ScoresOnDemand
Muhly, Nico The Place of Understanding
Score for sale (North America): https://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.action?itemid=14043890 Score for sale (UK, Europe and other territories): http://www.musicroom.com/se/id_no/01122820/details.html?kbid=1296 Information about the work and materials for hire: http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/work/45857
Chester Music Limited Part of the Music Sales Group
Commissioned by the Hanson Institute for American Music of the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. The first performance was given by Oliver Brewer, tenor, and Christian Lane, organ, on 14 May 2006 at Saint Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, New York City. Duration: c. 13 minutes TEXT Oh why is heaven built so far, Oh why is earth set so remote? I cannot reach the nearest star That hangs afloat. I would not care to reach the moon, One round monotonous of change; Yet even she repeats her tune Beyond my range. I never watch the scatter’d fire Of stars, or sun’s far-trailing train, But all my heart is one desire, And all in vain: For I am bound with fleshly bands, Joy, beauty, lie beyond my scope; I strain my heart, I stretch my hands, And catch at hope. Christina Rossetti Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living. God understandeth the place thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. For he looketh at the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure. And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. Job 28: 20-28
COMPOSER’S NOTE The Place of Understanding is, at its heart, an organ solo piece with tenor commentary. While the traditional structures of art songs occasionally apply, the piece attempts to feature the organ as an equal partner in treating and bridging the two wildly different texts. While the first part is episodic, romantic, and rushes from one tonal center to the next, the second part (with the words taken from the Book of Job) is stiller, and allows the organist to create a delicate texture on top of which the tenor slowly and deliberately articulates the biblical text. Nico Muhly (2006)
for Christian Lane
THE PLACE OF UNDERSTANDING CHRISTINA ROSSETTI/ JOB 28:20-28
High voice
3 4
Forceful q = 96
3 4 Organ
Pedals
3 4
ff
3 4 weighty, severe
5
9
Copyright © 2006 St. Rose Music Publishing Co. and Chester Music Limited.
NICO MUHLY (2006)
2 f 13
4 4 Oh
Freely
why
4 4 f
6
6
6
4 4 4 4
sub. p
17
4 4 is
heav
2 4
en
built
4 4
4 4 so
2 4
4 4
4 4
2 4
4 4
4 4
2 4
4 4
mf
21
q = 86
mf
4 4 far,
Oh
4 4 4 4 4 4
f
mp
6 69
mp cresc.
3 2
4 4
Yet
e
3 2
ven
she
re
4 4 mp cresc.
3 2
4 4
72
peats
her
tune,
re
peats
her
(cresc.)
76
tune,
re
peats
her
tune,
re
peats
(cresc.)
80
her
(cresc.)
tune
Be
yond
9 129
135
p
141
da da
da da da da da
da da da da
da
8va if possible (falsetto, sotto voce)
147
da
da
da
f - bright solo
da
da
da
da
15 247
pp cresc.
4 4
For
I
am
bound
with
flesh
ly
bands,
4 4 pp cresc.
4 4 4 4
250
poco sf
Joy,
5
joy,
5
(cresc.)
253
5
beaut
(cresc.)
y,
lie
be
yond
my
scope;
16 257
5
2 4
5
f
4 4
I
2 4 (cresc.)
strain
4 4
2 4
4 4
2 4
4 4
f
263
my
heart,
cresc.
3
268
I
5
stretch
5
3 2
5
my
hands,
ff
And catch
3 2 ff
(cresc.)
3 2 3
3 2
at
22
Freely, slowly 361
3 4
4 4 that
366
is
wis
dom;
and
to
de
part
from
e
vil
3 4
4 4
3 4
4 4
3 4
4 4
4 4
pp
is
un der stand ing.
mp
4 4 4 4
ppp
mp
4 4 pp
371