Harbison SEVEN AGES

John Harbison

THE SEVEN AGES for mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, piano, and vibraphone

poems by Louise Gl端ck

From the G. Schirmer Rental Library date of printing _________________

Associated Music Publishers, Inc. New York, NY

John Harbison

THE SEVEN AGES for mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, piano, and vibraphone

poems by Louise Glück for the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress, and dedicated to the memory of Serge and Natalie Koussevitzky

for performance by the New York New Music Ensemble and the San Francisco Contemporary Players

duration ca. 25 minutes I. The Seven Ages II. The Balcony III. Decade IV. Aubade V. Summer Night VI. Fable Based on the poems “The Seven Ages,” “The Balcony,” “Decade,” “Aubade,” “Summer Night,” and “Fable.” Copyright 2002 by Louise Glück, included with the permission of the Wylie Agency, Inc. All rights reserved.

Associated Music Publishers, Inc. New York, NY

Program Note The Seven Ages was commissioned by the Serge Koussevitsky Foundation in the Library of Congress, and is dedicated to the memory of Serge and Natalie Koussevitsky. The piece, which is about twenty-five minutes long is scored for mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello and vibraphone. First performances have been entrusted to the New York New Music Ensemble and the San Francisco Contemporary Chamber Players, Pamela Dellal, mezzo-soprano.

I am grateful to Louise Glück for her poems, both in this piece and wherever they have appeared, and to the Wylie Agency for use of six of them in this piece.

This vocal chamber piece was composed during June and July of 2008 at Aspen and Tanglewood. As I wrote it I became convinced that every poem in the book – in fact every Glück poem – could be music, this in spite of the fact that her poems are often much larger than those composers tend to set. Her words are clear, strongly placed, deeply felt, vivid – all the things needed to suggest rhythm, melody, and a kind of “symphonic” structure.

Once I chose the poems I began to “hear” the sequence as a whole, grouped thematically around “The Seven Ages,” the book’s title poem and the first in the collection. Composition began with the final lines of this first poem (although it was eventually the last to be completed), then moved into the other five poems, presented here in the order in which they appear in the book. Although the songs were all composed at once, they each made independent musical proposals.

While visiting with the Tanglewood Composition Fellows in the summer of 2008, in connection with a performance of my Symphony 5, which includes a setting of her poem, “Relic,” Louise Glück gave colorful , reluctant testimony about her writing habits. Her work leaves her periodically, reappearing inconveniently and unbidden. This account confirmed, for me, the affinity I feel for her cadence, voice, and material. The Seven Ages, taken hold in the midst of an active summer schedule, after a “blank” period – which always feels irrevocable – felt like an urgent conversation with the poet. After living in these poems it was difficult to leave them.

– John Harbison

to the memory of Serge and Natalie Koussevitzky

THE SEVEN AGES Louise Glück

I. The Seven Ages Moderato espressivo

John Harbison

= 80

3

Flute cresc. legato

3

Clarinet in B cresc. legato

Vibraphone

Piano

Mezzo-Soprano

Moderato espressivo

= 80

3

Violin cresc. legato

Violoncello 3

cresc. legato

7

(cresc.)

(cresc.)

(cresc.)

(cresc.)

corr. 08/09 corr. 10/09

Copyright © 2009 by Associated Music Publishers, Inc. (BMI) New York, NY International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Warning: Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited by Federal law and subject to criminal prosecution.

Property of: G. Schirmer Rental Library Bellvale Road Chester, NY 10918 SUPPLIED ON LOAN ONLY:

2 13

5

5

In

my

first

dream

the

world

18

5

3

3

the

salt,

the bit ter,

the

for bid den,

the sweet

ap peared

3 21

S.V.

3 5 3

3

In my 6

se cond

I

3

des cen

ded

I

was

3

24

delicato

staccatiss.

sensuale 3

hu man,

3

I could n’t just see

a thing

beast that I

am

I had to

4 27

cresc.

3

3

6

6

6

cresc.

3

Ped.

touch,

to

con tain

it

6 6

29

cresc.

6

3

3

6 6

6 6 6

pizz.

5 31

semplice Ped.

Ped.

Ped.

sim.

8ba

I

hid in the groves,

I worked in the fields

un til the fields were bare—

pizz.

36

accomp. solo

accomp. vago

5

5 5

5

Ped. 8va

sonoro

3

time arco

that will

ne ver come

a gain—

the dry solo

accomp. arco

accomp.

wheat

bound,

cas kets of

figs

and o

lives

6 Con calore

41

3

3 3

3

6

5

5

Ped.

3

Ped.

I

Con calore 3

e ven

3

45

cresc.

cresc.

loved

a few

times

dim.

in my dis gus ting hu man way

and

solo

6

6

like

7 49 5

5 5

ironico

3

ev

ery one

52

I called that ac com

plish ment

e

ro

tic

free

dom,

3

semplice

8ba

cresc.

3

surd as it seems

6

The wheat gath ered pizz.

pizz.

and stored,

the last

fruit

dried:

ab

8 58

accomp. solo

accomp.

sonoro

dim.

time solo

that is

3

3

hoard

ed,

that is

nev

3

er used,

does it

al so

end?

arco 0

espr.

accomp. arco

espr.

accomp.

63

espr.

In

my

first

dream

9 67

3

the

world

ap peared

the sweet,

the

for bid den

70

cresc.

cresc.

3

but there was

5

6

no

gar den,

on ly raw

el e ments

cresc.

I

was hu man:

10 74

tremolo

3

I

had to beg

3

to des cend

the salt,

the bit ter,

the

de mand ing,

the

pre emp tive pizz.

3

78

lunga

3

3

3

And

like

eve

ry one,

I

lunga arco

took,

I

3

3

was

tak en,

I

dreamed

I

11 83

was

be trayed:

legato

cresc.

legato

cresc.

legato

cresc.

Earth

was

legato

cresc.

legato

cresc.

giv

en

to

me

in

88

Ped.

In

a

dream

I

pos

sessed

it.

a

dream

12

II. The Balcony Alla danza

= 63

Flute

Clarinet in B

Vibraphone

legato, cantabile

Piano

poco

grazioso

Mezzo-Soprano It was a

Alla danza

night like this,

= 63

Violin

Violoncello

6

at the end

of

sum mer.

We had

rent ed,

13 11

’ I

re mem ber,

a room with a

bal

co ny.

How man y

days pizz.

pizz.

16

Five,

per haps—

no

more.

and nights?

14 21

E ven

when we weren’t

touch ing

we were mak

ing

love,

We

26

Ped.

Ped.

stood

on our

lit tle bal

Ped.

co

ny

in the sum mer night.

arco

arco

And

off

some where,

15 31

8va

parlando

the sounds

of

hu man

life.

We were the soon to be a

36

lirico

noin

ted

mon archs,

well dis posed

to

our

sub

jects.

Just

lirico

be

16 41

lirico

neath us,

sounds

of a

ra

di o play ing,

lirico

poco rit.

45

know.

poco rit.

an

a

ri

a

we

did

n’t in those years

17 a tempo 49

subito

cresc.

Some

one

dy

cresc.

ing

of

love.

Some one from whom

time

had tak

en

the

a tempo

53

grindando

on

ly

hap

pi

ness,

who was

a

lone

now,

im

18 57

cresc.

pov

er ished,

with out

beau

ty.

The

62

Ped.

Ped.

ben articulato

rap

tur ous

notes

of an un en

dur

a ble grief,

of

i

so

la

tion

and ter

ror,

19 65

cresc.

Ped.

Ped.

the near

ly im

pos si ble to

sus tain

slow

phra

Ped.

ses

of the as

68

3

volante

cend

pizz.

ing fig

ures—

arco

3

3

3

3

3

20 71

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

74

3

3

3

sub.

3

3

they

3

3

drift

ed

pizz.

0

out

o

ver

the

21 77

dark

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

wa

3

3

ter

like

an

ec

sta sy.

arco

80 3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Ped.

col

pizz.

22 83 3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3 3

3

3

3

3 3

3

3

3

3

G.P.

86

3

3

3

3

3

3 8ba

Such a

G.P. gliss.

arco

23 91

small mis take.

And man y

years

lat er,

the

on

ly thing

left

of that night,

0

97

â?‰

of

the

hours

in

that

room.

24

III. Decade Misterioso, appasionato

= 56

Flute

Clarinet in B

Vibraphone

Piano

sonoro, mecanico

5

5

Mezzo-Soprano What joy

touch es the sol

Violin

Violoncello

7

sussurrato

5

rit

u al?

A

void

ap pears

3

in the life.

ace of

25 Drammatico

13

secco

metallico Ped.

Ped.

Ped.

Ped.

secco

❉ 3

A

shock

so deep,

so

ter ri ble,

its force

lev els

the per ceived

Drammatico

secco

= 69 animando

Più mosso

= 60

accel.

18

cresc.

cresc.

Ped.

Ped.

Ped.

cresc.

Ped.

cresc.

marcato

Ped.

senza pedale

3

8ba

world.

animando

Più mosso

cresc.

cresc.

= 60

accel.

= 69

26 22

Coma prima

= 56

3

You

Coma prima

3

were a beast at the edge of its cave,

on ly

3

3

3

wak ing and sleep ing.

= 56

29

sempre

8ba

3

Then

the mi nute

3

shift;

the

eye

3

tak en by some thing.

27 35

8ba

estasiante

3

Spring:

the

un

for seen

flood

ing

the

41

3

3

3

3

3

3

lustro

lustro

3

3

3

3

3

3

sempre, espr.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

sempre, espr.

loco

8ba

3

3

byss.

And the

3

lustro 3

lustro

life

fill ing a

accomp.,

3 3

3

gain.

And

molto

3

sempre, espr.

3

3

fi nal ly

a

place

found

a

28 47

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3 3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

cresc.

3

3

3

for eve ry thing.

53

3

3

dim.

3 3

3

3

3

3

dim.

dim.

Ped.

8ba

dim.

dim.

29

IV. Aubade Con fantasia

= 80

Flute 6

3

solo 5

3

3

Clarinet in B espressivo

Vibraphone

Piano

Mezzo-Soprano There was one

Con fantasia

sum mer

that re turned

= 80 0

Violin 3

(eco, lontano) 3

3

3

Violoncello 3

(eco, lontano)

3

3

3

5

3

6

6

3 3

3

(eco, lontano) Ped.

Ped.

rubato

man y times

o

ver

there was one

flow er

un

3

3

3

3

3 3

3

furl

6

30 9

6

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Ped.

3

3

3

ing

tak 3

ing

man y forms

Crim son solo

3

3

of the mo nar 6

da, 6

3

3

12

3

3

3

Ped.

3

intenso

pale

gold

of

the

late

ro

ses solo

6

3

3

3

3

3

3

31 15

3

3

3

eco 3

3

3

3

3

eco

3

rubato

There was one

love

There was one 3

love,

3

3

6

lirico

eco

19

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

solo

3

3

cresc.

3

3

there were man y nights 6 3

3

Smell

6 3

3

3

3

32 22

3

5

3 3

3

5

3

3 3

of the mock or

ange

tree

Cor ri

mine

and

3

3

5

dors of jas

solo

5

3

3

26

3

3

legato

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

5

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

lil

ies

3

legato

Still

3

3

the wind

3

blew

3

33 30

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

34

3

There were man

(loco)

y

win ters

but

I

closed

my eyes

The

cold

air white with dis

34 38

5

5

3

dim.

5

3

5

dim.

solved wings

5 3

5

dim.

5

5

3

dim.

43

5

5

5

5

poco stacc. poco stacc.

5

solo

3

3

5 5

5

3

5

5 5

5

poco stacc.

Ped.

marc.

There was one

gar den (loco)

3

when the snow

melt ed

Az ure

and white;

I

poco stacc.

5

5

5

5

35 solo

47

legato

3

3 6 5

(

(eco)

poco stacc.)

3

3

(eco) 5

poco stacc.

rubato 3

5

3

could n’t tell my sol i tude

from love—

love; 5

There was one 3 5

(eco)

poco stacc.

5

poco stacc.

52

poco stacc.

solo

5

3

3 5

3

legato solo

poco stacc.

3

3 3

3

3 3

3

5

legato

5

poco stacc.

legato

he had man y voic es poco stacc.

solo

5

legato solo

3

legato

36 56

chiaro 3

non legato

3

3

There was one

dawn;

3

some times we watched it to geth er

dim.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

dim.

61

Ped.

Ped. 8va

â?‰

I was here

I was here

8ba

â?‰

37 68

solo

3

3

5

6 3

espr.

6

Ped.

legato

There was one

sum mer

re turn ing 3

3

IV

3

3

3 6

non legato

non legato

3

3

o

ver

3

solo

73

dawn

o ver and

3

3

there was one

3

3

3

Ped.

3

I grew old

watch ing

V. Summer Night

38

Agitato (ma non affretato)

= 92

stacc.

Flute

Clarinet in B

Vibraphone stacc.

Piano

Mezzo-Soprano

Agitato (ma non affretato) Violin (pizz.)

Violoncello

6

= 92

39 11

secco, agitato

Or der ly,

and out of long

hab it,

my heart

con tin ues

to beat.

I

pizz.

incisivo

16

cresc.

cresc.

stacc.

when I wake,

o ver the mild

sound

of

the air

con di

tion er.

pizz. ord.

incisivo

hear

it,

nights

40 21

sub.

As I used

to hear

it

o ver the be

lov

ed’s heart,

or

va ri e ty of

hearts,

ow ing to there

26

sub.

hav ing been

sev

’ral.

And

as it beats,

it

con tin ues

to

41 31

cresc.

cresc.

drum

36

up

ri

dic

u lous

e mo

tion.

stacc.

stacc.

leggero

leggero

3

So man y arco

pas sion ate let ters pizz.

pizz. ord.

insistente

3

insistente

42 41

nev er sent!

So man y

ur

gent jour

neys

con cieved

of

on

46

3

sur prise vis its

to

3

men who where near ly com

plete

strang ers.

sum

mer nights,

43 51

secco

secco

The tick ets nev er bought,

the let ters nev er stamped.

And pride

ma evidente

ma evidente

56

sub.

And

the

life,

in a sense,

3

nev er com plete

3

ly

lived.

spared,

44 61

accomp.

Ped.

3

3

And

the

art

al

ways

Ped.

3

in some dan ger of

grow ing

rep

e

ti

tious.

arco

66 6

6

6

6

3

Ped.

Ped.

Ped.

Ped.

6

6

3

45 71

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6 3

3

Ped.

Ped.

3 3

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

3

3

3

6

Ped.

6

6 3

3

Ped.

6

75

3

3

3

3

6

Ped.

6

6

3

3

3

3

3

6

secco

Why 6

3

6

3

6

3

6

3

pizz.

46 80

not?

Why

not?

Why should my

po

ems

not

sempre energico

85

3

im i tate

my

life?

Whose les son

sempre energico

3

is

not

the a poth

3

e

47 90

3

o

sis

but the

3

pat

tern,

whose

mean

ing

is

not

in the ges

ture

but

95

cresc.

cresc.

cresc.

er

tia,

the

rev arco

cresc.

in the in

48 100

er

ie. solo

5 5 5

5

5

5

5

5

105

5

5

5

5

stacc. pizz. martellato

5

5

5

49 110

dolce

in fuori

chiaro

chiaro

senza 3

pieno, cantabile

De sire,

lone

li ness,

wind

in the

dolce arco

sub., dolce

115

legato

3

3

flow

er ing

al

mond—

sure

ly

these are the great,

legato

the

50 120

3

in

3

ex haus ti ble

3

3

sub

jects

to

which my

pred e ces sors

ap

pren ticed them selves.

125

cresc.

3

I

hear them

ech

o

in

my own

heart,

51 solo

130

3

3

3

cresc.

cantabile

5

col pedale

3

3

non leg., poco sost.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

dis guised as con

ven tion.

3

rit. molto

136

5

3 3

3 3

3

5

cantabile

5

3 3

3

3

cantabile

rit. molto

3

52 Meno mosso

= 69

143 solo

rubato

solo

rubato

chiaro

intimo

Balm

of

3

the

Meno mosso

sum

mer night,

= 69

3

balm

3

3

of the

or

di

nar

y,

im pe ri al

solo

rubato

cantabile

148

cantabile

3

joy

and

sor

row

of

hu man ex ist

3

ence,

the

dreamed

53 153

eco col pedale

eco

col pedale 3

3

as

well as the

lived—

what

rit.

158

sempre

sempre

sempre

sonoro

3

dear

er

than

this,

giv

en the

close ness

of

death?

rit.

sempre

sonoro

could be

54 Poco meno mosso

= 66

rit.

163

col pedale

Poco meno mosso

168

Poco meno mosso

= 66

rit.

= 60 3

3

con forza

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

con forza

con forza Ped. 3

con forza

8ba

Poco meno mosso

con forza

marc. con forza

= 60 3

3

55 172

3 3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

8ba

â?‰

3 3

3

3

3

solo

176

(Ped. al fine)

8ba

legato

8va

â?‰

56

VI. Fable Lento, solenne

= 60

Flute

Clarinet in B

Vibraphone pochiss. pedale

Piano

semplice

Mezzo-Soprano Then I looked

Lento, solenne

down

and

saw

the world

I

was

en

ter

ing,

= 60

Violin

Violoncello

7

dolciss.

that would

be

my

home.

And

I

turned

to

my com pan

57 13

poch.

ion,

and

I

said

Where

are

we?

And

he

re

19

plied

Nir

va

na.

And

I

said

a

gain

58 25

Ped. al fine

al fine

But

the

light

will

give

us

no

31

8va

senza vib.

senza vib.

peace.