Concerto for Piano and Orchestra - Matthew Saunders · 2018-09-07 · Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (2013) Over the past twenty years, I have composed four pieces in the concertante

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra

Preview

(2013)

by Matthew C. Saunders

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (2013)

Over the past twenty years, I have composed four pieces in the concertante tradition (trombone and string orchestra, and one each for

trombone, clarinet and classical guitar with wind ensemble), with only one bearing the name “concerto” (and that piece belonging

firmly to my “juvenilia”). After my experience writing my Piano Sonata (2010), I feel prepared to tackle a genre that has

intrigued me from the beginnings of my interest in classical music. The composer attempting to write a twenty-first century piano

concerto has a plethora of examples and artistic models to serve as guide. I intend to adopt no particular piece or composer to this

end, but the Romantic ideal of the pianist as individual against the society of the orchestra holds a great deal of importance to my

own thinking about the genre. In my own worldview, however, there is not a stark divide between society and the individual—

each is dependent on the other, often unwittingly, and frequently unwillingly, and therein lies the conflict inherent in the concerto

as a form and, of course, in life generally. I have explored an explicitly-outlined programmatic version of this in my work

Daytime Drama (2010) for clarinet and wind ensemble, in which the soloist plays the role of a soap-opera heroine who is

consistently at the mercy of society and of the events that surround her. In this new piece, I hope to allow the soloist to participate

more as an individual who effects change rather than being affected by it. The piece I intend to write, then, will in many ways

look backward—as a piano concerto must to a certain extent—while couching the problem of the individual in society in my

personal compositional language, which holds rhythm and motive over harmony and theme while emphasizing above all

playability and appeal to both performer and listener.

I am pleased to partner on this project with a performer whose work I admire and trust, Avguste Antonov. Mr. Antonov has presented

brilliant performances of my compositions on multiple occasions, including both my Piano Sonata and my cycle of solo piano

pieces Starry Wanderers (2008), in venues around the country. This concerto has been my major compositional project for 2013,

and the potential of multiple performances of the piece by Mr. Antonov and his orchestral collaborators is very exciting,

representing an important next step in my compositional development. Information on his work can be found at

www.avgusteantonov.com.

The present score is not the completed piece, but rather is meant as a preview or “teaser” of the complete work. In addition to the

approximately six minutes of music presented here, another fourteen remain in short score, to be orchestrated in the coming

months, with premiere performances anticipated for the 2014-2015 season. There may be changes to the piece. In particular, it is

my practice to delay decisions about percussion until the end of the process. The percussion instruments present may be joined by

others, although I will retain a section of timpani plus two. Similarly, I have not made final decisions about score layout.

There are two movements to the concerto played without pause, and this score includes the beginning of the first movement and the

middle portion of the second movement, leading to a cadenza for the soloist.

Matthew C. Saunders has taught music from kindergarten to college in styles from madrigal to mariachi, and strives to make

beautiful music for and with captivating people. He has climbed mountains, saved someone’s life, and watched the moon rise over

the prairie. He has loved, lost, and loved again; helped friends find salvation, and found it for himself as well; taught genius

students, and learned from genius teachers. On the day his son Noah was born, he gave him his first shampoo, and looks forward

to teaching him to catch a baseball and ride a bicycle sometime around 2015. His dreams are to walk on Mars, hear a grand piano

fall into an orchestra pit, make more people laugh than cry, and love his wife Becky passionately and forever. He plays trombone

and is always getting better at playing piano, and in the course of a long, love-filled, productive life, he wants to compose the

Great American Symphony, ride the rails, hike the trails, read all of the good books, finally watch The Godfather, and storm the

castles in the air. He will never write unlistenable music, stop stargazing or lose money in Vegas. He doesn’t call his mother

often enough, but he still tries to do a good turn daily. He is always up for a few hands of euchre or a good game of chess, likely

winning the former and losing the latter.

Dr. Saunders is music department chair at Lakeland Community College, where he directs the Lakeland Civic Orchestra. He

previously held the position of Associate Professor of Music at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. He received degrees in

music from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and The Ohio State University, where his teachers

included Donald Harris, Jan Radzynski, Thomas Wells and Joseph Duchi. Dr. Saunders’ music has been performed across the

country, and he has presented his research on rhythm at conferences of the College Music Society and the Society of Composers.

He received the 2007 Ruth Friscoe Prize for composition and is the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association 2011 Commissioned

Composer, and his one-minute orchestral piece What It’s Like will be included in Vox Novus’ first 60x60 Orchestra project. He

has published articles in The Journal of Band Research, The Instrumentalist and Music Educators Journal. He is on the web at

www.martiandances.com, but the physical Dr. Saunders lives in Willowick, Ohio with his wife Becky and their son Noah.

Instrumentation: 2 Flutes (2nd doubling piccolo)

2 Oboes

2 Clarinets in B-flat

2 Bassoons

4 Horns in F

2 Trumpets in C

3 Trombones (2 tenor, one bass)

Tuba

Timpani

2 Additional Percussionists (snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, triangle)

Solo Piano

Strings

Contact Information Matthew C. Saunders

257 East 286th Street

Willowick, Ohio 44095

(580)461-1617

[email protected]

www.martiandances.com

Copyright © 2013 www.martiandances.com

All Rights Reserved

1Flutes

2

1Oboes

2

1Clarinets in Bb

2

1Bassoons

2

1Horns in F

3

2Horns in F

4

1Trumpets in C

2

1Trombones

2

Bass TromboneTuba

Timpani

Percussion 1

Percussion 2

PIANO SOLO

Violin 1

Violin 2

Viola

Violoncello

Double Bass

fp fp

Allegro non troppo (h=88)

f f fp f f fp f f

f f fp f f fp f f

ff ff ff

f f f f

f f f f

ff ff ff

p p

f f

Allegro non troppo (h=88)

ff fp ff fp ff

ff fp ff fp ff

ff fp ff fp ff

ff fp ff fp ff

ff ff ff

MATTHEW C. SAUNDERS (2013)

Transposing ScoreMvt. 1 (Excerpt)

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (Preview)for Avguste Antonov

a2

a2

a2

a2

Tuba

Snare Drum

Crash Cymbals

3 3

3 3

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

molto rit. Quasi cadenza molto meno mosso6

f fp

fp fp

f

f

ff f pleading

molto rit. Quasi cadenza molto meno mosso

mp

mp mp

mp mp

ffp mp fp

f fp mp fp

a2

To Bass Drum

(sul D)

(sul G)

(sul G)

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (Preview)/Saunders

2

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

fp f

13

f

p f

sfz mp

p f

p f

f secco

f secco

f mp sfz ff meno fsfz

mp pp fp ff

pp fp ff

pp fp ff

mp fp ff ff

mp fp ff ff

a2

B. Tbn.

Bass Drum

Crash Cymbals To Bass Drum

3

non div.

non div.

non div.

pizz.

pizz.


3

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

21

sfz mp

sfz mp

ff meno fsfz

ff

ff

3 35

3 3

3

pizz.

pizz.


4

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

stringendo (h=80)28

ff

stringendo (h=80)

sfz


5

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

mp

35

mf

mp

p

p

sfz ff staccato e con forza

,mf flowing, legato

sfz

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf

a2

1.

a2

5

5

arco

arco


6

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

mp ff

(e=e)43

mp ff

ff

f ff

p

p

p

p

p

ff

sfz p

sfz

(e=e)

mf f ff

mf f ff

mf f ff

mf f ff

f ff

a2

a2

a2

a2

Snare Drum

6 5

6 6

(loco)

6

5


7

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

fp fp

(e=e) Tempo primo (h=88)49

f f fp f f fp

f f fp f f fp

ff ff

sfz f f f f f sfz p

sfz f f f f f sfz p

sfz f sfz p

sfz f sfz p

sfzf

ff p p

f f

f f ff martellato, brittle

(e=e) Tempo primo (h=88)

ff fp ff fp ff

ff fp ff fp ff

ff fp ff fp ff

ff fp ff fp ff

ff ff ff

flutter-tongue

flutter-tongue

flutter-tongue

a2

a2

a2

a2

a2

a2

To Triangle

Bass Drum

3 3

3 3


8

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

55

f sfz p f sfz p f sfz p

f sfzp f sfz p f sfz p

f sfz p f sfz p f sfz p

f sfzp f sfz p f sfz p

f secco

f

f

f

f

f

Bass Drum


9

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

f

60

f

f f

f

mp

mp

a2

a2

1.

2.


10

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

f

65

f f

f

f

f

f

f f sfz

ff

f f

f f

f f

f f

f

a2

a2 3

a2

a2

3

arco

3

arco

arco

(pizz.) arco

3

(pizz.)


11

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

f

71

f

f fp

f

fp

fp

mf

f f sfz

ff

f

f

f

f

2nd Fl. to Picc.

a2

3

a2

a2

3

1.

2.

Bass Drum

3

3


12

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

mf

77

mf

mf

mf ff

f

f

f ff

f espressivo

mf

mf

1.

1.

a2

To Crash Cymbals

Crash Cymbals


13

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

mf f

molto rall. Ominous (h=64)82

mf f

mf f

ff

ff p

p

molto rall. Ominous (h=64)

mf f pp

mf f pp

f sfz pp

f sfz pp

f pp

+ Picc.

a2 (Fl. 1 and Picc.)

a2

To Triangle

6 6 6 6

arco

arco

arco


14

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

mf

f mp

f mp

89

mf

mp

mp

f

mf

mf

f

mf

mf

mp mp

Picc.

1.

Picc.

3

3

3

1.

3

5 3

5

1.

2.

1.

2.

3

3 3

1.

2.

3

3

Triangle

3


15

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

mf f mf

93

f f

mf

mp

f

mpmf

mf

mp

f

mp

mf

mp

Picc. 1.

3 3

3

3

3

2.

1.

3

3

1.

2.

1.

2.

5

33


16

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

f mp

96

f p

f

f

sub. ff

mf cantabile

Picc.

3

1.

3

3

3

3

To Snare Drum

3


17

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

f mp

mf

mf

103

mp

mp

f

fmf

mff

f mp

mp f

mp f

f

Picc.

1.

3

3

3

1.5 3

5 3

1.

2.

3

3

1.

2.

3

3

3 3

3

3


18

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

f

108

f

f mp mfpp tenderly,

longingly

Picc.

3

3

3

3 3 3

3

3

3 3 3 3 3


19

1Flutes

2

1Oboes

2

1Clarinets in Bb

2

1Bassoons

2

1Horns in F

3

2Horns in F

4

1Trumpets in C

2

1Trombones

2

Bass TromboneTuba

Timpani

Percussion 1

Percussion 2

PIANO SOLO

Violin 1

Violin 2

Viola

Violoncello

Double Bass

f

[Scherzando (h.=76)]

475

f f

p�glistening

[Scherzando (h.=76)]

f

f

f

f f

f f

f f

a2 (Fl. 1 & Picc).

Mvt. 2 (Excerpt)

secco

non div.

div.

non div.

div.


20

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

479

f leading

sub. p

Picc. to Fl. 2


21

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

483

f


22

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

488

subito p


23

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

f

493

f

f

p

p

1.

1.

1.

Snare Drum

Triangle To Bass Drum


24

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

497

f

p

a2

Snare Drum


25

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

f f

501

f f

fp cresc.

p

p

f

f

f

(Fl. 2)

1.

a2

B. Tbn.


26

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

ff

505

ff

ff

ff

ff fp sfz

ff fp sfz

ff

ff

ff

ff fp ff

fp ff

f f

ff

f f

f f

f f

f f

f f

a2

a2

Tuba

Snare Drum

Bass Drum

To Susp. Cymbal


27

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

molto rall. 510

f

f

f

molto rall.

f

f

f

f

f

a2


28

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

A tempo (h.=76) molto rall. 514

mp

mp

ff mf f ff

mp mf f ff

mpmf f ff

mf f ff

mf f ff

mf f ff

fp

ff

A tempo (h.=76)molto rall.

ff

ff

ff

ff

ff

a2


29

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

Molto meno mosso con licenza (h.=56)520

f

pp

ffp quasi-echo

pp

p cantabile

Molto meno mosso con licenza (h.=56)

Susp. Cymbalyarn mallet To Triangle

non div.


30

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

529

p pp


31

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

pp pp

rall. A tempo (h.=56)

537

pp pp

pp pp

pp pp

p sotto voce

rall. A tempo (h.=56)

pp pp

pp pp

1.

1.

1.

1.


32

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

pp

543

pp

pp

pp

pp

pp


33

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

548

pp pp

pp pp

p

pp pp

pp pp

1.

1.

2.


34

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

f

555

f

f

pp f

pp f

pp ff

pp ff

pp ff

pp ff

ff

a2

a2

(3. senza sordino)


35

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

561

pp

p cresc. mf

ff pp

ff pp

ff pp

ff pp

ff p

Snare Drum

pizz.


36

Fls.

Obs.

Cls.

Bsns.

1Hns.

3

2Hns.

4

Tpts.

1Tbns.

2

B. Tbn.Tba.

Timp.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

PNO.

Vln. 1

Vln. 2

Vla.

Vc.

Db.

pp p pp

566

mf poco f

pp

fz pp

fz pp

fz pp

fz pp

1.

1.

Triangle

6'13"


37

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