp

  94

  

Va.



Vc.



 

  

Va.





 

Cb.







 







 





 pizz.           



   





pizz. mf

       

  



   

   





  

  



  









        



   







    



 











  





mf

         



      



pp





        

       

    

    

   



      

  

        pp







  



    









mf

   

    

arco                                         

             mf         pizz.

Vc.

   

 

mf

Vn. II











99

Vn. I



 

 

  

      



 

      

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

Vn. II

Cb.

         

   

Vc.

Vn. I

     

       

Va.

Cb.

   

   104

Vn. I

 

Vn. II



Va.



Vc.

Cb.





  











Vn. II

Vc.

Vn. I







mp



arco

mp

mp

  

 







   

   







116          



Va.

Vc.

Cb.

 

  



  

   

   

   

  

 







   

    

 

   









   







   







      







 





 

   









             





mf

      

 

  



 



     

       



 

 





pp

Vn. II

pp



         





      



         

   



      

        



pp



   

             



   

  

 

 

     

Va.

Cb.

    

         

arco

         

 

  



 

   

111

Vn. I



     

7

  

        pp

     

f



 

f



    



 

  



   

f

     

  

 

           f pizz.

 

      pizz. f

8

   

 

121

Vn. I

  

Vn. II

    



       











      

              













        

 

Va.

 

Vc.

                                        

Cb.

Vn. I





Cb.

  



 

Va.





      





  

 

   







                                               

   

      

Va.

 

   

Vc.







   arco

pp

     

     

   

  



 

 



 

   

  

      

      





   





mp

mp

arco

     

  













   





   

    

 



pp





mp

           

        

    







     

Vn. II

Cb.

   



137

Vn. I



                                        

129   

Vn. II

Vc.





   



        

   





  142

Vn. I



Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.









  

 





  

Vc.

  









  



pp



      152

Vn. I



         



Vc.





mf

 

    





  

    

    



pizz. mf

       

  

pizz.

mf

 







  

 





pp



   







    

     

mf

                        











  

     



    

        

  

   

           





       

     



mf

  

arco





  

   







    

             





pizz.

                   

Va.

Cb.

 

  

arco

Vn. II





                               

  

 



Va.

Cb.

  



 

Vn. II



 

147

Vn. I



9

 





arco

    ff

       

ff



                ff                          

 

ff







    ff

10

         

  

157

Vn. I

Vn. II

  



Vc.

              





  

  

              

Vn. II



Va.



Vc.

Cb.









            















   

   

    p sub.

   

    

pizz.

                 f                          f               



mf

           

 









 

 

 

 

 

   



Va.

Vc.

Cb.



       

                          arco                              f               f          

       





















mf

  

   





                   

                            

Vn. II

mf

    p sub.

             

168

Vn. I

    



fff



  



fff

163

Vn. I

           

                          



Va.

Cb.



 

 

 

 

 

                                            

           f



   173

Vn. I

Va.

Vc.

Vn. I

Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.

 







Vn. II





















                  

          

              





                                  







      

 

    



             





 

  

                              pizz.                mf  pizz.                  

  

   

  

                                                 

            

                             

                                      



              



                

Vc.



                                                                             

179                                                                                                                                                   

Va.

Cb.





184

Vn. I

11

                               

Vn. II

Cb.

 

mf



        

 





   mf

pizz.



12

Vn. I

Vn. II

Va.

 

                                                                                                   189

Vc.



Cb.































 













 

 





 

 







 

 





 

 



                               194

Vn. I

                              

Vn. II



Va.



Vc.

Cb.





  199

Vn. I

Vn. II



Va.

 

Vc.

Cb.





























  

arco

f

 

 



 

                   





















       

           mf





  

pizz.

     

                                                                                          arco                           f arco                              









 

 

f



arco



f



          



Vn. I

    

Vn. II

 

 

204



  





Vc.





Cb.





Va.

Vn. I

Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.



   

13







Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.

 









 

               



               

209                                                                                                                                                                                   









                                                                                         





 



                                                                                                                               

214

Vn. I







                          

               



                                                      



     

              

                   

   

  



  

   

14

 

 

Vn. I

Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.







    

Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.





           

224

Vn. I

 

                                                                                      

219

                                                   





 



   

                                          



 ff



        





           

                     ff               ff               ff







pizz.



pizz.



pizz.



pizz.



pizz.

    

  

II.

  













Violin II

 













Viola

 













Violoncello

Contrabass



ff

Lento

Violin I





       

arco

fff







molto espressivo



 



  



 

 



 

 

   



 

 



 

15

  

Vc.



14

Vc.





 

      

21

Vc.





  

  

   

42

Vc.





 



 



 

   



 



mp





 

 













  

  







p

          





   

 

35

Vc.

 



f

      

  

mf dolente

     

28

Vc.

     

        

7



  



fff





 



 

  





pp

   



 

 







  

56 solo arco

Vn. I



Va.

Vc.





  63

Vn. I

Vc.





 

   ppp

 









 







 





   mp



mp



    

arco





   





  



 







   



  

   



mf

    

  

mf

   

  

IV









tutti

 







    







   



 

 





  

 

 

pppp

  



Va.



  



ppp

49

Vc.



         

 



 

             





III     







16

  70

Vn. I









  

 

77

Vn. I

Vn. II



Va.



Vc.





Vn. I





 



mp







 



 

 

 







 

   5



   5

                                                                p        

 

gliss.

 

   

5

5

  

 

gliss.

  

5

gliss.



 

5

  

5

5

  5

                                       3 non div. pizz.          

Vn. II

Va.

 

Vc.

Cb.

 



80





arco, sul pont. tremolo



  

 

   

   

Va.

Vc.

      

  

  

       mp       





gliss.

 





 non div.    

pizz.

 

pizz.

3

3

 

3        

 

  



3

17

  

    

82

Vn. I

5

Va.



Vc.

5



3

   

3

  

   

  

3

  

Vn. II

Va.











 

Va.



 3

Vc.

Cb.







 

sul pont.

  

  

p





     3 p  3     

3



 

   

  3





3

 





 

 

3

 



   3

     

  3        



    3





 



     

    

ord.

3

 

3 3 3          3              3



 



3 3

  

3





3

 

 

3

   

3         



arco

                3



3



 

p

 



p



 

ord.

 

       



 5   



3 3

  

3

3

 



           3     3              

3

 

 

3

3

3

 

 



 



   

Vn. II

3

  

87

Vn. I

5

p

    

Vc.



    





3

Cb.

5

3

 5     

    

3

84

Vn. I

     

                                   

Vn. II

Cb.

    





     

   

    

 

 

     

                 

arco



5

poco

3

18

   91

Vn. I





 

         poco    5

Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.



  

         























  p



5





più p

        

(pizz.)

3







pizz.

     















3

più p





























   

Vc.



   



 











Vn. II



Va.



Vc.







   

 



  

 

arco



   

 



p





104

Cb.

 5    





Va.

Vn. I





 

Vn. II

Cb.

 



97

Vn. I

poco più mosso





pizz.

  mp

 



 

   (pizz.) mp

   



 





       

 

    

  

    

 







 







   



   

  

   

  







  

( )

 



  

    





 

 



 

 

( )

 



  

  



  

  

( )

( )

 

19

III.

  

Andante mosso

Violin I





    

      

Viola

 





Violoncello

 



Contrabass

  



Violin II

mf

      

Vn. II

Va.

  

Va.



















     

 







  



IV

          

 





 

3

      

Va.

   

3



   

     

      



 

  

































 





                       



f



31

Vn. II

3

3

 



     

                     3

Va.

mf









mp





  

  2 3 1                                  3 3 3



25

Vn. II

mf





IV        

      

    

accel. poco a poco





  



mf

17

Vn. II

      





p



p





  

8





Tempo primo     div. a 2      3   legato e vibrato

     

tenuto



        

    

ff non div.

ff legato e vibrato

    

   

p

p

      

       

    pp ( )     pp

   

 

 



  



unis.





p



   mp



20

 

accel. poco a poco

38

Vn. I

Vn. II

Va.



                                                      mp 3  3                           mf ppp                                  pizz.

mf

                                               cresc.   3 3 3  3                              45

Vn. I

Vn. II

cresc.

Va.



    



cresc.

  

    



                                   3  3 3                           51

Vn. I

Vn. II

Va.



    



                         56

Vn. I

Vn. II

Va.

      ff

3

3

3

3

   



               3 3 3            

   

sempre accel.



                  3

3

    

arco                        ff                                     



  

ff

3

3

3

  

3

    

3

3

  



               3

       

3

  

              

 

  

 

 

21

                      60

Vn. I

Vn. II

Va.

    

       64

Vn. I



      



            

                           sfff             

   f 

 

   

 

f

    

                    

     

    

                      

   

Va.

mf dolce







,



 

 

   ,

 

     f

 arco         pp   76

Vn. I

       pp arco

Vn. II



 p

 p



pizz.      p

    

     

    

      

    

  

 

  

pizz.



p





p

Tempo di valzer (poco più mosso)

,



 

sfff

 

f

 

    

Tempo primo

   

  

sfff

  

     

Vn. II

Vc.

  

ff

70

Vn. I

                    

    ff     ff    



(sempre accel.)

    

Vn. II

Va.

(sempre accel.)













                          mf



  

mf



 



                                        ff cresc. molto                                       ff cresc. molto

22

   

      pp           

79

Vn. I

   

Vn. II

  

Va.

pp

  



 

ffp

Vc.

         ffp   85

div.



Vn. I



Va.

Vc.





 









 





 



       



    mf   

3

f sub.

 gliss.  

 

sul pont.



   

pp

gliss.

 

 

 

pp gliss.

    

     

Vn. II

 9                  7

cresc. molto

f cresc.3molto

     cresc. molto  

Va.

Vc.





6

 3

cresc. molto



        6      5        

  f



           

   

pp

fff

ppp

 

IV.





fff







 

fff



 

ord.

gliss.

 

3





 

   

pp

               3   

   

5

 

sul pont.

cresc. molto

ord.

   

             

 

6      6                   6

Vn. I

  



f

3

     

 

 

sul pont.



 6 3           



    





       mp         mp

Tempo primo

accel.

ord.

Cb.

 



f



(accel.)





mf



   



mf





90

div.



 





più mosso

f



  

Vn. II



  ,    gliss. 

,





   

3





2 2   2 2

pp



fff

fff



 

pp

 

pp



gliss.

 

ppp

 ppp









 







93 Tempo primo

Vn. I

Vn. II



Va.

Vc.

Cb.







  

mp

100      

 

          

  

ord.

Vn. II

           ord.

Va.

Vc.

Cb.



      

 



 

 





pp

Calmo



 





    

molto espress.

 







    



sul pont.



pizz.



pizz.

mf

    p    

p

pp

105                                pizz.

Vn. I

pp gliss.

mf





 

sul pont.

 

ord.

 



      

pp

gliss.



    



 

  



mf

  

sul pont.

gliss.

 

 

mfp









  

ord.















mf





  

    





mf







   gliss.      

   





q = q.

Vn. I

    

mp





3            mp            

23

mp

 

     

     

 

pizz.

Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.

                                  mp                                           



  

 



  

 



  

 



  

     

     

     

 



  

 



  

 



  

     

     

   

24

  

                                                  

109

Vn. I

 

                                                       

Vn. II

Va.



Vc.

Cb.



 

    

Vn. II



Va.



Vc.

Cb.



 



 



 

 

  

Vn. II

 

Va.

   

Vc.

Cb.









  

 





 



 





 



  

poco più mosso



  

pizz.

 

 



 



      



poco accel. e cresc.



                   





      

   

 



       

 



 

    

                

       

 

sempre p

pizz.

p

     

   

sempre p



    p

      p        



pizz.

  

  



         p



     

 

 

  

  

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

        

       

117

Vn. I

 

       

114

Vn. I

             



 

        

                 2                               

     



  

25

          

        

121

Vn. I

     

Vn. II

 

Va.

 

Vc.

Cb.



125

Vn. I

Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.



Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.



 

   

 



 

    

 

       

2

 

   

 

  

 

    

           

   

    

     

 

 

     

   

     

   f   

 



   





           

           

        

f

       f

       f

  

  

                              



 

             

          

       

      

                                 f

    

   

          



  

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

       

 





 





 





Calmo (Tempo primo)

   





 

                                                   





             

    

sempre cresc. e poco accel.

              

2

   

 

129

Vn. I

    

 

  

     

 



con sord.                          p con sord.

                              p

26

 











Vn. II













Va.







135

Vn. I

     

Vc.

Cb.



     







Vn. II

 

Vc.







   144

Vn. I

 

Vn. II

 

Va.

 





 





 

  

 



 



   



   

  

 

 



  





 

p



     

       mp

 

 







  

   

2



  

    

vib.

 







      

 



 

 

      







  

  

  

        





   

 

 

  



 

  

      

 

 

 

p



 

   

  

 

 



 

   

      

                      



       

 









arco

  

p







   

       

 

 



mp

arco            

 



        

  



   

 





Vc.

Cb.

 



arco

    

 

Va.

Cb.

  

  140

Vn. I

  

    

arco

 

  



  

  

           

  

p

      

  

 

     

       

  

   

    

  

  

 

 accel. poco apoco e cresc.  148

Vn. I





Vn. II

     

Va.









     f        

Vc.

mp



                   

Vn. II

Va.

 

Vc.

Cb.

Vn. I

Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.



     

     

153

Vn. I

                                   f

                                                       mf

senza sord.

Cb.

                  

 div. 

arco senza sord.

mp

              

                         

                 

   

     

  

fff               fff             fff           fff

  

  

  

  

ff

G.P.



Calmo (Tempo primo)









  unis.          

                    fff





con sord. pizz.



        

  



p con sord. pizz.





  



p

  158



























     

      

          

  

 

    

         



  

 

     



    

 

con sord.

   

27

         

ff

           

                                             



                           

          unis.                   unis.                           unis.                  

     div.           ff  div.                ff div.          ff       div.           

 

 

   

   

mp

   

arco

mp

 

 

28

 















163

Vn. I

Vn. II

     

Va.



Vc.

Cb.





  



 

 

Vn. II



Vc.

Vn. I



 



p





p





 

Va.



Vc.





  

           

 

     







p



con sord.



   





  

vib.

2



  

          

sul A

  

 

  

   

p

 



     

  

  







     

   



 

        

 

  

  



 

   

                                                                 pizz.                  

      



  

 

                     

173    

Vn. II

Cb.



    

Va.

Cb.

 

      



    





          168

Vn. I



con sord.

  

                                      





 











      

             

  



 

  



            

     





   





















 

      

      

 

Vn. I

Vn. II





















( )













( )





( )



arco

     





   

( )



 

     

Vc.

Cb.

( )

( )



Va.



Poco rit. al fine

178



   

     

     



     



             

   

 arco        

 



(, )



(, )



ppp

  



ppp

  

 

29

, pizz.



ppp



  



 

 ppp

mp

, pizz.

ppp

 



 

mp pizz.

  

mp

IV.

  

Andante comodo

Voice

Violin I Violin II Viola

  

     













senza sord.

























senza sord.













                                                 soli senza sord.

Violoncello

mf

Contrabass

  7

Vn. I

Vn. II

Vc.



  

p

molto espressivo







 

soli

 sul D



            

 





         

mp molto espressivo







 pp

pp



 

soli

p





                        

p

  

molto espressivo





 

ppp

30

   13

Vn. I







Va.

IV.

 

con sord.

  

ppp

  19



Va.







    

Va. div.

 

Vc.





 



  



  



    



 





     





mp

  











 

mf

     

mp

   

 



 



               

 

      

            









 







 

  









 

    

Vn. II

Cb.





25

Vn. I



             

Vn. II

div.





ppp

Vn. I



                                           mf            con sord.        

Vn. II

div.



 

  

 





  





























(In three)







 



 





  

 









con sord., sul tasto

pp pizz., con sord.



pp

32 behind the audience

Voice

 

 



con sord., sul tasto

Vn. I







 



 



con sord., sul tasto

Va.

Vc.

Cb.







 

 





 

unis.

    

  







ppp

     

  

     

40

Voice

Vn. I

Vn. II

Va.

Vc.

Cb.



                 



  



48

Voice

Vn. I

  

Va.



Vc.

 

  

 

    

    

    

 













  



 

   











 



 



 







 

 



   





 









    







         













  



  

  

  



 

   

    



   

    

  

       





  





 



 

 



   

   

             



     











 



 

    

     

       



 





            





 





                                                         

     







    

   



Vn. II

Cb.







 





ppp

con sord., sul tasto

Vn. II

 





31





         

32

  

57

Voice

Vn. I

   

Vn. II



Va.

 

Vc.

Cb.

















Vn. I



Va.

Vc.



Cb.





 











Vc.

Cb.







 



 





 

    









  

  

 







 





  

   

poco a poco ord.

 



solo

mp

  

   

   

    



   

    

div.

mp

 

 

 





   

  

morendo

 

p



     

  

  





 







     

 

arco



  

  





 

   

p

   vib.

pp

  

ppp

p

pp

ppp

   

ppp

morendo



ppp

   



   

     



ppp

 

 

   vib.

morendo

 

     



     

   







     

poco a poco ord.









  





          





     

  



 

     



   





    





  

     

mfppp





 



     

     

Va.

   



     

mfppp div. sul pont.

Vn. II





  

div.

74 sul pont.

Vn. I





 

 

Vn. II



     

 

 

       

     

65

Voice



      



 



  New York January 7 to 15, 2003