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Robert Sirota

Triptych for String Quartet (2002)

Muzzy Ridge Music

Triptych for String Quartet (2002) Desecration Lamentation Prayer Duration: c. 25 minutes

Triptych was written to commemorate the victims of September 11, 2001. It had an emotional first performance by the Chiara String Quartet on September 26, 2002, at Trinity Church on Wall Street, one of the churches on the periphery of Ground Zero. The musical composition was created in tandem with a painting of the same name by Deborah Patterson; the three panels of the painting bear the same subtitles: “Desecration,” “Lamentation,” and “Prayer.” While there was no overt attempt between Deborah and me to carefully align the music and the painting, and each can exist independently, they are intended to have a reinforcing effect on each other. The first movement is an explicit evocation of an horrific event. I imagine that when the twin towers went down, every car alarm in lower Manhattan went off simultaneously, so I have incorporated the sound of sirens, as well as a dying car horn, into the end of the movement. The second and third movements are a kind of meditation on the tragedy, first a grieving and then a consolation. Similarly, in the painting, the center panel shows the body of Father Mychal Judge, the priest who died in the World Trade Center, being carried by a group of firefighters. This realistic depiction of an actual event is flanked by two rather more abstract panels. The panel on the left shows the smoke and dust of the towers collapsing, and then the panel on the other end is a kind of reverse image as light ascends to heaven. These images are analogous to my music, which is also a mixture of the “abstract’ and “real,” a blend of atonality and tonality. Just as Deborah layers her paints and colors, I try to layer sound in a sonic technique similar to the painter’s use of sfumato and chiaroscuro. Robert Sirota

for the Chiara String Quartet

Triptych Molto allegro q = c. 126

Violin I

Violin II

Viola

I. Desecration

   



  



  



    



accents: poco

non cresc. 

    



  



 

   



   

sul D

pp 

   

   



   

 

 





                pp   p 3                pp p 



3   

      

 





     f molto         f



molto

raw!

          mp 3  3         mp





q = 116



sffz

 

  

molto      sffz ff       

 

     



pocoritenuto

 



coming closer, con vibrato

 



  



   (normale)      16          p mf (normale)                 p mf                      p

  





                   pp                  pp accents: poco        pp    

  

        pp accents: poco            pp 

non vib., lontano

Violoncello

ROBERT SIROTA

    molto

sffz ff

 

  f  

          sffz

Triptych

             ff            ff               ff               

         

  



      



    

mf pizz.



          ff: sfz                       pizz.                  



     



ff: sfz

                          mf arco   f                                     sfz mf pizz. arco                       ff: sfz   f                 

sfz

           



  





ff molto appassionata

  

 

 



   

 

ff molto appassionata

 

                                        f

                                                 arco



 

Triptych

30           3







 



 











 



  



 

 

 





                        3

 

  

cresc.

 

  

 

cresc.



  

cresc.

 

  

  mf

               

  



                     





    



     





                               

  





 

            



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

                   

 

   

 





  



  f

  

 





                f

33    

   

   

f pizz.





               ff pizz.         pizz. ff             ff

 







     3

                     

Triptych

           pizz. 5                    arco             ff mf (pizz.) pizz.    arco arco                                  3 mf (pizz.)  arco                                3 mf pizz.         arco arco                      40

         

      

   

   

   

      

     

   

   

   

        

sul tasto

mp sul tasto

dim.

   

             dim. mp           mf dim. ff   

 

 

normale

f normale



  

   

                         f ff (ff)                            

  

  

 

   

    

 



 

      

    





 

   

  

 

     

   

                      ff mf                         ff

     52

    



fff

  

         fff        fff

 

 

  





 





 





   

 3  3 3                       

         

       

        3 3         3

   

     3

















              f pizz.                                  

           f              

       

  

                              





  

 



56 Presto q = c. 138

  

Triptych

   

         



      

 



    



       



      



     

 

  

ff arco



 

      

                                   

                                          ff

Triptych

                                    sfz                          

      

sfz

                                       sfz

  

 



  



  



 

sfz

       sfz

                f

sfz

    83

 

f: sfz



 sul  pont.  f

     

                  f            sul pont.







  

 

   

   

 

 

 

             

 



sfz sfz

      sfz

             



 

 

                     f mp   

sul pont.

 



 

     

  

 



 

 

sempre non vibrato



  

 no accent      p

   normale            p ff normale                  ff p normale                     ff

   

 

  



p non vibrato

  

non cresc.

              

    

  

   

sul pont. sempre

 

   

 

      

 

 

  

       

Triptych

      

    pp

         

  

q = c. 116

   pp

   



   ff: sfz

     p               f

3    3  3                   mf mp 3

poco f

3 3              mp poco f mf

           f p

   



 

poco cresc. mp cresc.

 





  



 



 



molto

      mf

3 3       3  3        



 

   mf



     f

                                mf ff f ff: sfz mf                              ff: sfz mf ff f mf                         

ff: sfz

101

 

rit.

a tempo

                p floating 



    dim.

          dim.          dim.

  

       

            p floating             p floating        

dim.

       



   

   

     

 

       

   

     

 

   

        mf

       

  



Triptych

cresc.

       cresc.        

        

              112

 

     



       

  





   



 



p sul tasto

p 

sul D 



 





  



       

cresc.

       







 p

 p

                                       



pp 

     

   

   

        

   

  

cresc.

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

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

  



         

cresc.

118 



     



3 3                            mf f cresc. ff

  

 

       

cresc.

    

     

              

106

     



dim.





dim.



  

 



 



 

 (p)

3 ppp 3

                  ppp p       mp

    

Triptych

123

    

       pp 3

        pp



         pp



  p



127 espr.

    



        pp 

3      p





  

   





    

  

 

  5   

mf 5          mf



 



 

5    

  

 



   

5     

   

    

     





   

   



           3

    



      3

5 5 5 5                  







            5



5       5              

          

    5 

                          f           

  

                        p                       p                  

 

3                          p  



 

             

 

              p  p  mf  mp 

   

132  







Triptych



  

  

   

 



  

 

  



 

   

  

   

  

  

 

  



136

 

 

  5 

  

140     

   



 5 

   

 



 





 





145

a tempo

 5

 

  

   5





   

                  f subito

 







   

 



               mp

  

dim.



rit.

dim.

5                           5

5  

   mp

     mp

              mp  

dim.

 

dim.

(1/4 tone flat)

                                                       f subito    (3/4 tone sharp)                                         f subito                                            f subito

Triptych

149

                                                       





cresc.



    



3       3

                   cresc.                     cresc.

cresc.

             

                     brutale!  pizz.        

               ff 3         ff



             



                3

                3

  

153   

   

   



 

 fff

pizz.

 3



 



  

pizz.

brutale!







brutale!

            pizz. arco 5                                  3 (pizz.) ff pizz      arco  arco                                          3     fff ff    (pizz.)    arco                       3 fff ff pizz.          arco       arco                           157

    

fff

Triptych

              162

       

     

167

 







                                                 

  ff

      f            f

172

   





  ff             

     f            



                 

                ff                                   f f                 ff ff                              (f)

         

                ff                 ff           

Poco più mosso (q = c. 126)



            

 

                   ff                     ff                  

       

   

Triptych

           178

     

ritenuto                                    

 

           

                                

                   

185

 

 

  





  



q = 108

 

      



  

 





  









                                ff                                     ff

    188

  

     3



          



 



 

 



 

                         poco                                   poco

Triptych

 

  



 

  



191

     f

   f

 







  









 

 ff

                                      f ff                                        ff   

195

   mf

    

   

cresc.

        

     



                       ff mf cresc.                                             ff mf cresc.                    ff    



cresc.

200                            3

      

                                   



  

 

   

 





  



 

non vibrato

       

 

dim.

   

dim.



       



dim.

Triptych

208

 



     



   



  

        

       

 



 

  

  

 

   



  

222

     

  

  

  

 



 mp

     



 

 



 

 



  



    

                                   

 

      

 

pp sempre



pp sempre

 



pp sempre

  

 

215



 

      

     

    



 

  





q = c. 90

rit.



     

 

   

 

  





 

     

 

(sul tasto)

(pp)

  

      pp                    

(pp)

Triptych

     229

    

 





 

 

236

 



  mp

Presto q = 138; e = 276

  



 



    pizz.





molto rit.

 

 

 





 



 



                        

  





ppp

 

ppp pp

  

ppp

      

           



arco normale; più e più sul pont.

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

mf pizz.

     

        



poco sul pont.

f poco sul pont.

                              ff                       sfz (sloppy!)



      



sfz (sloppy!)

arco normale; continuous glissando

                       245 molto sul pont.

ff molto sul pont.





                  



                            sempre sul pont.

ff molto sul pont.

p sempre sul pont.

ppp

                            



254

h_e = q = 55



 





          ff              ff 258



 

ff normale

 

      

 

 





 

     

 

        3



 

3 3

con sord.

  

      



   

      

arco normale 5

 



sul pont.

f arco normale

p sul pont.

             f

(gradually flatten)

              (gradually flatten)

mp “dying car horn”: buried; non vibrato; senza espressione pp

  



“dying car horn”: buried; non vibrato; senza espressione

  



 

                   



 

 



 

 

ppp

  

261                        f

               

3 3



           

     3



con sord.



 











       



    





 



normale



 



arco normale; continuous gliss.









 

 



Triptych

ppp 5

 

do not end together



 





do not end together







Triptych

II. Lamentation Lento q = c. 50

sul G  con sord.     

 



   pp

  





con sord.

 

   



   

   



   

 

sul tasto



 

sul A 





                                             p

                                             p

normale       

 

accel.





normale

 



 



 



  

   

  

q = 72

                    mf ff

                   mp        normale



                                               

              mp 276 normale



  

Più mosso q = 60

271

  



   

                                    

con sord. sul tasto

  

    

sul tasto

pp sul tasto

con sord.

  

 



 

             mf ff                          f

  f

 

 

ff appassionata

 

Triptych

      281



                      

290

  

 

  



301







   

 mp



pochissimo ritenuto

  



 



 



    

 



   

rit.









 



    

  



 



 



   



    freely



    pp

    

q = 60

 

 pp  



poco accel.

        mf









                      p

           

        





a tempo (q = 60)

         pp          

    

        



 



 



   

poco



 

 

poco

 

   

 p



 

    



     mp

                 mp                         pizz.                                                 p



      





Triptych

309

  

Poco più mosso (q = 66)

3 3                   p      p  3   3 3 3                       p  p    pizz. arco                                  mp mp p   arco                                mp



  



   

314

3 3   3             

 

 



   

  



320

   

   

  

  



   

    

  

     3





  





        



 



 

    

      





             

   

   

Moving forward q = 80-88



     





 

   3



         







   

 

          più f 3 3 3       più f                 più f 

 

3  3                          mf mp                   3

     

         3

più f

   3

 

Triptych

324

  

 

   ff

 

3  3                          3

accel.

  

 

334

  f





 



  



 

 

 

 



   

  

 

 

  

  

poco dim.

  



 



    

 

   ff    



      

 

     ff

 

poco dim.



   

  

  



q = 100

 

                   328

          3  3 3 3 3 3                             sfz                  sfz                             

    ff













poco dim. 3

poco dim.









   





3                 3





   











mf mf











 







           

mf 3

Triptych

  

q = 116

accel.

340

 













     3



poco cresc.



poco cresc.



   

poco cresc.

            3 3 3 3                        3 3  3                   f            

        3





      

poco cresc.

                   ff              ff                      ff                  345

  



   

  



   



  

 





350

  



rit.



 



 



 

 p



 p

   

h = q = 50

 



  





  





  







 mp









  

    

   



   

ppp



ppp

   



 



 

Triptych

358

  



   



      

            



365

   







        



 





              







 



  

      p             

 

 



 

  

                   mp cresc. mf                   cresc.

  

372

   

mp cresc.

   



 

 cresc.



cresc.



  

f 3





   



   



     



   



 

             



   



 

                3



moving forward

 



            

 

    



cresc.

 

mp cresc.

 

 

 

 

















 

                    3

Triptych

377 accelerando 

    













    3

fff







fff

      ff     ff

     ff   



 











q = 72



   

  3





fff

    3



q = 120

fff

    





   



381



    





  fff

 

fff

     fff  



fff

a tempo (q = 72)

 



 



Freely

 3 poco rit.  3                  mp f mp pp



accel. 3





     p

 

388



 







 







  

      

        

  p





 



  

 

 

 

   

 

  pp



Triptych

398

 











    pp

407











 



 

  

 

 





 

 



  pp

 



 

 





 

 



 

 





417 q = 40

 







   p

    p



 



   



   



 

         





     



(pp)





    



ppp



  



 

 

ppp

 



  

    





      ppp        pp           

 



 







 

ppp







    pppp 



Triptych

III. Prayer Adagio q = 56

  senza sord.    

 

senza sord.   









        

          

p espressivo

 

senza sord.

 

  senza sord.     pp

431

    

  

 

 









 









  



 









  



  





  

                                mp p

    



   

 p

 



 

 



 



   pp

  

 p





 





Triptych

438

  



  

             

 



  

 

poco rit.

446



          



  

 

    





 



a tempo

 

 

  

        





  

 

  mp   mp



 







 





 





 



 

    

    



            mp 





 

q = 96

 

   



      

454





             



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



            









 

 



 

 





  

 



     

 





      pp 6 wispy

6             

pp wispy



      pp 6 wispy



 

 

       

Triptych

460

    



          con sord.             3

  

   3

     



accel.

   3

     

                                  p 6





                   mf

q = 120

                

      

f

dim.







     

 

  

 

non vib.   

sul tasto 3 3



  

sul tasto

 

  

pp mp non vib.

      3









non vib.

sul tasto







464    



   3

  

Più mosso q = 104

sul tasto



 



e = x (q = 72)

467                         5

 

















                              sul pont.

dim. 5

 

5 5

     p

 pp

ppp 5

   ppp 5

   5

Triptych

469   

 



 normale  







    

normale

 



 

    

   

normale

     5           

                 5  5 5                5                 

472

  





 







474

  



 

                      

   



  



 

  

 

 

con sord.

(senza sord.) sul tasto

 

pp con sord.

  pp



  5





 

                            



 



rit.



 





    



 





 



   

  







Triptych

Tempo I; q = 52

6 6 5                                         3 3

482

 

ppp con sord.







mp espressivo

   



 



  

   

  

486



 

  

     

492

 

norm.





   



 



 











 

    mf

   



    



 



    















  

 







 



 



flautando     





    

 senza sord.           mp flautando  norm. flaut.  norm.                     

 



 non vib.        





 





   



pp p

 



 

  

 

con sord.  

   

 

pp p





    

      

   

Triptych

499

   







 





 

   



 



 



 





 

 





        

           

          

  

 

   

   

 

  

Molto adagio (q = c. 40)

  

     

   

ppp 3



     

ppp 3



ppp

      

ppp

  





 





 



 



 



rit.

                  3 3 3 p mp pp            

   

   

Più lento (q = 30)

    3

     3

 

 









                  3 6

  

510





 

506

  



 





 



  

   



 pppp

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pppp

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pppp

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lunga

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lunga

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lunga

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lunga

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pppp August 25, 2002 Searsmont, Maine