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Musgrave, Thea Orfeo III
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Thea Musgrave ORFEO III an improvisation on a theme for solo flute and string quintet (1993)
NOVELLO
Scenario I
Orfeo Laments Orfeo stands alone on the banks of the river Styx and grieves for Euridice. He hears a distant echo of her voice and he listens. Then it disappears. Orfeo in despair pleads with Charon to ferry him across the river so that he may search for her.
II
Orfeo crosses the river Styx Charon consents to listen to his plea. The waves of the river begin to ripple and then surge up and part and Orfeo can cross over to the other side.
III
Orfeo calms the Furies Orfeo is confronted by the Furies and eloquently he pleads with them. They gradually quieten as they listen. He is allowed to proceed, but on one condition.….he must not look at Euridice until he has returned from the Underworld.
IV
Orfeo searches amongst the Shades Orfeo searches for Euridice amongst the Shades. He hears her approaching…he steps towards her, then turns away and shields his eyes.
V
Orfeo hears Euridice’s pleas Orfeo hears Euridice pleading with him to turn and look at her….he cannot resist and he turns. Euridice vanishes forever.
VI
Orfeo is attacked by the Bacchantes Orfeo is at once violently attacked by the Bacchantes. He makes a last desperate plea, but he finds himself back on the banks of the river Styx, alone and desolate.
Performance Notes Synchronization In many sections the solo flute should play with considerable rubato independently of the conductor. A cue line has been given so that the tempo and rubato can be adjusted for approximate synchronization. However where there are arrows or bar lines, the synchronization must be exact. represents the downbeat to an unmeasured bar: here the music should continue in the same tempo (unless otherwise marked), though with rubato. In the flute part, if the arrow is ABOVE the line then the flute responds to the conductor/strings, if the arrow is BELOW then the conductor/strings respond to the flute. Accidentals Accidentals in unmeasured bars apply only to the note they precede, except where one note or a pair of notes is immediately repeated. Balance The balance of the Gluck quotes of Euridice (‘Che faro’ and ‘The dance of the blessed spirits’) with the rest of the players is crucial: though the themes must, obviously, be clearly audible, they are intended as memory elements and therefore should not be played too loudly. They should be clear yet “dreamlike”.
ORFEO III Thea Musgrave
I Orfeo Laments
Solo Flute
[Orfeo stands on the banks of the River Styx grieving for Euridice]
p
Andante lamentoso (Tempo I°) q = c.54
Violin
Viola
Contrabass
Vln.
Vla.
Vc.
Cb.
Fl.
con sord.
pizz. con sord.
p
pp
ppp
p
p
sf ppp
sf ppp
This edition © 2008 Novello & Company Ltd.
ord.
mp
1
ord.
ord.
p
½ sul pont.
gliss. gliss.
ppp
sfz ppp
pp
½ sul pont.
½ sul pont.
sf ppp
ppp
[ ]
p
con sord.
con sord.
gliss.
pp
ppp
con sord.
ppp
Violoncello
gliss.
ppp
ord.
ppp
p
pp
p
Fl.
3
mp
Vln.
Vla.
Vc.
ppp
ord.
cresc.
p
come sopra
ord.
mf
p
mf
ppp
Cb.
5
Improvise with G# tremolo, trill harmonic, sul pont. ppp
arco
sfpp
Fl.
3
6 Tempo II° Vln.
p
pp
ord.
rit.
pp
mp
ppp sempre
Vla.
½ sul pont.
Vc.
ppp
Cb.
gliss.
ppp
sul G
gliss.
pizz.
p
Fl.
mf
3
11 [Charon consents to listen to Orfeo’s plea]
lunga
rit. II 15 Tempo Vln.
gl sffz ff
iss.
pp
dim.
lunga
lunga
pp sul C * gliss . sffz ff
p
dim.
gliss. sffz ff dim. ppp pp sul A lunga * gliss. sul D sul G sul C Vc. sffz ff dim. pp dim. a * sul Ggliss. lunga sul D sul A Cb. sul E
Vla.
sffz ff
dim.
Fl.
pp
II Orfeo crosses the River Styx
[All is silent and Charon listens]
16 Vc.
niente
Fl.
mf
rit.
più mosso
Cb. niente
pp
p
Fl.
lunga
pp
* Highest possible note
17
p
più mosso
rit.
mf
p
14
Fl.
mp
mf
Vc.
Cb.
accel.
cresc.
3
3
*)
[The waves of the river surge up ...
3
cresc.
cresc.
Fl.
ord.
3
3
p
Vla.
[]
3 3 p 3 cresc. senza sord. 3 sul tasto ord. 3 3 3 3 3
senza sord. sul tasto
Vln.
3
23
[with conductor]
... and part. Orfeo crosses the river into the underworld.]
fff
*) f
24
Vln.
Vla.
mf
cresc.
mf
cresc.
molto
sffz mf
ff
sffz mf
ff
sffz mf
ff
molto
*)
mf
cresc.
molto
*)
Vc.
*)
mf
cresc.
molto
Cb. *)
sffz
molto mf cresc. sffz *) Improvise rushing scale passages over the whole range of instrument – 6, 7, 8 notes to a bow
18
Fl.
3
28
pizz.
pizz.
3
Vla.
3
3
p
Vc.
sim., ad lib. rhythms
cresc.
*)
p
*)
p
29
cresc.
cresc.
Fl.
] [
gliss. mf
Cb.
sim., ad lib. rhythms
3
3
3
mf
Vln.
ad lib.
3
cresc.
3
mf
3
pp sub. ff arco Vln.
arco
ff
Vla.
3
ff
Vc.
sffz mf
Cb.
sffz mf
*) simile: slowly ascending
3
pp sub.
pp sub.
dim.
dim.
22 [in tempo!]
Fl.
33
f
Vla.
Vc.
arco
pizz., come sopra
ff arco
mf pizz., come sopra
Vln.
ff arco
3
mf
pizz., ad lib. rhythm
mf
ff
sim.
arco ff
Cb.
3
3
3
sim.
3
sim.
3
sim.
3
ff
gliss.
5
sim. 3
3
cresc.
ff
ff
cresc.
5
Vc.
mf
arco
Vla.
gliss.
mf cresc.
arco
Vln.
f
cresc.
sffz p
f
cresc.
f
cresc.
mf
Fl.
ff
3
ff
sffz p
Cb.
3
3
3
3
5
27 [The Furies allow Orfeo to proceed on his journey.] 3
Fl.
ppp
pp
Vln.
Vla.
Vc.
3
con sord.
pp
actual pitch
pizz.
pp
con sord.
3
3
p
Cb.
con sord.
pp sotto voce
con sord.
pp sotto voce
actual pitch
pp *) clear and expressive, not too loud
3
3
pp
pizz.
mp dolce 3
pp
*)
senza sord.
pp
Adagio espressivo q = c.42
pp sotto voce
Vc.
IV Orfeo searches amongst the Shades for Euridice
40
Vla.
niente
Vln.
Cb.
Fl.
niente
3
p
pp
pp
32
Fl.
5
3
p
5
ad lib.
Vln.
Vla.
Cb.
Fl.
p
ord.
3
pizz.
Vc.
3
3
3
Vc.
Cb.
3
3
3
3
pp
p
f
cresc.
mf
Vla.
6
[Orfeo hears Euridice approach. He turns towards her, then decisively turns his back and shields his eyes.]
6
5
47 Vln.
5
p staccato5
f
dim.
3 3
3
3
niente
3
p
3
dim.
[ ... He takes his hand from his eyes – turns to look at her. Euridice vanishes forever.]
Fl.
lunga
c. 5''
sfffz fff
pp
fff
pp
sfffz
Vla.
sfffz
Vln.
37
sfffz fff
pp
sfffz fff
pp
sfffz fff
pp
Vc.
Cb.
VI Orfeo is attacked by the Bacchantes
Fl.
sfz
53
Vln.
ad lib: molto agitato
Agitato molto
ff furioso
sffz
senza vib.
Vc.
Cb.
sfz
f *)
sffz ff senza vib.
sim.
ff furioso
sim.
dim.
sffz ff
dim.
3
ff mf
ff sempre
sim.
ff furioso Vla.
*)
ff sempre
*)
ff sempre
*) Using notes between the pitches indicated, improvise similar motives of varying lengths with short gaps between them.
44
Fl.
60
Vln.
pp
3
rit.
3
ord.
3
ppp
pp
dim. a niente
niente
Vla.
Vc.
3
pp
Cb.
pp
[ord.]
con sord. Vln.
pp
Fl.
3
pp ½ sul pont.
Cb.
Vc.
p
½ sul pont.
Vla.