Preludes Book II (No. 10-18) for Solo Piano by Keane Southard

Keane Southard

Preludes For Piano

Book II (No. 10-18)

(2014-20) (Duration: c. 18 mins.)

Program notes: Prelude No.10 is an homage to my first composition teacher, Ken Girard, and is influenced by his own music. This prelude was composed in its entirety in a single day in November 2014.

Prelude No.11 for piano was written in November and December 2014. Like a game of pinball, the music darts up and down through different scales and “bounces off” certain unpredictable sustained notes. Later on, the single “ball” splits into two that then “bounce” in mirror images of each other.

Prelude No.12 for piano was written in September and October 2015. The piece is the result of a challenge from a fellow composer to write a piece for piano that uses all 88 keys of the piano exactly once each.

Prelude No.13 for piano was written in late 2015 and takes some inspiration from Bach's C major prelude from the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier and Chopin's Etude in C minor Opus 25 No. 12 ("Ocean").

Prelude No.14 for piano was begun in late 2016 and completed in late January of 2017. It is a berceuse (lullaby) featuring a gentle “rocking” of parallel 4ths and 5ths.

Prelude No.15 for piano was begun in late 2016 and completed in late January of 2017. It features a rapid figure in the middle of the piano with a melody above (and later below) that has to be played with alternating hands, not unlike Lizst's “Un Sospiro” Etude.

Prelude No.16 (Scurrying) for piano was completed in November 2019. It is based upon a rapid ostinato figure in one hand contrasted by erratic major and minor triads in the other. Overall, the texture created seems to me to be reminiscent to some of Conlon Nancarrow’s Studies for Player Piano.

Prelude No.17 (For the Left Hand) for piano was composed during a two-week stretch of November 2019. I was inspired by left-

hand-only piano works of the past, by composers such as Godowsky, Brahms, and Ravel, to challenge myself to write a work that is playable by this hand only. The result is a gentle work where the hand must juggle up to four different voices at once across the entire range of the instrument.

Prelude No.18 for piano was composed, except for a few small details, on day the great Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki passed away at the end of March 2020. It was written during the COVID-19 epidemic of 2020 and as part of the Eastman School of Music Composition Department’s “Tiny Pieces Project” for 30-second works to be performed by whatever performers and instruments we had access to during quarantine. While the idea for the piece was not inspired by Penderecki’s music and composing began just before hearing the news of his passing, the final chord, an Eb major triad, is a little tribute to the great composer, ending a dissonant/non-tonal work with a blazing major triad like he did in such pieces as Polymorphia and Symphony No. 7.

Keane Southard 2020

Performance instructions: 1. Unless otherwise indicated, the damper pedal should be used discreetly to allow for maximum clarity.

2. In Prelude No. 11 and 18, accidentals only apply to the notes they immediately precede and any immediate repetitions.

3. In Prelude No. 11, notes with open noteheads (half-notes without stems) are to be sustained until the next open notehead note. The cue-sized 32nd notes in between are not to be sustained.

4. In Prelude No. 11, the tempo marking “Always As Fast As Possible� means that the piece should be played as fast as possible while still maintaining accurately and clarity according to the performer's abilities. This does not mean play the piece at the fastest steady tempo the performer can manage. Instead, the performer should be playing as fast as possible in each moment, meaning the tempo may fluctuate depending on how fast he/she can accurately play each scale.

5. In Prelude No. 12 and 18, dynamic markings in parentheses indicate where the dynamic level should be in the midst of a long crescendo or diminuendo.

6. In Prelude No. 18, stems without noteheads indicate repetitions of the most recent chord. Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of times a chord is played so that you don’t need to count all subsequent stems without noteheads.

7. The preludes, including those of the other books, may be performed in any order and combination. The order was simply determined by the completion of each prelude, and do not necessarily reflect the best order for performance.

Keane Southard/Spindrift Pages Email: keane.southard@hotmail.com Website: keanesouthard.instantencore.com

Prelude No. 10 (For Ken Girard) q = 76

    

         

p

 

mp

mf

3

3      

pp

 3               

       

7

3

 

 



      



   

3

mp

ppp

3             

  



  

f

    

4

Keane Southard

    



pp





        3

          3 p

 



   

                          3 5

10

3

  3

 

3      

f



  

   

©2014

   

   

mp

 



3

      







     ff               

3

2 12

 

  ff

 

5

 

          5

3

q = 60         

              

  

fff

3

3

    

16

   

19

fff

       3

          3  

(still q = 60)

 

pp

 



 



 





         ffff            





3

ff

                     5 

14

             

Slower



  















  

mf

       3

   p



 

 









Prelude No. 11 (Pinball)



Always As Fast As Possible

 

f

      

  senza Ped.





     

     

   

     

      

       

 

            

 

  

                

                  

 

    

Keane Southard





    

        

      

ff

                                                 





(C#)

(B)







                                                    





©2014



                                           

4

   

     mf





 



                                      

 

 







      



pp

una corda

    





 



 

      

     



                        

        



    

                       



                                              (D)

p

  

        



    



   



                           









   

 



  

                     



 



                   













      



 

  

 



5

       

mp

tre corde



              



 

(C)

           

 

 





  

                 

    

            

             ppp

 

una corda





         

 

        

                 



     

6





       

  

 











      

  



            

     



              



         



sos.

   



sos.

sos.

  



  

   

     



       



       





sos.

sos.

         



sos.

sos.

        

                    sos.

   



                             

       



    

            

sos. tre corde

       



      



       

f

    

       





 

         (B)

pp









   

          sos. una corda

 







       

                                

sos.

sos.

(A) sos.

sos.

                                           



mf



 

                       tre corde

(F) (E) sos.

(A)







      

                                                    (D#) (B) sos.



7

(Ab)

   

sos.







 

sos.

sos.

                 



     

  sos.



           sos.

                   fff

           

       

                              

sos.

sos.



sos.



   

  



8



                     (B)



                  



   

        

  



(F)





                

              

 

(C#)



                                   





                               









                                         

         

 

(Bb)

   



                

 

(D#)

   ffff              



Prelude No. 12 (88 Keys) Keane Southard

q = 120

    

                         

fff dim. poco a poco (ff)



 



(f)

(mf)



  

(mp)







                              ppp (p) (pp)  3  3                 3                                    cresc. poco a poco



3

(pp)





  

(mf)





 

(p)

 



3

                 (mp)

 

(f)



 

3

             

©2015

(ff)



fff







Prelude No. 13 (Waves)

 Keane Southard     q = 138                            f                         3                                           5                                               7                                             ©2015  

 

 

 11     9                                                11                                                13                                                     15                                             





           17                  mf                    19                      

12



       



21









                     

         mp

23



  



 

                           

  p             

    

 

 

   



                 

25







             sub.f

 sub.p



      

 

29





sub.mf

        



                  

27



13







    







                       

 



 



 

    

       31                    sub.mp              

        33                      sub.f                         35                     sub.p                       37                             sub.mf cresc.                        39                                      

14



41

 f

       43

 sub.mp

       45









 

 





15

       

 



 





 













 





 







   

 



                               

            sub.f







 









   

        47                                       

16 49







           51





                     















   

 

                     

          

53



 



   

                              

           ff

        55                      fff               



57





         sub.pp

                      

  

17

 





 



 

          59                                       61                                      63                      



f



  





















 



18 65

 

mp

        



       

69

 cresc.

















                             

67



                            

 

 

   

                         

        

 

 







                           

71

 

          

73

 f

 

                          

      

 





   





     

75



19





ff

  















Prelude No. 14 (Berceuse) Keane Southard

   



q = 42



p

          (no ped.)

 

4



                   mp espress.



 poco

 

   



      



   



    

                     

        

   

 

              ©2017





 

    

    





   

       (E)    

 

 



              

       

9

                         

                            7



  

     

 

    

 



       

   

11

    

        



           

       



  

21

poco rit.

 

   



mf

                         una corda

e = 68

                   

                      

                  

             (D)  

      

   

   

           

   

   

    

13

pp

15

   

p

     

          ppp

   

          (A)  

p





 

22

         

            

17

       

p

          mf

                                                  tre corde

         

         

19

mp

mf

poco rit.

       

         

p

pp

mp

                                           (D)          

A tempo

 21                

       

   

         

                         

   

   

    f

                      

  23   

23

    

    

        

   

           

          

molto rit.

  

   

                                 

p





      



        



27



 

   

  



Tempo I

25

 

    

       



        



    

 



      





poco

       

 





24

 

29

p

    

mp espress.

   



p

   

 

  

    

   



  

 

  

rit.

31

 

 

   

 





  

e = 56

 

      

 

  



 (D)





 

 

pp

 

    

una corda



    

32

rit.

 

 

             

      (E)  





  

         



 

  

   (C)

 ppp



(A)

 

Prelude No. 15 (Liquid) Keane Southard

q = 60

     R.H.

   

L.H.

    







   

 



mf

 



  

  

    

  

 



  

2

 





  

  



    

  

  

   

      



 



 

  

  





mf



  

l.h.



 mp

  





p

   



  

r.h.

   

 



   

3









 

 

©2017

  

  



 



 

 



26 r.h.     

4

      









  





 

 



    

5

 

 





  



 



    

6





   

  

 



 

 



r.h.

     







 



l.h.



      





  

  











  



 



 

 

  

  



 



 

  



27

   

7



      





  



  



  



   







   

 





 



  

 





   

8

l.h.

r.h.

     









  





 

 







  

  





 

 



sos.

      

9

   (sos.)





  



 





 

 

  

  



 



 

  



28

   

10

       (sos.)





 











  

 



  

11

      









 

  



   

R.H.

L.H.

       f

 



 







  





  



 

  sfz



  

 

 

  



  

  



  





r.h.

 





A tempo mp







rit.



 12

 











  





l.h.

 



  



29

   

13

     

r.h.



 





   

 

 

   

  









  

 

 

r.h.





  

   

 

 

   

 

   



  



 

   

 

 



   

 

  

 

 

   

  



 

15

   



 

  



 

14

  

 



 

  

  

  



l.h.





  



 

   

 

 

 

   

  



30

   

16

      



  

18

     

 

  

 



  

  



 

 







  



 

  





  

l.h.

     



   

 

 

 

  

r.h.

 

 

17

      







   

 

 



 

 



 

f



  

















 





  

     

















 

ff



     

31

molto rit.

    

19

R.H.

   

L.H.

    



















  



  







(y = 60)

   

  



 

 



20

  



   



  

  

pp



   

  

  

 



  

  





  

  

Prelude No. 16 (Scurrying)

   

Keane Southard

q = 80

5

4

 

 2



1

5

4

2

1

      

mf senza ped. (only use discreetly)

 

     



 



 

       

2

mf

                         p

   

3

mp



sim.

  

 

 

  

f

 

mf

                                 mf

4

  

p

     

 

3

 

                                   ©2019

   

    

5

33

 

mp

 



f

                                   



    

6



     mf

7

 

   f

          

  



3

 

p



 

   



 

        3

f

p

                         8



      

 9

 



  



f

  

  



p

                                  

    

       

  

 



  f

34 10

      



p

                



 

mf

                            p sub.

 

11

 

  p



   

                           mf

      

12



mp

            f





mp

                           p

 

13



  

    

     

   

mf

     

14

p

 3

  

             3

mf

  



 





        

                      p

15



  

  

 

  

        3

3

mp

35

     



f

                    

16

 





  

   

  

  

3

  

        

3

                          

17



   



                          

 

ff

18

ff

     

 

 

  

  

3

 

  

    

  3

 

   

  

   19    sim.                                  

36

5

4

2

1

5

4

2

1

fff



     

20

 

                           

p

        mp

3

        

mf

mp

mf

   

 

                         

21

p

             mp 22

 

 

3

       

  

mf

     

 

               mf

     



 

p

   





                         

23

p

    p

 3





3



 



37

                     

24

 

    

  



    f

     

25



 

f

     

 



 





 

 

26

                           p

                  f

     

      

27

                                     mf

     

f

28





p sos.

        



                                                        f

p sos.

3829

                                                          f

ff

30

                             



31

     p



3



3

ff

     

      

3



   



  

  









 





32

                              

f sos.

 



    

 





33

                         f (both hands)

                                 

39

                             

34

                                 pp

molto rit.

35

                                  ff                                                                       (x = 48) 4-5"

36



ppp

                                                                   

37

A tempo

ff sub.

                                                   38                                        3 fff 3                                                     (no ped   on last note) 

Prelude No. 17 (For the Left Hand) Keane Southard

       

q. = 100



        



          

 A tempo

 

mp dolce

 



           

mp

p

      

3

rit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                 p        

6

             

8

      

 

          

mf

       



  mp







   

        



     

©2019

   



     

p





  

 

   

        

 

       

poco rit.

10

p

    



mp

          

14





  

     



         mp     

16



     

          

 

41

                     

Tempo I

       

12



accel.

 

     

p

    

 

        

 

 

      

   

        

18





 

   

               

 

     

   

 

p

    

  

 

 

     

 

        mf

         







   

          

                 

42

      

20

       

  

 

 

 

     mp     mf

         mp 

 

 

        

mf



                                         

22

    

  

 

                 mf mp          

25

mf

mf



 

 

 



      

  

 

  

             

               f                          



 mp                                                p                 mp  

27

    

                            

      

30

          

           mp    

mf



     

32

       

   

q. = 88

       

34

 

      



     

 

 

    

         

    

 

p

 

  

     

          pp  36

 

rit.

mp

     

  

mf

 

43

       

  



   

 

     

    

p

  

    







   

   

         

4438

                        

40

                

mf



p

 

     

            mf

                              

 

mp



q. = 76

   

mf

  

     

 

 

             

    

 

         mp        f                                     (cresc. in all voices)                                     

            

 

A tempo

               

        

       

43

  

p



poco rit.

45

 

poco rit.

        

f





f

      

47

ff

    

  

49

mf

  

 

 

       ff  

     accel.  

          

51

 

 

 

dim. poco a poco (all voices)

     



 

 

 

45

      

 

 

                          

 

q. = 100

          

rit.

 

(mp)

                                          (p)      

54

 

( q. = 52)



 

 

                                          

46

q. = 88

      

56

 

p

      

          

pp

          

 

una corda

       

58

      

                   

              

rit.

       

   



 

60

pp

     



  

  

ppp

   

 

         





   q. = 40

62

      





  

ppp



  

pppp



   

Prelude No. 18 (On the Day of Penderecki's Death) e = 172

Keane Southard

(7)

(3)*

        fff        

(4)

      ff p       (1)

p

(9)    

(2)

   ff  

ff p

  

p



* Stems without noteheads indicate repetitions of the most recent chord. Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of times a chord is played so that you don't need to count all subsequent stems without noteheads.



(5)

  ff

  

(8)

p



 

(9)



pp cresc. poco a poco

    

 

ff



(6)

   

p

ff

p

  



(1) (4) 



(7)

(mp)

  ©2020



   

     

48

 

(6)



  

(f)

 



senza ped.

 

(9)

   

(2)   



(5)

(mf)

(mp)



 



p cresc. poco a poco

  



(8)

(4)

(7) 

 

(1)

mf





    

 

f dim. poco a poco

 

fff

(ff)

  

  

(6)



  

(5)     (2)

(mf)

         (3)

(8)

    

 

     (3)

fff

     