Thea Musgrave
Towards the Blue for clarinet solo, with wind quartet and string quartet
NOVELLO
Commissioned by the Wigmore Hall. First performed by Michael Collins, clarinet, London Winds and the Endellion String Quartet on 27 January 2011 at the Wigmore Hall, London.
Scoring:
Solo Clarinet Flute Oboe Bassoon French Horn 2 violins Viola Cello
Duration:
circa 13 minutes
During a visit to the exhibition of Francis Bacon at the Tate Gallery in December 2008 my eye fell on Figure in a Landscape, 1945 which resonated in me powerfully. It is a scene of devastation and despair, and also, it seemed to me, of latent anger and hostility… but above it all a serene blue sky beckons. So, perhaps even in the darkest moments there is a glimmer of hope – the possibility of change. This idea became the starting point for this work – Towards the Blue – a mini concerto for clarinet, who eventually becomes the leader of the group. The work starts without the clarinet and all is desolate, yet fiercely argumentative, discordant and uncomfortable. Suddenly the offstage clarinet is heard and the players in surprise are quietened. However, when the clarinet enters and approaches with a lyrical musical motif, some of the players respond, others resist. Gradually the clarinet persuades the dissident voices to join him in a spirit of co-operation and harmony. A brief memory of the opening desolation casts a momentary shadow which is quickly dispelled by the coda, marked Gioioso. Thea Musgrave May 13, 2010
Seating clar vc vla vln II vln I
bsn hrn ob fl
To Michael Collins
Towards the Blue Thea Musgrave Desolate: argumentative q = 48 accel.
Clarinet in Bb* Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
Horn in F*
Violin I
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*Concert pitch
7
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© 2010 Novello & Company Limited
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Violin II
Violoncello
[Clt. off stage]
3
ff
rev. 04/03/11
2
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CLARINET OFFSTAGE
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6 Clarinet ENTER: stand upstage
7 3 3 Cl. ff 3
sempre con rubato
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37
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Clt. move to new position: stay STANDING
8 [to Oboe] q = 56 mosso 3 3 p p espress. pp [respond to Clt.] pp p espress.
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13
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72
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17
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11 96 Cl.
Più mosso q = 72
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100
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21
110
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20
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[respond to Clt.]
p
p
[match Clt.]
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13 116 Cl.
[to Oboe]
Fl.
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22 119 Cl. Fl.
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23 [to Vln. I] Cl.
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122
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[respond to Clt.]
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* wait for clarinet to sit, then take the lead
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127 Fl.
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3
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15 130 Fl.
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26
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141 Fl.
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17 145 Fl.
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Vln. II
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28
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149 Fl.
pp
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Fl. 153
Ob.
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163
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30
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160
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31
166
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170
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21
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poco rit.
174
Ob.
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178 Fl.
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32 Gioioso h. = 84
p
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22
Fl. 182
Ob.
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33
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186 Fl.
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23 190 Fl.
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194
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24 198 Fl.
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202
Fl.
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37
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38
2
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p
209
Vla.
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206
pp
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2
26
213
Fl.
p
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217
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39
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40 Più mosso h. = 96 Fl.
221
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225 Fl.
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41
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28
229
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Fl. 233
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42
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29
Fl. 237
43
Ob.
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44
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241 Fl.
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30
Fl.
245
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249
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pochiss rit.