Gregson GODDESS

Edward Gregson

Goddess for string orchestra (2009)

Full score

NOVELLO

Programme Note Goddess for string orchestra by Edward Gregson Goddess was commissioned by the Ida Carroll Trust in memory of the Cheshire artist Dorothy Bradford who died in July 2008 aged 90. The premiere performance was given by Manchester Camerata, an orchestra which has a close association with the composer, in Nantwich Parish Church, on 7 June 2009. That orchestra gave the first performance of his Cello Concerto at the 2007 RNCM Manchester International Cello Festival and has also given performances of his Trumpet Concerto of 1983.

The composer writes of his new work: In looking for a particular painting from the artist’s considerable output which to base my new work, I was drawn to one entitled Goddess (1980), unusual for the artist’s output in its subject matter. In a largely blue canvas it depicts a seemingly lonely reclining female figure – sensuous, beguiling and preoccupied. I have written a slow movement which tries to capture this haunting image in sound.

Written for a string orchestra of fifteen players, it features an important role for a solo viola (the Goddess of the painting). Almost immediately the solo viola ‘recites’ its main motif, a three-note chromatic phrase, which constantly changes as does the mood of the music. In turn, the music tries to reflect the different moods I felt from the canvas – sinister, reflective, sensual, haunting, captivating, peaceful. The music begins and ends on the pitch of A (a double bass harmonic) and is diverse in its contrast of chromatic and diatonic harmonies. These is a strong lyrical presence throughout, particularly towards the end of the piece where the earlier chromaticism is turned into a simple modal melody (the Goddess motif expanded) developed over a four-bar ground bass.

Although this work was written originally for only fifteen players, it would benefit from being performed by a larger string group, in which case, decisions about such matters as divisis must be left to the conductor/director. If however the work is performed by the original-sized ensemble, with only one double bass, then the lower divisi should be played in the passage from five bars after rehearsal figure I to K inclusive.

Edward Gregson

Duration c. 8 minutes

In memoriam Dorothy Bradford

GODDESS for string orchestra   

Quite slowly and mysteriously (q = 60)

  

Violin I





  

Violin II

  

Viola

 

Violoncello

  

Contrabass



 

 

 

p

















senza vib.

senza vib. div. senza vib.

Vc.

 p

  mf

 p

   

 

    

vib.     senza  

mf

   

mf senza vib.

Cb.

p

 

mf

 



 

p

dim. gli altri senza vib.

Vla.

poco cresc.

 

div.

mf



poco cresc.



Vla.

 

 



Vln. II



p

8

Vln. II

poco cresc.

 

 Vln. I  Vln. I

p





 

sul D

 







p poco cresc.

sul G



   

sul D

mf

© 2009 Novello & Company Limited

  p



p

p

p

pp

  

pp



 

  

 



EDWARD GREGSON (2009)

   

solo (quasi recitativo)                  mp poco marc.

 

 





pp



pp



 

più legato

 

  

  

  









A



 

 

  



 



 



       3 3                         5

mf marc.

       

 

più legato



  



 



2

    

  

sul pont.

13

Vln. I

    

 





   

 

 





 





     





(sul E)

sul pont.

    sul pont.



mp poco marc.

sul pont.

 

Vln. II

 



ord.

p

mp poco marc.

Vln. II

     ord.

p

mp poco marc.

 

Vln. I

   

ord.

 

p

 

ord.

p

mp poco marc.



Vla.



 

 



dim.

cresc. sul pont.



Vla.

gli altri div.



        mf poco marc.

  

      

sul pont. (sul D)

Vc.

p marc.

Cb.







3

   

 

 

(sul A)



3

   

     

f

       ord.

ord.

 

         mf

   

 

poco dim.

 

 



mf

           



mf

  

  

      mf

3

B

 Vln. I  17

A little broader (q = 56)



(one desk)



pp

mf

 

        

 

   

Vln. II

 

Vln. II



Vla.

mf

Cb.

   





pp

mf





















                      3    3

f marc.



pp

Vc.



pp

    

    

Vla.



pp



mf





 

div. a 2 Vln. I



pp

pp

pp

più legato

5

dim.

 

 





 

 













4

              Vln. I    

moving forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sul tasto

21

(one desk)

(tutti)

mp

dim.



(gli altri)

Vln. I

 

sul tasto Vln. II





  

  

mp

mp

C A little faster, flowing (q = 70)    p dim.

                  

               div.

sul tasto Vln. II

Vla.

  

  



mp

 dim.



  



  

     





   

   







   

div.

      

dim.

div.

mp

     Cb. 

mp

dim.

 dim.

p

p

  p

mfp





dim.

 

p

 p

mfp

mfp

 p

mfp

 

(sul D)  



    

p



mp

 

mp

Vc.

  

mp

     

dim.

    mp

Vla.

     





 

dim.

   dim.



5



 Vln. I  26

 

 



   





          

p div. a 2

 

(sul G)



Vln. I





p

         

Vln. II



Vln. II

Vla.

 

  



   

  



soli

pp

Vc.

pp









mf poco marc.

(sul G)



mp



 

 

          

    



mf poco marc.

soli

pp



 







 

 

 

        

(sul G)

    



Vla.

Cb.

 

    

mp

   

  

















6

 

  

(sul G)

31

Vln. I

 





 

Vln. II



Vln. II



         

mp



 



mp

       

             







Solo Vla.



   

D

 

              

Vln. I

   

mp

cresc.













mf





 

     



solo





mf poco marc.

  

Vla.



p

    

Vc.

cresc.

   



div.   

p

mf

  

  

 

 

  



 

   mf

cresc.

   cresc.

mp

mf

 

mp

mf

cresc.

 

(non div.)

mp

div.



p



mf

cresc.

(tutti)

Vla.

   

f

cresc.



mf

pizz.

Cb.















p









7

Moving Forward

  37

Vln. I

                                      mf

cresc.

f

cresc.

                       

Vln. I

mf

cresc.

 

Vln. II











cresc.

f

  

 

cresc.

    

Solo Vla.

   

   



           

     cresc.



f

             ff

 

poco marc.



Vla.

 



 

 



  

non div.



 

  

non div.



cresc.

   

Vc.



cresc.

 

Vla.

Cb.

 

   cresc.





div.  

  

   

f



 f

 

  







mf





 

f





mf

f

arco



f

cresc.









8

 Vln. I  43

           

broaden

     3

pesante

Tempo I (q = 60) 3

         



 

 

dim.

Vln. II

Solo Vla.

   



  

 

dim.

  

((gli altri - div.)

Vla.

  

Vc.

dim.

 

dim.

 dim.



 p

(p)



 p



div.

senza vib.

f dim.







 

senza vib.

(p)

 



p

     



 

   

f

dim.







  



    







   

  

pizz.

 

f dim.



mp dim.

mf

mp dim.

f dim.

senza vib.





3

mp dim.

div.

 

Vc.

Cb.



  





dim.

p





dim.

p



    

sff sff



senza vib.



f dim.

ff



  

f

mp

dim.

9

  Vln. I  

 

49

Vln. II

















A little faster, flowing (q = 70)

E









 









mp cantabile

           p

Vln. II





pp

dim.

                        p

dim.

Solo Vla.

         



 



mp

Vla.

    p

Vc.

    p

Vc.

       mf

 Cb.   p

 

mp

    p

 



 



  

 

     

    





p





   



(tutti)

          

p

pp

 

mp

      

arco

p

dim.

pp







pp

10

55       Vln. I 



 

  

       

Vln. II

 

Vln. II





 

                 

   

pp



Solo Vla.









     







           p

      p

     

  



mf marc.

               

Vla.



   

        p

  

Vc.

   cresc.

      mf

       

Vc.



  

 





    p

Cb.













  p

 

11

 Vln. I  60

 

    

 

  

 



     

 

   

 mp







 



     

 

mf

poco cresc.

 

Vln. II

  



F

       

 

 

poco cresc.

 

Vln. II

        

     poco cresc.

     

Solo Vla.



Vla.



 

    

     

  poco cresc.



Vc.



Vc.

Cb.







 



 

p cresc.

poco cresc. f

  

              

 

  poco cresc.

f

     

  

mp

      f

 

 





5

      

 

mp

 



pizz.



mf



12

65    Vln. I 





 

  

mp

Vln. II



  

  

      

 

      

Vln. II

   

  

         

 

       

 

Solo Vla.

Vla.

Vc.



 



  

      

 



     



 







    

mf

  

mp

        



    

 

mf



p cresc.



dim.

  

    

Vc.

Cb.

     



  

arco





mp

 

  

 

      



 

        

13

69   Vln. I 



div.



Vln. I

 

Vln. II

 

G Tempo I (q = 60) senza vib.         

 

        

senza vib.

    

 





 







p (tutti) senza vib.

 



p

pp

            3  

 



  





 p

 

Vc.

          

 





dim.

pizz.

Cb.



 

p





 pp

 p

pp









pp

dim.

  

 

pp

dim.

senza vib.



3

mf marc.

senza vib.

Vc.

pp

dim.



dim.

pp

dim.

pp

         

pp

 



p

pp



pp

dim.

solo (quasi recit.)

mp

 



dim.

              

dim.

Vla.



senza vib.

             

Solo Vla.





p

dim.

Vln. II



poco rit.

  

 

pp

dim.







14

 Vln. I  75

Vln. II

Vln. II

solo col tutti



     



mp







   mp

 









 

mp

p dim.



Vla.



dim.

dim.









    



  



Cb.



  Vln. I   78

Vln. II

 

  

arco





 

(rit.)

Solo Vla.

Vla.

Vc.

Cb.



mp



dim.

  













(a tempo)

 





 









molto marc.



p più dim.

 



H 



  

two (non div.)      p

      

       

  

mf

dim.





        mf

pp







 

dim.

pp



pp

dim.

5 5                      f

  

5

dim.

 

mp



pp



mf

mp

Vc.

pp



5                          

       dim.

pp

dim.

(accel.)



Solo Vla.



pp

pp



15

 Vln. I  83

Moving forward Molto Legato







    

      (non div.)



mp

mf cresc.

div.









Vln. I







Vln. I





f



desk 1 only (non div.)

(non div.)                 

Vln. II

    





p

p

cresc.

   

       

div. ancora

         



    mp

  







div. ancora



    

         

    

       

  

         

  

f

cresc.

div.

 





Vln. II

   

Vla.

      (non div.)

p

   





   

     







Vc.

       





   

   



   



mf

    cresc.



f

mf

(div.)

mp



mf







  p

 

 

         f



  



    

 

    



cresc.

(div.)

   



   

 

mf

Cb.

cresc.

    

mp

Vc.

f

mp

mp

div

Vla.

      

cresc.

mp cresc.

 

16

           Vln. I        88

A little faster - joyfully q = 76

f sempre legato

Vln. I

                f sempre legato

Vln. I

 

           

     

Vln. II

 

         f sempre legato

   

 

f cresc.

ff

f cresc.

ff

                                  

       

          

Vln. II

Vln. II

   

 

  

          

 

 

       

 

 

 

f sempre legato

fp

fp

Vla.

Vla.

Vla.

Vc.

Vc.

Cb.

                        

f sempre legato

 

mf

 

 

                 



       

ff

f cresc.

fp

   

ff

f cresc.

f sempre legato

Vln. I

                

f sempre legato

       

f sempre legato

mf

 

mf



 

 

  

 

  

 

    



 

ff

ff

ff

ffp cresc.

                   

ff

     

 

fp

 

 

fp

ff



 ff

         

          f sempre legato

     

fp

  

f cresc.

    

ff



 

ff

 

ff





 

17

92   Vln. I  



         



   

  

molto marc.

  

Vln. I

Vln. I

Vln. I

      



        

molto marc.

            

più marcato



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

più marcato

     

Vln. II

      

Vln. II

   

Vln. II



Vla.



Vla.





       ff

Vc.

Vc.



 

 

 









più marcato

  

 

 







 

  più marcato 





più marcato

      

 

   



                   

Vla.

Cb.









  



 









più marcato



 

più marcato



più marcato

  

  

  

    

  

  



più marcato





più marcato





  più marcato

  



  

















 

18

 Vln. I  94

Vln. I

Vln. I

Vln. I

Vln. II

Vln. II

Vln. II

Vla.

Vla.

Vla.

Vc.

Vc.







I 

















poco rall.

A little slower (q = 66) with tenderness























con sord.









con sord.











con sord.









con sord.



                       dim. 

















con sord.



 

  





con sord.

















 

  

 

     

        







dim.

dim.

  











  Cb.  

 

  



 

 

 

 

 





                

  

   

 









  

dim.

dim.



dim.





dim.

   

  dim.

                





dim.















dim.





 



 



 









 

dim.

con sord.

con sord.

       p

(mutes on gradually)





dim.

       

con sord.

(mutes on gradually)

dim.



con sord.

 

       p

      

(mutes on gradually)



p

19

 Vln. I 































99

Vln. II

           

(tutti) Vla.







   

mp cantabile

  



         

        Cb.     



            

Vc.

         

   



div.

 

  Vln. I 







106

Vln. II

 

 

J

    mp



Vc.

                     





  



  

   

                      

   

   

mp

Cb.



   

  

 

         

     

mp

      

div.

Vla.

  

mp

  

20

 Vln. I  

Vln. I

 

    

    

Vln. II

     

     

solo senza sord.

113





     

mp

gli altri

 

   

     



 

  

  

  





 





  



 





  

 

 

 

Vc.



 



   

 

    



 





Cb.



  



   

 

    

 





Vla.





 Vln. I  119

Vln. I

Vln. II

Vln. II

Solo Vla.

Vla.

Vc.





    





    mp

  

    



  

 



    

  

pp p solo senza sord.

  

  

 



 







    





 



solo senza sord.

 

div. a 3

   

p

     





   

   

   

   

 

     

K 

   

     

(tutti)

mf



pp

mf

dim.



     

  

        



pp

mp

 

 

mp



p

p

   Cb.  



 

p

 div.

      p

 

pp

tutti







pp

21

     Vln. I     126 (solo)

p



Vln. II



Vla.

Cb.





Cb.







p

 

   

sul D



  

p

 

p





pp



 



 















  

mp tutti div a 3

mp

  



  

  





















mp

 



)  (    )    



(

mf dim. (

) 

)   

(

mf dim.

(

mp

cresc.

(







p

  

p



 

(non div.)

p

 

 





sul pont.

  



    sf

  

 

sul pont.

sf

sul pont.





sf

 )  



 ) 



mf dim.

p



pp



mf dim.



div.



solo con sord.

   



p



mf dim.



p

tutti div a 3



    

 



pp



 

div.

  



  

unis.

tutti div a 3

 



     

 

  

mp

Vc.

 

 











   

pp

 Vln. I 

Vla.





     

 

136

Solo Vla.







Vln. II

p

 

  

Vc.





 

Solo Vla.

  

tutti



22

 Vln. I     142

 

pp

 

Solo Vla.

 

Vc.

Cb.









 





 

pp

    

Vln. II



   

sul pont.

pp

(solo)

    mf

sul pont.

    p

 

dim.

 









 





 

pp

dim al niente Pott Shrigley 2 April 2009