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Emerald!Meditations! !
for$string$quartet$ $
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Ursula!Kwong4Brown! May$2013$$
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Emerald!Meditations! ! for$string$quartet$
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$ Ursula!Kwong4Brown! May$2013$$
$ $ The$ world$ premiere$ was$ given$ on$ May$ 13,$ 2013$ in$ Hertz$ Hall$ at$ the$ University$ of$ Berkeley$ in$ California$ by$ members$ of$ the$ Eco$ Ensemble:$ Hrabba$ Altadottir,$ Dan$ Flanagan$ (violins),$ Ellen$ Ruth$Rose$(viola),$Leighton$Fong$(cello),$and$David$Milnes$(conductor).$$
$ Duration:$c.$6$min.$
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! Performance!Notes$
$ Emerald$Meditations$was$inspired$by$the$Emerald$Buddha,$a$statue$of$the$meditating$Buddha$that$was$ discovered$in$Northern$Thailand$in$the$15th$century$and$now$resides$in$one$of$the$central$temples$in$ Bangkok.$$The$statue$is$carved$from$an$unusually$dark$green$shade$of$jade$and$sits$about$30$inches$high,$ dressed$in$ceremonial$goldHjeweled$robes$that$the$King$of$Thailand$changes$to$match$the$seasons.$The$ temple$that$houses$the$statue$is$a$sacred$place$of$worship$as$well$as$a$major$tourist$attraction,$and$both$ times$that$I$visited,$my$experience$was$one$of$extreme$opposites:$crowds$of$people$outside,$hushed$silence$ within,$kneeling$worshippers$touching$their$heads$to$the$floor,$onlookers$snapping$photos$on$their$ smartphones$–$and,$above$all,$the$Emerald$Buddha$looking$down$on$us$from$atop$a$tall$pedestal:$smaller$ than$I$had$imagined,$yet$more$majestic$than$I$had$thought$possible.$I$am$not$Buddhist,$but$as$I$sat$there$I$ could$not$deny$that$I,$too,$found$a$momentary$peace$in$the$Emerald$Buddha’s$presence.$ $ $ $ $ $ Contact!Information!for!the!composer:! $ Ursula$KwongHBrown$ ursulakb@berkeley.edu$ +$1$(617)$461H9474$ $ $
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Scordatura! $ The$score$is$notated$at$pitch.$$ $ Parts$are$provided$at$sounding$and$fingered$pitch.$ $ Violins$ $ $
Viola$
Cello$
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General!!
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All$tremolo$markings$are$unmeasured.$$ $ Start$all$glissandi$immediately$at$the$beginning$of$the$note$value.$ $ Accidentals$follow$conventional$rules:$they$apply$throughout$the$bar$to$notes$in$the$same$octave$and$the$same$stave.$$ $ Gradual$and$continuous$transition$ $ $ S.T.$ sul$tasto$ $ S.P.$ sul$ponticello$ $ M.S.P.$ molto$sul$ponticello$–$almost$on$the$bridge$ $ N.$$ normale$–$used$with$S.P.$and$M.S.P.$ $ tremolo$as$fast$as$possible$ $ tremolo$at$medium$speed$with$lots$of$bow$ $
Micro!intervals! !
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Note$raised$a$¼$tone$ Note$raised$a$¾$tone$ Note$lowered$a$¼$tone$ Note$lowered$a$¾$tone$
Vibrato! ! !
When$vibrato$markings$are$not$specified,$players$can$use$their$natural$vibrato.$ senza$v.$$ molto$v.$$ ord.$
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senza$vibrato$ $ wide$vibrato$(within$a$semitone)$at$normal$speed$ $ ordinario$–$used$with$senza$v.$and$molto$v.$$ $
! Pizzicato!! ! !
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Always$let$vibrate$as$long$as$possible.$
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LeftHhand$pizzicato$! Snap$pizzicato$! !
! Unspecified!Pitches! !
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Indeterminate$pitch$in$the$general$register$of$the$given$note$ $ Natural$harmonic$of$indeterminate$pitch$in$the$general$register$of$the$ given$note$ $ Natural$harmonic$of$indeterminate$pitch$played$as$high$as$possible,$ beyond$the$end$of$the$fingerboard$ $
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