BROWN
Centering for Violin solo and Ensemble
Full Score
EARLE BROWN
Centering
for Violin solo and Ensemble
Earle Brown
centering (1973)
Commissioned by the London Sinfonietta for Paul Zukofsky
Program Note
Score in C
Instrumentation
Solo Violin
Flute
Clarinet in B b
Bassoon
Horn in F
Trumpet in C
Trombone
Piano
Violin
Viola
Violoncello
Duration: approximately
20 minutes
The title of the work is also that of a book by Mary Caroline Richards, an old friend whose poetry and philosophy and example have been of great value to myself and many other artists and friends. The book concerns itself with mental and physical “centering” in the sense of balancing and the gathering and focusing of one’s resources as necessary to “perform well” in any life situation.
In the music I have used the center frequencies of the violin and piano and of the total ensemble as structural points of balance and imbalance around which the form moves in and out of centers of repose. Within the composed continuity there are three “open-form” areas; two are cadenzas for the solo violin and one is a kind of cadenza for the conductor, working with the three instrumental trios (woodwinds, brass, strings).
The work is dedicated to Mary Caroline Richards and to the memory of Bruno Maderna who was a very close friend of mine and whose death I heard of as I was in the process of completing the work. The very last 5 notes (for solo violin) are quotes from Bruno’s first oboe concerto.
Earle Brown
down the strings for random percussive sounds and harmonics
CENTERING
for Solo Violin and Ensemble
mute by fingers on strings inside piano
*unstable frequency fluctuations, erratic and arhythmic but slow, between G # and A §, and as double stop, starting by holding a ‘pure’ quarter-tone between, for c. 10"
as fast as possible [very legato] soft attacks
[ p<>pp ]
con sord. (cup)
[ p< con sord. (cup)
[ p<>pp ]
*not vertically synchronized. All nine instruments must be absolutely equally balanced dynamically, in relation to one another; none predominates. Sound result is a dense “wave” of sound
The three trio groups may be raised or lowered dynamically; stopped or restarted, either independently or in pairs.
Conductor must have at least one group sustaining at all times.
Players watch for conducted stops, starts, changes of loudness, and very short attacks (with edge of hand, fingers straight up.)
allow a moment to put mutes on con sord.
con sord.
*Instruments will naturally arrive at the fermata at slightly different times. Timing is to begin at the point when all have arrived. con sord.
OPEN FORM, basically lightly and quick tempi, with much space for the soloist pages 6 & 7 are played together
Letters C and D are ‘open form’ for the conductor in dialogue and combination with the soloist. The five orchestral events of each section may be conducted as ensembles or taken apart and cued as solos. Events 1-5 indicated by fingers of left hand. Speed, loudness and downbeat indicated by right hand.
conductor indicates ensemble dynamic
Vn. Solo
CADENZA (with page 6) very fast but clean
pizz. senza sord.
basically percussive , , Play the material through once in this sequence, then materials between as a solo cadenza but pay attention to conductor’s entrances and “comments. ” may be played in any order. Octave and timbre may be altered. Play
Vn. Solo
improvise on this pitch sequence, but more slowly than at letter C and using octave transpositions. basically arco (nat., sul pont., sul tasto, tratt., harmonics)
OPEN FORM c. 60" Vary tempi of events. Virtuoso. Basically quick bursts and long linked sequences of single and combined timbres. Conductor may introduce a fermata at any point.
Vn. Solo
Solo
after mid-point of trio
(Solo vn. follows as conductor cues all harmonics for Trio)
Solo
Vln.
Vla.
Solo
Play the material once through as written, then Vn. and Pno. ‘Open Form’ between with events 1 and 2 cued in, until Vn. Solo cue for last system. All Pno. figures lightly and quickly.
Event 1: On solo or ensemble cue from conductor, slide fingers very gently up and/or down the string (while arco) producing natural harmonics. Conductor indicates tempo and direction of gliss. (up, down or random.)
SEQUENCE: Event 1 , Event 2, with touches of 1 as accompaniment pp , then 3, 4 and 5, after strings have arrived at their fermata. J
Event 1: A single sign for each chord. Expressively, legato, broadly, strongly, warmly, basically quietly. At least once through, inventing rhythm of chord changes – vary durations and dynamics, with or without stops (silences) between.
Vln., Vla., Vc. after first 2 cues from conductor, follow Soloist.
A single sign for each chord. Expressively, legato, broadly, strongly, warmly, basically quietly.
Earle Brown was born in 1926 in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, and in spirit remained a New Englander throughout his life. A major force in contemporary music and a leading composer of the American avantgarde since the 1950s, he was associated with the experimental composers John Cage, Morton Feldman and Christian Wolff, who – together with Brown – came to be known as members of the New York School. Brown died in 2002 at his home in Rye, New York.
Earle Brown wurde 1926 in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, geboren und blieb im Geist ein Leben lang Neuengländer. Ab den 1950er Jahren war er eine treibende Kraft in der zeitgenössischen Musik und einer der führenden Komponisten der amerikanischen Avantgarde. Enge Verbindung unterhielt er zu den experimentellen Komponisten John Cage, Morton Feldman und Christian Wolff, mit denen gemeinsam er später der sogenannten New York School zugerechnet wurde. Brown starb 2002 in seinem Haus in Rye, New York.
Earle Brown