OLIVER KNUSSEN
Requiem Songs for Sue for soprano and fifteen players Op. 33 (2005–06)
FULL SCORE
© 2009 by Faber Music Ltd First published in 2009 by Faber Music Ltd Bloomsbury House 74–77 Great Russell Street London WC1B 3DA Music processed by Richard Emsley Printed in England by Caligraving Ltd All rights reserved ISBN10: 0-571-53143-1 EAN13: 978-0-571-53143-1 Permission to perform this work in public must be obtained from the Society duly controlling performing rights unless there is a current licence for public performance from the Society in force in relation to the premises at which the performance is to take place. Such permission must be obtained in the UK from Performing Right Society Ltd, 29–33 Berners Street, London W1P 4AA.
Requiem – Songs for Sue was commissioned for MusicNOW, the new music chamber series of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and was written for Claire Booth to sing The first performance was given by Claire Booth and musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the composer, in Orchestra Hall, Chicago as part of the MusicNOW series, on 3 April 2006
To buy Faber Music publications or to find out about the full range of titles available please contact your local music retailer or Faber Music sales enquiries: Faber Music Limited, Burnt Mill, Elizabeth Way, Harlow, CM20 2HX England Tel: +44 (0)1279 82 89 82 Fax: +44 (0)1279 82 89 83
[email protected] fabermusic.com
TEXTS 1 Is it true, dear Sue? Of whom so dear The name to hear Illumines with a Glow – As intimate – as fugitive – As Sunset on the snow – On such a night, or such a night … On such a dawn, or such a dawn – Would anybody sigh That such a cherish’d figure Too sound asleep did lie … So quiet – Oh how quiet … As quiet as the Dew – she dropt As softly as a star – For what are stars but Asterisks To point a human life? I see thee better – in the Dark – I do not need a light – But spill the dew And take the moon – And choose this single star From out the wide night’s numbers – Sue – for evermore! from poems of Emily Dickinson
2 I Cuando murió su amada pensó en hacerse viejo en la mansión cerrada, solo, con su memoria y el espejo donde ella se miraba un claro día. Como el oro en el arca del avaro, pensó que guardaría todo un ayer en el espejo claro. Ya el tiempo para él no correría.
I When his beloved died he thought he’d grow old in the closed-up mansion alone with his memories and the mirror which she had looked into one clear day. Like the gold in a miser’s chest he thought to hold onto the past in the clear mirror. Time, for him, would pass no more.
II Mas pasado il primer aniversario, ¿cómo eran – preguntó – , pardos o negros, sus ojos? ¿Glaucos? … ¿Grises? ¿Cómo eran, ¡Santo Dios!, que no recuerdo?…
II But after the first anniversary had passed Were they – he asked himself – brown or black, her eyes? Green? … Grey? How were they, Holy God? Don’t I remember? …
III Salió a la calle un día de primavera, y paseó en silencio su doble luto, el corazón cerrado … De una ventana en el sombrío hueco vio unos ojos brillar. Bajó los suyos y siguió su camino … ¡Como ésos!
III Setting out on the street one day in spring, in silence he carried his double loss, his heart closed … From a window in a dark hollow he saw a flash of eyes. Lowering his glance He continued his walk … Like those!
Antonio Machado (‘Los ojos’)
3 Time will say nothing but I told you so, Time only knows the price we have to pay; If I could tell you I would let you know. If we should weep when clowns put on their show, If we should stumble when musicians play, Time will say nothing but I told you so. There are no fortunes to be told, although, Because I love you more than I can say, If I could tell you I would let you know. The winds must come from somewhere when they blow, There must be reasons why the leaves decay; Time will say nothing but I told you so. Perhaps the roses really want to grow, The vision seriously intends to stay; If I could tell you I would let you know. Suppose the lions all get up and go, And all the brooks and soldiers run away; Will Time say nothing but I told you so? If I could tell you I would let you know. W. H. Auden Used by permission of Curtis Brown, Ltd. ‘If I Could Tell You’ by W. H. Auden. Copyright © 1945. All rights reserved.
4 Bist du noch da? In welcher Ecke bist du? – Du hast so viel gewusst von alledem und hast so viel gekonnt, da du so hingingst für alles offen, wie ein Tag, der anbricht …
Are you still there? In what corner are you? – You knew so much of all these things could do so much, as you went forth open for everything, like a day, which dawns.
from Rainer Maria Rilke (‘Requiem for a friend’)
translation by Alexander Goehr used by kind permission
INSTRUMENTATION Flute Alto Flute 2 Clarinets in B b Bass Clarinet 2 Horns in F Percussion (1 player): Marimba and Tam-tam
Harp Piano (= Celesta) 2 Violas 2 Cellos Double bass
The score is notated in C Instrumental parts available on hire from the publishers Duration: approximately 13 minutes
SUGGESTED SEATING PLAN Perc. Hn. 2 Hn. 1 Pno.
Bs. Cl.
Cel.
Va. 2
Cl. 2 Hp.
Va. 1
Cl. 1
Vlc. 2
Fl.
Vlc. 1
A.Fl.
Db. Voice
Dir.
Requiem I
q = 80c.
Flute
*
Alto Flute
1
Bass Clarinet
*
ff *
*
1
Horns
2
MARIMBA
Percussion
*
ff
f
ff
Piano
3
3
pp
lunga
pp lunga
ff
ff
3
ff
Eb Fb Gb A§ Bb C§ Db
Harp
3
3
3
3
3
ff
3
3
3
f
lunga sffz
lunga
sffz
ff lunga
ff
f
ff
3
3
ff
fltr.
sffz lunga
fltr.
pp
ff
lunga
pp lunga
sffz
lunga
3
3
ff
sffz
3
3
*
medium hard mallets
3
*
ff
lunga
3
3
OLIVER KNUSSEN Op.33
sffz
ff breathy tone *
Clarinets 2
Songs for Sue
from Emily Dickinson
3
table
ff
E§ D#
ord.
3
ff
Voice
Is
it true,
q = 80c.
1
*
2
dear
Violas
*
* 1
Violoncelli
2
Doublebass
ff *
*
Sue?
ff
Is
it
lunga
3
o
true,
3
3
* Bars 1–17: all notes marked with or staccato dot to be extremely short, regardless of note-values. Copyright © 2009 Faber Music Ltd.
3
Sue?
3
ff
3
lunga
p
lunga sffz
lunga
3
lunga
sffz
3
ff furioso, sulla corda
sffz
lunga
p
ff
ff
3
3
ff
3
3
mf
2
Fl.
A. Fl.
1
B. Cl.
Hn.
2
o
f o
3
sfz
3
f
p
3
3
sfz
3
3
3
3
3
3
mf pesante
mf pesante
3
mf pesante
sfp
mf pesante
sfz
f
3
sfz
mf
3
3
3
3
sfz
f
sfz
3
mf pesante
sfz
3
sfz
3
mf
3
f
Voice
3
mf
3
(ord.)
sfz
Hp.
3
sfz
3
3
3
mf
mf
f
(table)
sfz
f
sfz
sfp
f
3
sfz
mf
sfz
3
sfz
Pno.
Mar.
Perc.
f
f
sfz
sfz
1
5
f
sfz
Cl. 2
f
4
1
Vas. 2
Vlc. 2
ff furioso, sulla corda
Db.
sfz
ff
5
sffz
5
sfz
1
mf
sffz
f
3
3
3
3
3
p
ff
f
3
fp
3
sfmf
f
3
f
f
mf
