Rebecca Saunders_Still_EP12015_Score

SAUNDERS

still for solo violin and orchestra

Full Score

REBECCA SAUNDERS

still

for solo violin and orchestra

(2011)

Still, as in unchanging, ongoing, with an exhauting insistence, always, in essence, the same.

Fragments, each time slightly varied, gradually create a single image. Imprints reiterated and projected into time and space. Like a giant mobile seen from many perspectives, that in itself remains untouched. And light changes, the focus, and the position from which perceived, is altered, as is nearness and distance to the object – a manifest complex protraction of the one single thing.

Still, as in stasis, explores two starkly contrasting states, in a fragile state of equilibrium.

Still refers to the framing of sound with silence, of “stillness“ imagined – silence being an endless potential, waiting to be revealed and made audible. The act of composing being to unveal, make visible. Pulling gently on the fragile thread of sound, drawing out from the depths of imagined silence; or alternatively, sound erupting from the stasis of relative silence.

Still is also the title of a Beckett short story, which ends with the following:

As if even in the dark eyes closed not enough and perhaps even more than ever necessary against that no such thing the further shelter of the hand …

Leave it so all quite still or try listening to the sounds all quite still head in hand listening for a sound.

Samuel Beckett, Still, Calder Publications 1974.

Beckett’s Still sketches a single situation: turning the head towards the setting sun, the unknown protagonist watches night fall, darkness gathering; then head placed slowly and carefully in hands, waiting, as darkness unfolds, for a sound. As if in eternity, a timeless melancholy, curtly and brutally honest, yet imbued with a humaness, a softness. A statis; the human body waiting, trembling.

This work is dedicated to Carolin Widmann and with grateful thanks to Sylvain Cambreling and the BBCSO.

RS

Auftragswerk des Beethovenfestes Bonn und des BBC Radio 3 für Carolin Widmann und das BBC Symphony Orchestra, gefördert durch die Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung.

Co-Commission of Beethovenfest Bonn and BBC Radio 3 for Carolin Widmann and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, supported by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation.

still for solo violin and orchestra (2011)

The score is written in C.

Instrumentation and seating

4 flutes (1 doubling bassflute, 3 + 4 doubling piccolo)

1 oboe

3 clarinets in Bb (2 + 3 doubling bassclarinet in Bb)

4 horns

3 trumpets in C

3 tenor trombones, 1 bass trombone Bass tuba

Percussion (4–6 players) 2–3 players each: far stage left and far stage right (not stage centre).

Piano

Harp

Button accordion

Accordion, Piano and Harp together, stage right diagonally behind violins, in front of percussion. Accordion in curve of piano, harp in front of piano near edge of stage. Harp and accordion on slightly raised podiums.

12 violins 1

12 violins 2

10 violas

8 celli (stage left)

8 double basses (stage left behind celli)

Tempi given are approximate guidelines, and may be varied according to the acoustic and interpretation. Pauses and resonances may need longer to surface in certain acoustics.

Part I Furioso

Part II Very lyrical stretched melodic line.

Duration: ca. 20 minutes.

RS, Berlin 23. 04. 2011

Legende

General

crescendo from / diminuendo to silence vib. vibrato

n.v. non vibrato raise or lower by a ¼-tone. Not exact - an expressive and timbral function.

Glissando

Wind instruments

bisbigl. Bisbigliando. A same-note trill, fast and fluid. noise Let through additional tones and noise.

air tone Gradually to tone with crescendo from silence. flz + Fluttertongue

Horns + / o stopped / open

Trumpets

Mutes: Wawa, Harmon, Metal

wawa senza Remove mute while playing for fluid timbral transtition.

Fast hand or finger open/close trill (always very fast) in front of wawa mute. Double tongue maximum speed.

Trombones

Mutes: Wawa, Cup, Metal/straight

Fall very fast down the overtones to the given lower tone.

Bass Tuba

Eg. 12 ft in F, or Eb

Piano

Grand piano with sosenuto pedal. Open piano-lid fully, but do not remove. Remove music-stand and place further back on the frame, or use the top section of a heavy music stand. Use stickers to mark the strings inside the pano. Requires a hard plastic plectrum for playing inside the piano.

Sustaining pedal.

Chromatic cluster.

Damp string(s) heavily at the bridge with one hand, play key with other hand. A big beautiful round resonant sound.

Inside the piano on the strings. If frame of piano is in the way, choose another nearby cluster.

Glissando over strings with plectrum ( ) or fingertip (3. ). f / ff = brutal; pp / p = gentle.

Accordion

Always without vibrato unless otherwise stated. Accents always at maximum dynamic sff.

Button accordion with three manuals, MI, MII and MIII.

Range of MI:

Range of MII/III:

A chromatic cluster with outer tones included.

A wide chromatic cluster in given range, exact tones not important.

Bellows shake – fast tremelando.

Half-depress button (M1) to lower tone by ca ¼-tone. Bring out beats between the tones.

Harp

Requires 2 hard plectrums. Tuning indictations given. Lowest two tones always Db and Cb

Harmonic, written at sounding pitch.

A chromatic cluster with outer tones included. Chords are non arpeggio unless otherwise stated. Plectrum.

Arpeggio very fast with two plectrums in contrary motion.

Percussion Stage Left (players 1 and 2, optional extra player 5)

Player 1

BD Very large, low bass drum with natural skin on both sides.

rim Play on wooden rim.

Use snare sticks at tip of stick (a.) or middle (b.) of stick.

b. a. Move from middle of stick to tip during tremolando.

skin Play on skin

1cm edge Trill lightly on skin, at edge 1cm from rim, near or over wooden ring/frame – hear high partials. Centre.

Gradually move from edge to centre of skin.

Cloth Place cloth on skin for a drier and less resonant sound.

+ Chain Place very light sizzle chain on skin of drum – hear high trilling surface of sound with low resonance of drum. Often played trilling with light rubber beaters (R).

Drag large superball beaters (use two and alternate for smooth sound) producing deep resonance when quiet and monstrous “noise” (with sizzle chain) when loud.

Two very large soft beaters. Press first large fluffy beater on centre of skin. The second beater hits the first beater, not the skin of drum.

Light rubber beaters. Eg. Use handles of Kolberg triangle beaters.

Cab

Other beaters:

Hard Felt.

Use thicker snare drum sticks, to avoid damage to skin of drum at loud dynamics.

Smaller ordinary bass drum beaters.

Large round wooden beaters as alternative to snare sticks when playing on skin (not for “rim”).

Cabaza

ChC Large chinese cymbal hung.

arco Bow with double bass bow.

Light rubber beaters. Eg. Use handles of Kolberg triangle beaters.

MP

3 flat metal plates laid on bubble foam or small pieces of foam for maximum resonance.

1. Aluminium plate: large, thick and heavy. Hard timbre. NO central tone.

2. Bronzeplate ex. Round bell plate with diamter ca 26 cm. Important: rich, complex spectrum.

3. Iron plate: medium eg. 25 x 40 x 0.5 cm.

Played with small metal hammers or beaters. Ossia: if too loud use hard 2-tone or plastic.

TT

Large Ratchet from player 2

ThS Thunder sheet Single strokes.

LSprD Large Spring Drum

Player 2

TT Tamtam, diameter 100–110 cm, Wuhan.

Contact points:

1- Absolut centre; 2- In central ring; 3- Large smooth zone; 4- Outer ridged ring; 5- Side edge.

1. Short stroke over full width of tamtam with a wirebrush – hear high partials and long resonance.

2. Drag superball beater slowly and carefully over surface of tamtam for mid-low resonant tones –beautiful and explorative.

3. Fast loud action around surrated edge of tamtam (at least half of the diameter!) with a metal beater. Hear high partials and long loud resonance.

arco Play with bass bow at edge (contact point 5).

Other beaters:

small round-headed beaters

Snare sticks

Bass drum beaters or felt.

Superball (see above)

Metal beater (see above)

2 wire brushes

2 BP The largest and lowest 2 bell plates possible C and C-sharp. Hung. Contact point at bottom of plate for lower octave.

Wh Large whip.

LRat Large low loud ratchet fixed on stand.

2 Coils

Two large car coils (eg. From Kolberg) 1. Light, 2. Heavy. Hung in the middle for maximum long resonance. Played with light metal beaters or light hammers.

LSprD Large spring drum from Remo.

ThS Thin narrow long thunder sheet hung. Subtle effect. Played with soft felt or bass drum beaters.

Crotale 1 single pitch (highest D) hung. Arco – played with double bass bow.

Percussion Stage Right

Player 3

TT Tamtam, diameter 110–130 cm, Wuhan.

Contact points:

1- Absolut centre; 2- In central ring; 3- Large smooth zone; 4- Outer ridged ring; 5 Side edge.

Drag superball beater slowly and carefully over surface of tamtam for mid-low resonant tones –beautiful and explorative.

Other beaters:

small round-headed beaters

Bass drum beaters or felt.

Superball

2 wire brushes

SC Large sizzle cymbal, hung. Sizzle always “ON”. Arco - play with double bass bow. Hard felt beater.

SSprD Small spring drum from Remo.

ChC Medium chinese cymbal hung. Also bowed (double bass bow).

Guiro Large and long. Played with thin wooden stick.

TubB 6 tubular bells pitches needed. Hung.

MP 3 flat metal plates laid on bubble foam or small pieces of foam for maximum resonance.

1. Large round-mouthed cowbell, if possible old and de-tuned!

2. Break drum.

3. Iron plate: medium eg. 25 x 40 x 0.5 cm. Played with small metal hammers or beaters. Ossia: two-tone beaters (hard inside, soft outside).

Timp.

26/28-inch tuned down a 4th to ca E2. Pedal alters relative pitch ca one octave. Note: no specific piches are notated. Pedal alters pitch between given maximum and minimum.

+ Chain A very light sizzle chain on skin of drum the whole time –hear high trilling surface of sound with low resonance of drum.

1 cm edge Trill lightly on skin, at edge next to rim, near or over wooden ring/frame – high partials.

Centre. Gradually move from edge to centre of skin.

Light rubber beaters. Eg. Use handles of Kolberg triangle beaters. Ossia: extra light snare sticks for quietest dynamics.

Drag superball beaters (use two and alternate for smooth sound) producing deep resonance when quiet and monstrous “noise” (with sizzle chain) when loud.

LR from Player 4

Player 4

BD

LR

2 Coils

Very large, low bass drum with natural skin on both sides. For all sounds and beaters please see description under Player 1

Lions roar, large/low, with very long string. Hung. Please replace normal string with a long double bass string or low harp string for the long quiet smooth tones.

Two large car coils (eg. from Kolberg) 1. Light, 2. Heavy. Hung in the middle for maximum long resonance. Played with light metal hammers.

TT from player 3 – one or two single strokes (see part).

arco

Play with bass bow at edge (contact point 5).

Tremolando with 2 wire brushes.

ChC Chinese Cymbal (from Player 3) Also bowed (double bass bow)

SSprD Small Spring Drum (from player 3).

All Strings

Assume non vibrato unless otherwise stated.

fl. Sul tasto extreme flautando bow stroke well over fingerboard; hollow, floating, beautiful. s.p. Sul pont: pp / ppp bring out overtones. f / ff sound towards distortion. ½-s.p. Sul pont colouring, but actual tone heard clearly.

Glissando to top or bottom of string. behind bridge Play behind the bridge on given string. Fragile, smooth and careful bow. Pitch varies from one instrument to another

Vibrato pulse like Brahmsian tenuto.

Pizzicato with immediate glissando.

harmonics:

Part one:

Natural harmonic trills are always s.p. with fast fluid bow. Distorted. The harmonic nodes or contact points on the given string are given. Always very fast and regular, alternating the upper and lower trilling fingers.

Part two:

Quiet trill and tremolando played together throughout. Near tip of bow. Fragile and beautiful, much flautando.

The harmonic nodes or contact points as well as the string are given. Always very fast and regular, alternating the upper and lower trilling fingers.

Double basses extra

sff noisy and distorted. Accent deep in the string and fast release.

Players 1–3 with five-string bass.

Scordatura V down to G. Alternatively to G# if string is too lax and flaps lossely on fingerboard –the unusual timbre is more important than the actual pitch.

Players 4–8 with four-string double bass need an extension to C-natural.

Solo Violin extra

(See also general string legende)

Part One

D string scordatura down a ¼-tone.

Furioso! Enjoy the few moments of respite, bringing out warmth and lyricism of line, looking towards the second part of the work.

Up-bow double harmonic trill on III/IV, played with varying degrees of sul pont. Distorted trills always sul pont exploring layers of overtones –bring out relative differentiation of pitch, tracing a quasi-melodic line up and down the II/IV strings. Trill the double harmonics always very fast and regluar, alternating upper and lower trilling fingers (1/2 with 2/3). Play where possible with fast and fluid up-bow gesture. Harmonic nodes or contact points are given in the part/score. A chart below shows actual sounding pitches of the harmonics. Exact pitches are not critical, and it should be added that sul pont creates additional layers of overtones. Glissandi are very fluid. The short-note interjections of single tones, open strings, chords, also chordal harmonics, trace an elongated melodic line which is at times reflected in the orchestra.

Part Two

Re-tune to D-natural.

Restrained but expressive. Five fragments of an extended melodic line thread through the orchestral textures. The line is always in motion drawn out of and disappearing into silence.

The overall effect creates a quasi-static multiphonic. Double, triple or quadruple chords combine open strings, open-string/harmonic trills and stopped tones. Fast string crossings - explore with varying bow pressure and changing bow strokes, avoiding cliché arpeggios I-IV-I. Varying degrees of sul pont creates additional layers of overtones.

Open-string/harmonic trills immediately as fast as possible, and remain very fast, continous and regular. Build up playing all three strings. Bring out the harmonics more than the open strings. Noteheads in brackets add last and play less often.

Natural harmonics:

Score

Rebecca

senza sord.

2.3.

II

II

II

II

Dark, fragile, warm

Dark, fragile, warm

Rebecca Saunders

Rebecca Saunders studied with Wolfgang Rihm at the Musikhochschule in Karlsruhe, Germany, and for a PhD in Composition with Nigel Osborne at Edinburgh University. She lives in Berlin. Saunders’ composition prizes include the 1996 Ernst von Siemens Komponisten-Förderpreis and the 2008 Royal Philharmonic Society Composition Award for Chamber Music. Her works have been performed at festivals including the Huddersfield Festival, the Berlin Biennale and the Darmstadt Ferienkurse. In 2009 she became a member of the Berlin Academy of Arts. Saunders’ works include chroma, for chamber groups distributed throughout the performance space, albescere, written for Ensemble Modern and the Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, and a double concerto for trumpet, percussion and orchestra.

Rebecca Saunders studierte Komposition bei Wolfgang Rihm an der Musikhochschule Karlsruhe und promovierte an der Universität Edinburgh bei Nigel Osborne. Sie lebt in Berlin. Saunders erhielt unter anderem den Komponisten-Förderpreis 1996 der Ernst-vonSiemens-Musikstiftung sowie den Royal Philharmonic Society Composition Award 2008 in der Kategorie Kammermusik. Ihre Werke erklangen bei zahlreichen Festivals wie dem Huddersfield Festival, der BerlinBiennale und den Darmstädter Ferienkursen. 2009 wurde sie zum Mitglied der Berliner Akademie der Künste ernannt. Zu ihren Werken zählen chroma für im Raum verteilte Kammergruppen, albescere (entstanden für das Ensemble Modern und die Neuen Vocalsolisten Stuttgart) sowie ein Doppelkonzert für Trompete, Schlagzeug und Orchester.

Photo © Astrid Ackermann