The Sighs of Kilmeny for Piano Ensemble and 4 Sopranos
Jonathan Posthuma
2
3
General Information: The Sighs of Kilmeny was composed in January 2015 and dedicated to Zae Munn and the students at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana, for whom it was written. Early in the conceptualization of the piece, I imagined the singers actively involved in the execution of the piano part, similar to how prepared piano ensembles such as Stephen's Scott's "Bowed Piano Ensemble"gather around the instrument to conjure up a diverse range of sounds together. I also intended for the piece to be flexible and while additional percussionists or piano assistants may be employed, I want the entire ensemble to feel interconnected. In this way, all players and singers are invited to partcipate in the spoken sections and may double one another's lines. When composing The Sighs of Kilmeny, I imagined an otherwordly place, a landscape populated by spirits or fairies, and only later found the poem "Kilmeny" by James Hogg (1770-1835) and linked his imagery of the journey of Kilmeny with the emotional journey of this piece. That being said, this piece is not a literal interpretation of that poem, but draws upon similar themes and borrows language from the poem directly. Performance Instructions: The four sopranos (or any treble voice that fits this range) should be arranged around the piano. The Soprano 1 paired with the Piano 1 part, Soprano 2 with Piano 2, etc. These piano lines directly correspond to the voice parts and aid in finding pitches for the singers. The pianist should be seated at the bench and operates the pedals, although he or she may need to stand to play effects within the piano. If percussionists are used for the four extended piano parts, the singers should still be gathered around the piano, not facing the audience. If possible, the piano lid should be removed to make the strings more accesible, but the piece may be possible to perform without removing the lid. Patterns surrounded repeat signs are to be repeated for the duration of the arrow, either ending together when a new pattern begins, or fading out (niente). In general, patterns are to be repeated ad lib. Syn. and Ind. are abbreviations for "synchronized" and "individual" entrances for a specific pattern. A synchronized entrance begins in perfect alignment while individual entrances are staggered freely within an approximate window of 1 - 2 seconds. The type of attack does not effect how the patterns are repeated, which is always indeterminate. The bracketed durations across the top of the score indicate the time between conducted events, which are marked as numbers within triangles. A solid triangle indicates a downbeat with numerals 2 - 5 indicative of the conducting pattern. and is flexible. The pianist or one of the players may need to act as "conductor." Staves with octave transpositions (both higher and lower) are used throughout the score.
4 All techniques should be explained in the score, but additional information for many is included below. Vocal Techniques: Whistling should be done with the lips, not the teeth and the part may be given to percussionists if singers are unable to whistle. Note that whistling sounds an octave higher and is essentially the same range as the piccolo. Freely whistled passage should slide between pitches and use molto vibrato. Closed mouth singing should be an open hummed sound, an "ah" with the lips closed. Vocal gliss. while whistling, sing "ooh" with a whistling embouchure which emphasizes particular overtones, both the whistling tone and the singing tone will fluctuate during the gliss. Laughing should start more muted, pp "m m m m," but grow louder to an accented ff "ha ha ha." Players can experiment with different types of laughter and vocalizations similar to cackling, chuckling, or twittering. Spoken text should begin whispered and cresc. into a shout. The poetry should be delivered "musically" and expressively, with the volume increasing with each repetition. The four "opt. texts" are for the optional percussionists. Piano Techniques: pizz. with nail, pluck the indicated string inside the piano using the fingernail. Lengthwise gliss. through nodes with keystroke, move one finger up and down the indicated string, while playing on the key with the opposite hand, the result will emphasize different overtones. arco with fishline or other material, prepared ahead of time. Take the string in advance of the pattern. Bowing is free unless indicated. Lengthwise trem. with nail, draw the nail lengthwise up or down the string, the thicker coiled strings will produce a sound emulating vocal fry. Prepared Strings: arco, prepared with monfilament nylon fish line coated in resin or other suitable material for bowing.
5
The Sighs of Kilmeny for Zae Munn and Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana
Jonathan Posthuma, 2015
A 2''
8''
7''
› Ind. Piano 1 & í ™™
2''
7''
òœ ad lib. J ™™î
7''
5''
pizz.
p
‹ Ind. ò #œ Piano 2 & í ™™ J
™™î
pizz.
ad lib.
p
“”
#œ œ œœ œœ Æœ # œ œ seated on bench Æœ p Piano
&
œ
Ah
f 2 - 4 players whistling, gliss. between pitches ad lib. Ind.
™™î
ad lib. p f
#œ œ œ œœ
&
pp
#œ œ œœ œœ Æœ œ
œ#œ Æœ
f
° Piano 3
?
? Piano 4 ‹
í ™™
Ind.
í ™™
(sounds 8va) p molto vib.
#œ œ œ œœ
pp
‚ n‚ silently & # ‚‚ ‚‚ depressed with assistance
?
°
òj œ
™™î
ò j œ
™™î
pizz.
p
Ind. pizz. p
“”
™ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ™™î
& í™
ad lib. f
ad lib. f
For Perusal Only - Do Not Copy © Jonathan Posthuma, 2015 Demodocus Music Publishing
‚ ‚
Sost.
&í ™™
œ# œ ™™î œœ
gliss. over strings (ad lib.)
∏∏∏∏
Soprano 1 - 4
Syn. U ™ # w w í & ™ ww pp
f
mp
∑
6
C
B 12''
2''
7''
‹ Ind.œo œo œœœ o o o œœœ o o o œo ad lib. ™ ™™î í ™ & g lis
s.
g lis
15''
s.
‹ U w & í ™™
Ind. arco
take string
p
pp s.
g lis
Ind. arco
o o ooo oooo & í ™™ #œ œ œœœ œœœ œ ™™î Ind.
g lis
s.
ad lib. take string
p
Syn. U w w ww &
“”
&
(Sost.)
s. g lis
g lis
o o o o o o o o o ad lib. ? í ™™ œ œ œœœ œœœ œ ™™î Ind.
s.
œœ œ œœ œœ œ Æ œ œ Æœ p f
s.
g lis
ad lib. ? í ™™ o o o o o o o o o ™™î œ œ œœœ œœœ œ ‹ pp
s.
æJ
mp
ff
pp
™™î
whistling Ind. vocal gliss.
¿
closed mouth "m" pp p mf
Ooh p
“”
œœ œ œ œ
& p
° take string
take string ? í ™™ ‹
Ind. arco
U
œœ œœ œœ œ Æœ œ
œ Æœ mf
ad lib.
mp
© Jonathan Posthuma, 2015 Demodocus Music Publishing
f
?
™™î
ad lib.
mp
pp
Syn.
òj æ œæÍÍÍ >
ff
pp
For Perusal Only - Dow Not Copy p
œ œ œ œ œ
°
™™î
U ?í™ ™w
Ind. arco
p
g lis
‹ Syn. >ò œ & æ ÍÍÍ
ad lib.
ad lib.
pp
Ind.
ff
pp
™™î
U w & í ™™
pp
‹ Syn. > œòÍÍÍ ææJ &
™™î
ad lib.
mp
9''
1''
2''
?
Syn.
òj æ œ>æÍÍÍ
ff
7
D 8''
15''
4''
ò ‹ Ind. U wÍÍÍad™ lib. æ ™î &
pp
pp
Vocalized "laughter" pp = m m m m mp = he he he he mf = hu hu hu hu ff = ha ha ha ha
&
pp
f
ff
œœ+œ œ
∏∏∏∏
&
free arpeggios (slow - fast) repeat ad lib.
on keys slow p
fast ff
f
(spoken)But to sing the sights Kilmeny saw, So far surpassing nature's law.
œ≥ ™î ™
ϳ ϲ
f
&
œ œœ œ Æ
œœ
œœ
“” œ Æ
œœ
œ œœ
f
œœ
&
?
f
Ind.
ò ad lib. U æ wæÍÍÍ ™™î
f
pp
≥ ≤ ™œ œ
?í ™
f
≥ œ ™™î
?í™ ‹ ™
≥ ≤ œ œ
≥ ™ œ ™î
U ˙
f
© Jonathan Posthuma, 2015 Demodocus Music Publishing
Ã
Ah fff
U ˙
™™î
random tremoli, ad lib.
U ˙
™™î
&
U œœœ^ œ fff
?
U œœœ^ œ
(opt. text)And when at even the woodlands rung, When hymns of other worlds she sung
(opt. text)Kilmeny look'd up with a lovely grace, But nae smile was seen on Kilmeny's face
For Perusal Only - Do Not Copy pp
Sop. 1, Tutti attaca shouted œ
(spoken)Kilmeny sigh'd and seemed to grieve
Syn. arco random rhythms ad lib.
take string
U ˙ mf
ff
Syn. arco random rhythms ad lib.
take string
(opt. text)Now shall the land of the spirits see, Now shall it ken what a woman may be!
(spoken)With distant music, soft and deep They lull'd Kimeny sound asleep;
°
ò U Ind. æ ad lib. ? wæÍÍÍ ™™î
(opt. text)For Kilmeny was pure as pure could be
All Spoken Texts (repeat ad lib.) whispered pp shouted ff
niente muted strings
?
‹ & í ™™
œ≥ ™ ™î
ϳ ϲ
1''
12''
5''
Syn. arco random rhythms ad lib.
take string
f
{&
› & í ™™
take string
ò ad lib. ‹ Ind. U & wæ ÍÍÍ™™î
∑
5'' Syn. arco random rhythms ad lib.
f
Ooh
0.5''
(spoken)And she heard a song, she heard it sung, She kenn'd not where; but sae sweetly it rung,
* Texts extracted from "Kilmeny" by James Hogg, 1770-1835 Four additional texts may be added for the optional percussionists.
8
3' approx.
E 10''
3''
2''
U
"cut-offs" 2 - 4 ad lib. 15''
8''
6''
› arco U w take string & í ™™ Syn.
p
› arco U w & í ™™ Syn.
take string
p
™™î
ad lib. ppp
™™î
ad lib. ppp
freely conducted
&
U U w ˙™ ˙ u
Ah ff
{&
œ u
U U w w w w u p
œ œ œ œ ™™î U & í ™™ œ œ œ Ind.
ad lib.
Ah p
ff
Piano
&
œœ Æœ
°
“”
œœ œ œœ œœ Æœ
œœ œ œœ
ppp
“” œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™™î
1 player whistle, gliss. between notes
U
ff sempre
&
ad lib.
pp molto vib.
take string
?
ppp
U w
Syn. arco
p
? take string ‹
For Perusal Only - Do Not Copy © Jonathan Posthuma, 2015 Demodocus Music Publishing
U w
Syn. arco
p
™™î
l.v.*
ad lib.
™™î
ppp
ad lib. ppp * release pedal very slowly after bowing has stopped