ERIC NATHAN
Dream Scenes For Piano Trio
Copyright 2023 – Eric Nathan. All rights reserved. P U B L I S H E D B Y N A T H A N A R T S (ASCAP) WWW.ERICNATHANMUSIC.COM | Providence, RI USA *PLEASE NOTIFY NATHAN ARTS OF ALL PERFORMANCES*
Co-Commissioned by Tonhalle Düsseldorf and Royal Danish Library *** Dedicated to Saleem Abboud Ashkar, with admiration and gratitude
TABLE OF CONTENTS In four movements:
I. Dreaming, yearning
p. 1
II. Playful, dancing
p. 6
III. Floating, spacious
p. 21
IV. Freely, rustic
p. 25
Total Duration: c. 10 minutes
INSTRUMENTATION : Score in C Violin Violoncello Piano
COMPOSER’S NOTE: Dream Scenes is written in homage to composer Robert Schumann. Schumann’s music has long been important to me. I grew up playing his Kinderszenen (Scenes of Childhood) on the piano return to it often. Schumann’s music speaks intensely to me about the experience of life, often through a focus on some of life’s most fleeting moments – a sudden turn of emotion, an impromptu daydream, or a treasured memory. As I began composing this piece, I thought of Schumann’s practice of juxtaposing, and transitioning between, music of dramatic contrasts. We find this in the striking changes of character in his music, moving between the fiery, mischievous music that he often ascribed to his alter-ego, Florestan, and the dreamy, introspective music that he credited to another of his musical personalities, Eusebius. Even within a single phrase, we find ourselves shuttled between distantly related harmonies, connected by threads of counterpoint. My trio takes inspiration from Kinderszenen, a collection of short character pieces, but instead of evoking commonplace scenes of childhood, it imagines the fantastical realms of dreams, where things may not always make logical sense, but are nevertheless wondrous, deeply felt experiences. Throughout the work, I quote and reimagine a few favorite fleeting moments from Schumann’s Piano Trio No. 2, using them as building blocks for my own music. Dream Scenes is structured in four movements of contrasting character: I. Dreaming, yearning; II. Playful, dancing; III. Floating, spacious; IV. Freely, rustic. The third movement returns to the same scene as the first, yet we find key elements have fundamentally changed. The second movement tosses around a quote from Schumann’s trio in a series of adventures and the fourth reworks one of Schumann’s phrases in the guise of a folk song, as if coming from some distant, imagined realm. Dream Scenes was co-commissioned by Tonhalle Düsseldorf and Royal Danish Library. It is dedicated to Saleem Abboud Ashkar. - Eric Nathan
Co-Commissioned by Tonhalle Düsseldorf and Royal Danish Library Dedicated to Saleem Abboud Ashkar
Dream Scenes I. Dreaming, yearning Dreaming, yearning = 60
Violin
Violoncello
non vib.
singing, crystalline
(niente)
non vib.
singing, crystalline
(niente)
Dreaming, yearning = 60
intimately, as if playing for oneself, bell-like
Piano
7
Vn.
Vc.
7
Pno.
0
(non vib.)
(non vib.)
cresc.
[change bow as needed]
[change bow as needed]
8
8
with sorrow
Copyright © 2023 – Eric Nathan. All rights reserved.
(chords bleed into each other) – follow approx. placement of pedaling
Eric Nathan (b. 1983)
2
Dream Scenes - I.
11
Vn.
Vc.
Vn.
Vc.
3
with inner life
intimately 3
3
16
Pno.
cantabile
cresc.
16
11
Pno.
con vib.
3
con vib.
espress.
espress.
3
3 3
19
Vn.
Vc.
appassionato
gliss.
19 Determined; with sudden fervor
Vc.
22
Pno.
3
22
Vn.
Determined; with sudden fervor
appassionato
Pno.
Dream Scenes - I.
più
3
3
23
23
3
3
gliss.
gliss.
3
gliss.
molto appassionato
molto appassionato
rit.
3
rit.
4
Dream Scenes - I.
25 Fresh, clear a tempo
non vib.
non vib.
Vn.
Vc.
25 Fresh, clear a tempo
(up)
Pno.
rit.
rit.
5
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6
Dream Scenes - II.
II. Playful, dancing Playful, dancing = 108 ord. (con vib.)
Violin
playfully
ord. (con vib.)
Violoncello
playfully
2
= 80 (subito) rit. non vib.
= 72
shyly
shyly
[Quotation: Robert Schumann, Piano Trio No. 2, op. 80, I]
2 = 80 (subito)
Playful, dancing = 108
Piano
4 = 108 (subito)
Vn.
con forza
Vc.
con forza
4 = 108 (subito)
Pno.
playfully
playfully
thoughtfully playfully rit.
gliss. con vib.
mischeviously
non vib.
rall.
gliss. con vib.
mischeviously
= 72
rall.
2 2
Copyright © 2023 – Eric Nathan. All rights reserved.
Dream Scenes - II.
7
Vn.
Vc.
Pno.
7
9
11
Pno.
9
arco
Vc.
11 arco
Vn.
a surprise
7
rit.
lunga
rit.
lunga
gliss.
lunga
8
Dream Scenes - II.
15 a tempo Vn.
Vc.
playfully
Pno.
Vc.
gently
With vigor
with sudden vigor
with sudden vigor
with care
22
gently
gently
22 with sudden vigor
21 With vigor
with care
21
with care
20
Pno.
playfully
20
Vn.
playfully
15 a tempo
23
Vn.
Vc.
23
Pno.
26
Vn.
Vc.
Pno.
Vc.
31
30 (up)
Pno.
Dream Scenes - II.
25 Dancing
cantabile
cantabile
29
9
31
25 Dancing 2 cantabile 2
29 26 30
Vn.
10
Dream Scenes - II.
rall.
33
Vn.
Vc.
36 a tempo Vn.
Vc.
36
Pno.
with vigor
with vigor
a tempo
with vigor
33
Pno.
rall.
Dream Scenes - II.
38
Vn.
Vc.
Pno.
Vc.
42
Pno.
40 Triumphantly
joyously, raucously
joyously, raucously
gliss.
38 42
Vn.
11
gliss.
40 Triumphantly
12
Dream Scenes - II.
45 Playfully Vn.
Vc.
pizz.
pizz.
45 Playfully
Pno.
48
Vn.
strum (up)
2
Pno.
2 con bravura con bravura
strum (up)
Vc.
48
arco
arco
50 Vn.
Vc.
ric.
Vc.
Pno.
(con ped., ad lib.)
Majestically
52 Majestically
cantabile
[Quotation: Robert Schumann, Piano Trio No. 2, op. 80, I]
53
52
53
Vn.
13
ric.
(up) 50
Pno.
Dream Scenes - II.
ped. (ad lib.)
14
55
Vn.
Vc.
Dream Scenes - II.
Pno.
Vn.
Vc.
58
Pno.
58
cant., espress.
55
61 Joyously; radiant
Vn.
Vc.
Dream Scenes - II.
con bravura
61 Joyously; radiant
Pno.
Vc.
63
Pno.
cant., espress.
63
Vn.
15
16
Dream Scenes - II.
65
Vn.
Vc.
Vn.
Vc.
67
Pno.
67
65
Pno.
68 appassionato
68
appassionato
Dream Scenes - II.
69
Vn.
Vc.
Pno.
69
71
Vn.
Vc.
71
Pno.
17
18
Dream Scenes - II.
73 Playfully Vn.
joyously
Vc.
joyously
73 Playfully
Pno.
76 Vn.
Vc.
With suspense = 72
slyly
gliss.
slyly
gliss.
76 With suspense = 72
Pno.
joyously
gliss.
gliss.
75 = 80 (subito) rit. non vib.
rit.
gliss.
non vib.
rit.
75 = 80 (subito)
with care
gliss.
lunga
rit.
lunga
lunga
Dream Scenes - II.
79 = 50 molto rall.
gliss.
Vn.
Vc.
gliss.
79 = 50 molto rall.
Pno.
80 With vigor = 104 (subito)
(highest note)
19
rit.
(highest notes)
80 With vigor = 104 (subito)
rit.
20
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Dream Scenes – III.
21
III. Floating, spacious Floating, spacious = 60
Violin
Violoncello
non vib.
non vib.
glowing
glowing
Piano
6
Vn.
Vc.
6
Pno.
sighing
gliss.
sighing
8
8
cresc.
with sorrow
gliss.
sighing
(chords bleed into each other)
gliss.
gliss.
sighing
sighing
Floating, spacious = 60
intimately
gliss.
gliss.
sighing
22
11
Vn.
Vc.
Dream Scenes – III.
15
Vc.
Pno.
gliss.
15
gliss.
(F#)
(non vib.)
16
intimately
(non vib.)
16
con vib.
con vib.
alive 3
gliss.
cant.
cant.
gliss.
gliss.
gliss.
3
gliss.
sighing
sighing
3
cantabile
cresc.
Vn.
11
Pno.
gliss.
sighing
sighing
3
Dream Scenes – III.
Vn.
Vc.
gliss.
18
18
Pno.
21
Vn.
Vc.
21
Pno.
gliss.
3
3 3
gliss. sighing
3
3
gliss. gliss. 3
3
3
gliss.
sighing
3
3
3
3
19
gliss.
3
sighing
19
23
3
23
gliss. sighing
23
24
Dream Scenes – III. Fragile = 50
24
(con vib.)
Vn.
gliss.
poco
dolcissimo, espress., fragile
(con vib.)
Vc.
[Homage to Robert Schumann, Kinderscenen, op. 15, XII. "Kind im Einschlummern"]
Pno.
Vc.
[change bow as needed]
0
non vib.
With clarity = 60
26
rit. al fine
28
rit.
Vn.
Pno.
gliss.
dolcissimo, espress., fragile
[change bow as needed]
28
poco
24 Fragile = 50
rit.
With clarity = 60
26
con vib.
rit. al fine
25
Dream Scenes - IV.
IV. Freely, rustic 4
Freely, rustic = 66
Violin
Piano
6
Vn.
Vc.
Pno.
6
freely, singing, rustic, pure, with speech-like rubato, espress.
radiant, rustic; a drone
Freely, rustic = 66
[change bow as needed]
non vib.
Violoncello
Folk Music sound / Fiddling style (non vib. or very little vibrato, ad lib.) solo
4
con vib.
Copyright © 2023 – Eric Nathan. All rights reserved.
26
10 Vn.
Vc.
Dream Scenes - IV.
cant., espress.
10
Pno.
Vn.
Vc.
Pno.
cant.
rall.
cant.
rall.
14
(ped. ad lib., as needed)
simile
(up)
(up)
14
16
Slightly slower = 54
16
Slightly slower = 54
Dream Scenes - IV.
18
Vn.
Vc.
Vn.
Vc.
= 50 rit.
22
Pno.
= 50 rit.
22
= 60 (subito)
19 = 60 (subito)
18
Pno.
19
gliss.
( = 50) 23 a tempo
stoicly
( = 50) 23 a tempo
27 rit.
lamenting
(up)
port.
appassionato
rit.
più
rit.
più
rit.
gliss.
crying,
28
Vc.
= 66
rall.
26 Vn.
Dream Scenes - IV.
Pno.
30
Vn.
Vc.
30
Pno.
rall.
rall.
3
rall.
3
3
espress.
26 = 66
3
3
3
cant.
33 a tempo
33 a tempo con vib.
gliss.
crying out
29 a tempo
29 a tempo
Dream Scenes - IV.
3
34
Vn.
Vc.
Pno.
40 a tempo Vn.
Vc.
intimately, sotto voce
34
rit.
37 a tempo
passionately
gliss.
40 a tempo
Pno.
gliss.
rit.
rit.
gliss.
37 a tempo
rit.
29
pure
30
45 Vn.
Vc.
II.
appassionato
3
3 cant. espress.
45
Pno.
0
Dream Scenes - IV.
Vn.
Vc.
3
49
Pno.
3
3
3
3 3
rit.
3
3
gliss.
solo
cant.
51 a tempo
3
3
calm
3
3
51 a tempo
rit.
3
49
Folk Music sound (non vib. or very little vibrato, ad lib.)
freely, singing, rustic, pure, with speech-like rubato, espress.
Dream Scenes - IV.
55 Vn.
Vc.
55
Pno.
Vn.
Vc.
59
Pno.
59
31
57
57
rall.
simile
rall.
cant.
cant.
(up)
(up)
= 50
rit.
= 50
rit.
32
63
Vn.
Vc.
Dream Scenes - IV.
= 66
63 = 66
Pno.
69
Vn.
Vc.
cant., espress., with joy
3 3
3
3 3 3
ord. (con vib.)
cant., espress., with joy
3 3 3 3
3
rit.
a tempo molto accel.
cant., espress., with joy 3
molto cant., espress.
molto cant., espress.
69
a tempo
cant., flowing
3
( = c. 112 )
3
( = c. 112 ) molto rall.
= 50
rit.
molto rall.
73
[Quotation: Robert Schumann, Piano Trio No. 2, op. 80, I]
molto accel.
Pno.
3
ord. (con vib.)
73 = 50
Dream Scenes - IV.
74 Vn.
Vc.
74
Pno.
molto rall.
33
76 Like a distant sunrise ( = 50) rit. al fine a tempo [change bow as needed]
non vib.
delicately, radiant, intimately
non vib.
rit. al fine
[change bow as needed]
76 Like a distant sunrise ( = 50)
with utmost care
delicately, radiant, intimately
molto rall.
a tempo
embracing, cant.,
bell-like