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Graduate Thesis Collection Graduate Scholarship
2020
Why was I not Made of Stone.
Ian Callen Butler University
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Recommended Citation Callen, Ian, "Why was I not Made of Stone." (2020). Graduate Thesis Collection. 520. https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/grtheses/520
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Why was I not made of Stone.
for string orchestra
by Ian Callen
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Music in Composition in the School of Music Jordan College of the Arts, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN USA
COMMITTEE
Dr. Michael Schelle, chair/advisor ______
Dr. Nicholas Johnson (reader) ______
Dr. Frank Felice (reader) ______
Prof. Richard Clark (reader) ______
Date (final approval): ______Advisor ______
Why was I not made of Stone.
For String Orchestra
Ian P. Callen
2019
Approximate Duration: 7:30
Program Note
The original inspiration for this work came from Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame when Quasimodo asks the gargoyles on the cathedral “Why was I not made of stone like thee?” as he watches Esmerelda ride off. This piece is an attempt to express the aspect of the human state contained in Quasimodo’s words. I found it to be difficult to describe in words, but Arthur Conan Doyle came close in The Lost World when he wrote:
Some believe what separates men from animals is our ability to reason. Others say it’s language or romantic love, or opposable thumbs. Living here in this lost world, I’ve come to believe it is more than our biology. What truly makes us human is our unending search, our abiding desire for immortality.
Quasimodo did not desire immortality, but rather invulnerability. I believe that this piece succeeds in communicating both the innate humanity in the futile search for a state of invulnerability and the intrinsic value and beauty of despair. It is neither optimistic or pessimistic but rides a fine line between the two without being nihilistic. The purpose of tragedy is not to provide some test of character, nor is it always the result of someone’s failure. Indeed, just like Quasimodo, sometimes tragedy simply is and one must try to bear it without the armor of the gargoyles of Notre Dame.
Performance Notes
● Any ensemble that performs this piece should consist of a minimum of 16 players (4, 4, 3, 3, 2). ● The choral quality of this work is one of its central characteristics. The treatment of the ensemble as a choir of strings should be considered and reinforced at every level. ● The entire bow should be used for the final chord. If a player runs out of bow prematurely, they should not re-enter. Instead they should freeze in place and wait for the piece to end.
Why was I not made of Stone.
For String Orchestra Ian P. Callen b. 1995 Solemn. Defeated. A bit more settled. q=80 q=60 Violin I % 1 ∑ 34 ∑ ∑ 12 ∑ 1 ∑ 12
Violin II % 1 ∑ 34 ∑ ∑ 12 ∑ 1 ∑ 12
Viola 1 4 2 1 2 Α 1 ∑ 3 ∑ ∑ 1 ∑ 1 ∑ 1
Cello > 1 4 ≥ 2 1 2 1 ϖ 3 ϖ Œ ˙ ˙− 1 ϖ ˙ 1 ϖ 1 ο Ο Ε Contrabass > 1 4 ≥ 2 1 ˙ ˙ 2 1 ˙ ∀˙ 3 ϖ Œ ˙ ∀˙− 1 ϖ ˙ 1 1 ο Ο Ε
6 Vln. I 2 1 ≤ 2 % 1 ∑ 1 ∑ ∑ ∑ ˙ ϖ 1 ο Vln. II 2 1 2 % 1 ∑ 1 ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ 1 Div. ˙ ο Vla. Μ˙ Α 12 ∑ 1 ϖ 12 ˙ ϖ ˙ ∀˙ ˙ ˙ ϖ ο Ο ο Div. Vc. > 2 1 ϖ 2 1 ϖ− 1 ϖ ϖ ϖ ϖ ϖ 1 ο Ο ο Cb. > 2 œ ∀œ ˙ œ œ 1 ˙ œ œ ϖ ϖ ϖ 2 1 1 ∀ϖ 1 ο Ο ο Ian Callen Music, 2019 2 Why was I not made of Stone.
14 12 α˙, œ ≥ ˙− Vln. I 2 4 2 ˙− ∀˙− 3 ∀˙− ∀œ Μœ 2 % 1 ϖ− 3 3 3 1 Ο Ε ε Vln. II 2 4 2 ≥˙− ˙− 3 2 % 1 3 3 3 ∀ϖ ϖ 1 ∀ϖ− Μ˙ ˙− ε Οtutti Ε Vla. ≥˙− ˙− ϖ Α 12 ϖ− 34 ˙ ˙− 32 3 ϖ 12 Ο Ε ε (tutti) ϖ≥ Vc. > 2 ϖ− 4 ˙ ˙− 2 3 2 1 ˙ ˙ α˙ 3 ˙ ˙− 3 ∑ ∑ 3 ∑ 1 Ε ε Ο Cb. > 2 4 2 ∑ ∑ 3 ∑ ∑ 2 1 ∀ϖ− 3 ˙ ˙− 3 3 1 Ο Ε
21 18 Vln. I 2 ϖ ˙ ϖ ϖ 4 1 2 % 1 − − 3 ∑ ∀˙− 1 ∀ϖ 1 Ε Ο π Vln. II % 12 ˙ œ œ ˙ ϖ α˙ ˙ ϖ 34 1 12 ˙ œ œ ˙ ˙ ϖ Ε Ο ο π Vla. 2 αϖ− ϖ− ϖ 4 ˙− ˙ ϖ œ 1 ∀ϖ 2 Α 1 3 1 1 Ε Ο ο π ˙ ϖ− ˙− ˙ ϖ œ ∀ϖ Vc. > 2 ϖ ϖ− 4 1 2 1 3 1 1 Ε Ο ο π Cb. ≥ > 2 ∑ ∑ 4 1 2 1 ϖ 3 ˙− ˙ ϖ œ 1 ˙ œ ∀œ 1 ο π Why was I not made of Stone. 3 25 Moving. 24 q=80 ≥ Vln. I 2 ˙ 1 ˙ 2 1 2 4 % 1 ∀ϖ 1 ˙ 1 ϖ ˙ 1 ϖ 1 ϖ 3 Ε Ο ο Vln. II 2 1 ≥ 2 1 2 4 % 1 1 ϖ 1 ϖ 1 1 ∀˙ 3 ϖ ˙ ˙ ϖ ϖ , Ε Ο ο Vla. ≥ Α 12 ϖ ˙ 1 ϖ 12 ϖ− 1 ˙ ˙ 12 ϖ− 34
Ε Div. Ο οtutti ∀ϖ ˙, ϖ Vc. > 2 1 ≥ 2 ˙ 1 ˙ ˙ 2 4 1 1 ϖ 1 ϖ− 1 ϖ 1 ϖ ˙ 3 Ε Ο ο Cb. ≥ > 2 ∀˙ ˙ 1 ˙ ˙ 2 1 2 ˙ 4 1 ˙ 1 1 ϖ− 1 ϖ 1 ϖ 3 Ε Ο ο