Sonnet 65 | David V. Montoya | MusicSpoke

Sonnet 65 "Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea"

for SATB a cappella

Text by William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Music by

David V. Montoya

Commissioned in honor of Dr. Timona Pittman and in memory of Dr. Hal W. Pittman, founders for the Phoenix Bach Choir, Charles Bruffy, conductor

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

About the piece: In this wonderfully dramatic sonnet, Shakespeare speaks of the timelessness of love and art, and how they will outlast all manner of natural and man-made things. The poem is a sacred scripture, an homage to the great ideal that so many artists seek: immortality.

My musical setting of the sonnet is a modal one. Various incarnations of "3-flat music" appear as the piece moves along. Eb Major, C Minor, G Phrygian, etc. I also use variations of these modes, such as C Harmonic Minor or C Minor with two forms of the second scale degree (D and Db). In transitioning from one mode to the next, I sometimes use a 12-note mode that comprises all 7 notes of a Major scale plus the minor second, the minor third, the augmented fourth, the minor sixth, and the minor seventh. This mode is not a chromatic scale per se, but a very tonal mode where all notes are heard and precisely tuned in relation to the tonic. The place where my harmonic choices travel furthest from Eb is the G Major section (the only true use of Major) just before Shakespeare's last couplet. For me, this key and the rhythmic rememberances of the first five bars answer the question "Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid?" Shakespeare can. Any artist who masters the miracle of love can. If our work is true it will last.

In the concluding section, mantra-like repeated phrases suggest a movement through eternity that grows in intensity. Each of the upper voices is shortened by one quarter note at a time: the compression gives the effect of beckoning time onward. The mode is Eb-Fb-G-Ab-Bb-C-Db-Eb (the lower tetrachord is Phrygian Major; the upper is Mixolydian). The piece concludes with the low groanings of a man in love - or are they sighs of an artist wanting to touch forever?

- D. V. Montoya Sonnet 65

by William Shakespeare

Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea, But sad mortality o'er-sways their power, How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea, Whose action is no stronger than a flower?

O, how shall summer's honey breath hold out Against the wrackful siege of batt'ring days, When rocks impregnable are not so stout, Nor gates of steel so strong, but Time decays?

O fearful meditation! where, alack, Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid?

Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back?

Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid?

O, none, unless this miracle have might, That in black ink my love may still shine bright.

About the Composer: David V. Montoya (b. 1968) received a bachelor’s degree in music education from California State University, Los Angeles, and a master of music degree from the University of Nevada, Reno. He currently teaches at La Habra High School (CA) where he directs the choral and classical guitar programs and teaches AP Music Theory. His compositions range from a cappella and accompanied choral music (from the silly to the sacred) to works for solo voice, solo guitar, and piano. Montoya lives in the Los Angeles, CA area with his wife Patricia and his three sons, David Thomas and Joseph, and Matthew. Montoya studies composition with his dear friend and teacher, noted author/composer, William Allaudin Mathieu. For more information about David V. Montoya and his music, please visit www.MontoyaMusic.com.

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

Commissioned in honor of Dr. Timona Pittman and in memory of Dr. Hal W. Pittman, founders for the Phoenix Bach Choir, Charles Bruffy, conductor

Sonnet 65 "Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea" SATB a cappella

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) 1

S

π≡ƒ≠ Ε α % α α 13 ˙

ε 33 œ˙ −− œι œ œœ ε

Ε αα 1 % α 3 ˙

Since

A

3 ˙− 3 ˙− ε

Ε αα 1 α Υ 3 ˙

brass,

Since

T

3 ˙ 3

Since

Since

6

Ó

ε 33 ˙

Ó

∑

2 3

brass,

α 3 %αα 3

nor

stone,

œœ

˙˙ −

nor

œ œ

˙˙ −−

nor

stone,

earth,

nor

earth,

nor

earth,

˙

Ó

34 œ −

Ε

nor earth, unis.

4 œ − œ œœ 3 ˙˙ −− Ι

earth,

nor

˙

nor earth,

ϖ 34

nor earth,

3 3

α Υ α α 33 > α 3 αα 3

-

∑ ∑

less, nor

∑

23 2 3

∑

∑

-

33

-

3 3

Π33

∑

poco accel.

bound - less, nor bound

3 3

Π33

α 23 œ µ œ α œ œ œ 33 œ œ œ µ œ œ œ œ œ œ % α α 33 œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ bound

˙ =

nor

4 œ œ ˙− 3

œœ œ

earth,

∑

µ œ ˙ Œ 33 Ι

nor earth,

œ− œ œ œ ϖ Ι

stone,

+

œ µœ ˙

œ œœ ˙˙ −

stone,

brass,

Ε > α α 13 ˙ α

B

brass,

D. V. Montoya (b. 1968)

slowing back to. . .

-

∑

-

-

∑

© Copyright March 2006 by D. V. Montoya www.MontoyaMusic.com

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

less,

œ œ œ œ nor bound - less

∑

∑

Sonnet 65 - Page 4

α %αα Ó

10

Œ

tempo primo

œ œ bound - less

α %αα ϖ

tempo primo

α Υαα Ó

Œ

‰ œ Ι

nor

> α αœ α α ‰ Ιœ œ œ α œ œ

ι α % α α ‰ αœ œ

-

o'er - sways their pow

ι α % α α ‰ αœ œ

Ε ‰ ι α œ œ α œ œ α œ œ µœ œ

Τ

But sad mor - ta - li - ty

bound - less sea,

Τ

œ αœ−

er,

ι 1 œ 3˙

o'er sways their pow

α ι Υ α α ‰ αœ œ

-

er,

œ αœ−

> α ‰ α Ιœ œ αα

œ αœ−

-

er,

o'er - sways their pow

o'er - sways their pow

-

But sad mor - ta - li - ty

ι 1 œ 3˙ œ Ι

er,

13 ˙

23 Π2 Π3

ε = œœ ε

ε 2 ‰ œ=− 3 ε 23 ˙=

How

œœ œ œ 3

How

œ =œ

How

How

with this

œœ œ α œ 3

œ

o'er - sways their pow'r,

œ αœ

œ

œ αœ

œ

o'er - sways their pow'r,

Ε α œ œ α œ œ α œ œ µœ ‰ œΙ 3 But sad mor - ta - li - ty

ι 1 œ 3˙ -

œ αœ

3

But sad mor - ta - li - ty

œ

o'er - sways their pow'r,

Τ Ε α œ œ ‰ ι α œ œ α œ œ α œ œ µœ œ œ 3

less sea,

œ αœ−

œ αœ

3

sea,

˙

tempo primo

13

˙ ˙

sea, tempo primo

nor bound

Ε ‰ œι α œ œ α œ œ α œ œ µ œ

Τ

o'er - sways their pow'r,

œ œ œ œ œ αœ œ 3 3 3

rage

shall beau -

ι 3 œ œ αœ œ 3

œ−

with this

rage

shall beau -

with

this

rage

shall beau

œ

œ

œ

with

this

rage

œ

œ

œ−

ty

3

œ œ Ι

œ œ αœ shall

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

beau

ty

-

-

3 3 33

Sonnet 65 - Page 5

œ−

œ œ œ− Ι Ι

α 3 œ− %αα 3

17

hold

a

plea,

α ι % α α 33 œΙ œ Ιœ α œ œ hold

α œ Υ α α 33 -

> α 3 œ− αα 3 -

œ -

œ œ αœ Ι Ι

-

ty

-

α %αα ˙ α Υαα ˙ -

> αα

α

-

-

flow

-

a

how

hold

a

˙

er?

˙

ty.

∑

-

Ο 1 ΤŒ œ 3 ty.

O,

Ο 13 ΤŒ œ O,

1 ΤÓ 3

O,

œ

œ œ œ

shall beau

œ Μ œ œ œ 13 ˙ ty hold a

plea,

ι œ œ

how

33 ˙

how

3 3

œ œ shall

3 − 3 ˙

how

Whose

plea,

1 3

˙

33 œ −

∑

œ -

beau

˙

-

ο 3 ˙− 3

Ο 13 Œ semplice33 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

a plea,

plea,

ι œ ˙

Τ +Ο 1 œœ 3 œ œ

αα

-

œ œ œ = ty,

œ ˙ Ι

ι œ œ

plea,

-

% α œ ˙

21

a

1 3

œ α˙ shall

∑

shall

ο 33 ˙

-

˙

beau

-

œ

sum

-

-

œ œ œ

œ

ι œ œ

˙

-

∑

mer's hon

œ−

-

-

ac - tion is no strong - er than a

œ µœ œ

sum

-

3 3

∑

sum

-

3

-

-

α˙ mer's

∑

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

œ

ey breath hold

œ -

mer's

Sonnet 65 - Page 6

α µ˙ %αα

25

‰ µ œΙ œ

ι α % α α œ− œ œ− out,

α Υ α α œ œ α˙ > α αα

α ˙ % α α 23

29

ι œ œ

hold out,

hon - ey breath

hon - ey

‰ Ιœ œ

hold

ι ‰ œ ˙

hold out,

out,

œ

breath

hold

∑

Ó

˙

‰ œ œ Ι

œ−

hold out,

out,

Ο

œ

α 2 %αα 3 œ œ œ œ œ œ

a - gainst the wrack - ful

‰ œΙ

...the

> α α 23 œ œ œ œ œ œ α

a - gainst the wrack - ful

ε ˙ 33 ˙

ε 3 ϖ 3

seige

ε 33 ϖ

seige

seige

ε 3 ϖ 3 ϖ

seige

hold out,

mer's

sum

mer's

cresc.

œ œ

out,

œ Ι

œ

‰ œ Ι

œ

-

hold

‰ œι =œ œœ Œ ‰ Ι of batt'-ring

of

hold

1 ι œ œœ œ œ 3œ

sum cresc.

œ−

µœ

hold

‰ œΙ

hold out, cresc.

œ œ œ 23

1 3œ

‰ œ œ Ι

cresc.

hold out,

Œ

...the

α Υ α α 23 ˙

‰ Ιœ œ

œ œ œ

hon - ney

breath

hon-ey

breath

out,

œ œ 13 œ

3

‰ œι 13 œ hold

out,

3

out

hold out

œ œ œ

hold out,

23 23 2 3

œ

days,

ϖœ œ ˙ − =

23

‰

2 3

batt'-ring days,

˙

œ =œ œ ˙ Ι

of

of batt' - ring ‰ œι =œ œœ Œ ‰ Ι 23

batt' - ring days,

of

˙− ˙−

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

‰ Ιœ

of

2 3

Sonnet 65 - Page 7

α α 2 ˙˙ −− α % 3

1 œœ Ε 3 œ

32

When rocks im

are not

so stout,

When rocks im

-

preg - na - ble

are not

so stout,

When rocks im

-

preg - na - ble

are not

so stout,

α 2 ˙œ− œ ˙ α Υ α 3 =

13 œœΕ œ

œ œ

1 œΕ 3 œ

œ œ

days,

> α 2 œ= œ œ œ œ œ αα 3 batt - ring

3

days,

decresc. e rit.

α % α α 33 œ µ œ œ œ

35

gates of steel decresc. e rit.

so

gates decresc. e rit.

so

gates decresc. e rit.

so

α 3 % α α 3 œ− α Υ α α 33 œ − > α α 33 œ α

gates

so

strong, but

ι œ œ

œ

œ

œ

œ Ι

œ

œ

strong, but

strong, but

œ

œ

œ

When rocks im

œ

œ

œ

œ

œ

œ

Time

3 34 œ µ œ α œ œ œ œ œ œ,

œ

‰ œΙ

3

preg - na - ble

Τ

˙˙

Τ

˙

Time

de - cays?

œ

œ

3

de - cays?

Nor

4 œ µœ α œ œ œ œ 3 œ œ,

3

εœ

œ œ Τ˙

are not

a tempo

εœ Τε œ œ œ Ι

O

εœ

so stout,

Nor

Nor

fear - ful

me - di - ta

-

2 =œ œ œ ≈ 1 3 œœœ œ 3 23 =œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ 13 fear - ful

me - di - ta

-

fear - ful

me - di - ta

-

a tempo

2 =œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ 1 3 3

a tempo

O

3 3

23 =œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ 13

O a tempo

O

œ œ œ œ− 3

‰ œι 33 ‰ œι 33

de - cays?

Time

Nor

œ µ œ α œ œ œ œ œ œ, œ 34

-

œ

de - cays?

Time

œ ≅œ

strong, but

3

preg - na - ble

13 œ Ε œ

batt' - ring

‰ œι 33

-

α % α α 23 ˙ − days,

4 œ µœ α œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 ,

œ œ

fear - ful

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

me - di - ta

-

Sonnet 65 - Page 8

3 œ ≈ ∀œ µœ œ 3

αα 1 α œ α œ œ α % 3

38

-

-

where,

tion!

α % α α 13 α œ α œ œ œ 33 ˙ − -

-

tion!

αœ œ α Υ α α 13 α œ -

-

tion!

where,

-

tion!

what strong

α % α α ≅œ

œ

hand

œ

œ

can

œ ∀œ

‰ œι 53 œ

œ

his

œ

hand

lie

hid,

can

hold his swift foot,

lie

hid,

œ ∀œ

from Time's chest

œ

lie

3

‰ œΙ 53 œ lie

hid,

lie hid?

œ ≈ ∀œ µœ where,

swift foot

‰ ∀ œι

hid,

lie

his

Shall Time's best

from Time's chest

(O)

hold his swift foot,

œ µœ α œ µœ

œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ

a - lack,

œ

Ο ˙

Ο œ− ˙

swift

foot

‰ œΙ

lie

hid?

Or

back? Or

˙ Ο˙

hid?

Shall Time's best

‰œ Ι

œ

who,

or

œ 33 µ ˙ − Ι

œ who,

Or

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

33 ˙

3 ϖ 3

who

Or

jewel

33 ˙ −

who,

Or

jewel

œ µœ α œ µœ

œ

back? Or

Ο µ œ œ œ œ − œ œ œ 53 ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

α œ ∀œ Υαα > αα ≅ œ α

‰ Ιœ

a - lack,

where,

a - lack, Shall Time's best jewel

where,

from Time's chest

what strong

œ œ

lie hid?

œ ≈ ∀œ µœ

µ œ œ œ œ − œ œ œ 53 ‰ œ œ œ œ

αα

œ ∀œ % α

41

œ

(O)

‰ œΙ

3

from Time's chest

‰ œι

33 œ ≈ ∀ œ µ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ

œ œ

a - lack, Shall Time's best jewel

where,

> α 1 α œ α œ œ œ 3 ˙− 3 αα 3 -

œ

œ ˙ or

or

Sonnet 65 - Page 9

α % α α ˙−

µœ

who

α % α α ∀˙−

his

who

his

his

44

œ

α − Υ α α œ µ Ιœ œ œ who

> α ˙− αα

αα

% α µœ œ œ

48

%

ααα

bid,

œ

his

µœ œ − µ œΙ œ œ œ

53 µ œ −

-

spoil

˙−

of

beau

-

spoil

of

spoil

œ

spoil

Τ

˙

Τ

for - bid?

Ó

Œ œ

∑

∑

> αα

∑

∑

α

ty

˙

beau

O,

O,

for - bid,

ι œ œ œ œ œ œ

µœ ˙ Ι

Œ œ

α Υαα

can

-

Ε

Ε

ty

beau

5 ∀œ− 3

of

‰ ιœ œ œ ∑

53 ˙

œ

˙−

can

beau

of

µ˙−

Ο ι 3 œ 3 œ− ‰ µœ œ

5 µœ œ œ œ œ µœ µœ œ− 3

-

can

for

ty

bid,

œ

can

for

µœ−

ty

for

µœ Ι

can

for

˙−

œ

˙−

œ

none,

O,

none,

O,

˙− none,

œ

∑ ∑

O,

˙ none,

˙ ∑ ∑

33 µϖ

œ µœ

œ

can for -

-

bid?

33 ϖ

-

bid?

3 ϖ 3

-

bid?

13 ˙

Ε 1‰ ι 3 œ œ œ none,

13

un - less this

∑

Ε 1‰ œ œ œ 3 Ι

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

un - less this

34 4 3 34 4 3

Sonnet 65 - Page 10

α 4 %αα 3 ϖ

53

œ

α % α α 34 α œ α œ ˙ −

αœ œ

µ Ε ‰ œ œ œ œ œ Ι

mir - a - cle

α Υ α α 34 Œ

have

this mir - a - cle

> α 4 α œ α œ ˙− αα 3

have

œ

mir - a cle

have

α αœ œ ˙ % α α ‰ œι

α Υαα ϖ > αα ϖ α

3 3

23

33 ‰ ι œ œ œ

˙

33 ˙

‰ œ Ι

œ

œ

23 œ

œ ˙

might,

might,

ι œ αœ œ

That in black

may still shine

‰

˙− ink...

‰ œ œ œ ˙ Ι

ϖ

That in black

ink...

...my

œ œ love...

might,

‰ ι αœ œ œ

my

∑

3 ϖ 3

...may still shine bright,

‰

œ

2 ˙− 3

˙

56

α %αα ˙

2 − 3 ˙

ι œ

that

‰ ι œ

˙− bright,

may

‰ ι œ

œ αœ ˙ in black ink,

œ

love,

‰ œ œ œ œ Ι my love,

ϖ

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

that

Sonnet 65 - Page 11

α αœ %αα

59

still

œ

α Υαα œ

black

ι œ

‰

shine bright,

α % α α œ αœ in

˙ ‰

œ ink,

‰

may

ι œ œ

that

œ Ι

œ

œ

my

in

œ

α % α α œΙ

‰

α % α α œ αœ α Υαα œ > αα

α

ϖ

still

shine

ι αœ

black

ink,

œ bright,

‰

love,

that

in

œ

œ

my

may

œ

œ

œ Ι

‰

ι œ

‰ œ

œ

black

ink,

œ Ι

love,

‰

œ

œ

still

shine

‰

œ my

ι œ

that

œ

love,

ϖ

bright,

in

œ

œ

> α ϖ αα

61

αœ

black

œ

cresc. poco a poco

œ may

αœ

still

ι œ ‰

ink,

‰

œ

‰

ι œ

shine bright, cresc. poco a poco

may

œ

œ œ

œ

that in black cresc. poco a poco

œ Ι

my

œ

love,

cresc. poco a poco

œ

œ Ι

œ ink,

‰

αœ still

‰

œ my

œ

œ Ι

‰

shine bright,

ι œ

that

œ

œ in

œ

œ may

αœ black

œ

ι œ

ink,

‰

love,

ϖ

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

œ still

‰

œ Ι

my

œ

œ

shine bright,

œ

that

œ

love,

œ in

œ

Sonnet 65 - Page 12

α œ % α α ‰ œι α œ

may still shine bright,

α % α α αœ œ ‰ black ink,

> αα

love

œ

in black

œ

ϖ

bright.

ι œ αœ œ

may

œ œ œ œ œ

love

ε ‰ œΙ œ œ That

in black ink,

œ

my

˙

α

that

œ œ ‰ œ Ι

may still shine

œ αœ œ ‰

œ

in black ink,

α Υ α α Ιœ ‰ œ œ

ι αœ œ œ

œ ‰

shine bright,

may still

ι œ œ œι ‰ œ

that

my

œ

œ œ ‰ œ Ι

63

may still shine

still

œ

shine

ink

ϖ

ι αœ ˙ bright.

bright,

˙

Œ

œ−

αœ αœ œ

œ œ

my

love,

my love

α %αα

∑

∑

∑

∑

α %αα

∑

∑

∑

∑

66

Ο meno mosso αα α Τ‰ ι Υ œ œ αœ− ΤΟ

may

> αα œ α

still meno mosso

shine,

œ αœ œ œ œ œ

may

still

ι αœ œ

shine

rit. shine

bright.

œ α α œ˙ − œ ˙ shine

˙

rit.

˙˙

bright.

ϖ˙

bright.

˙

ϖϖ

ϖ ϖ

ϖ ϖ D. V. M. March 30, 2006 West Covina, CA

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.