The Silver Swan

Modern Madrigal no. 2

Description

The Silver Swan was written purely for the desk drawer - unlike many of my other choral works, it was not written for any particular choir, nor did I even submit it to anyone for performance before Sulasol published it together with the rest of my 'back catalogue' over ten years later. At that point, I re-subtitled it Modern Madrigal no. 2 to complement Come Live With Me (1982), originally entitled Modern Madrigal no. 1.

The Silver Swan is a sort of canon study based on Orlando Gibbons’s eponymous madrigal (from which the text comes too). Gibbons’s opening phrase is used as the theme of the opening imitation, and the entire opening phrase is heard at the conclusion of the piece.

The Silver Swan (Hopeinen joutsen) oli puhdas pöytälaatikkotuotos - useista muista kuoroteoksistani poiketen se ei syntynyt minkään tietyn kuoron tarpeisiin, enkä edes tarjonnut sitä esitettäväksi kellekään ennen kuin Sulasol sitten julkaisi sen yhdessä muun pöytälaatikkotavarani kanssa yli 10 vuotta myöhemmin. Tässä yhteydessä nimesin sen luontevasti alaotsikolla Modern Madrigal no. 2 pariksi teokselle Come Live With Me (1982), jonka alkuperäinen nimi oli Modern Madrigal no. 1.

The Silver Swan on eräänlainen kaanonharjoitelma, joka perustuu Orlando Gibbonsin samannimiseen madrigaaliin (josta tekstikin on peräisin): Gibbonsin teoksen avausfraasi on ensimmäisen jäljittelyn teemana, ja avausfraasin koko alkuperäinen satsi kuullaan teoksen loppukaneettina.

Instrumentation

chx

Instrument codes

Abbreviation	Instrument
Woodwind
acl	alto clarinet
afl	alto flute
arec	alto recorder
asax	alto saxophone
barsax	baritone saxophone
barhn	baritone horn
bcl	bass clarinet
bfl	bass flute
bob	bass oboe
bsax	bass saxophone
bsn	bassoon
cbsn	contrabassoon
cl	clarinet
ehn	English horn
fl	flute
hn	French horn
ob	oboe
pic	piccolo
rec	recorder
sax	saxophone
srec	soprano recorder
ssax	soprano saxophone
trec	tenor recorder
tsax	tenor saxophone
Brass
ahn	alto horn
atrb	altotrombone
barhn	baritone horn
btrb	bass trombone
cornet	cornet
euph	euphonium
fhn	flugelhorn
hn	French horn
tba	tuuba
thn	tenor horn
trb	trombone
trp	trumpet
Percussion
dr	drums
glock	glockenspiel
mar	marimba
perc	percussion
timp	timpani
vibr	vibraphone
xyl	xylophone
Strings
db	double bass
gamba	viola da gamba
str	strings
vla	viola
vlc	cello
vln	violin
Other
acc	accordion
cel	celesta
cemb	harpsichord
chords	chords
elbas	electric bass
elg	electric guitar
elorg	electric organ
elpno	electric piano
guit	guitar
harm	harmonium
hca	harmonica
hp	harp
instr	instrument
kantele	kantele
keyb	keyboard
live electr	live electronics
mand	mandolin
mel	melody
org	organ
pno	piano
synth	synthesizer
tape	tape
Vocal
alto	alto
baryt	baritone
basso	bass voice
ch	choir
chc	childrens choir
chf	female choir
chm	male choir
chx	mixed choir
cten	countertenor
mezzo	mezzo-soprano
sopr	soprano
speaker	speaker
ten	tenor
voc	vocal

Coding for instrument ensembles and orchestras

Symphony orchestra
2222 4331 11 1, str = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 French horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, one other percussionist, harp and strings
Wind band
2252 3 423 21212 3 = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 5 clarinets, 2 bassoons - 3 saxophones - 4 French horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones - 2 cornets, alto horn, 2 tenor horns, baritone horn, 2 tubas - 3 percussionists
Big band
221 4 4, pno, guit, db, dr = 2 alto saxophones, 2 tenor saxophones, baritone saxophone, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, piano, guitar, double bass, drums
Additional codes
+	fl+pic = flutist doubles on piccolo
/	pno/org = can be played on either piano or organ
lib	ad libitum
obl	obligato
str	str: 65432 = specified number of string players
str min	str min: 65432 = at least 65432
str max	str max: 65432 = not more than 65432
solo	vln solo = violin is the solo instrument in a work not obviously for solo violin