Commissioned by The Tanglewood Music Center and the Fromm Foundation
Ariel Ascending (1995)
Christopher Theofanidis
I. begins with a breath; gliding effortlessly (e = 160-180)
con sord.
Violin I
pp
Violin II
con sord.
mp
pp
mp
con sord. pizz.
Viola
con sord. Violoncello
pp
pp
mp
pp
pp
pp
pp
mp
A 4 mf
mf
p
arco
mf
7
p
mf
pizz.
p
mf
mf
p
sfz
mp
p
p
sfz
(pizz.)
Copyright © 1995
mf
mf
p
p
p
p mf
p
p
B
f
f
mf
p
p
mf
mp
p
mf
mf
p
p
mf
p
2 10 mf p mf mf
mf
arco
pizz.
gliss.
mf
C
13
f p p
f
pp
16
mp
mf
mp
pp
pp
senza sord.
pp
pp
mf
senza sord.
pp
senza sord.
pp
arco
pp
mf
D writhing ff ff
mf
pp
(2+2+3)
sffz
ff
ff
senza sord.
sffz
ff
20
3
sffz
ff
gliss.
gliss.
gliss.
(2+2+2+3)
gliss.
gliss.
sffz
sffz
gliss.
sffz
sffz
28
gliss.
gliss.
gliss.
(2+2+2+3)
24
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz
E ff
ff
gliss.
ff
ff
gliss.
3
3
4
33
gliss.
gliss.
F faster ff 38
ff
pp
ff
pp
ff
f
ff
f
ff
f
ff
41
5
G 45
f
f
f
f
53
ff
ff
ff
H heaving, out of breath
ff
49
6
58
fff
fff
I
63
67
fff
fff
J
pizz.
pp
pp
arco
pizz.
mf
pp
mf
p
mf pp
arco
pp
mf pizz.
mf
pp
7
mf
mf
pp
pp
mf
mf
f
pp
pp
arco
f
pp
mf
pizz. pp
K
71
pp
f
pp
mf
mf
pp
pp
pp
pp
mf
arco
p
pp
pp
mf
mp
mp
mp
mf
pp
pp
mf
pp
mf
L
pp
mf
pp
79
p
mf
pp
75
pp
arco
mf
pizz.
p
mp
mp
8
83
f
pp
pp
f
f
f
f
f
pp
f
f
M 86
89
f
f
f
pizz.
f
mf
f
f
p
p
p
p
arco
f
f
f
f
f
f
p
9
93
p
p
p
N bell-like senza vib. 97
mf
senza vib. mf
pp
pp mf
mf
pp
pp mf
pp
mf
mf
mf
pp
pp
mf
mf
mf
pp
mf
mf
mf
pp mf
pp
mf
pp
pp mf
pp mf
mf
mf
101
pizz.
pp
mf arco
sfz
O f
f
pp mf
pp mf
pp
pp
mf
p
senza vib.
pp
pp
mf
mf
pp
f
pp mf
pp
pizz.
mf
pp mf
mf
f
pp
mf
pp mf
ff
pp
arco senza vib.
sfz
ff
ff
l.h. pizz.
f
pp
10
105
f
l.h. pizz.
arco
f
109
pp
f
pp
f
f
f
pp
pp
112
ff
ff
f
gliss.
f
P
gliss.
pp
arco f
pp
sffz
ff
ff
pp sffz
pp
ff
pp
ff
sffz
ff
sffz
ff
pp
pp
pp
pp
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz
116
sffz
ff
sffz
ff
pp
ff
pp
ff
pp
sffz
ff
pp
sffz
Q 119
sffz
ff
pp
ff
pp
sffz
arco
sffz
sffz
sffz
p
p
124
pp
pizz.
sffz
pp
ff
pizz.
sffz
sffz
p
sffz
sffz
sffz
sffz
pp
arco
ff
sffz
ff sffz sffz
sffz
pp
ff
11
p
sffz
pp
pp
mf
p
p
pp
p
arco pizz.
p
pp
p
pp
pp
12
129
p
p
ppp
ppp
ppp
ppp
ppp
ppp
ppp
ppp
S
n.
pristine, unaffected
ppp
pp
140
p
134
pp
R
13
145
ppp
155
n.
p
gliss. p
p
mf
p
p
languid
pp
(with l.h. fingernail)
pp
mp
T
n.
150
mp
p
14
160
ff
f ff f ff gli f ss.
ff
ff
ff
ff
ff
U
164
pp
p
mp
pp
mp
p
p
f
f
mf 170
mf
p
p
p
f
mf
p
mf
p
mf
pizz.
p f p f
mp
p
f
ff
f
f
f
arco
p
mp
f
15
174
178
p
ff
pizz.
f
ff
ff
ff
mp
mf
mp
p
f
mf
mp
181
ff
W arco
p
p
f
mf
ff
gliss.
V
p
p
mf
mf
p mf
p mf
mf
p mf
p
p mf
p mf
p mf
p mf
p mf
p mf
p mf
p
p mf
p
16
X 185
mf
p
mp
p
mp
p
mf
mf
mf
mf
190
f
gliss.
gliss.
Y
f
ff
ff
f
mp
188
mp
ff
ff
17
193
Z
gliss.
faster
196
ff
ff
198
ff
ff
sfz
18 200
f
205
gliss.
ff
202
AA 208
19 wild, distorted
gliss.
213
gliss.
217
20
221
fff
fff
fff
fff
226
add mute
231
pizz.
mf
mf
pp
pizz.
p
mf
mf
p
p
mf
add mute
add mute
pp
arco
ff
BB
add mute
arco
pizz.
p
mf
mf
21
235
pp
pp
mp
pp
p
arco
pp
239
pp
pp
pp
n.
ppp
ppp
n.
n.
n.
22 II. Fleeting, delicate q = 60
1
con sord. pizz. sffz
con sord. jété
pp
ff
con sord.
con sord.
6
sffz
ff
pp
A (pizz.)
sffz jété
pp
ff
(pizz.) 11
p
p
p (still agitated)
arco
pp
pp
pp
mp
f
sffz
pp
pp
3
pp
23
15
B
pizz.
arco
pp
p
20
pp
pp
24
f
pp
pp
pp
24
C
28
n.
n.
pp
n.
ff jété
ff
pp
ff
pp
pp
ff
37
pp
D
mp
mp
pp
f
pp
mp
pp
jété
33
pp
6
6
pp
6
25
42
p
p
E
47
51
pp
via sord.
via sord.
via sord.
ppp
via sord.
26
III. Exuberant, brilliant (q = 180-240)
1 (e =e) sffpp
ff
sffpp
ff
sffpp ff pizz.
7
sffpp
arco
f
pizz. arco
arco
f
f
pizz.
p
f
f
arco
p
f
f
p
mp
ff
p
pizz.
A
pizz.
ff
mf
f
gliss.
p
f
ff
mf
pizz.
f
mp
arco
12
arco p
pizz.
p
p
f
pizz.
f
f
p
p
f
ff
f
27
17
B
arco
22
arco
f
gliss.
f
p p
27
mf
C ff sub.
arco
mf
f
ff
mp
gliss.
f
ff sub. f ff sub.
gliss.
mf
f
pizz.
ff
p
f
f
p
f
mf
mp
f
gliss.
f
mf
f
28
32
ff
pizz. arco gliss. gliss.
38
arco
3
3
ff pizz.
ff
pizz.
ff
f
ff
p
f
f
D
arco
ff
ff arco
E
ff
44
ff
ff
ff
ff
gliss.
gliss.
gliss.
sffpp
sffpp
ff
ff
p
ff
ff
sffpp ff sffpp
ff
ff
pizz.
mp
f
29
49
f
sffpp
sffpp pizz. arco p f pizz. arco f
56
F
f
mp
ff
mp
p
cresc.
cresc. poco a poco
sffpp
poco a poco
f
sffpp
f
sffpp
f
p
f
f
sffpp
pp
ff
60
G
ff ff ff
ff
30
64
pizz.
f
mp
f
arco
f
pizz.
pp
f
arco
f
f
f
f
pizz.
f
f
69
H
75
3
3
sffpp
3 3 gliss. mp 3 3
f
sffpp
f
I arco f
f
31
81
gliss.
mp
mf
pizz.
f
arco
86
gliss. gliss.
gliss.
f
f
mp
mf
ff
mp
pp
ff
ff
ff
J 90
ff
32
K 97
sffpp
sffpp
sffpp
ff
ff
L
gliss. f
ff
f
p
f
ff
sffpp
pp
pp
ff
pp
ff
pp
ff
ff
p
p
pp
ff
pp
ff
ff
ff
ff
f
ff
sffpp
sffpp gliss.
p
ff
102
107
pp
p
p
ff
33
114
M
pizz.
3
121
p
3
arco
ff
3
N
arco
f
ff
pizz.
f
ff
mf
mf
mp
pp
pp mf ff p mp pp
ff
126
ff
ff
p
3
ff
p
mp
pp
pp
f
mf
f
34
132
mf
mf
138
pp
pp
mp
pp
mp
pp
144
pp
mp
pp
mp
pp
mp
pp
mp
pp
mp
mp
mp
pp
pp
pp
p
p
mp
mp
mp
p
mp
pizz.
pizz. mp
arco
p
p
mp
pp mp mp mp gliss. gliss.
p
pp
mp
arco
p
arco gliss.
pp
pizz.
p
gliss.
mf
O
p
pizz.
3
3
3
3
arco
mf
mf
mf
mf
pp
mp
pp
pp
mp
pp
gliss.
pp
pp
gliss.
pp
pp
35
P 150
mp
mp
mp
mf
mp
arco
pp
f
f
mf
f
p
sffp
sffp
pp f f f sffp pizz. f
f
f
162
f
sffp
Q
f
pp
mp arco
pp
mp
pp
pp
pp
pp
sffp
pp
mf
pp
mp
mf
mf
pp
p
pizz.
mf
157
mp mf pp
mp
f
f
f
sffp
f
sffp
f
f
f
pp
pp
pp
36
170
pizz.
f
R
f
arco
f
f
f
p
mp
p
183
arco
pp
p
pp
p
pp
p
p
mp
p
p
p
p pp mf mp p mp p pp mp
pp
f
pizz.
f
177
mp mp
pp
p
37
189
mf
S
f
pp sub.
pp sub. f mf sub. pp pp mf mp p f pizz. mp
195
p sub.
mf
pp
pp
mp
p
cresc. poco a poco
200
mp
mf
f
(pizz.)
f
arco
f
ff
f
T
f
ff
ff
38
206
f
pizz.
f
f
ff
U
213
f
ff
ff
f
ff
f
ff
ff
arco
sffp
ff
ff
V 219
f
f pizz. f pizz. arco f
f
39 226
arco gliss. pizz. arco
233
q. = q
ff ff ff pizz. ff
W 239
pp
pp
ff
mp
ff 3
mp
pp
ff
arco
3
mp
pp ff
ff
pp
ff
40
243
pp
ff
pp mp ff mp ff mp ff
pp mp
ff
ff
ff
3
3
3
mp
ff
247
ff
f mp
f
mp
f
f
251
p
mp
mp
mf
mp
mp mf mp mf pizz. mp
pizz.
mp
p
mf
mp
mp
mf
arco
mf
pizz.
41 257
262
f
267
p
f
arco
p
f
f
p
f p arco
f
arco
gliss.
f
X
p f
p
pizz.
ff
f
p p f f ff p p f f f
ff
ff mf p
pizz. f
arco
f
ff
ff
f
p
ff
ff
42 272
p
f
f
p
f
p
ff
p
f
f p p f ff
277 ff
f ff
sffpp
ff
ff
f
p
sffp
ff
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
Y
283
ff
ff
43
287
mp
292
296
mf
cresc. poco a poco
Z
cresc. poco a poco
ff
ff
ff
ff
3
3
3
44
302
307
fff
fff
fff
fff