A Portfolio of Compositions Chris van Rhyn Presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music at Stellenbosch University Supervisor: Prof. Hans Roosenschoon March 2010
Declaration I hereby declare that the work contained in this portfolio is my own original work and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it at any university for a degree. Date: March 2010 Copyright 2010 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ii
Acknowledgements I would like to convey my gratitude to my supervisor, Prof. Hans Roosenschoon, for his critical and stimulating guidance and encouragement throughout the duration of this project. I would also like to thank Dr. Robert Fokkens (UK) for his notes on my string quartet as well as Mark Troop, Jonathan Truscott and Benn Hess of the Chamber Music Company (UK) and Dr. Hannes Taljaard (North West University, Potchefstroom) for their comments on the string trio versions of Glasblaser and Glasprater. I would also like to thank Hanli Stapela (Tshwane University of Technology/University of Pretoria) for her comments on my writing for voice. Finally, I would like to thank my friends and family, especially my parents Johnny and Sonja, for their unflinching faith in my abilities and their continual support and encouragement. Chris van Rhyn March 2010 iii
Contents A note on my notation of string parts 1 Compositions: In Paradisum for SATB choir 2 Droom for mezzo-soprano and piano: 11 Kuspad 14 Sy 17 Glasblaser 20 Glasprater 2 String trio arrangements from Droom: Glasblaser 26 Glasprater 0 Het Hom! for tenor saxophone 4 The beauty in sorrow for string quartet: 7 First Movement 40 Second Movement 49 Third Movement 54 Symphonata for orchestra: 61 First Movement 62 Second Movement 66 Third Movement 71 Fourth Movement 77 References 80 iv
A note on my notation of string parts String harmonics were notated on sounding pitch in the score, with realisations, where needed, appearing as a reference above or beneath the stave. Solid slurs in string parts indicate phrasing. Where specific bowing is indicated, dotted slurs are used to distinguish it from the phrasing indications. The exception to this is the string trio arrangements of Glasblaser and Glasprater, where solid slurs indicate bowing. 1
In Paradisum for SATB choir This piece explores the notion of paradise being a token of joy as well as fear and uncertainty. The road to paradise may be paved with pain and anxiety and the joy of paradise may lie in the retreat to a state of unconsciousness, rather than the popular idea of elaborate feasts and gold-paved streets. The words are as follows: In paradisum deducant te Angeli; in tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres, et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Ierusalem. Chorus angelorum te suscipiat, et cum Lazaro quondam paupere æternam habeas requiem. May angels lead you into Paradise; upon your arrival, may the martyrs receive you and lead you to the holy city of Jerusalem. May the ranks of angels receive you, and with Lazarus, the poor man, may you have eternal rest. (In Paradisum, 2008: online) 2
In Paradisum Chris van Rhyn Soprano 1 con rubato (bars 1-11) Alto In pa - ra - di - sum, in pa - ra - di - sum Tenor In pa-ra - di - - sum, in pa - ra - di - - - sum Bass S A 4 de-du-cant te an - ge - li, de - du-cant te an - ge - li, in pa-ra- T de - du-cant te an - ge - li, de-du - cant te an - ge - li, in pa-ra- B
S 7 A di - sum, in pa - ra - di - sum, in pa - ra - di - sum T di - sum, in pa - ra - di - - - - sum, in pa - ra - di - sum, in B In pa - ra - di - sum, in In tempo giusto S (9) A subito in pa- ra - di - sum, T pa - ra - di - sum, in pa- ra - di - - - - sum subito B pa - ra - di - sum, in pa- ra - di - - - sum, in pa - ra-di - sum pa - ra - di - sum, in pa- ra - di - - - sum, in pa - ra-di - sum 4
S A T B 12 de-du-cant te an - ge - li, de-du -cant te an - ge-li, in pa-ra - di - (bars12-40) de-du-cant te an - ge - li, de-du -cant te an - ge-li, in pa-ra - di - de - du-cant te an - ge - li, de - du - cant te an - ge-li in pa-ra - di - de - du-cant te an - ge - li, de - du - cant te an - ge-li in pa-ra - di - S 17 poco più mosso A T - sum, in pa - ra - di - sum. In tu - o su- - sum, in pa - ra - di - sum. In tu - o ad - ven - tu su- B - sum, - in pa - ra - di - - sum, in pa - ra-di - - sum. sum. 5 poco più mosso
S A T B 22 sci-pi- ant te mar - ty-res, in tu - o su - sci-pi-ant te mar - tyres, - subito sci-pi- ant te mar - ty-res, in tu - o su - sci-pi-ant te mar - tyres, - subito te mar - ty-res in tu - o su - sci-pi-ant te mar - ty-res, subito In tu - o ad - ven-tu su - sci-pi-ant te mar - ty-res, S 25 poco accelerando A T B mar - ty-res, mar - ty - res per -du-cant te in ci - vi-ta - tem mar - ty-res, mar - ty - res per -du-cant - te in ci - vi-ta - tem mar - ty - res, mar - ty - res et per -du-cant te in ci - vi-ta - tem, mar - ty - res, mar - ty - res et per -du-cant te in ci - vi-ta - tem, 6 poco accelerando
S 27 A T B per- du - cant te in ci - vi - ta - tem sanc - tam Ie - ru - sa-lem, per - du - cant te in ci - vi - ta - tem sanc - tam Ie - ru - sa-lem, et per - du - cant te in ci - vi - ta - tem sanc - tam Ie - ru - sa-lem, et per - du - cant te in ci - vi - ta - tem sanc - tam Ie - ru - sa-lem, S 29 ritardando a tempo A T sanc-tam Ie - ru-sa -lem, Ie - ru - sa - lem. Cho - rus an - ge - lo - sanc-tam Ie - ru-sa -lem, Ie - ru - sa - lem. Cho - rus an - ge - lo - rum rum B sanc-tam Ie - ru-sa -lem, Ie - ru - sa - lem. Cho - rus an - ge - lo - sanc-tam Ie - ru-sa -lem Ie - ru - sa - lem. Cho - rus an - ge - lo - ritardando a tempo 7 rum rum
S A T B te te su su te te - sci-pi-at, et cum La - za - ro quon-dam pau-pe -re ae - ter - nam - sci-pi-at, et cum La - za - ro quon-dam pau-pe -re ae - ter - nam su - sci-pi -at et cum La - za - ro quon-dam pau-pe -re ae -ter-nam su - sci-pi -at et cum La - za - ro quon-dam pau-pe -re ae -ter-nam S 8 con rubato (bars 41-5) A T B ha - be-as re - qui - em. In pa - ra - di - sum, in ha - be-as re - qui - em. In pa-ra - di - sum, in ha - be-as re - qui - em. In pa - ra - di - sum, in ha - be-as re - qui - em. 8
S A T B 4 pa - ra - di-sum de-du -cant te an - ge - li, de - du-cant te pa - ra - di - - - sum de - du-cant te an - ge - li, de-du - cant te pa - ra - di-sum de-du -cant te an - ge - li, de - du-cant te S A T 47 an - ge - li, in pa-ra - di - sum, in pa - ra - di - sum, an - ge - li, in pa-ra - di - sum, in pa - ra-di - - - sum, B an - ge - li, in pa-ra - di - sum, in pa - ra - di - sum, in In pa-ra - di - sum, in pa - ra - di - - - 9
S 50 perdendosi in pa-ra-di - - - sum, in pa - ra - di - - - sum. A perdendosi T in pa - ra-di - - - - sum. perdendosi B pa - ra-di - - - sum, in pa - ra - di - sum. perdendosi sum, in pa - ra-di - - - - sum. 10
Droom A song cycle for mezzo soprano and piano The text represents a nonsensical dream sequence. The music becomes more abstract as the dreamer moves into the deeper stages of the sleeping cycle and the dreams become more vivid, eventually revealing its meaning in the words ek het my wonde aan jou woorde bly tel (I kept measuring my wounds to the effect of your words). Unity in the work is created by the use of a single octatonic scale in the vocal line throughout (although enharmonic equivalents were employed where needed): The accompaniment consists of conventional chords in unconventional progressions and combinations, with more added notes in the accompaniment of each song signifying my aspiration to abstraction. String trio and soprano arrangements were created for a performance by the Chamber Music Company (UK) and the soprano Hanli Stapela. The endings of the voice and piano versions of Kuspad and Glasblaser were changed in hindsight to create a more balanced effect in the cycle as a whole these changes had not been made by the time the string trio version of Glasblaser had been performed and I have therefore left the string trio score of Glasblaser unchanged. The text, by Lou-Ann Stone, is as follows: Kuspad Op die rug van n swart kameel jaag ons windvlae na met wit lappe, flitslig, 11
bedags die ontsaglike son. Geanker in net die wind se rustelose rondwaai. Sy Die stoepkamer se lig brand, haar hare vleg vanself en soms knip sy haar oë met n stomp skêr wanneer niemand kyk nie. Glasblaser fakkels in die tuin sonder gras, net glas: geblaas deur my binneste, swel en bars na my buitenste Glasprater Die fakkels in jou hande bly brand soos glas in jou mond: ek het my wonde aan jou woorde bly tel. (Stone, 2008) Coastal road On the back of a black camel we chase squalls 12
with white cloths, torch light, during the day the imposing sun. Anchored in just the wind s restless jerking. She The porch room s light is on, her hair braids by itself and sometimes she blinks, cutting her eyes with blunt scissors when no one is looking. Glass-blower torches in the garden without grass, just glass: blown from within myself, swells and bursts to my exterior Glass-talker The torches in your hands keep burning like glass in your mouth: I kept measuring my wounds to the effect of your words. (The English translations are by the composer and have been approved by the poet.) 1
Kuspad Chris van Rhyn Mezzo-Soprano Mezzo Piano 5 5 Largo (pedal) Allegro Mezzo 10 10 rubato a tempo Op die rug van 'n 14
Mezzo 1 1 swart ka - meel jaag ons wind - vlae na Mezzo 16 16 met wit lap - pe, flits - lig, be - dags die ont- Mezzo 20 20 sag - li - ke son. Ge - an - ker in 15
Mezzo 24 24 net die wind se rus - te-lo-se rond - - - swaai. Mezzo 28 28 subito 16
Sy Chris van Rhyn Mezzo-Soprano Largo Piano (pedal) Mezzo Mezzo 6 6 10 10 17 Die stoep - ka - mer se
Mezzo 14 14 lig brand, haar rubato ha - - - re vleg rubato Mezzo 17 17 van-self en soms knip sy haar oë met 'n a tempo a tempo Mezzo 20 20 stomp skêr wan-neer nie - mand kyk nie. 18
Mezzo 2 2 Mezzo 26 26 19
Glasblaser Chris van Rhyn Mezzo-Soprano Piano Andante fak -kels in die 5 Mezzo 4 tuin (pedal) 4 rubato son -der gras, rubato 5 a tempo Mezzo 7 7 20
Mezzo 10 10 net glas: (a tempo) 5 5 ge - Mezzo 12 12 blaas deur my bin - ne - ste swel en bars Mezzo 14 14 subito deur 5 my bui - ten - ste my 21
Mezzo 16 bui - ten - ste 16 Mezzo 19 19 rit. subito 22
Glasprater Chris van Rhyn Mezzo-Soprano Allegro Piano Mezzo 4 (pedal) 4 rit. Die Mezzo Larghetto 7 7 fak - kels in jou han - de bly brand rubato rubato soos 2
Mezzo 10 10 glas a tempo a tempo in jou mond: ek het mywon - de Mezzo 1 1 aan jou woor - - - - - de bly tel Mezzo 15 15 rit. Allegro 24
Mezzo 18 18 Mezzo 22 22 Larghetto rit. 5 perdendosi 25
* Glasblaser Chris van Rhyn Soprano Violin Andante * fak - kels in die Cello Piano alla punta pedal legato 5 Sop. 5 Vln. 5 tuin 5 son-der gras, 5 espressivo 26
Sop. Vln. 9 9 9 * net glas: 5 * Sop. Vln. 12 12 12 ge 5 - blaas deur my bin - ne - ste swel enbars 27
Sop. Vln. 15 15 15 subito deur my 5 bui - ten - ste my bui - ten - ste () () Sop. 19 Vln. 19 19 (espressivo) (vibrato) rit. 28
Sop. 2 Vln. 2 perdendosi perdendosi 2 perdendosi 29
Glasprater Soprano Allegro Chris van Rhyn Violin Cello keep vibrato to a minimum Piano Sop. 4 Larghetto Die fak - kels in jou Vln. 4 4 rit. rit. legato (vibrato) 0
Sop. Vln. 8 8 8 * han - de bly alla punta brand soos glas injou mond: * Sop. Vln. 12 12 12 ek het my won - de aan jou woor - - - - de bly tel 1
Sop. Vln. 15 15 Allegro Keep vibrato to a minimum 15 rit. () Sop. Vln. 19 19 Larghetto rit. 19 2
Sop. 24 Vln. 24 5 perdendosi 24 (senza vibrato) portamento perdendosi
Het Hom! for tenor saxophone This piece is an account of three different stages of my life. Each stage is represented by a different hexachord, gradually moving from one into the next. When in a new stage, the new hexachord may have some pitches in common with the previous one (or the next, or both), signifying characteristics (or unresolved issues) that have remained. The title Het Hom! (Got Him!) nostalgically refers to the childhood game of catch or to the continuous aspiration to a higher level of personal growth. The hexachords are as follows (although enharmonic equivalents were employed where needed): 4
het hom! Chris van Rhyn Tenor Sax. [x] [x] [*] rit. rit. 6 11 15 19 25 0 5 9 [x] 5 [x senza vibrato] [* don't tongue]
[$] 44 possible 50 [x] subito [x] 55 60 [x] subito 65 [x] [x senza vibrato] [$ The player should strive towards legato phrasing, as indicated by the dotted line, although a short break (as indicated by the solid line) is necessary to avoid squeaking here.] 6
The Beauty in Sorrow for string quartet The three movements of this string quartet are based on three paintings by Vladimir Tretchikoff. Tretchikoff (who was born in Petropavlovsk, Russia, in 191 and died in Cape Town in 2006) is said to be the only artist who managed to achieve ubiquity amongst the popular masses (2010: online). The following quote from the official Tretchikoff website (2010: online), represents an artistic philosophy which the present writer is always striving towards, although it s not necessarily achieved in this work: Unbeknown to many, Tretchikoff was the first artist to make and sell reproductions of his work, making it affordable and accessible to all. At the time, art critics objected, saying he was devaluing and commercialising art. To which he responded, "Why should my art only be available to the rich and famous? I want everyone to enjoy my art." This string quartet is based on three Tretchikoff paintings with a common, universally relevant and timeless theme: the beauty in sorrow. The paintings are: Rainy Day (First Movement) 7
Weeping Rose (Second Movement) Resurrection (Third Movement) (Gallery, 2008: online) 8
This piece is programmatic in the sense that imagined movement is depicted: the rain falling, the rose falling from the glass and the divorce of the spirit from the body. In some instances different parts of the music can be seen as a camera focusing on different parts of the picture, zooming in and out. Colours that are common to more than one painting are represented by motifs that occur in all of the corresponding movements. These colours are melodic fragments derived from different combinations of conventional chords (representing beauty and sorrow), resulting in a more abstract sound. The first part of the second movement is a fugue. 9
First Movement Based on Tretchikoff's 'Rainy Day' Chris van Rhyn Violin I flautando Violin II Viola Cello (mute on rests) 5 I * I 8 * 40
I 11 see p.1 for reaslisation 14 I 17 I 41
I 20 ordinario I 2 sul G sul D 26 I sul A sul D sul G 42
I 29 sul A sul D sul G I 2 accel. accel. accel. I 5 flautando 4
I 8 see p.1 for realisation ordinario I 42 subito 45 I 44
I 48 51 flautando I accel. accel. I 54 ordinario flautando 45
I 59 Stellenbosch ordinario University http://scholar.sun.ac.za subito I 6 rit. rit. I 67 flautando 46
I 71 (ordinario) I 75 subito I 79 accel. accel. flautando 47
I 8 I 86 89 ordinario (senza vibrato) I (senza vibrato) 48
Second Movement Based on Tretchikoff's 'Weeping Rose' Chris van Rhyn Violin I c.55 Violin II Viola Cello 9 I 16 subito I subito subito subito 49
2 I I 0 I 5 50
42 I I 48 I 54 c.75 51
60 I I 65 71 I 52
I 75 ( c.75) c.55 flautando I 8 flautando perdendosi perdendosi perdendosi perdendosi 5
Third Movement Based on Tretchikoff's 'Resurrection' Chris van Rhyn Violin I Violin II Viola Cello I 4 I 7 54
I 10 I 1 16 I 55
I 19 I 22 I 25 56
I 28 1 I I 4 57
7 I I 40 I 4 58
46 I 49 I I 52 59
I 55 58 I 61 perdendosi I perdendosi perdendosi perdendosi 60
Symphonata for orchestra The structure of this work resembles a Baroque sonata da chiesa: the second movement is contrapuntal and is structured like a Baroque invention; the third movement is a sarabande (containing quotes from a sarabande by Handel) and the fourth movement is a gigue. All the melodic and harmonic material has been derived from three heptatonic scales which were all harmonised and transposed to all twelve tones. This provided for a rather large compositional palette while still achieving a sense of pitch coherency in the work as a whole. The untransposed, harmonised versions of the heptatonic scales are as follows (again, enharmonic equivalents were also used in the work): For practical reasons (i.e. increasing the chances of future performaneces) instruments that are rarer in amateur orchestras (e.g. the cor anglais, bass clarinet, contrabassoon, euphonium and harp) were not used in the orchestration. The second flute player doubles on the piccolo and the percussion was limited to two players. 61
First Movement Chris van Rhyn Flute 1 Flute 2/ Piccolo Clarinet in B 1 Clarinet in B 2 Horn in F 1/ Horn in F 2/4 Tuba Piano Violin I Violin II Viola Cello Double Bass piccolo Fl. 1 Fl. 2/ Picc. 11 B Cl. 1 B Cl. 2 Hn. 1/ 11 Hn. 2/4 Tuba Glk. 11 11 11 I D.B. 62
Fl. 1 21 Fl. 2/ Picc. B Cl. 1 (piccolo) B Cl. 2 Hn. 1/ Hn. 2/4 C Tpt. 1/2 Glk. 21 21 Mrb. 21 S.Dr. B. Dr. I D.B. 21 21 6
Fl. 1 Fl. 2/ Picc. Ob. 1/2 Ob. 2 Bsn. 1 Bsn. 2 Hn. 1/ 1 1 flute C Tpt. 1/2 Tbn. 1/2 Tuba Timp. Mrb. 1 1 S.Dr. B. Dr. I D.B. 1 1 div. unis. subito subito div. unis. subito subito 64
Fl. 1 Fl. 2/ Picc. Ob. 1/2 B Cl. 1 B Cl. 2 Hn. 1/ 41 41 I piccolo C Tpt. 1/2 Tbn. 1/2 Tuba Timp. 41 Cym. 41 soft stick B. Dr. I D.B. 41 41 div. possible unis. possible possible possible possible 65
Second Movement Chris van Rhyn Flute 1 Flute 2/ Piccolo Oboe 1/2 Clarinet in B 1/2 Bassoon 1/2 Snare Drum Violin I I piccolo div. Violin II Viola div. Cello 66
Fl. 1 1 Fl. 2/ Picc. flute piccolo flute Ob. 1/2 B Cl. 1/2 I II I a2 I II I Bsn. 1/2 Tbn. 1/2 Mrb. 1 a2 S.Dr. 1 I 67
Fl. 1 Fl. 2/ Picc. Ob. 1/2 B Cl. 1/2 Bsn. 1/2 Hn. 1/ Hn. 2/4 Tbn. 1/2 25 25 I piccolo a2 a2 S.Dr. 25 unis. I unis. D.B. 68
Fl. 1 Fl. 2/ Picc. Ob. 1/2 B Cl. 1/2 Bsn. 1/2 Hn. 1/ Hn. 2/4 C Tpt. 1 C Tpt. 2 Tbn. 1/2 7 7 7 I Mrb. S.Dr. 7 I D.B. 69
Fl. 1 Fl. 2/ Picc. Ob. 1/2 B Cl. 1/2 Bsn. 1/2 Hn. 1/ Hn. 2/4 Tbn. 1/2 48 48 a2 subito subito S.Dr. 48 I D.B. 70
Third Movement Chris van Rhyn Flute 1 Flute 2/ piccolo Oboe 1 piccolo Oboe 2 Clarinet in B 1 Clarinet in B 2 Bassoon 1 Bassoon 2 Horn in F 1/ Horn in F 2/4 Trombone 1/2 Tuba Timpani Piano Violin I Violin II Viola Cello div. div. unis. div. Double Bass 71
Fl. 1 Fl. 2/ Picc. Ob. 1 Ob. 2 B Cl. 1 B Cl. 2 Bsn. 1 Bsn. 2 Hn. 1/ Hn. 2/4 C Tpt. 1/2 Tbn. 1/2 9 9 Tuba Timp. 9 I D.B. 9 9 unis. div. 72
Fl. 1 Fl. 2/ Picc. 17 flute Ob. 1 Ob. 2 B Cl. 1 B Cl. 2 Bsn. 1 Bsn. 2 Hn. 1/ 17 con sordino Hn. 2/4 Glk. 17 17 con sordino I 17 div. a unis. unis. div. D.B. div. unis. 7
Fl. 1 Fl. 2/ Picc. Ob. 1 Ob. 2 B Cl. 1 B Cl. 2 Bsn. 1 Bsn. 2 Hn. 1/ C Tpt. 1/2 26 26 piccolo (con sordino) Tbn. 1/2 Tuba Timp. Mrb. I 26 26 26 div. *(1) * (2) div. unis. unis. unis. D.B. *(1) *(2) D#: 74
Bsn. 1 Bsn. 2 Hn. 1/ 5 5 Hn. 2/4 Tuba Timp. I 5 5 D.B. 75
Fl. 1 Fl. 2/ Picc. 42 (piccolo) Ob. 1 Ob. 2 B Cl. 1 B Cl. 2 Bsn. 1 Bsn. 2 Hn. 1/ Hn. 2/4 42 C Tpt. 1/2 Tbn. 1/2 Tuba Timp. I 42 42 div. div. div. unis. div. D.B. 76
Fourth Movement Chris van Rhyn Clarinet in B 1/2 Temple Blocks Snare Drum I Piano legato, but without pedal Fl. 1 9 Fl. 2/ Picc. flute Ob. 1/2 B Cl. 1/2 II I I II T. Bl. S.Dr. 9 I D.B. 9 div. 77
Fl. 1 Fl. 2/ Picc. Ob. 1/2 B Cl. 1/2 Bsn. 1 Hn. 1/ Hn. 2/4 C Tpt. 1 Tbn. 1/2 Tuba T. Bl. S.Dr. 16 piccolo a2 a2 16 16 I unis. D.B. Fl. 1 Fl. 2/ Picc. B Cl. 1/2 Hn. 1/ Hn. 2/4 T. Bl. Mrb. 24 (piccolo) 24 I S.Dr. I D.B. 24 24 possible possible possible * (1) div. * (2) * (1) D#: * (2) 78
T. Bl. 4 S.Dr. I 4 perdendosi perdendosi 79
References Gallery. 2008. [O] Accessed 8 May 2008: www.vladimirtretchikoff.com/gallery In Paradisum. 2008. [O] Accessed 2 June 2008: http://homepages.luc.edu/ avande1/requiem.htm. Stone, L. 2008. Kuspad. Unpublished poems. Vladimir Tretchikoff. [O] Accessed 21 February 2010: www.vladimirtretchikoff.com 80