Matthew Peterson
N채cken
for violin solo
instructions
program note
action dynamics
Näcken, the näck, is a Swedish water spirit who plays an enchanted fiddle. His music lures humans to drown in lakes and streams. He is also known as strömkarlen (the stream man) and in Norway he is called fossegrim.
dynamics on harmonics, especially above mf, are "action dynamics" (e.g., ff indicates the effort normally required to produce fortissimo) bowings the phrasing is shown with slurs, but exact bowings are at the performer's discretion grace notes grace notes in parentheses show sounding notes grace notes with stems and beams (mm. 40-47) outline a melody that sounds through the arpeggio; here the rhythm remains 16th note arpeggios (the grace note rhythm is not played) harmonics in some places M6 (touch sixth) harmonics are used instead of M3 (touch third), and the performer can feel free to substitute equal natural harmonics where needed (e.g. M6 for M3, or vice versa) laissez vibrér sempre and stops
If found and greeted properly, it is said that the näck will teach a human to play so well that "the trees dance and waterfalls stop at his music." But after learning the näck's music, a man may lose his mind and play himself to death. The arpeggiated harmonics and driving motion of Näcken were inspired by this legend and by the clear and shimmering boreal waters that Näcken calls home. The näck is a lonely spirit. Perhaps he plays so that he will no longer be alone.
acknowledgements With thanks to Alejandro Drago for his passion, dedication to music-making, and friendship, to Henrik Strindberg for his inspiring sound-worlds, and to Ulf Klarström and Simon Jansson for taking me to Näcken's home.
where possible, arpeggios should be played as quadruple stops, always allowing harmonics, open strings, and arpeggiated stops to vibrate
contact
sul ponticello (s.p.)
Matthew Peterson, composer
play near the bridge for a shimmering tone
matthewkennethpeterson@gmail.com
molto sul ponticello (m.s.p.)
http://www.matthew-peterson.com
play very near the bridge for a raucous, electric tone
Näcken
duration circa 5 minutes
for violin solo
q = 66 rubato natural harmonics
Violin
Matthew Peterson (2011)
pp
p molto sostenuto sempre
q = q. rubato 11
pp
13
accel.
non rubato
15
f
q. = 84
17
p
f
19
21
23
25
ff
p
s.p.
ord.
s.p.
p
sf
p
sf
Copyright © 2011 Matthew Peterson (ASCAP), all rights reserved www.matthew-peterson.com
27
29
ord.
s.p.
sf
p
ord.
m.s.p.
f
ord.
m.s.p.
ord.
m.s.p.
p
f
p
f
31 p ord.
pp
34
37
f
open E sempre
40
43
46
49
sffpp
51
sffpp
sffpp
2
sffpp
53
sffpp
f
molto rit.
rubato q. = 52
55
p
p espressivo
57
morendo
pp
q = 36
accel. balzato sempre natural harmonics sempre
rubato poco a poco
60
crescendo poco a poco
pp
63
q = 96 66
68
f
accel. non rubato
q = q. con fuoco
sim. sul G
sul D
sim.
sul G
sim.
p
sul D
sul G
sul D
f sub.
sul G
sim.
70
p
72
sul G
sim.
f sub.
sul G
sul D
sul G
sul D
sim.
73
pp sub.
3
75
(m.s.p.)
f
p intenso sub.
m.s.p. G sim. p sub. f sub.
77
ord. G
G
G
ord.
79
f sub. m.s.p.
81
p sub.
83
(detaché)
85
ord.
(open E sempre)
f sempre.
(cresc. poco a poco)
87
sul D
sul D
pp sub. marcato sempre
cresc. poco a poco
89
m.s.p. 2
93
plaqué
4
91
p sub.
f
2
2
l.v.
ff