PETER JAMES LEARN
MAB For Soprano and Percussionist Text from “Queen Mab” by Percy Shelley
© 2014 - Peter Learn Music
PETER JAMES LEARN FROM "QUEEN MAB" How wonderful is Death and his brother, Sleep. One pale as yonder waning moon with lips of lurid blue, the other rosy as the morn. ..... Tablets that never fade‌ These are my empire, for to me is given the wonders of the human world to keep, and fancy's thin creations to endow with manner, being and reality. ..... There's not one atom of yon earth, but once was living man; Nor the minutest drop of rain, that hangeth in its thinnest cloud, but flowed in human veins. ..... Whence, thinkest thou, kings and parasites arose? From vice, black loathsome vice; From rapine, madness, treachery, and wrong; From all that genders misery, and makes of earth this thorny wilderness; from lust, revenge, and murder. - And when reason's voice, loud as the voice of Nature, shall have waked the nations; and mankind perceive that vice is discord, war and misery ‌ kingly glare will lose its power to dazzle, its authority will silently pass by; the gorgeous throne shall stand unnoticed in the regal hall, fast falling to decay. ..... The Fairy and the Spirit entered the Hall of Spells. Those golden clouds that rolled in glittering billows beneath the azure canopy, with the ethereal footsteps trembled not; The light and crimson mists, floating to strains of thrilling melody.
- Soprano will be directed to move between two positions, center-down-left and center-down-right, in front of the percussion set-up. Stands should be placed at these locations with seperate scores and place to set cymbals down. - Soprano will need Tibetan prayer cymbals, or, if unavailable, a deeply-pitched triangle. ***** PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS
- 3-Octave F Vibraphone (no motor needed) - Large Tamtam - Metal Wind Chimes - Metal Trash Can or Resonant Box * - 3 Graduated Rails or Pieces of Scrap Metal (Pitched low, middle, and high, relatively) - 3 Circular Saw Blades - 5 Sturdy Crystal Goblets, affixed to board (Pitched E b, G, B b, B n, and C, ascending) ** IMPLEMENTS 4 medium mallets, 1 bass bow, 2 violin bows for goblets and vibes, 2 hammers or hide mallets, heavy sticks, and 4 1-2 foot lengths of the heaviest chain available. * Any large metal or wooden bin will work, plastic bin may be used, but only as a last resort. The instruction "drop chain" means to drop a length of chain into this container. Cloth mute may be applied to attenuate ring, depending on accoustics of venue. ** Alternatively, the vibes or a set of crotales may be bowed.
PROGRAM NOTE This work draws its text from Lord Percy Bysshe Shelley’s epic prose poem, “Queen Mab,” published in 1813. Shelley was a major English Romantic poet of the late 18th/early 19th Century and he was very much interested in the ideal of non-violence and the ways in which emerging technology and progressive rational thought could improve society. The character of Mab was not invented by Shelley, but exists in Shakespeare and other literature as a fairy that appears to sleepers and causes dreams of wish fulfillment. In this case, Shelley has her visiting the sleeper Ianthe, removing her spirit from her body and interpreting/analyzing her dreams. Mab shows her visions of past, present, and future, and extols the possibility of future human perfection through moral means. This is consistent with Shelley’s over-arching philosophical stance of human perfectibility and a refusal to fear superstition and death. The poem is quite long, so I have chosen to extract five particular passages and set them in loosely-connected vignettes.
(Ca. 9')
MAB
TEXT: Percy Bysshe Shelley
b & b b 44
U
∑
b & b b 44
∑
∑
∑
∑
Œ
∑
U
BEGIN AT STAGE CENTER-DOWN-RIGHT
Soprano
44
Percussion
∑
HIGH MID LOW
U
4 ˙ 4 P
How
(hammers/hide mallets) j j œ œ U œ œ Œ
∑
U
f
f
U
DROP CHAIN
Œ Œ œ Œ
TAM
(gritty and resonant, dig in)
S
7
&
bbb
∑
TAM
œ Œ F
b & bb
14
Perc.
bœ
(Ped. >)
b &bb
20
S
-
Œ
b˙. pale
Œ n˙. bb n b & # # n wwww # ˙ .
20
Perc.
œ Œ F
Ped.
Œ œ F
his broth
Œ
œ
Œ
œ
œ œ
j œ
∑
Œ
œ
œ
er Sleep,
bœ Œ
œ œ3 œ b œ œ
œ b˙.
as yon - der wan - ing
moon,
nw b n ww
Ped.
b ww w
Ped.
œ Œ
bœ
>œ
semplice
and
Œ
Ped.
‰ Jœ Œ
F wistful Œ ‰ œj œ n œ One
n œ ‰ œ Œ œœœœ œ J P
œ
‰ œj
lu - rid blue,
his
œ œ
œ
∑
with lips of
Œ œ
Œ œ. œ œ nœ J
n œ 3œ œ n œ œ # œ . n œ ˙ . J
Œ # n œœœ
©2014 - Peter Learn Music
Œ Œ
poco
œ Œ b b œœœ Œ
DROP CHAIN
F
poco
Death
œ Œ
∑
∑
Œ b œ œ . œj ˙ .
œ œ b œ . Jœ w
-
j œ
lilting
Ped.
Œ œ œ.
er,
∑
∑
VIBRAPHONE 2 med. mallets (grab the other 2 by m. 17)
˙ ~~~~~
b bœ &bb œ œœ ˙
p Œ
˙.
is Death,
(hammer handle, at edge)
Death,
WIND CHIMES
14
broth
is
∑
(hammer handle, at edge)
F b Œ œ ˙
won - der - ful
ord.
how won - der - ful
S
f 3 œ b œ Jœ Jœ œ œ
f F n œ œ œ œ b˙ Œ ˙. b &bb œ œ . œj œ œ ‰ b Jœ
7
Perc.
q
THREE GRADUATED RAILS
(Bowed, bass bow)
TAM
= 82-88
Œ ˙.
Ethereal and seductively malevolent
PETER JAMES LEARN (b. 1982) BMI pale, throaty tone
# # # ˙˙˙
Ped.
Œ Œ ‰ n # œœj
MAB
2 S
n n œœ
b & bb
26
Perc.
(Ped. >)
bbb
32
S
&
œ
œ œ ˙
b œ œ ‰ œj Œ
Œ Œ
b œ b œ œ œ œ œ œ . œj ˙
b &bb
26
The oth - er ros - y as
#œ
Œ
j œ œ
Ooo
bœ
p œ.
Œ
Ooo
Ooo
œ
j œ œ œ
˙ bœ Œ
∑
(mallet)
∑
∑
P œ bœ.
j œ œ
How
bœ.
Œ œ F
TAM
knowingly
‰ œJ b ˙
œ
Ooo
∑
∑
∑
œ.
the morn.
bœ
vocalise, shape freely
Œ
3
j œ- œ
won - der - ful
p ˙.
œ-
he
is.
œ
U
bbbb
Œ
œ UŒ
nœ
Tibetan prayer cymbals:
Perc.
œ
bb
& b
32
‰ Jœ
(Ped. >)
A
S
&
A
Perc.
&
(Ped. >)
Œ œ
Œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
œœ
œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
b b >œ ˙ b & b
bb œ & bb œ
43
Perc.
(Ped. >)
>œ ˙ Œ œ
my em- pire,
œ Œ œ œ œ œ
œ ∑
secco
Tab - lets,
em - pire,
œ
œ œ œ
∑
∑
œ œ
œ
bœ
œ
œ
œ Œ
∑
43
S
œ
Œ œœ œ Œ
bbbb
bbbb
Œ bœ
F œ Œ ‰ J œJ ‰ Œ
MOVE TO STAGE CENTER-DOWN-LEFT
œ
bœ ‰ J Œ
tab - lets,
nœ ‰ n œJ Œ
#œ Œ n œ P
π
‰ œJ œJ œ œ œ J
˙
∑
œ Œ
tab - lets that nev - er fade,
œœ
œ
œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ
U
∑
bbbb
œ œ˙
œ
these are
my
∑
œ œ œ
œ œ
œ
34 Œ ‰ œJ œ J
Œ œ œ bœ Œ œ œ œ œ bœ ˙.
∑
#### 4 4
3 4
œ Œ
∑
4 4
for to,
∑
34 œ ˙˙ œ 43
for to,
Œ ˙˙
œ ˙ œ ˙
Ped.
TAM
∑
optional, if comfortable:
Œ Œ
to me
(mallet)
œ P
∑
œ œ
is giv - en
∑ œ ˙ œ ˙
Ped.
Œ œ Œ F
∑
œ Œ Œ œ ˙˙ œ
˙˙
œ œ
Œ Œ œ Œ œ Œ P P
#### 4 4 44
P œ œ
## & # # 44
51
S
44
## 4 œ & # # 4 ‹œ
œ
œ
Œ
œ
œ œ
Ped.
57
S
&
####
Perc.
&
œ Œ Œ œ œ œ œ #œ
####
#œ
# & # ˙
œ Œ
Ped.
œ œ œ œ
64
Perc.
(Ped. >)
œ
Ped.
Œ œ
œ œ œ œ ‹œ
œ
œ
43
bœ 42 b n œœ
bœ bœ 34 n œ
Œ
Œ œ
œ œ œœ œ œ
# œœ & # Œ œ œ
p B " bb
n œ nU˙ .
rit. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - /
S
and re - al - i - ty.
44 ## 4 4
to
œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
# & #
71
Perc.
rit.
(Ped. >)
P Œ œ
TAM
∑
œ Œ p
/
U
B
declamando
œ
(Sounding in higher octave) b n wwww b w
∑
œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œœ œ œ
Œ
œœ œ n œ
˙
q
= 72
Œ œ
∑ œ œ œ
with man - ner,
Œ
-
Œ œ
P Œ œ œ œ
œ Œ P
TAM
There's not,
5 TUNED GLASSES
n œ Œ " bb œ F l.v., (hold ped.)
en - dow
∑
fan
œ Œ
œ #˙
œ ˙
cie's,
Ped.
œ œ œ
œ
œ œœ Œ œœœ
˙.
-
poco
œ Œ
fan
œ Œ
œ ‹œ œ œ œ
œ
œ
keep
∑
∑
∑
to
œ
42
and
Pale, somewhat slower
71
Œ
3
f w
œ œ
hu - man world
∑
cre - a- tions
∑
˙
dolce F 34 Œ Œ b œ # # 44 n œ œ œ œJ œ .
Ped.
thin
of the
P
42
œœœ œ œ œ ˙
œ Œ
œ nœ # # œ œœ &
œ œ
œ n œœ
Ped.
64
S
œ œ œ œ ‹œ
∑
P F - œ œ œ œ
∑
∑
57
F œ ˙.
the won - ders
51
Perc.
MAB
œ ∑
be - ing,
∑ ∑
there's not one a - tom,
œ œ œ œ
Œ œ ˙
Œ
œ œ œ œ
cie's
∑
˙
Using two violin bows, improvise with given pitches, aiming for legato, continuous sound..
œœ œ
As loud as possible
F
MAB
4
bœ œ œ œ œ œ n˙ Œ
b œ œ œ ˙. &b œ
Rubato espressivo
77
S
a - tom of yon earth,
but once was liv - ing man,
b & b œœœ
F bb œ œ œ œ œ &
b˙.
nut - est drop of
b & b n˙
P
˙
œ bœ
of rain,
F nn ˙ .
œœ b & b bœ œ œ œ &
in,
P Œ œ œœ œ
F œ œ nœ œ
∑
VIBRAPHONE
& œ ˙.
103
hu - man
&
Perc.
˙. ˙.
Œ
(Ped.>)
∑
eth,
that
n n ˙ .. ˙ F
(2 bows)
Œ
œ
Œ
˙. ˙.
p
œ œ w veins.
˙˙ ..
Œ ∑
w
P
Œ œ
but
Trail off:
P Œ œ ˙
˙.
flowed,
flowed,
Œ
MOVE TO STAGE CENTER-DOWN-RIGHT
103
-
Œ œ
P Œ
˙.
in it's thin - nest cloud,
U
U
(Bring cymbals)
˙˙ ..
∑
∑
C
œ Œ œ œ
˙
˙. ˙.
˙ .. ˙
flowed,
Œ
Ped.
S
˙
that hang
b œœœœ
flowed,
Perc.
nor the mi -
F Œ œ ˙
Change pitches:
97
bb
p
œ œ b˙
hang - eth
b & b bœ nœ œ
97
man,
bœ nœ œ
90
S
˙
P Œ œ nœ œ
Change pitches:
hang - eth,
Perc.
mi - nut - est drop
p Œ
Change pitches:
90
S
rain,
P F Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
b & b b œœœ
84
Perc.
once was liv - ing
p
n œœœ
84
S
œ œ œ œ n˙
Change pitches:
77
Perc.
Œ
œ
Œ
Aggressive and agitated
88
4 =8 4 8
(3+3+2)
∑
∑
q
p P Œ œ in
Œ
= 140 (e = e)
85
(3+2)
∑
U
(l.v.)
∑
∑
∑ TAM
> 8 ∑ 8 œœ . œ œ œ. (Bowed, bass bow) ƒ U U 8 ˙ 8 P f 3 SAW BLADES
U
C
(gritty and resonant)
> > > œœ . œœ œ œ œœœ . œ œ. œ.
(Heavy drum sticks, butts)
> > > > œœ . œœ œ œ œ 85 œœ . œœ œ œ . .
5
MAB
S
Perc.
&
> > œ œœ œ. œœ œ.
88
∑
44
(3+2+3)
Perc.
Œ.
Œ ∑
. >œ œ ‰ ‰ &J
S
ness,
Perc.
S
Perc.
> 8 8 œœ .œœœ. ƒ
Perc.
and wrongs,
œ
> œœ .
> œ
œ œ. œ
œ
Tempo I
4 4
∑
∑
44 œ q
œœ œœ p
= 82-88
œ 88 Œ .
(center with stick)
Œ
> 8 œ œ œ. œ 8 œ. ƒ 8 8
œ œ ˙
from all that gen - ders mis - er -
Œ
œ. . œ. J œJ J
œ. # >œ . J
œ J
‰
from lust, re- venge, and mur
œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ f
∑
F f > . . . . ‰ œ. œJ œ. Jœ # Jœ œJ n œR 88 J J
∑
œ. J
> > œ œ œ œ .œ œ. œ
from rap - ine, mad -
44
‰
œ J
˘ 88 œJ ‰ ‰ Œ . (3+3+2)
-
42 Œ œ 2 4 œ
4 4
Œ
Tibetan prayer cymbals:
der.
> œ ‰ œj 88 œœ œœœ. J . ƒ
44 œ œ œ œ
loud,
8 8
as the voice of
∑
Œ
44
> > œœ œœœ. œ œ 44 .
f F œ. œ b˙ J 42
na - ture,
∑
2 4 42
D
TAM
and
(3+3+2) f . .œ # œ. n œ. 88 ‰ œ. >œ œ Jœ ‰ >œ ‰ J J J J J J
œ. J
∑
> œ
‰ œ. J
Œ.
> > œ œœ œ. œ œ. œ
ƒ
from vice, black loath - some vice,
∑
> 8 œ œ œ œ. 8 œ.
∑
F . ‰ œ. Jœ J
And when rea - son's voice,
∑
(3+3+2)
Whence think - est thou kings,kings,
thorn - y wil - der - ness,
F œ œ D Œ œ œ
44 œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ > >
> >œ œ. œ. œ. œ œ J J J
> > > œ 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ .œ œ œ œ .œ œ. œ. œ 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ > >
and makes of earth this
∑
4 4
f 44 œ. J
. œ. œ. œ. œ. 44 œ. Jœ >œJ . # œ n œ. ‰ Œ J J J J J R J
& 44
128
S
treach' - ry
(3+3+2)
y,
∑
TAM
Œ n Jœ Jœ œ
> > > œ œ œ œ .œ œ œ œ . œ œ. œ. œ
œ. ‰‰ œ. 8 &8 J J
124
4 4
# œ. Œ J
120
∑
> œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ . œ . 4 œœ œœ œœ œœ >œ œ œ œ > f
par - a - sites a - rose?
∑
breathless, flighty
> > > 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 8 œœ . œ œ œœ . œ œ œœ 4 œ. œ. 4 œ œœ œ œœ œœ 8 4 > ƒ
. œ. œ. œ. ˘œ Œ . œ &J J J J J
116
S
44
∑
111
(3+3+2)
(center, with stick)
œ F
Œ
∑
2 4
∑
4 4
WIND CHIMES
∑
˙ ~~~~~~~~
42
bœ 3 œ & 42 Œ 4
œ
42 œ Œ
∑
134
S
Perc.
44 b œ . œ ˙ J
F P P # œ nœ Œ 4 œ #œ œ œ 2 43 Œ Œ œ 45 # œ œ 4 4
44
43 œ Œ Œ
MAB
6
shall
42
43
have waked the
43
∑
œ
na - tions,
44
∑
F œ œ œ œ 2 4 # œ &4 Œ œ 4
Perc.
42 œ 42
f. 4 & 4 œJ E
S
that
Œ
44
∑
44
#œ
dis - cord,
œ. J
œ. J
(Sticks)
44 œ ƒ
œ
∑
Œ
~~~ ˙ ~~~~~
q
= 140 (e = e)
œ. # œ. J J
œ. J
its
n œ. J
∑
43
∑
44
œ
∑
43
∑
44
43
∑
44
œ
œ
œ
œ
44 # œj .
44
> œœ . œ œ . œ
> œ
the
œ
œ
Perc.
(3+3+2)
>j œœ J
88
> œœ . œ œ œ .
j œ.
œ. J
j œ.
œ. J
œ
œ
œ. J
gor - geous throne shall stand
œ
its au - thor - it - y
œ. J
œ
-
œ
4 4
44
8 8
∑
œœ œœ œœ œœ p
∑
> > 8 œœ . œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ 8 œ. ƒ
-
4 4
ticed
∑ œœ > f
Œ
> œœ . œ œ œ .
Œ
Tibetan prayer cymbals:
44 >j œœ 4 J 4
p (Bring cymbals) U ∑ Œ
cay.
4 4
œ
MOVE TO STAGE CENTER-DOWN LEFT
˙.
fall - ing fast to de
> œ
48 # œj ‰ Œ . 48
> > (3+3+2) j j j j j j j j & 44 # œ. œ. œ. œ. œ œ œ œ 88 Œ # œ. œ. œ. œ. # œ œ 44 # œ # œ œ # œ œ in the re - gal hall, hall,
> œœ . œ œ œ . (3+1)
un - no
152
S
Œ
zle,
œ. J
œ
œ F
-
œ
œ
(edge, with stick)
to daz
> 48 œœ . œ œ œ .
42
∑
88 # œj ‰ œj œ. œ. œ. œj ‰ . . J J J .
48 ‰ ‰ # œj œ. . J
pow - er,
42
∑
Œ
TAM
(3+1)
œ. J
per - ceives
44
∑
p
∑
will si - lent - ly pass by
Perc.
45
∑
44
∑
war, and mis - er - y,
j . . . . . & ‰ # œ. œJ œJ œJ œJ œJ ‰ > œœ . œ œ œ .
man - kind
WIND CHIMES
glare will lose
œ
45
œ. nœ ˙. J
∑
149
S
œ
THREE GRADUATED RAILS
E
43
(edge, with stick)
Œ œ
∑
Aggressive and agitated
king - ly
Perc.
vice is
TAM
140
S
∑
and
∑
œ
p
U ∑ U ∑
Tempo I Freely
q
F
S
&
∑
∑
Œ
œ
f
7
MAB
= 82-88
∑
Œ
∑
œ
∑
∑
∑
Œ
œ
bbb
THREE GRADUATED RAILS
F
Perc.
Hammers:
ƒ
Œ
j œ
œ
Œ
Giusto Semplice
bb
∑
œ œ
œ œ
VIBRAPHONE
Perc.
bb
& b
162
Œ
F
œ
Ped.
F bb b Œ œ œ & œ
en - tered the
œ œ œ
b & bb
169
Perc.
(Ped. >)
that rolled
Perc.
b œ Œ & bb œ œ (Ped. >)
b &bb
181
Perc.
&
bbb
œœ œ
Ped.
∑
~ ~~~~~~ ~ ~ ~ œ œ Œ
j œ
œ
Œ
hall
œ œ
Œ
œ
Œ
œ œ
œœ
œœ
Œ
œ
-
y
œ œ
Œ œ
Œ
œ
∑
F ˙
˙
Œ œ
œ œ
œ œœ Œ
œ œ bœ Œ Œ
and
the spir
œ . b œJ n ˙
of
œ Œ ‰ b œj œ
Œ œ
Œ
the
hall
œ œ
œ œ œ
F œ Œ
œ œ Œ œ
Œ Œ œ œ
œ b˙ -
œ
Œ
Œ
steps
œœ
œ œ Ped.
Œ
nœ
Ped.
œ œ
œ
Ped.
j œ œ
trem - ble
œœ œ
Ped.
Œ
P
˙.
œ œ bœ
Œ Œ œ œ
Ped.
bœ œ œ nœ œ
Œ
œ.
œ œ œ Œ
œœ
be - neath the az - ure can - o - py
œ
it
those gold - en clouds,
œ bœ
œ œ œ œ
P Œ
˙.
-
lilting
spells,
Œ
bil- lions,
bœ œ œ bœ
Œ œ œj œ .
glit - ter - ing
œ œ Œ
œ œ
œ Œ
œ œ
Œ
œ
the fair
where e - the - re - al foot
Œ
P Œ œ ˙ œ
œ œ
∑
(take mallets)
DROP CHAIN
cantabile
b˙
˙
in
wistful
181
S
∑
F œ œ b˙ œ œ œ œ bœ
b &bb Œ œ œ œ
175
Œ
œ œ œ Œ
Œ
Œ
175
S
169
S
œ
WIND CHIMES DROP CHAIN
& b
162
S
œ
j œ
Œ
œœ Œ Œ b œœ
œ œ
œ
not,
œœ
P ˙
P œ Œ œ
Œ
œ
F œ
the light
œœ
Œ
MAB
8 186
S
&
186
Perc.
&
bbb œ bœ bbb
œœ
(Ped. >)
b & b b bœ
œ
thrill - ing
191
Perc.
&
œ
and crim - son
191
S
œ
bœ
bbb
(Ped. >)
Œ
œ
œ b˙
mists,
œœ
œ
Œ
bœ mel
œœ
œ 3
œ
œ -
-
Œ
Œ
P Œ
Œ
œœ
bœ
œ
œ
bœ
œœ
-
bœ
œ œ bœ
float - ing to
Œ
strains,
œ
Œ
œœ
bœ bœ
strains of
œ b œœ
Œ
p
œ œ
w œœ
œœ
∑
poco rit. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - /
œ
Œ
Œ
œœ œ
U
poco rit. - - - - - - - - - - - - - /
o - dy.
Œ
œœ
F b˙
œ π
Œ
U
- JULY 2014, NEW YORK