credo petrified for amplified solo cello [2016/rev. 2018/rev. 2020]
Kurt Rohde Ripley Dog Face Music ©2020
2
PROGRAM NOTES
credo petrified for amplified solo cello (2016/rev. 2018/rev. 2020) credo petrified is a work for amplified solo cello lasting about 8-9 minutes. This is a revised version of a revision of the original piece. The piece may be played without amplification. It is best to perform the work in a somewhat resonant space. As a child, my family would venture on annual summer cross-country camping trips. There are five children in my family, and these trip began with us camping tents, moving eventually to a pop-up camper, and eventually to a very small, very cramped, very used Mini-Winnebago. Being a family of "Star Trek" fans (the original series!), we called this camper the USS Mustard Seed...it is a long story. The Petrified Forest was a favorite location of my mother's, and we visited there repeatedly. Back in the 1980s it was a far more rustic, less traveled, and more austere if not slightly forbidding place than it is now. Petrified Forest was not easy to access, and one had to take long hikes to the locations where large petrified logs remained. Fallen eons before, then covered by an ancient sea and replaced with minerals that perfectly mimicked the rings and bark and striations of their original organic host, this forest of stone trees in the desert was mesmerizing; stuck in our time, in an arid, unforgiving climate were these trees without leaves, fallen groves that will never become green again, that will eventually turn to sand. Remembering those trips, to that location, with my family, with my mother (long since dead), of trees (that are even longer since dead), makes me consider the unadorned ritual of forgotten deaths, of slow disintigration, of ancient music created for worshipping ("I believe in one...") that is dying its own gradual death at a glacial pace, become sonic dust - a ritual set in motion by man and nature that eventually will have no one to observe or participate in.
3
PERFORMANCE NOTES The score has been formatted to use in both printed & iPad form. Amplification should be appropriate for the performance space. Medium reverb should be used, and the volume should be set to allow the softest playing to be perceived as coming from a differnet location (speakers), with the loudest playing not overwhelming the listeners. The piece is written without meters. This is to allow for a more flexible approach or interpreation to the rhythmic unfolding of the music. The player should maintian the rhythmic intergirty of the notated rhythms but not be too concerned about the rythms being "square" and excting, except when they feel it necessary. The piece may be played without amplification. NV = non vibrato MSP = molto sul ponticello SP = sul ponticello PSP = poco sul ponticello flaut. = flautando; when possible, use a lot of fast, light bow for flautando to create a "flute-like" sound MST= molto sul tasto CLT = play half with hair & half with the wood of the bow ord. = in the ordinary manner with the bow harm. gliss. = harmonic glissando arco = with the bow in the ordinary manner pizz. = pizzicato microtonal accidentals are used in the standard manner I = A string II = D string III = G string IV = C string arrow = indicates the gradual transition from one timbe/technique to another o = indicates either an open string or a hamonic sounding at the written feathered beaming is playe din the traditional manner square noteheads = bow pressure is such that the string is muted and the sound is pressed and "stuck" X notehead = an indeterminate pitch, played with almost regular finger pressure; player should maintain contour and register of music in these passages, trying to play the written note, but without too much concern for accurate pitch content
4
credo petrified for amplified solo cello (2020) * rhythms are meant to be flexible and pliant, and the shape and rate of unfolding for a phrase is indicated by the rhythmic notation, as limited as it is; amplification should be done with a simple mic setup near/at/on the bridge with light reverb added; work may be performed without amplification
Long since forgotten, recently recalled, a processional momentarily held in place h = 42 - 46
G.P.
œo œo œo œo œo
∑ pppp
˙ b˙ w
pp slides should be pronounced - sighing, melting, sinking rolls should be rich - tolling, resonant, rich
nnœœ œ
œœ
œ
œœo
œo
b˙
3
œo
G.P.
œœ œ
œœ
œ
∑
nœ bœ Bb œ œ bœ Œ ˙ 3
sub. pppp pp
p
˙ n˙ w
ord. pizz.
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
? bb-œœ bœœj œœ Bœ bœ b œ œ BB œœ -
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
8
˙
pp
near nut
o #œœ œœ
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
b˙
o o o o #nœœ œœ œ œ w w
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
b˙ n˙ w
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
b˙
∏∏∏∏∏∏
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
Violoncello
? bn˙˙ w
ord. pizz.
near nut
pizz.
-3 b œ b œ ˜œ œ nœ Œ n˙ 3
mp p
p A tempo h = 46 - 50
rit.
arco/I
o o o o o #œœ œœ œ œ œœ w œœ w
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
o o o o o #œœ œœ œ œ œ w w Œ
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
œœ œ Bbœ œ Œ œ > 3
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
œœ œ œ
o o o o #œœ œ œœ œ œœ Œ Œ o
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
-œ œ ? nœœ nœœ œœ ‰ œœ nœ œ
15
#˙
˙
µœ
Œ
3
ppp p
pppp
mp
rit.
p
A tempo h = 42 - 46
accel.
ord. pizz.
like striking a bell, with a rapid decay
> ? ≈ œ™™ œ™™ >
> ≈ bœœ ™™™™ >
≤ >o ™™ ≈ bœœ™™ >
mp
mp
mp
NV 21
o œœ
≥ ™™ bœœ ™™ sub. pp ppp
≤ ^r nœ™™ œœ n œ™™ R v sub.
^r œœ R v
sfz ppp
sfz
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
as if ringing in reverse
> #œ nœ œ™ f
piu f
> n œj n œ #œ œœ ™ ™
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
mf
b œj
5 >o o o o o #œœ œœ œœ œœ #œœ n œœJ Œ Œ > 5
I
II
arco/I
>œ n b œœ
26
> ? bbœœ bœJ
#>œ ™™
#œ
pizz.
n œo
nœ
#œ
¯ nnœœj #œœ™™ J ¯
nœ
≈ 5
ppp
3
sub. pp
mf
arco/IV MSP/harm. gliss. 3
^j œœ
- nœ ™ µµœœ nnœœ ™™ µœ
sfz f
j nœ v
5
U b œo ˙o ™ R
œo n œo œo œo
œ
3 5
mp sfz
molto f
rit.
accel. ord.
Uo ˙
pizz.
˙o
œo
œo
o œ
˙o
o œ
? 3
f
o œ Œ
3
mp
3
¯ #œœ n œ
¯¯ j œ bœ nœœ
arco
∏∏∏∏∏∏
œo
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
30
r #œ nœ
oœ # œI œ 5
f
sub. ppp
p
p mf rit.
accel. arco I
pizz.
A tempo h = 42 - 46
o 5 œ 4 #œœ œJ
? <#> ˙
œ ˜œ ™ #œ
œ œo #œ o o œ ˙ œ œ n œ #œ Œ
œ
˙˙
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
33
bn˙˙
mf sub. ppp
o o5 o o œœ œœ œœ #œœbb>œœ bœJ Œ Œ
>œ n b œœ
U ˜ >œ ™™ ≈
3 5
mp
p f
Slightly pushing forward h = 46 - 50
III harm. gliss.
II III II II II III II 37
? 44 # ˙
œ œ ™ # œR œ œ œ -œ œ # œ #œ ™ mp sub. p
pp
mp 3
nœ ™
œ
n œo
œo O o œo # ˙ nOœ œ œ Oœ
œo o # ˙ œ o œ œ Oœ œ sub. pp
pp 7
mp
5
f
f
sub. pp
III harm. gliss.
#˙
41
? <#> œ # œ
œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 5
#œ œ
œ 3
o >o n œo ™ o5 o o o o o > > > œ #œ nœ œ œ œ œ n œ nœ œ n œ bœ bœ
f 6
6 ord. arco
CLT
o œo œ ?
44
o o œ œ
o o œ œ
o o œ œ
o o œ œ
o o œ œ
3
3
3
3
3
3
piu f
n>œ
>œ
b >œ
#œ >
œ >
bœ >
> #>œ b œ œ
nœ ™
œ
œ J
3
sub. f
piu f
arco 5
n>œ
pizz.
pizz.
™ nœo # œ œo ˜ œ œo œ
3
? œv # œ #œv v
n>œ b œ >
#œ
n œ œ œ œ œ œ >œ # œ^ ™ ≈
œ
#œ #œ
o nœ
5
meno f 5
A tempo II h = 46 - 50
poco rit. II 50
nœ
? #œ
>œ
pp
arco 47
pizz.
mp
o Ϫ
pizz. 3 #œ #œ #œ #œ œ œ 3
œ J
»^ ™ n œ #œ œ
arco/IV harm. gliss.
o
throw
bow o œo o œo o œo o ¿o o ^¿o , œo. . . œ œ ¿ ¿ ‰ nœ #œ #œ
3
3
3
‰ œ œ
3
#œ
3 3
6
sub. pp
mf sub. f
ff
meno f
sfz ff
pizz.
o o œ^o 54 ? nœ œ
pizz.
>œ
3
sfz
n>œ
>œ b >œ
> > #>œ œ nœ œ > 3
> œ #œ > 5
» ^ #œ J
» ^ ™ ≈ #œ
arco throw bow
arco » œ ≈ œ nœ bœ bœ n œ #œ v > 6
nœ. bœ. bœ. œ 3
f
ff
pizz.
» o o o o o o o o o o o o #œ n œ œ œ œ œ r µ œ. #>œ œ œ #>œ œ >œ œ # œ œ >œ œ >œ œ n œ. v > > 6
57
o o nœ ≈ œ œ #œ #>œ ˜ œ œ ™™ > 3
3
? #œ ™
j µœ #œ nœ ˜œ nœ #œ >
6
6
sffz
7 arco o o œo o n œo o œo o œo o ^o o œo o œo o œo o œ^o œo o œ o » flaut. o o o o œo œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œo ^ o o o > œ n œ œ ™ #œ œ œ œ œ
^ > n œ ™ > # œ ? ≈ œ™ ‰
60
>œ
mp
sfz
sfz
pp
pizz. o œ o œo o œo o œ^o œo o œo o œ œ œ œ 63 œo œo œ œ^ œ œo œo œo œ œ œo œ œo o œ œ ? #œ œ œ œœ œœ sfz sfz
5
œœ œœ
œœ œœ
œœ œœ
^ oœ œo œo o o œo œo o œo n œ œo o » arco œ œ œ œ œ #>œ v p sfz
mf pulsing
o 66 œ œo o o -œ œo -œ œo -œ œo -œ ? œ œ œ f
-
^o o o œ # œ œ œ -œ œ -œ œ -œ œ -œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ o o œo o œo b # œ œ # œ bœ œ œ œ œ #œ #œ œ œ nœ œ œ
f
p
o o œo o œo o IIo o œo o n œ^ œ^ o o œ o 69 œ œo œ œ œ œ O^ œ œ œ ?
f
mp
pp
œo œo II^o œo œo œo œo œo œo œo o œo o O œ œ œo œo œo
f mp
ff
mp
sfz
sfz
f
o r œ # œ # œœ ™ ™ ≈
-o nnœœ -o f
MSP
- > 72 ™™ œOO œOO ™ > > # O œ ? #Oœ ™™ œ œ bnœœ n O O ™ J ™ œnn œOœ ™™™ - > becoming distorted >
ord.
o bœ œ œ œ œo œ bb-œœ œ -œœ œ -œœ œ -œœ œ -œœ b œ œ bœ b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
-
o n œ œ nœ œ
sub. p ff
MSP o ord. n>œ o o > > ^ > >œ >œ > > > œ >o > o #œ œ o œ o œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ # œ o œ œ ? œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ > œ nœ œ œ œ œ > œ > nœ sffz molto f > > >
75
8
>œ > # ? #œ œ
78
>
> # œ^ o œ^ o œ^ o # œ^ œ^ o o œ^ œ^ o œ^ o o n œ^ # œ^ œ^ o o o # œ^ ^o o # œ^ o œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ nœ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ
^ nœ #œ œ œ œ^ œ œv
sub. meno f
ff
sffz sffz
sffz sffz sffz
I I # œ^ œo O # œ^ œo O œo O bœ^ œo n œ^ œo O œo O n>O ? nœ œ
81
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz sffz sffz
sffz
sffz
O O O O n œ^ o # œ^ œo # œ^ ^o œ œo œ^ O œo # œ œ nœ œ
sffz sffz
sffz
sffz
MSP blurry and dirty #œ O n O O O O O O O œ^ IIO OI O O O O II>O III Obecoming O O O O ? O O O O O O ≈
83
sffz
<#> œ
˙™
˙
Ϫ
sub. pp
ord. 86
sffz
>œ J f
MSP
molto rit. pizz.
#˙
#˙
˙ ˜œ Bœ Bbœ - -
?
n O nO O O O O bœ bœ ‰ - -
O O
O O
O O
O
3
pp
mf
sub. pp
f
O ‰ 3 b>œ nœ b œ œ- nœ- #œ #œ œ > > mf
A tempo I h = 42 - 46 ord. (pizz.) arco ord.
#˙ ™
90
o
?
nœ ™
#œ œ
nœ ™
MSP
œ nœ bœ #œ ˙
#˙
µœ nœ #œ œ œ #œ
µœ ™‰ O O O O O O O O ≈ œ œ
pp languorous
f mf
pp
9
molto rit. ord.
MSP
pizz.
# œ # œ #œ# œ œ œ ˙ œ
? œ œ œ
w
˙™
µ˙™
O O O OŒ
O O O O O O O O ≈ Œ #œœ œœ œœ O œ œ œ
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏∏
˙
94
<µ> œ # ˙
PSP arco
I II
5
5
mp
sub. pp
p pp
Piu sostenuto, still flexible, now more than ever h = 36 - 42 ord.
-j bnœœJ ˙˙ -
100 NV
? Ó˙
˙™™ ˙™™
flaut. II III
SP ord.
wearying echo
Ϊ O O O O O O O O Ϫ
o ˙˙
[CRE - - - - - - DO]
[IN
PSP flaut. II I
? #˙™ # ˙™ -
IV
poco rfz
o ˙˙ o
O O
O O
p sub. pp
UN - - - - - - - - - - - - - UM]
molto rit.
throbbing, not articulated
o O O O # O , ord. œ™ O O O ‰ nœ™ œ™ O #œJ œ™ ≈ mp o
o nn˙™ ˙™ o
o Œ n˙ œ ˙ o o
ord.
O
poco rfz
III 105
flaut. III IV
bb˙˙ -
pp
poco rfz
ppp
o œœ™™
>r -j ™ n œ œ œ™™ œ™™ b œR œ ™ nnœœ ˙˙ ™™ J> rfz
bbœ™™ œ™™ f
>r bœ œ R >
j œ œJ
œ œ -
-o ˙˙ -
-o b˙˙ -
Ϫ Ϫ -
b ˙˙
poco f rfz
Molto sostenuto h = 30 - 32
PSP
IV harm. gliss. MSP/slow, dense bow 110
?U Ó™ w u
U œ
Uo w w ˙ uo obtain 7th partial on
o 3 &bœ
pppp p C-string before proceeding
pp
Uo > ˙
o bœ
f
mp
5
o œ
o œ
o œ
o œ
o œ Œ
Uo ˙
U Œ
˙ uo
œ uo
ad libitum (III/G)
10
piu lento
ord. III
MSP III
IV
o ˙
Uo b˙
, o œ
o ˙™
o œ
o ˙™
˙ o
˙ uo
œ o
˙™ o
œ o
o ,˙˙ -o
˙™ o
IV
5
o œ
o bœ
115
o & œ
o œ
o œ
wo
-o œœ -o
-o ™ b˙˙ ™ -o
pp
pp
(II/D)
poco f
pp p ad libitum
bow stuck on string
MSP 120 o ˙ & b˙ o
I
II
o œœ o
o n#˙˙ o
II
I
III
o ˙˙ o
o ˙™ ˙™ o
o ˙˙ ™ ™ o
?
-. Bœœ
-. 66
-. B b 66
-. b Bb 66
Œ
5:3
pppp pp II
III
II
III
IV
p
A tempo piu sostenuto h = 36 - 42
A tempo molto sostenuto h = 30 - 32 rit.
rit.
pizz.
near the nut
near the nut
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
o œ Œ
o œ Ó
o œ
o œ Ó™
o œ
o œ
U ∑
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
G.P.
o ? nœœ bœ
124
o nœœ bœ
o œ Ó
o œ
o œ w
o œ
o œ
o œ
ppp ppp
bar fingers on open A & D strings at the edge of the nut to allow for the gliss. to emerge
Sostenuto h = 28 - 30 near the nut
o nœœ bœ
o œ Ó™
o œ
U Œ
o n˙˙ b˙
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
?
U ∑
Ó
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
G.P. 127
˙˙ ™™ ˙˙ ™ ™
mf
bb˙˙ Ó open, into the air