String Quartet No.3

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Vivian!Fung!!(2013)! ! ! !

String!Quartet!No.!3!! ! ! ! !

Co#commissioned+by+++ the+Canadian+Broadcasting+Corporation+and+The+Banff+Centre+ for+the+11th+Banff+International+String+Quartet+Competition+ August+26#Sept.+1,+2013+ + + + +

vivianfung

+

Program'Note' ' Vivian'Fung:''String'Quartet'No.'3'(2013)' Duration:**Around*11*minutes* ' This*work*revolves*around*a*chant*that*is*first*realized*in*full*about*a*minute*into* the*piece.**Evoking*non?Western*song,*the*chant*is*announced*by*the*entire*quartet,* highly*ornamented,*powerful,*and*tuned*to*suggest*the*microtonal*tendencies*found* in*many*non?Western*scales.***My*recent*reflections*on*faith*and*spirituality*come*to* life*in*this*quartet*as*a*world*of*varied*prayers,*sometimes*turbulent,*sometimes* passionate,*sung*to*oneself*or*among*a*crowd.**** * Hushed,*ambiguous*chords*start*the*piece*and*then*crescendo*and*surge*into*fast* wispy*harmonics.**The*harmonics*gradually*morph*and*descend*into*immense* arpeggiated*chords*euphorically*hailing*the*arrival*of*the*main*melody.**The*chant* undergoes*a*series*of*transformations,*from*heterophonic*passages*in*which*the* quartet*acts*as*four*disparate*voices,*at*times*wailing*and*intense;*through*trilled* versions*of*the*melody*with*virtuosic*accompaniments;*and*finally*into*a*chaconne,* a*four*note*repeated*harmonic*figure*that*allows*for*fluid,*quasi?improvisational,* anguished*renditions*of*the*chant.**The*chaconne*is*repeatedly*interrupted,*at*first* nostalgically,*then*more*and*more*abruptly,*by*material*that*recalls*former* passages.**The*work*ends*quietly*with*harmonics*and*a*sense*of*uncertainty* lingering*in*the*air.*** * ~*Vivian*Fung* * * * Notes'for'Performers* * General*Notes:* • As*a*result*of*tight*spacing*issues,*some*glissando*markings*are*indicated* only*as*a*line*connecting*two*notes.*** * Brief*Analysis** • m.*1*?*m.*10*–*Introduction* • m.*11*?*m.*24to*24*–*Transition* • m.*25*?*m.*29*–*Main*Arpeggio*section* • m.*30*?*m.*48*?*Full*Chant* • m.*49*?*m.*69*?*Heterophonic*Chant*I* • m.*70*?*m.*76*?*Development*of*Chant*with*arpeggiated*figures* • m.*77*?*m.*84*–*Heterophonic*Chant*II*culminating*with*scherzando*bowing* figures** • m.**85*?*m.*94*?*Reprise*of*Arpeggio*Section*and*Transition* • m.*95*?*m.*134*?*Chaconne*with*interruptions***

* Performance*Notes* m.*1*?*m.*10** Two*phrases,*m.*1*?*m.*5*and*m.*6*?*m.*10,*are*outlined*by*the*Chaconne*bass*in*the* bottom*notes*of*the*cello,*first*original*pitches,*then*semitone*lower.**The*chords* should*fade*in*and*out*of*each*other,*so*the*effect*is*seamless*towards*each* fortissimo*apex.*** * m.*11*?*m.*24** Quartet*should*act*as*one*overall*unit,*with*the*idea*of*a*general*descent*and*cresc.* to*m.*25** * m.*30*?*m.*48** Intense,*earthy,*dig*into*strings.**I*have*purposefully*scored*sections*to*increase*the* dissonance,*so*the*players*should*accentuate*the*harmonic*clashes.**As*much* quivering*and*“beating”*as*possible,*more*along*the*lines*of*non?Western/middle* Eastern*tuning.*** During*the*A1Piacere*and*headless*note*sections,*the*start*and*end*points*should*be* coordinated,*but*the*music*in*between*should*be*free*and*not*coordinated.*** * m.*49*?*m.*69** Each*player*should*be*“singing”*his/her*line*independently*of*the*others*starting*m.* 56.***With*the*“wailing”*phrases*(e.g.*m.*57*?*m.*59*of*viola),*attack*the*initial*note* and*then*spend*as*much*time*through*the*glissando*as*possible.*** * m.*70*?*m.*76* The*trills*in*this*section*are*similar*to*m.*30*?*m.*48:*as*much*quivering*as*possible.** * m.*77*?*m.*84* Heterophony*is*similar*to*m.*49*?*m.*69.**In*the*bowing*pattern*first*found*in*Vln.*2* m.*78,**staccati*should*be*as*short*as*possible.**m.*81*?*m.*84,*staccati*as*short*as* possible.** * m.**94*?*m.*134* The*tempo*of*the*Chaconne*line*is*constant*at*q=52*throughout*this*entire*section.** Everything*else*ebbs*and*flows*around*this*fixed*line.**Treat*the*boxed*passages*m.* 99*?*m.*115*freely*and*with*much*expressiveness.***Start*boxed*sections*where* indicated*–*passages*may*end*more*quickly*than*aligned*with*Chaconne*notes* m.*128*?*new*tempo*of*violin*I*and*vla*should*be*coordinated*between*players.** *

Co-commssioned by CBC and The Banff Centre

String Quartet No. 3

Vivian Fung (2013)

Introduction q = 69 Violin I

Violin II

Viola

Violoncello

6 4

ppp

6 4

ppp

6 4 6 4

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf

pp

ppp

ppp

pp

pp

pp

mf

pp

mf

pp

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

6 poco a poco stringendo

ff

f

p

p

ff

ff

f

p

ff

6 4

pp non cresc.

6 4

pp non cresc.

6 4

pp non cresc.

6 4

pp non cresc.

11

p

Seamless Waves q = 80

6 4 6 4 6 4 6 4

unmeasured

ff

p

pp unmeasured

ff

ff

p

unmeasured

pp

pp

p unmeasured

ff

p Copyright Š 2013 Vivian Fung All Rights Reserved SOCAN/ASCAP

pp

3 sul E

14 ppp

ppp

7

7

7

7

7

7

sul A

15

7

7

7

7

sul A 6

ppp

7

7

6

6

7

7

6

6

sul D

sul A

ppp

16

7

7

7

7

6

6

6

sul D

6

4

17

ord.

7

sul D

7

7

7

7

6

6

7

6 6

sul D

sul D

6

6

18

pp

pp

pp (sul D)

pp

19 3

6 6

3

3

3

6

6 6

6

5

20 3

3

cresc. poco a poco

5

5

cresc. poco a poco

5

5

6

6

6

cresc. poco a poco

5

5

6

6

6

cresc. poco a poco

21

5

5

5

5

6

5

5

6

6

6

6

6 6

6 6

6

6

6

22

5

5 6

6

6

6

5

5

6

5 6

5 6

6

6

23

5

5

5

5

5

5

6

6

6

6

6

6

poco rit.

24

(all half step higher)

(all half step higher)

(all half step higher)

(all half step higher)

25

A Tempo - Euphoric

ff

9

9

7

7

9

9

7

7

ff

ff

6

6 5

ff

6 5

6 5

5

7

26

9

9

7

7

6

27

5

6

5

9

9

9

9 7

7

9

7

6

28

5

6

5

7

9

7

6

5

6

5

7

6

5

6

5

5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4

8

poco rit. Intense and Passionate q = 84 29

(all half step)

5 4

3

5 4

3

5 4

3

7 4

fff

7 4 7 4

fff

5 4

6

(all half step)

(qtr. tone) gliss.

6

(qtr. tone)

no trill

gliss.

fff 3

(qtr. tone) gliss.

7 4

6

(all half step)

6

(qtr. tone)

fff

32

(no tr.)

6

(no tr.)

(gliss. ends on downbeat)

6

6

(no tr.)

6

a piacere start much slower and accel. do not sync accel. together

A Tempo

35 3

3

6

3

p

gliss.

3

6

3

3

p gliss.

3 3

3

6

3 3

p

3 6

p

9

37 pp

3

3

3

pp

pp

pp

6 4 6 4

3 3

6 4 6 4

3

ppp

ppp

3

ppp

3 3

3

ppp

A Piacere - start much slower and accel. - ca. 8 sec. - do not sync together 41

gliss.

gliss.

gliss.

gliss.

gliss.

gliss.

gliss.

gliss.

42

A Piacere - do not sync together

6 4

pp

gliss.

6 4 6 4

gliss.

gliss.

6 4

gliss.

gliss.

A Tempo

f

6 4

gliss.

ff

6 4

pp ff

6 4

pp ff

6 4 ff

pp

6 4

gliss.

6 4

gliss.

6 4

gliss.

LH slap

4 4

LH slap

4 4

LH slap

4 4

LH slap

4 4

f

f

6 4 f

gliss.

10

45

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

3q ppp

cresc. poco a poco 3q

ppp

cresc. poco a poco 3q

ppp

cresc. poco a poco

ppp

cresc. poco a poco

47

6 4 fff

6 4 fff

6 4 6 4

fff

fff

49 Heterophonic Chant

sul tasto

unmeasured

pp sotto voce

3

p sotto voce

p sotto voce

3

3

sul tasto

pp sotto voce

3

11

53

ord.

mp

3

6

56

3q

ad libitum

mp

ord.

3

mf 3

3

3

gliss.

gliss.

mf wailing ord.

3

mp

59 3

3 3

3

mf

gliss. mf gliss.

3

mf wailing

gliss.

3

12

ad libitum

61

3

2q

ad libitum

2q

gliss. wailing

gliss.

5

3

gliss.

gliss.

2q

ad libitum

63 3

f

f

3

gliss.

3

3

3

gliss.

3

gliss.

3

f

65

gliss.

gliss.

3

wailing

3 3

gliss. f

gliss.

gliss.

gliss.

13

67

ord.

ord.

ord.

gliss.

gliss.

gliss.

ord.

3

q = 80

69 p

pp

pp

(all half step)

pp

p

(all half step)

pp p

71

p

p

mp

mp

3

3

3

3

14

72

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3 3

3 3

3

3

73

mf

f

f

mf

f

74 f

ff

ff

3

3

3

3

15

75

4 4 4 4

3

4 4

3

4 4

76

4 4 4 4 4 4

6 4

6

3

6 4

6

3

6 4

mf

mf

mf

4 4

6 4 mf

78

3

gliss.

16 ad libitum

79 3

3

2q

3

80

6

3

6

81 3 6

6

p 6

6

6

p

p

6

6

6

mf

17

82 p 6

6 6

6

83 cresc. poco a poco

cresc. poco a poco

cresc. poco a poco

cresc. poco a poco

84

6

6

6

6 6

6

18

85

9

f

9

9

9

7

7

9

9

7

7

ppp 7

7

ppp

f

ppp f

6

6

5

6

5

6

5

6

5

6

5

ppp

87

9

molto

molto

7 4 7 4

molto

5

f 9

7 4

7 4 molto

9

7 4

6 4 ff 7

7 4

7

7

9

9

9

9

7

7

7

7

6 4

ff

7 4

6 4 ff

7 4

6 5

6 5

6 5

ff

88

6 4 6 4 6 4 6 4

unmeasured

pp

unmeasured

pp

unmeasured

pp unmeasured pp

6 5

6 5

6 5

6 5

6 4