Three Etudes for Piano (DIGITAL)
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Composer: Evan Williams
Duration: 15:00
Scoring: piano
Materials: score (8.5 x 11)
*This item is a PDF-download. Digital downloads are non-refundable. The purchase of this item entitles you to download, save, and print one copy of this file for private use. The purchase of this PDF file does not include the conveyance of copyright. You do not have the right to distribute this material to any third party, by any means. The copyright holder maintains all rights over their intellectual property. By submitting your order you demonstrate your acknowledgment of, and agreement to, these conditions.
Duration: 15:00
Scoring: piano
Materials: score (8.5 x 11)
*This item is a PDF-download. Digital downloads are non-refundable. The purchase of this item entitles you to download, save, and print one copy of this file for private use. The purchase of this PDF file does not include the conveyance of copyright. You do not have the right to distribute this material to any third party, by any means. The copyright holder maintains all rights over their intellectual property. By submitting your order you demonstrate your acknowledgment of, and agreement to, these conditions.
Program Note
The Three Etudes for Piano are "compositional etudes" and not meant to teach performance technique. Rather, they are explorations into patterns and processes.
I. Telegraph Variations ("What Hath God Wrought") is a set of variations on the rhythmic theme presented in the beginning. This rhythm comes from the Morse Code letters that spell out the famous first telegraph sent by Samuel Morse on May 24, 1828.
II. "Night — that must be watched away" presents a three-note ostinato which is built upon each measure with one more note. This reaches a climax, after which the notes are taken away one by one starting with the last one added until the etude ends as it began.
The title comes from the following poem by Emily Dickinson:
A Night — there lay the Days between —
The Day that was Before --
And Day that was Behind — were one --
And now — 'twas Night — was here --
Slow — Night — that must be watched away —
As Grains upon a shore --
Too imperceptible to note --
Till it be night — no more --
III. Let It Ride also uses additive and subtractive processes, beginning with a quarter note ostinato and adding an eighth note (either through attack or augmentation) to the gesture every two measures. This process reaches a climax three times, and restarts on a new quarter note ostinato the first two times. The third time however, instead of restarting, a subtractive process is used, taking away the last eighth note added every two measures, thus making this third section a palindrome.
The Three Etudes for Piano were composed for Brendan Jacklin.
— Evan Williams
I. Telegraph Variations ("What Hath God Wrought") is a set of variations on the rhythmic theme presented in the beginning. This rhythm comes from the Morse Code letters that spell out the famous first telegraph sent by Samuel Morse on May 24, 1828.
II. "Night — that must be watched away" presents a three-note ostinato which is built upon each measure with one more note. This reaches a climax, after which the notes are taken away one by one starting with the last one added until the etude ends as it began.
The title comes from the following poem by Emily Dickinson:
A Night — there lay the Days between —
The Day that was Before --
And Day that was Behind — were one --
And now — 'twas Night — was here --
Slow — Night — that must be watched away —
As Grains upon a shore --
Too imperceptible to note --
Till it be night — no more --
III. Let It Ride also uses additive and subtractive processes, beginning with a quarter note ostinato and adding an eighth note (either through attack or augmentation) to the gesture every two measures. This process reaches a climax three times, and restarts on a new quarter note ostinato the first two times. The third time however, instead of restarting, a subtractive process is used, taking away the last eighth note added every two measures, thus making this third section a palindrome.
The Three Etudes for Piano were composed for Brendan Jacklin.
— Evan Williams
Reproduction Notice:
This program note may be freely reproduced in concert programs, provided that proper credit is given to the composer.
This program note may be freely reproduced in concert programs, provided that proper credit is given to the composer.