SAUNDERS
choler for Two Pianos, Four Hands
ISSUU Version
For perusal only
ISSUU Version For perusal only
REBECCA SAUNDERS
choler
for Two Pianos, Four Hands
(2004)
EDITION PETERS
LEIP
Explanatory notes:
For two grand pianos with sosenuto (third) pedals.
Silently depress keys and hold with 3rd pedal
3.
Pedal-action attack
Stamp foot down for big pool of resonance
Pedal-action release. Foot suddenly releases pedal with a sideways motion
L Left hand
R Right hand
h Heel of hand
p Palm (with fingers) R
h h p p
Like a glissando, holding down all tones
Chromatic cluster
White key cluster
Black key cluster
L Chromatic with one hand: white keys with heel of hand and black keys with fingers
R palm Chromatic cluster with open palm on strings behind dampers, as wide as possible:
- Hit the strings staccato, allowing resonance through
L trem. palm - open palm tremolando on strings behind dampers
Inside
Play tones on the strings inside the piano:
Muted. One hand plays the given tone on the keys, the other hand dampens the string by the bridge
Arm
elb. Point of elbow
p Palm (to fingertips)
arm R Cluster with whole forearm as single attack
R arm
elb. p Cluster like a glissando, holding down all tones
Metal
metal
L A fast glissando on strings with metal piece:
Low – in front of dampers; Higher – behind the dampers
If frame of piano is in the way, choose a different cluster as nearby as possible
General Note:
The palm and arm clusters assume the following approximate span: palm = major 7th; arm = 2 ½ octaves.
Should a performer have a larger or smaller stretch, for example, a 3-octave forearm span, then please adjust the size of the clusters according to the following criteria:
It is most important that i) the physical gesture not be compromised, keeping it´s power and intention; and ii) that the drawn out „lyrical“line threaded through the composition remain clear. The key „melodic“ notes are therefore indicated by an accent above or below the cluster.
Please keep the accented note and therefore expand or reduce the span of the cluster below or above it as necessary according to the size of your hands or arms. It will then be possible to retain not only the key melodic line, but also the intended physical gesture.
choler (2004) for two pianos
humour
/´hju:ma(r)/ n. & v. –n. 5 (in full cardinal humour) hist. each of the four chief fluids of the body (blood, phlegm, choler, melancholy), thought to dete rmine a person´s physical and mental qualities.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary
choler
´kale(r)/ n. 1 hist. one of the four humours, bile. 2 poet. or archaic anger, irascibility. (ME f. OF colere bile, anger f. cholera f. Gk kholera diarrhoea, in LL = bile, anger, f. Gk khole bile)
The Concise Oxford Dictionary
Of the medieval humours, choler (anger) was hot-blooded and red: ...reddish colour shews blood, but fiery, flaming, burning hot, shew coller, which by reason of its suitability, and aptness to mix with others, doth cause divers colours more: for it be mixed with blood, and blood be most predominant, it makes a florid red...
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, Th ree Books of Occult Philosophy as refered to in Derek Jarman´s, Chroma 1994, Vintage Books.
RS
Choler was commissioned by the BBC for Nic Hodges and Rolf Hind for premier at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival 2004
elb. L arm p R L
elb. R arm p
ISSUU Version
For perusal only
ISSUU Version
For perusal only
ISSUU Version
For perusal only
Rebecca Saunders
Rebecca Saunders (b. 19 67) studied with Wolfgang Rihm at the Musikhochschule in Karlsruhe, Germany, and for a doctorate in composition with Nigel Osborne at Edinburgh University. She lives in Berlin. Saunders’ numerous composition prizes include three Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards, two BASCA British Composer Awards and the 2019 Ernst von Siemens Music Prize. Her works have been performed at festivals including the Huddersfield Festival, the Berlin Biennale and the Darmstadt International Summer Course. In 2009 she became a member of the Berlin Academy of Arts. Saunders’ works include chroma, for chamber groups distributed throughout the performance space, albescere, written for Ensemble Modern and the Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, and a double concerto for trumpet, percussion and orchestra.
Rebecca Saunders (*1967) studierte Komposition bei Wolfgang Rihm an der Musikhochschule Karlsruhe und promovierte an der Edinburgh University bei Nigel Osborne. Sie lebt in Berlin. Saunders wurde für ihr Schaffen vielfach ausgezeichnet, u. a. mit drei Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards, zwei BASCA British Composer Awards sowie mit dem Ernst von Siemens Musikpreis 2019. Ihre Werke erklangen bei zahlreichen Festivals, wie dem Huddersfield Festival, der Berliner Biennale und den Darmstädter Ferienkursen für Neue Musik. 2009 wurde sie zum Mitglied der Berliner Akademie der Künste ernannt. Zu ihren Werken zählen chroma für im Raum verteilte Kammergruppen, albescere (entstanden für das Ensemble Modern und die Neuen Vocalsolisten Stuttgart) sowie ein Doppelkonzert für Trompete, Schlagzeug und Orchester.
Photo © Astrid Ackermann