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
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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
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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
∑
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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
˙− ˙−
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‰ 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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