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Six Blake Songs
Six Blake Songs
Willyn Whiting
The University of Western Ontario
Supervisor Paul Frehner
The University of Western Ontario Graduate Program in Music
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree in Master of Music © Willyn Whiting 2018
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Whiting, Willyn, "Six Blake Songs" (2018). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 5337. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/5337
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ii
Abstract
Six Blake Songs is a song cycle for Soprano and mixed chamber ensemble (Flute,
Clarinet, Saxophone, Violin and Viola). The work sets several texts by the English poet William Blake (1757-1827), which all share the central theme of Time. Nearly all of these texts are excerpts from larger works, with the exception of the poem Ah, Sunflower, which is presented at the work’s conclusion. Discrete collections of frequencies, which are derived from either the frequency modulation of two notes or from the overtones of a single fundamental, provide the pitch content for the entire piece. In addition, many of the durations of notes, gestures, and phrases, are designed to fluctuate in size systematically.
Keywords
iii
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Dr. Paul Frehner for fulfilling the role of advisor for this thesis and for his continuing guidance and support. I would also like to thank Dr. David Myska for acting as the second reader of this thesis.
iv
Table of Contents
Abstract………..ii
Acknowledgements………...iii
Table of Contents………..iv
Title Page………...v
Text………...………vi
Instrumentation………...………viii
Program Note………..viii
Performance Note………...viii
Score………...1
I – Prologue………...1
II – Three Proverbs in Canon………9
III – Two Slow Proverbs……….13
IV – Dialogue………..17
V – The Caverns of the Grave I’ve Seen………21
VI – Ah, Sunflower ………....26
v
Willyn Whiting
SIX BLAKE SONGS
for Soprano and Ensemble
Words by William Blake
vi
Text
I - .Prologue
‘The morning comes, the night decays, the watchmen leave their stations; The grave is burst, the spires shed, the linen wrapped up;
The bones of death, the covering clay, the sinews shrunk & dried. Reviving shake, aspiring move, breathing, awakening,
(America 1793: Plate 6; lines 37 - 40)
II - Three Proverbs in Canon
The eyes of fire, the nostrils of air, the mouth of water, the beard of earth.
The head Sublime, the heart Pathos, the genitals Beauty, the hands and feet Proportion. The roaring of lions, the howling of wolves, the raging of the stormy sea, and the destructive
sword are portions of eternity too great for the eye of man.
(‘III - Proverbs of Hell’ from The Marriage of Heaven and Hell 1790: Pl.9; ln.48, Pl.10; ln.61, and Pl.8; ln.27)
III - Two Slow Proverbs
Eternity is in love with the productions of Time… but of wisdom, no clock can measure. (‘III - Proverbs of Hell’ from The Marriage of Heaven and Hell 1790: Pl.7; ln.10 and 12)
IV – Dialogue
Every night and every morn Some to misery are born; Every morn and every night Some are born to sweet delight. Some are born to sweet delight, Some are born to endless night.
vii
‘Does spring hide its joy
When buds and blossoms grow? Does the sower
Sow by night,
Or the ploughman in darkness plough?
(‘II - Earth’s Answer’ from Songs of Experience 1794:ln.16 - 20)
V - The Caverns of the Grave I’ve Seen Re-engraved time after time,
Ever in their youthful prime, My designs unchanged remain; Time may rage but rage in vain. For above Time’s troubled fountains On the great Atlantic mountains, In my golden house on high, There they shine eternally.
(‘XXXIV’ from Miscellaneous Verses 1809-1812: ln.13 - 20)
VI - Ah, Sunflower
Ah, Sunflower, weary of time, Who countest the steps of the sun, Seeking after that gilden clime
Where the traveller’s journey is done; Where the youth pined away with desire And the pale virgin shrouded in snow Arise from their graves and aspire Where my sunflower wishes to go.
viii
Instrumentation
Flute (also Piccolo)
Clarinet in Bb (also Bass Clarinet) Alto Saxophone (also Tenor Sax) Soprano
Violin Viola*
* String IV is tuned, down a semitone, to B2. Scordatura is notated at sounding pitch in this score.
Duration: c. 21 minutes
This is a Concert Score
Program Note
Six Blake Songs is a setting of various poems, excerpts and proverbs written by William Blake throughout his lifetime. A general open-endedness and an overt mysticism surround these texts and associations can easily be drawn between them. The concept of time is common to all the texts I have chosen to set.
William Blake (1757-1827) was an English poet; painter and printmaker closely associated with the Romantic art movements of the 19th century. He made his living as a commercial engraver in London and also produced illuminated manuscripts of his own poetry. He strove to create a mythology that could encode his own spiritual and political ideals into a prophetic message.
Performance Note
= ¾ tones sharp = ¼ tone sharp = slightly raised
Flute
Bass Clarinet
Tenor Sax
Soprano
Violin
Viola
3 3
(Scordatura IV = B)
Grave
3
3
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
Vln.
Vla. 4
3
4
3
3 3
3
3
3
3 3
Six Blake Songs
Willyn Whiting
©2018
I - Prologue
to Bb molto S.T.
molto S.T.
Fl.
B Cl.
T. Sx.
Vln.
Vla. 8
3
8
3 5
3 3
3
3 5 6
3
Fl.
B Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla.
11
The morn ing 11
3
A
3 3
3
comes, the
5 3
3
3
night
niente
-(sing the upper voice)
III II
S.T.
S.T.
Fl.
B Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla. 14
3 3
14
de cays,
14
3
3
3
the watch
-
-
Fl.
B Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla. 16
3
3 3
3
3
3 3 3
16
men
16
3
3 5
3
3
3
leave
5
7
B
- -
-ord.
ord.
IV Bisb.
Fl.B Cl.
T. Sx. S Vln. Vla. 18 3 3 18
18
3 3 3 3
their sta 3 3
3 3 3 3
tions, their sta
Fl. B. Cl. T. Sx. S Vln. Vla. 3 27
The grave is
subito
D 3
burst, the 3
spires shed, 3
the lin
subito
subito
en
-
Fl. B. Cl. T. Sx. S Vln. Vla. 32 32
wrapped up 32
6 5 7
E molto S.P. molto S.P. (molto S.P.) (molto S.P.) Brilliante (blend with soprano)
III
II
II
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla.
34
34
34
6 5 3
7
The bones of death
subito
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla. 36
36
the
36
cov ring clay the
5
3
3
sin
subito
3 3
3
3
ews shrunk and dry'd
3
3
-
-ord.
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla.
6
40
re viv
40
F
3
ing shake
subito
-
-
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla.
43
7
6
43
43
subito
subito
G
5
3
3
in spir
subito
-
-I
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla.
47
3
3
3
47
ing
47
3
3
subito
3
3
move
subito
breath
3
3
3
ing
3
3
H
-
-
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla.
51
6
3
51
a
51
subito
3
3
7
3
5
wa ken
3
3
ing
- -
-
to Bb
to Alto
Vln.
Vla. 54
Giacoso ()
3 3
3
3
3
3 3 3
3
S
Vln.
Vla.
3
3The eyes of
59
3
3
3
I
3 3
3
fire the
3 3 3
3 3
3 3
3nos trils of air
the
-
S
Vln.
Vla. 63
3
3 3
3
mouth of wa ter
63
3
3the
3 3
3
beard
of earth
-II - Three Proverbs in Canon
III
IV
III
III
Fl.
S
Vln.
Vla.
3 3
67
3The
67
J
3
33
head sub lime
the
heart pa thos
3
-
-
Fl.
B Cl.
S
Vln.
Vla. 72
3 3
72
3 3
33
the gen i tals beau ty
72
3
3
3
3 3the hands and
feet pro por
3 3
tion
K
- - - -
-poco agitato
molto vib. non vib.
ord.
non vib. ord.
Fl.B Cl.
A. Sx. S Vln. Vla. 77 3 3 3 3 3 77
3the 77
3 3roar ing of
3 3 li ons
the howl
3 3
ing of 3
- - -
Fl.B Cl.
A. Sx. S Vln. Vla. 84 3 3 84
wolves 84 3 3
3 3 3 3
the
rag ing of the storm
- - molto vib molto vib non vibnon vib ord.
Fl.
B Cl.
A. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla.
88
y sea and
88
3 3
-
Fl.
B Cl.
A. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla.
91
the de struc tive sword are por
91
tions of e ter ni ty too great
for the eyes of man
- - -
-to Picc
Rallentando
attacca 91
88
non vib
non vib molto vib
A. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla. 94
94
94
Cantabile
e
ter ni
ty
is
in
- -
-
A. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla. 103
103
love
103
L
III - Two Slow Proverbs
n. n.
(grace notes occur on the beat)
II III IV
III
II
n.
I
II
II I
III
Picc.B Cl.
A. Sx. S Vln. Vla. 110 110
with110
the
pro
-
Picc.B Cl.
Picc.B Cl.
A. Sx. S Vln. Vla. 126 126
dom 126
no
3 3 3
3
clock 3 3
Picc. A. Sx. S Vln. Vla. 133 133
133
Picc.B Cl.
A. Sx. S Vln. Vla. 140 140
140
mea sure
-
Picc.B Cl.
A. Sx. S Vln. Vla. 149 149
no 149
3 3 3
3
Vla.
158
3
pizz. con sord. Misterioso
3
arco
3
S
Vla. 164
pizz.
Eve
3
arco
ry night
and eve
3 5
-
-
S
Vln.
Vla. 169
ry morn
169
6 5
some
to mis er y
are born
3
pizz. con sord.
Does the
O
- -
-
S
Vln.
Vla. 174
spring hide
174
3 3
its joy
3
pizz.
3
IV - Dialogue
S.P.
ord.
(whispered)
S.P. ord.
n.
n.
Vln.
Vla.
179
3 3
arco
5
pizz.
3 3
3
3
pizz.
3
arco
arco
P
S
Vln.
Vla. 183
183
3
pizz.
3
3 3
arco
eve ry
morn and eve
ry night
arco
-
-
S S
Vln.
Vla. 189
when
189
buds and blos
soms grow?
some are born to sweet
Q
de light
3 3 3
3 3
-
-S.P. ord.
S.P. ord.
II II I
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla. 194
194
194
3
Does the
sow er?
R
-
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S 200
200
Some are
born to
sow by
S.P. ord.
sotto voce
III
IV
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S
3
3
3 3
208
night?
S
3
sweet
de light
3 3
3
3 3
-
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S
214
or the
T
some are
born to
plough man
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S S
221
in end
U
less night
dark ness
plough?
-
-
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla. 226
3
3
226
3
Re en graved time
226
senza sord.
senza sord.
Espressivo (60)
3
af ter
time ev
er
3 3
V
in
3 3
their
3
- - -
-V - The Caverns of the Grave I've Seen
( )
Fl.
S
Vln.
Vla. 232
3 3
232
youth
232
3 3
3 3
ful prime
3 3
3
3 3
my de signs
3 3
un changed re
W
3 3main time
3
- - -
-
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla. 237
237
may rage
237
but rage
3
3
in
vain
X
IV
III ( )
( ) ( )
non vib
non vib. III
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
Vln.
Vla. 243
3
243
3 3
3
3
3
3
3 3
3 3
3
Y
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
Vln.
Vla.
248
6
248
3
3
3 3
3
3
6
con brio
non vib molto vib ord.
non vib
non vib ord.
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla.
252
252
Z
6
For a bove time's
3 3
trou bled foun
tains
3
3
-
-
Fl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla. 257
257
on the great
257
At
lan
AA
tic
moun
- -
-
non vib.
non vib
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla.
263
263
tains
263
In
BB
my
Fl.
B. Cl.
T. Sx.
S
Vln.
Vla.
267
3
267
267
gold
en house
on
3 3
- -
-
to Alto
to Bb
ord.
