MAB

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