Ephemera for solo piano Carl Schimmel
Commissioned by the Renee B. Fisher Foundation
PERFORMANCE NOTES Ephemera is a collection of seemingly unrelated themes, roughly in “arch” form, connected by their use of a common scale (and its inversion) and their exploitation of the same pair of four-note sets. Its sudden mood changes challenge the performer to attain near-robotic perfection, while the slow and sparse middle section requires great musical sensitivity and careful pedaling. I tried to create a work which I would have liked to play as a young pianist – that is, big and impressive-sounding, but not unreasonably difficult. The “Fiery” section should be fairly motoric, especially in the section with constant eighth notes. A “breath” can generally be taken during moments of complete rest. The “Playful” section is much freer, and the tempo can sway dramatically. Overall it should be quite quick, but variations in tempo can make it more exciting and quirky. The “Floating” section is extremely variable in tempo; it should be played almost like a cadenza, and the performer’s musicality should come out in his or her dynamic and rhythmic shading of the section. (While the only dynamic marking for the section is “piano,” at the beginning, the performer should shape the section in a musical way.) Pay close attention to the melodic line (and countermelody, at times) and try to emphasize its hypnotic and pulsing nature. If the performer has difficulty reaching an octave spread, the player can decide which note to leave out. The fingerings provided are merely suggestions, and can be used or discarded; likewise, notes written for the left hand can be placed in the right hand, and vice versa. Ephemera is approximately three minutes in duration.
Fiery ( .= ca. 90) 4
2
2
Middle pedal
poco
6
a tempo (attack should be out by subito drowned previous note)
optional: poco ritardando poco a poco 6
poco tenuto
4 1
3
1
3
2
1
11
subito
subito
11
Fiery ( .= ca. 90)
Floating ( = ca. 60) 3
18
ritardando dolce
18
26
3
subito 26
2
3
optional: poco ritardando poco a poco 5
1
2
5
1
4 1
5
1
Playful ( = ca. 176)
2 12 3
(attack should be drowned out by previous note)
31
ritardando
a tempo subito
31
4 2
1
3 2
1
4 2
1
36
!
4 2
1
4 2
1
"
4 2
1
3 2
a tempo
5 2
# a tempo subito
2 3 4
mosso ! piu or accelerando
a tempo
42
48
1
piu mosso or accelerando
42
48
4 2
!
piu mosso or accelerando
36
4
1 2 3 4
poco
poco
$ %
lightly
$
Floating ( = ca. 56)
poco
molto legato very freely
con pedale
3
55
dolce 3
3 55
-2-
3
62
3
ritard. e dimin.
62
Playful ( = ca. 176)
"
69
mosso ! piu or accelerando
mosso ! piu or accelerando
a tempo
69
76
3
a tempo
76
3
$ 3 82
3
82
3
3
3 3
3 3
3
88
optional: poco ritardando poco a poco
3 88
-3-
Tempo I ( .= ca. 90)
&
92
&
poco
should be subito (attack drowned out by
&
&
poco
previous note)
92
tenuto
98
subito
subito
98
Fiery ( .= ca. 90)
Floating ( = ca. 60) 3
&
a tempo
ritardando
105
105
#
molto ritard. !
dolce
&
112
3
3
3
subito 112
116
optional: poco accelerando poco a poco
a tempo
116
-4-
subito
(attack should be drowned out by previous note)
ritardando