WHIP THE DEVIL ROUND THE STUMP
FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO
By Juhi Bansal
“To whip the devil round the stump�, verb. phr. (American). - To enjoy the sweets of wickedness and yet escape the penalty.
Duration: 5'30"
This piece is dedicated to Panic Duo - Nic Gerpe and Pasha Tseitlin
Contact information: Email: juhibansalcomposer@gmail.com Website: www.juhibansal.com
Performance notes: To both performers: - All grace notes are to be played ON the beat.- The 16th note remains constant throughout.
Violin: 1) The opening of this piece through mm11 is purely gestural. Neither pitch nor rhythms given are exact. Exercise interpretive license in realizing these gestures, while keeping the character and ensemble effect intact. Similar points later in the piece are labelled "gestural".
2) "Wide vibr" or graphic:
This indication asks for a dramatically wide vibrato which obscures the basic pitch. No single note should be clearly audible or defined.
When the vibrato gesture is at an angle, continue the wide vibrato while sliding down in a glissando. The slide should not be in a single smooth line, but instead exponential, speeding up as it reaches the culminating note. 4) Distort pitch
This effect uses an atypically slow bow speed and excessive bow pressure to create a noise effect (scratch tone). Occasionally an indication will be given to begin playing a note as normal, and add bow pressure to gradually alter the timbre. A square notehead may be used to indicate a rhythmic point by which the sound is already heavily distorted. 5) Sul pont Where indicated, this asks for an extremely glassy effect, played very near or over the bridge. This should be a distinctly different, metallic sound compared to pitches played in the normal position. 6) Martele Where a martele articulation is combined with a tenuto mark, the effect should be of a strong, accented bow stroke held for full value. (A slight break or breath before the following note is acceptable.)
Piano: 1) Small notes (such as at mm28) indicate an ornamental gesture which should be played so as to be blurry and with an unclear rhythm. 2) A wedge articulation (see graphic below) indicates staccatissimo, as standard. (Please note that when seen in the violin part, the articulation is accented but NOT shortened. (See note on "Martele" bowing above.)
3
4
Fast and frenzied q. = 60 (Screaming, distorted, like an electric guitar) wide vibr.
t pitch
sul E ff
distor
ff sempre staccato
(gestural)
3
fff
4 jete
9
t pitch 5 sul E distor
5
8 ( h. )
7
ffff
ff
ffff
9
11
11
ff
ord.
ff
distort pitch
ff sempre
distort pitch
ff
jete (gestural)
fff
distort pitch
staccatissimo
6
jete
13
ff
p
ff
14
ff
15
3
ord., boisterously
vibrato ord.
p
p
f
f
p
p
f
17 17
f
19
mp
ff
mp
21
21
ff
mf
mf
fff
fff
7
ppp
As short as possible
Aggressive, demanding
23
mf
24 Delicate
p
Delicate
p
ppp
8
25
29
lightly, blurred
28 Delicate, lilting
27
31
32
sul pont, glassy
35
ff
37
fffp
quickly growing aggressive
ff
36 sul pont. metallic, sloppy fffp
fffp
34
33
9
1039
fffp
41
41
ord. Light but intense
p
ffff
43
45
p
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
Light but intense
ff
Aggressive, demanding sul pont,
47
51
ff
simile.
ff
fff
ff
fff
ff
fff
f
53
gliss.
(gliss sul E) Dark, intense
11
ff
ff
49 49
fff
sfz sfz
55 1255
Playful
Playful
fff
fff dim.
57
60
62
3
Sombre, mysterious pp
mf
p
59
64
Wispy, mysterious, with very little vibrato
pp
13
(tremolo through gliss)
(Gestural)
66
p
pp
69
mf
p
sfz
pp
n
pp
72
pp
pp
mp
(Gestural)
p
p
mp
(Gestural)
mp
71
Wispy
f
14
74 Belligerent
74
sfzp
ff
pp
f
pp
p
f
cresc. poco a poco
sfzp
80
79
p
Abrupt, jangling
77
sfzp
pp
77
ff
15
82
sfzp
f
sfzp
ff
Cantabile
ff
pp
88
85 cresc. poco a poco p
Abrupt, jangling
sffz
f
85
83
pp
16 91
f
Espressivo
abrupt
f
pp
94
94
pp
97
100
99
mf subito
f
f
101
mf
March-like
pp
Espressivo
March-like
103 distort pitc h
103
17
distort pitc h
ff
Dry, intense
ff
(no pedal)
105
distort pitc h
107 sul pont, fluid
107
ff
ff
Aggressive, demanding sul pont.
sfzpp
(jete)
18
110
(jete)
113
sfzpp
114
ff
ff
Light, Crisp
p
116
Light, Crisp ord. 116
p
119
f
sffz
118
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz
f
(p)
122
f
p
126 f sub f sub
129
fff
cresc. poco a poco
fff
p
Aggressive, sul pont
Brash
fff
134 ord., fluid
19
cresc. poco a poco
132
legato
127
124 Light p
ff
ff
20 135
138
138
f
Brash
141
142
f
fff
f
fff
f
144
f a tempo legato, lush
f
fff
(with pedal)
Lightly, delicate
a tempo Cantabile
(fff)
148
(fff) Deliberately, take time
150
Deliberately, take time 147
fff
21
153 a tempo
22
Deliberately, take time 152
a tempo Deliberately, take time Heavy
155
Lush
Lightly, delicate
157
159 Piercing
( (fff sempre )
Crystalline
( (fff sempre )
(with pedal)
23
160
163
p cresc.
(ord.)
p cresc.
sul pont, metallic
163
fff
Crisp
fff
(without rearticulating) distort pitch 166 fffff
molto rit, deliberately
fffff