SCENE FROM EURIPIDES’ MEDEA

AARON GERVAIS

SCENE FROM EURIPIDES’ MEDEA

AARON GERVAIS

December 2004 Approximate Duration: 12’00

INSTRUMENTATION

• Flute, doubling on piccolo • Oboe • Clarinet in Bb • Bassoon • Horn in F • Freebass accordion • Violin • Violoncello

• Medea: soprano (C4 – C#6) • Jason: baritone (Bb2 – G4)

Text based on the translation by Philip Vellacott. SCENE BACKGROUND This scene starts just before Medea and Jason’s first meeting. She has learned that Jason is to marry Creon’s daughter and has just had her conversation with Creon, in which she is banished from Corinth. Jason arrives after Medea’s initial statement and each tries to blame the other for their complicated situation. Jason claims that the marriage is purely political and aimed at ensuring a better future for Medea and their children. Medea sees Jason as a self-serving liar who has abandoned her for money and a younger woman. They argue without result and then both storm off. NOTATION All instruments play senza vibrato unless otherwise marked. Quartertones are notated in the score as follows. Fingerings are not provided for woodwind quartertones because they vary between individual instruments. The titles of several resources for quartertone woodwind fingerings are listed below.

New Sounds for Woodwinds – Bruno Bartolozzi, trans. Reginald Smith Brindle The Woodwinds: Performance and Instructional Techniques – Everett L. Timm The Other Flute: a Performance Manual of Contemporary Techniques – Robert Dick The Avant-Garde Flute – Thomas Howell Metodo per Oboe – Lawrence Singer, trans. Reginald Smith Brindle New Directions for Clarinet – Phillip Rehfeldt The Twentieth Century Clarinetist – Allen Sigel Il fagotto: altre techniche: nuove fonti di espressione musicale – Sergio Penazzi General Notation

Placeholder stems, used to mark duration for a glissando.

Crescendo from silence, diminuendo to silence.

The figure is repeated at irregular intervals ranging between 4 and 6 seconds apart, for the duration of the line.

Vocal Notation

Lowest pitch.

Sprechgesang, partially between singing and speaking.

Sung in a free flowing rhythm, at the performer’s discretion.

Woodwind Notation

Airy almost–pitchless sound using the fingering for the given note.

Air blown through the instrument without producing a definite pitch.

Breathe as needed or circular breathing.

Forceful kissing of the reed(s) or mouthpiece in such a manner as to produce a sharp percussive “smack”.

Flute: airy sound moving from silence to a tongue ram and then quickly moving back to silence.

Accordion Notation

Cluster of all chromatic pitches between the two noteheads.

Same as above but used when the physical space between notes on the staff is narrow.

Approximate pitch cluster: all chromatic notes in the general area of the square notehead.

String Notation

Gradually moving from no vibrato to a full vibrato.

A full vibrato for the duration of the wavy line.

Gradually moving from normal playing position to sul ponticello and back again.

Scene from Euripides' Medea Aaron Gervais

Copyright © 2004, Aaron Gervais (SOCAN)

Transposed ScoreDistant q = 76

accel. Faster q = 84

Flute

Oboe

Clarinet in Bb

Bassoon

Horn in F

Medea

Jason

Accordion

Violin

Violoncello

pp

ff

p

mf

mp

sf

sf

ff

p

pp

mp

3

ff

mp

p

fpp

mf

fpp

mf

fpp

p ff

mp

p

3

f

ff

mf

p

3

ff

ppp

3

pizz.

pp

arco

ff

p mf

ff

f

3

pizz.

f

arco

mp

5

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

fff

3

fff

3

fff

3

fff

f

fff

3

3

fff

3

fff

Scene from Medea2

7

poco rit.

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

p

3 3 3 3

3

p

p

5

p

3

3

3

3

3

fp

solo, freely

3

Scene from Medea3

A Slightly faster, aggressive q = 92

9

Vln.

IIIpure gliss.; no articulation of attacks unless marked

ff

3

3

3

12

Vln.

ff

3

3

14

poco rit.

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Mda.

Vln.

solo

ppp

p

3

3

Do

p

ff

II

mf

fff

Scene from Medea4

B Slower, delicate q = 6017

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Mda.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

pp

p

p

mp

pp

pp

3

mp pp

p

p mp

pp

mp

pp

p

pp

non-dim.

I not suf

mp

fer?-

Am

p

I

not

mp

wronged?

p

I

mp

am hat

ed- and my

p ppp

ppp

mp pp

p

3

p

pp

Scene from Medea5

21

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Mda.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

3

ppp

3

ppp

non-dim.

ppp

f

child ren-

are

pp

cursed.

port.

Death

mfforceful

take them with their fa

ther

-

3

and

p

ppp

3 5

mf

p

f

ppp

con sord.

ppp

con sord.

non-dim.

Scene from Medea6

(3+4+4+4)25

C Slower, wandering q = 56

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Mda.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

per

f

ish

possibile

- this

whole

house!

3

solo, freelypure gliss.; no articulation of attacks unless marked

III

mf

mf

3

3

3 3

Scene from Medea7

28

Vc.

fp

fff

mf

3 3 53

31

Jsn.

Vc.

angry

I

mf

have of ten- no

ticed;-

this is not

the first

oc

-

ff

N

f

SP

mp

N

mf

N SP

mp

N

7

35

3

33

Suddenly faster, agitated q = 84

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Jsn.

Vln.

Vc.

mf

mf

cas sion;-

what fa

tal- re sults

- fol low- from un gov

- erned-

rage.

f

3

mf

II

N

SP

3mp

N

mf

3 3 3

Scene from Medea8

D a tempo q = 5635

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

f

3

p

f

3

f

3

p

3

You

mp

could

have stayed

in

3

Cor inth,

mf

-

3

but

f

3

mf

3

f

3

f

3

f/mf

f

mp

N SP

N

mp

6 3 3

Scene from Medea9

(4+3+4+4)38

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

p mp

af ter- your ab use

- of the king,

f

count your self- luck

y- to be left

off with

3

p

pp

f

p

pp

fp

f

3

mf

f

(non-gliss.)

ff

3 53

Scene from Medea10

40

E Faster, distant but growing q = 76

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

mf

3

mp

pp

3 3

mf

3

p

pp

3

3

mf

3

p

pp

3

3

mp

p

pp

ban

ff

ish- ment!-

p

mf

p mp

pp

mf

p mp

p

pp

3 3

Scene from Medea11

43

rubato colla voce

F a tempo, quasi-romatic

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

3

fp

f

mf

3

fp

f

mf

3

fp

f

pp

f

3

fp

f

3

mf

3 3

I

mpexpressive

have

tried

f

to

f

mf

3

pp

pp

senza sord.

mf f

mf

senza sord.

mp

f

Scene from Medea12

47

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

fp

mf

f

mp f

mp

f

fp mf

p mf

mf

3

p

f

f

mf

3

p

f

f

mf

3

f

f

mf

f

calm him down,

3

but

f

you

would not

give up

your

ri di- cu

- lous-

3 3

f

p

f mp f

mp

f

3

3

3

f

p f

f

p

mf

f

f

ff

Scene from Medea13

51

GSlower, calm q = 60

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

p

p

p

p

non-dim.

pp

ti rades

-

a gainst

- the

king.

p

cautiously

How

pp

-

mp

mp

p

non-dim.

pp

mp

Scene from Medea14

57

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

ev er,

-

3

I will not

de sert- a friend;

I come

now

to see

that you

and the child

ren

- are

3

Scene from Medea15

61

H Faster, aggressive q = 72

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Mda.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

fpp

f

fpp

f

fpp

f

fpp

f

enraged

You

f

3

fil

ff

thy- cow ard!-

not sent

a way-

with an emp

ty- purse

mf

or

f

left

un pro- vi

- ded-

p3 3

3

fpp

mf

fpp

pp

fpp

Scene from Medea16

64

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Mda.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

pp

3

3 3

pp

3

3 3 5 3

pp

mf

5

3

f

kiss/smack

3 3

If

f

I knew an

y- worse

name

3

for such un man

- li- ness,-

I'd

3

Scene from Medea17

66

molto rit. I Slightly faster, quasi-romatic q = 76

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Mda.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

f

mf

mf

3 3 3

f

mf

mf

3 3 3

f

fp

3

f

mf

mf

3

3 3

fp

f

mp

use it!

3

expressive

When

mp

you

mf

were

f

mp

f

mp

33

f

fp

f

mf

3

f

mf

3

mp

mf

f

pizz.

mf

l.v.

3

Scene from Medea18

70

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Mda.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

3

mp

3

p

to picc.

3

mp

3

p

3

mp

3

mf

3

mf

3

pp

3

mf

sent

to mas

f

ter

-

the

mf

fi

re- breath

ing- bulls,

and

3

f

mf

f

f

arco

fp f

f

Scene from Medea19

73

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Mda.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

p

mf

p

mf

pp

sow

the dead

ly- fur

row,-

I

mp

saved

your

life.

I

mp

will ing- ly

- de

3

-

p

mf

p

p

p

mf

p

pp

3

p

pp

Scene from Medea20

77

rubato colla voce J Slower, delicate q = 60

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Mda.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

f

mp

3

f

mp

3

p

f

mp

p

f

mp

p

p

ceived my fa

ther,-

left

my

home,

show ing-

much

port.3

f

love

sub. p

and

3 3

p

3

f

pp

f

pp

f

pp

Scene from Medea21

80poco rit. Slightly slower, tense q = 56

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Mda.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

pp

mf

p mp

to flute

3

pp

pp

lit tle-

wis dom.

-

pp

pp

mf

pp

mf

pp

pp

mf

mf

pp

pp

Scene from Medea22

K84

molto accel.

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Mda.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

p

mf

3

pp

mf

pp

mp

pp

p mp

3

pp

p

3

mf pp

mf

3

mp

3

mp

3

mf

3

mf

mp

mp

smack/kiss

mf

passionate

And

mf

in re turn

- for this,

you have the wick

ed- ness-

to turn me

3

Scene from Medea23

87L Faster q = 92

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Mda.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

pp

pp

mf

to picc.

pp

p

pp

3

mf

3

p

3

pp

mf

mf

pp

out,

f

ev en-

af ter- I had borne you sons!

ff

7

solo

mp

mf

p

3

5

mf

mf

Scene from Medea24

90

Ob.

Hn.

Accord.

pp

mp

5

pp

p

pp

3 3 5

93M

Picc.

Ob.

Hn.

Accord.

mp sempre legato

pp

p

3 3 53

p

pp

mp

mf

f

mp sempre legato

p

3

3

pp

3

Scene from Medea25

97

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

mf

3

p

pp

pp

3

mf

p

pp sempre legato

5 3

mf

mp

3

3

pp

pp

mf

p

pp

mp

3

3

3 5

Scene from Medea26

100

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

mf

p

3

3

mp

p

pp

ppp

3 5

5

mp

mf

f

3

p

mp mf

f

3

3

mp

mf

f

mf

sul tasto

Scene from Medea27

N Slower q = 60102

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

mf

p

3

mp

p

f

mf

p

3

3

3

f

p

p

3 3

p

ord.solo

mf

p

mf

3

p

p

3

3 6 6

Scene from Medea28

105

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

p

3

3

mf

mp

pp

p

mf

p

mp

3

3 3

Scene from Medea29

107

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

mp

mp

mp

3

pp

solo

mp

mf

mp

3

mp

mf

3

Scene from Medea30

O Free tempo q = ca. 60110

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

ad lib.

= 4'' - 6''

p

freely

To

mf

be gin- with,

I

hold that cre

dit- for my suc cess- ful- voy age-

was

sole ly- due

ad lib.

p

= 1.5'' - 2.5''

3

cued

mf

con sord.ad lib.

jetétasto

p

= 2'' - 3.5''

3

Scene from Medea31

in tempo q = 60

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

to Aph ro- di- te;-

no

one else,

di

vine- or hu man.-

cued

mf

Scene from Medea32

112 P Free tempo q = ca. 60

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

mf

ad lib.

mp

= 2'' - 4''

mf

ad lib.

mp

mf

ad lib.

mp

ad lib.

p

= 3'' - 5''

Fur

mf

ther- more,-

it

was not,

as

you re sent- ful- ly- as sume,-

mf

ad lib.

p

= 1.5'' - 2.5''

pp

Scene from Medea33

in tempo q = 60

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

that

I found your at trac- tions- wea ri- some,-

and

was smit ten- with de sire- for a new wife.

Scene from Medea34

115 accel.

Faster, quasi-romatic q = 84rubato colla voce

Q a tempo

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

solo

p

mp

mf

3 3

mp

mf

I

expressive

mf

want ed- to en sure,

f

-

mf

3

3

3

p

mp

3

Scene from Medea35

119

rit.

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

mp non-dim.

mp

p

3

mp

mp

p

3

mp

first,

mf

and the most im port

- ant,

-

that

we should

live

mp

p

3

mf

3

p

5

3

Scene from Medea36

rubato colla voce

122

R Slower q = 63

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

mp

f

p

3 to flute

f

p

3

p

3

mf

mf

3

mp

3

p

3

well

and not

be

port.

f

poor!

sub. p

defeated

I

mf

mf

f

sub. p

mp

3

p

mp

3

Scene from Medea37

125

S accel.

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

p

3

3 3

know how apoor

man is shunned

by allhis friends.

3

mp

3

p

pp

Scene from Medea38

Building q = 72128 a tempo q = 60 accel.

Bsn.

Hn.

Accord.

mp

mf

mp

3

3 3

mp

mf

3

mp

3

3

3

mf

mf

3

3

5

5

5

130 T Faster q = 84 rit.

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Accord.

mf

f

mp

3 3

mf

f

3

p

3 3

mf

f

mp

3 3

f

f

3

f

3

mp

Scene from Medea39

a tempo q = 60133accel.

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Accord.

f

3

5 3

mp

f

3 3 3

3

3

f

3

3

Faster q = 84

135

molto rit.

U Still q = 45

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Mda.

Accord.

mp

mf

3 3 3

mp

mf

3

mp

sadly

I

p

loathe your

p

Scene from Medea40

138

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Mda.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

ppp

3

ppp

3 3

ppp

ppp

pros per- ous- fu

ture;-

I'll have

none of it.

3

ppp

Scene from Medea41

molto rit.141

V Slightly faster, brooding q = 56poco rit. a tempo

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

mp

solo

3

pp

p

p

p

p

p

p

pp

p

p

p

p

p

p

pp

p

p

p

p

p

p

pp

p

p

p

p

p

p

pp

p

p

p

p

p

p

pp

p

p

p

p

p

p

pp

p

p

p

p

p

p

pp

p

p

p

p

p

p

Scene from Medea42

X Free tempo157

Cl.

Mda.

Jsn.

p

I'll

freelymp

not pur sue- this fur ther.-

If

there's an y- thing- else I can prov ide- to

meet the child ren's- needs,

tell

me.

158

Mda.

Jsn.

No

freelymp

thing- would in duce- me to take an y- gift of yours,

so

of fer- none.

in tempo, menacing q = 60

Mda.

Jsn.

The

gifts of a ly ing- trai tor- car ry- no luck!

Ve

ff

ry-

Scene from Medea46

Y160

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

ff

mp

ff

mp

ff

mp

ff

mp

ff

mp

ff

mp

ff

mp

ff

mp

ff

mp

ff

mp

well.

I call

on the gods

to wit

ness-

that I

have done my

3 3

(senza quint)

ff

mp

ff

mp

ff

ord.

mp

ff

mp

ff

mp

ff

mp

Scene from Medea47

162

Picc.

Ob.

Cl.

Bsn.

Hn.

Jsn.

Accord.

Vln.

Vc.

f

p

fff non-dim.

3

f

p

fff non-dim.

3

f

p

fff non-dim.

3

f

p

ff

pp

3

f

p

fff non-dim.

3

best to help you

and the child

ren.

-

3

f

p

fff non-dim.

3

3

f

p

fff non-dim.

3

f

p

fff non-dim.

3

Scene from Medea48

165

Z Meandering

Picc.

Bsn.

pp

solo, freely

pp

mp

3 ppp

3

p

3

ppp

169 rit. Slower q = 56

Picc.

Vln.

Vc.

pp

p

mp

3

mp

3

ppp

3

174rit.

Picc.

Vln.

Vc.

ppp

p

pizz.l.v.

pp

ppp

l.v.

Scene from Medea49