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Muhly, Nico Stabat Mater Dolorosa
Score for sale (North America): https://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.action?itemid=14048269 Score for sale (UK, Europe and other territories): http://www.musicroom.com/se/id_no/01126564/details.html?kbid=1296 Information about the work and materials for hire: http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/work/45853
Chester Music Limited Part of the Music Sales Group
Commissioned by the Kaufman Center with funds from the National Endowment for the Arts for performance at Merkin Hall. The work’s premiere performance was given on Thursday 27 May 2010 by SIGNAL, Brad Lubman conducting. Duration: c. 12 minutes
COMPOSER’S NOTE My Stabat Mater is a very simply-constructed piece of music. I knew I wanted to write a duet, a piece of religious music, and something to go along with a bit of Birtwistle. My initial instinct was to base the piece on drones, as Birtwistle’s music has so very many notes, but then I decided that an austere but ecstatic approach was the best to fill a coherent evening. I asked my friend Craig Lucas to paraphrase the Stabat Mater text—which describes the Virgin Mary weeping at the foot of the cross on which her son is crucified. The piece is organized by separating each phrase of the text with a moment of silence, with the exception of the last three, which are joined with a frenzied chorale with improvised dynamics from the harp, winds and strings. NICO MUHLY 2010
TEXT Standing fast beside the cross where hangs her son, The sword must pierce her own grieving heart: Such anguish, sorrow, piercing Our Blessed Mother Who weeps and trembles, watching the torment of her Only Child. Who would not weep watching Her? Who could not weep at such a sight? Who would not feel their own heart suffer with Hers? For all of our sins, She watches Jesus writhe in pain, Watches her sweet boy dying, forsaken, God’s Only Begotten. A mother’s fountain of love fills my heart. Grant my heart the gift of Her sorrow. May it burn and drive the wounds of Christ deep into me. Let me weep with Her as long as I may live! Let me bleed, drunk with His pain, love for His sacrifice! Let me stand and share Her grief! Let us be one in anguish! Let me bear the death of Christ, His passion in me. Light me on fire! I stand fast with Mother and Child come Judgement! Let me be the cross, armed with Christ’s dying breath! When my body dies, admit my soul to paradise! © 2010 Craig Lucas
STABAT MATER DOLOROSA translated by Craig Lucas
Soprano
Slowly, Lilting q = 86
3 4
sempre mp
Stand
Baritone
3 4
ing
fast
be
side
the
cross
where
hangs
sempre mp
Stand
Flute
Nico Muhly (2010)
ing
fast
be
side
the
cross
where
3 4 sempre p
Clarinet in Bb
3 4 sempre p
3 4 Harp
3 4
mp
Slowly, Lilting q = 86
Violin I
3 4
non vib., early music bowings; slight swells on each note
Viola
3 4
sim.
mp
Violoncello
3 4 mp
Copyright Š 2005 St Rose Publishing Co. and Chester Music Limited.
rev. Sep 2016
2
9
mf
p
17
S.
her
son,
mf
mp
her
son,
p
4 4
B.
hangs
4 4
4 4
Fl.
ppp
4 4
Cl.
ppp
4 4 Hp.
4 4
17 Vn.
4 4
ppp
ord. Vla.
mf
p
mp
pp
4 4
ppp
pp
4 4
Vc.
ppp
pp
8
48
4 4 Hp.
4 4
sempre mp
saltando, gliss.
48
4 4
Vn.
saltando, gliss.
4 4
Vla.
6
6
sempre sf
6
6
sempre sf
4 4
Vc.
6
6
6
sempre sf
52
Hp.
6
6
6
Vn.
Vla.
6
6
6 6
Vc.
6
6
9
56
p, espress.
S.
Who
would
not
Hp.
56 6
6
6
Vn.
poco meno f Vla.
6
6
6
poco meno f
6
60 S.
weep,
watch
ing
Fl.
3
ppp poss. Cl.
ppp poss.
Hp.
6
6
6
Vn.
Vla.
6
6
6
6
18
127 h = 96
3 2
Fl.
3 2
Cl.
n
n
3 2 Hp.
3 2
sff
n
sff
sff
mp
l.h. always slightly marked
127 h = 96
3 2
Vn.
3 2
Vla.
n
sff
n
sff
3 2
Vc.
sff
n
sff
130 Fl.
n
2 2
2 2
3 2
2 2
2 2
3 2
2 2
2 2
3 2
2 2
2 2
3 2
2 2
2 2
3 2
2 2
2 2
3 2
2 2
sff
Hp.
Vn.
n
sff
n
sff
Vla.
Vc.
n
3 2
sff
Cl.
n
2 2
sff
19
134 Fl.
2 2
3 2 pp
Cl.
2 2
5
2 2 sff
pp
3 2 5
9 8 sff
3 2
2 2
9 8
2 2
3 2
2 2
9 8
9 8
p
Cl.
sff
2 2
138 Fl.
5
2 2 pp
Hp.
9 8
9 8
3 2 mf
3 2 mp
Hp.
9 8
3 2
9 8
3 2
24
189
191 mfz
S.
Let
B.
Fl.
Cl.
precise, with cello
Hp.
mp
191 Vn.
Vla.
precise, with harp Vc.
mp
25 196 mfz
193 S.
(t)
Let
sf
mp
B.
Fl.
Cl.
Hp.
196 Vn.
Vla.
Vc.
sf
mp
34
231 S.
9 8
me
B.
f
9 8
Let
Fl.
Cl.
9 8
9 8
9 8 Hp.
mf - aggressive
9 8
231 Vn.
9 8
mf
Vla.
f
p
mf
f
p
9 8 mf
Vc.
mf
9 8 mf - aggressive, marcatissimo
35
235 S.
weep
with
(slow 'l') B.
me
bleed,
Fl.
Cl.
Hp.
Vn.
cresc. poco a poco
Vla.
cresc. poco a poco
Vc.
39
gradually becoming more intense to 272 252
251
6 8
S.
Let
B.
9 8
me
stand
6 8
Cl.
Hp.
me
6 8
9 8
6 8
9 8
6 8
9 8
6 8
9 8
gradually becoming more intense to 272 Vn.
Vla.
Vc.
share
9 8 Let
Fl.
and
252
6 8
9 8
6 8
9 8
6 8
9 8 p
mf cresc. poco a poco
bleed,
46 285
q. = q
282
5 4
S.
G.P.
4 4
ff
*
3
me.
Light me on fire!
5 4
B.
4 4
ff
*
3
Her.
Light me on fire!
5 4
Fl.
4 4 ff - irregular tremolo, twitchy, unslurred
5 4
Cl.
4 4 ff - irregular tremolo, twitchy, unslurred
5 4 pp
Hp.
5 4
q. = q
5 4
Vn.
non dim.
5 4
5 4 hard cut-off
ff - irregular tremolo, twitchy, unslurred
285
G.P.
4 4 n
sfff
n
sfff
4 4
hard cut-off
Vc.
non dim.
4 4
hard cut-off
Vla.
non dim.
4 4
4 4 ff
*loosely repeat pattern, do not coordinate with conductor or other players, ecstatic swells
sfp
47
289
fff
291
ff
3 4
S.
I
fff
stand fast
with Moth er and Child come Judge ment!
ff
3 4
B.
I
stand fast
with Moth er and Child come Judge ment!
*
3 4
*
3 4
Fl.
3
ff
Cl.
3
ff
3 4 Hp.
3 4 sf
sf
sf 291
3 4
Vn.
sudden stop
3 4
Vla.
sudden stop
3 4
Vc.
f
ff
5
3
5
50
Slightly Slower q = 120 mf
305 S.
3 4
When
B.
my
mp, marcato
3 4
When
Fl.
3 4 sempre p
Cl.
mp
3 4 sempre p
3 4 Hp.
3 4
mp
l.v. sempre
Slightly Slower q = 120 305 Vn.
Vla.
Vc.
my
3 4
3 4
3 4
51
poco rit.
314
4 4
S.
bo
dy
dies,
4 4
B.
bo
dy
dies,
4 4
Fl.
p
ppp
4 4
Cl.
ppp
4 4 Hp.
p
mf
4 4
poco rit. Vn.
Vla.
Vc.
4 4
4 4
4 4
57
353 S.
3 2
4 4
3 2 dies,
B.
3 2 my
3 2
3 2
my
soul
to
mf
soul
to
pa
ra
3 2
dise!
4 4
3 2
5
Cl.
mit
4 4 mit
Fl.
ad
5
5
5
4 4
3 2 mf
3 2 Hp.
Vn.
Vla.
Vc.
4 4
3 2
4 4
3 2
4 4
3 2
4 4
3 2
4 4
3 2 p
3 2
control swells within indicated dynamics
*
mp - mf
*
control swells within indicated dynamics
mp - mf
3 2
3 2 mfp
* choose any pitch, gently swell; move to another pitch and repeat etc.
3 2
58
357 S.
3 2
mf
4 4
pa
B.
Fl.
ra
dise!
n
3 2
4 4
3 2
4 4 5
Cl.
3 2
pp
4 4 mf
3
3
3
pp
mp
3 2
Vn.
5
mp
3
Hp.
p
pp
4 4
3 2
4 4
3 2
4 4
pp
pp
Vla.
3 2
4 4 pp
Vc.
3 2
4 4 mfp
mfp