Spark in the Dark

Page 1

Spark in the Dark for flute, Bb/bass clarinet, electric guitar, contrabass, and piano

Kirsten Volness 2009

Spark in the Dark for flute, Bb/bass clarinet, electric guitar, contrabass, and piano

Performance Notes: All trills oscillate between written pitch and adjacent note above as designated by key signature unless otherwise specified. At meter changes, eighth note remains constant unless otherwise noted. The pianist should use the usual discretion when pedaling except where specific instruction is given. In guitar part, slurs denote general phrasing, not picking. A volume pedal is likely required to achieve the gradual dynamic changes requested.

Program Note: In times of uncertainty, it is surprising how overwhelming the inevitably trivial aspects of daily life can seem – the minutiae of finances, traffic, weather, moods – all of these end up being temporary conditions that just as inevitably improve and worsen as time goes by, yet they cause so much discontent. That which really matters can usually only be appreciated from a broader perspective. Often people gain this insight by experiencing tragedy, but one may also find it by never taking life too seriously. This piece was written for the NOW Ensemble and inspired by the rediscovery of hope so many folks have experienced recently, as well as my life-long love for sparklers (among other fireworks). The simple joy they bring reminds me that wonderful things can arise out of nowhere and just as quickly expire. So lighten up, have fun, and laugh lots while you can!

Duration: 9’

for the NOW Ensemble

  Flute  

Spark in the Dark

Impishly curious and playful h = 76

 Clarinet in Bb    

 

 

    

  

p

poco sf

 

      p

 

                mf

  

sfzp

sfzp

 

Kirsten Volness

 

    f

sub mp

Electric Guitar

 

 

 

 

 

Contrabass

 

 

 

 

 

  



 

    

    



   

Piano

Impishly curious and playful h = 76

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Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

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Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

4

  Fl.   18

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       

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

      

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    

  

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

6

        30

Fl.

    5

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 

  

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

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

 

     

Pno.

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   Fl.    36

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         

7

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

8   41

Fl.

                   5

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E. Gtr.

Cb.

Pno.

     

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                 ff

           

          

     

 

ff



      

             

                 

5

     

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

 

ff

    

    

                     

   

ff

      

                           

      

    

3

f

3                           mf f

                       

mf

        

 

   

   mf

                                          

   

     

    

      sfz

  

  

E

Fl.

Cl.

E. Gtr.







mp

  

 mp

       



mf

 

      

    

  

 

mf sempre marcatissimo

   

      

3

ff

f

     

 

Pno.

         Solo                

E

                f

6

Cb.

     

 

           

     

      

       

     

    

     

ff

gliss.

9

                        f

mf

           

f

       f

    

       

    mf

      

         

      

      

mf

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

10

  51

Fl.

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.

Pno.

  

             6

 

    

     

       

    

    

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

 

       

f

scoop

f

               3

f

   



     

f

3

3

mf

        3

                  

f

              

           

 

    3

  

   

 

   

loco

3

           3 mf

                  

     mf

 

f

port.       

    

         

f

             sfz

mf

            

11

F Is for funky            Fl.     

                   mp

56

mp

Cl.

E. Gtr.

          

mf

Cb.

      Solo             

     

Pno.

mf

F           

         p

                                   

Is for funky

mp

                         

 

                       

   

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

12

 



62

Fl.

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.

                                                

Pno.

 

G

                         mp

                   

G  Solo      

        

sfz



     

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

              

              

   

         

mf

          

Fl.

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.



                                  

 

Pno.

13

  68

            

        loco

    

     

   

       

                 

                        

                 

                        

    

             

                     Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

14

 Fl. 

 



 

74

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.

                                          

     

Pno.

  

 

           



                                      3 3 f

        

   

                         

                         

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

    

 



    

  f

                       

gliss.

     

f

            

loco

 





   

   79

Fl.

 

H Restless and light       

mf

Cl.

E. Gtr.

  

      

 

 

     

        

Pno.

 (f)

     

 

  

p

p

 

 

 



15         

                               

 pizz.

Cb.

    

 

  

  

    

senza ped., crisply but legato

 



 

mf

 p

H Restless and light        

   

  



     





 



 

   

 

   

*lift pedal partially as needed to control volume and balance with winds

 

 

 

   



    

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

16

  Fl.  85

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.

Pno.



                  p

    

    

  

 





  



mp



mp

      

 

    

     

p

        

   

             mp

p

       

 

p

    

 

    

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

 

  



  

   

90

Fl.

Cl.

E. Gtr.



 

mf

mf

  

                       p sfz

                 

 

p

sfz

l.v.                                     mf        p sfz sfz

Cb.

Pno.

p

       

p

17

I

    

 

mf

              

 

p

   

 

sfz

 

 

p

I

 

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

18

    Fl.             95

  

mp

Cl.

     

E. Gtr.

Cb.

Pno.

   

   

Solo

 

growl

sfp

f

 

f

       

mp

 

     

  mf

bend

 

                                 

 

 

 

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

   101

Fl.

 Cl.          p

E. Gtr.

Cb.

Pno.

   

mp



  

19

J

p

 

mf

 

growl

   

sfp

                                                 

 

(pizz.)

 

 

 

 

 p

J

 

   

  

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

20

   107

Fl.

           

Solo p

Cl.



E. Gtr.

Cb.

Pno.

       

 

mf

  



             

          

 

 

K

  

 

 

f

  

             mf

 

 



mf

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

             

K

 

    

                  Fl.     113

                

           

f

mp

Cl.

E. Gtr.



             p

Cb.

Pno.

 

  p

   

  

       mf

  

sfp

 

21

          

     

         

  

  



 



mf

p

     

mp

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

22

118    Fl. 





  

 



  



 





  

mp

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.



 

 

mp

                

Pno.

 

 



       

 mp

    

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

  

  

               

 

     

    

   



 

    

           

 

  

       

    

  

mp



       

  

  

   

       

       

  

                

   

              

       

  

  

 





123

Fl.

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.

    







 

 



 

  ff

  



 

 

   

Pno.



ff

   

 



 ss.  i l g 

    

  

     



            



 

  

    

 

  

 



 

    

     

    

 gliss.  

    

23  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4"

ff

 

    ff

 

   

        

  

  

    

     

         

     

 

        

  

    

 

    

       ff

  

 

     

4"

 

  

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

24

L   Fl.  

Slowly and deliberately, with rubato h=52

 

 Cl.    

7

       

 

arco

Cb.

L  

Pno.

  

               f maestoso

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

6

6

6

 

    

3

            p

mf

                           

Slowly and deliberately, with rubato h=52

*gestural effect - sextuplet rhythm need not be exact

 

mf

pp

sfz

mf

  

     

f

E. Gtr.

6

pp

  pp

pizz.

   

mf

 

mf

mf

  

  

arco

  

  

    

  132

Fl.

Cl.

 

 

 

mp

E. Gtr.

 

mf

                        6

6

6

Cb.

Pno.

  

mf

 mp

     

 

 

   

  *release on fermata

    

   

25  

 

 

 

 

Take Bass Clarinet

p

 

 

 

n

mf

6

 

 

M

  mf

     

  

mp

  mp

    

   

  

      

 

pp

  p

    

 

M

pp

 

 

3

     

 

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

26

   139

Fl.

Tumultuous and straining, with rubato and schmaltz q=52

 

 

Cl.

 

 

 

B. Cl.

  

 

 

E. Gtr.

 

 

 

Cb.

 

 

 

Tumultuous and straining, with rubato and schmaltz q=52 

  

  

Pno.

 

mp

         R.H.



 

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

7

 

f

 

    

           mp

      

p

6

 

                   ff mf                  3                7

  

B. Cl.

  

E. Gtr.

 

142

Fl.

Cb.

 

N

  

 

 

  

  

mp dolce

N

mp

       

 molto legato

   

pp

           Senza rubato q=52

 

      p

 

 



   

        

 

q=q.

Solo

27

rit.

             

Pno.

Senza rubato q=52 poco vib.

   

  

        

bend

gliss

q=q.

rit.

  



  



  

 

 

  

 

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

28

O   Fl.  

B. Cl.

E. Gtr.

    

Slowly – murky q.=40

Bass Clarinet Solo





   

p cantabile

           

pp dolce tranquillissimo

Cb.

Pno.

   

sul tasto

    

pp

O Slowly – murky q.=40                        

pp





Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009





 

                

 



        

mp

                                

ppp

   

       ord.

p

        



     mp



      mp

       p

      

     

     

     

 

   

   



mp

   p

29

  155

Fl.

B. Cl.

       mp

E. Gtr.

    

     

Pno.



     

  

p

        





    

mp

 

                                        p

mp

Cb.

    

 

mp

    

                    

   

  

mp

 

   

mf

   

mp



     

  

p

   

 

 mp

 

 

 

      

 

   

  

 

mp

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

30

P

 Fl.  162

B. Cl.

E. Gtr.



   



mf

Pno.

     

  

n



 p



  

pp

  

Solo

   

whistle tone

pp

  7                molto leggiero

 

n

          

       

 



    

 

mf

Cb.

A piacere

A tempo – Eerily

      

mf

P

     

   

    mf

    

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

      

      

      

A piacere

   pp

  

una corda

           

    

    

A tempo – Eerily

  

(una corda)

pp

7

   

  169

Fl.



   



   

 



  

p

B. Cl.



E. Gtr.

Cb.



   

Pno.

31



 

 

 

      

   





   

7

                   7



 Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

32

 Fl.  172

B. Cl.

E. Gtr.



 

     



ord.

p



p

 sul tasto

Cb.

Pno.



 

p



          

p



 

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

  



7

    



      

   

 

 

 

 

 p

    

 



    

ord.

 



 

 





 



     

7

    

 

   

                    



 

  

 

    

 

                     7



 

    Fl.   175

  B. Cl.     

E. Gtr.

        

 

Pno.

   

mf

   mf

mp

Cb.



accel.

   

  

     

 

 

 

5

 



    

   7                                     

  



 

      5

 

 

        

 

accel.

mf



5



mf

33        

              

     

mf

  









 

tre corde

 



6

  Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

34

E. Gtr.

 

  

   

3

  



      





   

 

   

      

mf

Cb.

 Q    

Pno.

 

       5

 

 



     



 

           



 

        

      

     

loco

mf



Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009



Pedal as normal











B. Cl.

            

    





    



              



     

 

 

 

    



Q     Fl.  

     

35

Più Mosso – Merrily

R q.=60     Fl.  

f

f

Cb.

Take Bb Clarinet

     

      

f

 

Più Mosso – Merrily q.=60

R

f

   

 



sfz

             

Pno.

 

       

f

3           7

sfz

  B. Cl.   

E. Gtr.

    



  

  

   7

7

  





3

 

                



          

   



 

          

 

         

          

 

  

 

  



  

  

 

      

           Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

36

 Fl.  186

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.

Pno.



 

      

  

  

         

     



                



    

sub p

      

 

   

    

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

 

sub p

    

  

       

f

       



 

   

    

           

 

 

                

  

    

 

 

  

   

  

      

      

  

 

       

    

    

 

 

  

  

  

    

   

       

       

   

  

S   Fl. 

  



   

mp

      

   Cl.   

 

   





   

      

   

 

   

 

37 

   

mp

E. Gtr.

 

 



      

        

  



mp

Cb.

 

 

 

 

 

   

S

Pno.

mp

mp

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

38

 Fl.  196

Cl.

E. Gtr.

 

 mf

Cb.

Pno.

   mf

  mf

     

 



   

    

p

            

  

                

   

                    

           



 

    





p

             p





 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

   

 

   

  201

Fl.

T





     

molto

  

Cl.   

E. Gtr.

  



Cb.

Pno.



  

 

T    

f

     

 

   

 

 

   

 



 

  



 



f

 

      

 



          

   

Roll as needed (bass on beat)

 

   

 

           

  

  

  

     

   5

   

  

mf

f

 

 

                   

 

molto





f

f

molto



39



   



    

     

     

             

   

 

    

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

40

  205

Fl.



 

        Cl.  

E. Gtr.

Cb.

Pno.

    



     

5

 

 

    

       

   

    

  

  

  

5

      

    

     

  

    

    

                            

3

 

     

  

   

        

  

 

Like a punch in the stomach

3

f

 



5

    

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

 

5



e=e

 

sfz

      

 

sfz

   sfz

       3

     

 

          

 

sfz

e=e Like a punch in the stomach

     

  

sfz

 

   

 

   208

Fl.

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.

    

   

 

 

  

 

  

 

5





 

    

 

sfz

 

sfz



3

    

       

 

     

41

 

 

Tempo rubato, with humor

 



scoop Solo

mp

 

            

      

 

 

         

 

 

      

3

      

sfz

  

 

5

      

              

sfz

    

 

sfz

      

Pno.

  

3"       lunga

3

3

  3"   

lunga

     



    

           

  

        

    

   

 

Tempo rubato, with humor

 

 

 

 

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

42

U   Fl.  

Reluctantly, gradually more flowing q=76

 Cl.   

E. Gtr.

Cb.

  

p



end solo

    n



Reluctantly, gradually more flowing q=76

   

p

    

  

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009



                  

   

mp

 



p

 

                       

 

p

    

  

       

   

U  

Pno.

    

 





 



 

     

 

   





      

  

2

 

    

 

  Fl.   217

  Cl.   

E. Gtr.

Cb.

      

 

  

 

      

  

 

mf

             

 

  

 

  

     

       



 

mf

 

            

mf

  

  

   

           

      

mf

         



mf

                     

Pno.

43

 

 

 

       



Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

44

 Fl.  

              

221

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.





       

         



Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009



pp

        

             

 

 

       

Pno.

 

V Relaxed and even                                

   



    



  pp

            

                 

  

 

n

  

 

 

 

 

p



pizz.

   V

pp

                        Relaxed and even

pp

 

   

 

45

  224

Fl.

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.

  

  



                

   

     

   

 

                 



 

   

     

   

  

                                                             

Pno.

                

               

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

46

 Fl.  226

               

          

    

          

    

mp

Cl.

E. Gtr.

 

  

               

   

        

     

 

mp

 

    

 

    

 

 

mp

Cb.





mp

                                                

Pno.

mp

                                

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

    

   

47 W Cute and silly, yet charming 228                                              Fl.      5

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.

               

Pno.

  

    

  

  

                   5 mf

   



mf

5

mf



   

 



 

    

  

      5

 

mf

W Cute and silly, yet charming                                                  

             

5

     5

5

mf

 

  

  

          

  

     

5

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

48

 Fl.   230

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.

 

                   

  

 

                           

     

   

  

  

                        

Pno.

                

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

 

    

     5

sfz

     5

 Fl.   231

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.



   



    





 

 

Pno.





  

    





 

  







     

49

5



   5

  

 

  

 

 





    

 

5

  

  

  

  

  

 

  

     

5

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

50

 Fl.   232

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.

 

                   

  

 

                            

     

   

  

  

                        

Pno.

                

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

 

  

 

     5

     5

   233

Fl.

Cl.

E. Gtr.

Cb.



 

    

                f

               f

  

     

51                 

        

                                     

Pno.

f

                                        Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

52

  234

Cl.

E. Gtr.

 

 



 

   

   



mp

mp



Fl.

Very slowly (at least q=40), a piacere

mp

Cb.



 

 

mf

    



 7





Very slowly (at least q=40), a piacere

Pno.

Solo arco

pp

 

mf       

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

*raise pedal gradually to accommodate bass solo then blend final chord while continuing to lift pedal (leaving only final chord on release)

  

53

235

Fl.

bend

 

p Cl.



 

  

  

pp



E. Gtr.

n

pp

Cb.

 



    

Pno.

 * 

l.v.

mp (enough to sound) *pause on Db, then gliss up gradually over the remainder of the half note to above the fingerboard, sounding the highest harmonic (wherever it ends up) on the release.

   

pp

 

  

Kirsten Volness - Spark in the Dark - 2009

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