OnDemand
McCabe, John Spielend
Score for sale (North America): http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=14021091 Score for sale (UK, Europe and other territories): http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/0410484/details.html Information about the work and materials for hire: http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/work/14475
Score begins on the next page.
Novello & Co Limited Part of the Music Sales Group
JOHN McCABE
SPIELEND For Two Violins (2003) VIOLIN 1 Duration: c. 15 minutes
COMPOSER'S NOTE Spielend for two violins was written during the summer and early autumn of 2003, and is based on the idea of the two instruments not only playing the instruments but also playing in the sense of sport, i.e. playing their themes off against each other and playing with the musical material. There are times, for instance, when they seem to be having a contest to see who can finish the themes first, or who can divert the other’s attention to a new texture or rhythm. The title, the German word for “playing”, also refers in a way to the composer himself exploring the themes, harmonies and rhythms – particularly notable in this respect is the large central slow section, which contrasts two altered reminiscences of the Violin Sonata of Poulenc (a composer whose music is very dear to me) with the gradual expansion of a fugue from two parts to eight (four in each violin). Fugue, after all, is in a sense an example of a composer making sport, however seriously, with the themes. So the work is a kind of extended musical pun, lasting about fifteen minutes in all and being performed without a break. Though the central section is slow, the outer ones are quick and energetic, emphasizing especially the idea of activity and vigour – the ending, however, may catch the unwary listener by surprise. The first performance was given by Philippa Mo and Peter Sheppard Skærved in Leighton House, London, on 7th May, 2004. John McCabe
VIOLIN 1
2
For Philippa Mo
f
SPIELEND for two violins
Allegro vigoroso q = 132
Violin 1
Violin 2
f
5
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vln 2
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vln 2
marcato
marcato
11
13
Vln 1
9
Vln 1
JOHN McCABE 2001-2
(f)
(f)
© 2004 Novello & Company Limited
rev. 20.05.04
7
VIOLIN 1
Vln 1
p
Vln 2
mf
p
mf
113
mf
p
p
Moderato q = 72
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vln 1
Vln 2
117
"white" sound senza vib.
123
pp legato "white" sound senza vib. pp
nat. vib.
mp
Vln 2
135
Vln 1
Vln 2
p
espress.
129
Vln 1
p
nat. vib. mp
VIOLIN 1
Vln 1
198
p
Vln 2
pp mf
mp
mf
203
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vln 1
208 dim.
mf
212
Vln 1
Vln 2
f
f
ff
Vln 2
dim. ff
(mf)
p
mf
dim.
11
nat. dim.
p
mp
mf
17
VIOLIN 1
308
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vln 2
Vln 1
(p)
p
312
316
Vln 1
nat.
320
p cresc. poco a poco
Vln 2
p cresc. poco a poco
Vln 1
324
f
Vln 2
sul G
f
vigoroso
19
VIOLIN 1
347 pizz. arco 350 arco 353
pizz.
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vln 1
Vln 2
357
Vln 1
Vln 2
361
Vln 1
Vln 2
364
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vln 2
367
Vln 1
ff
ff
gliss.
pp
gliss.
pp