Entr'actes and Sappho Fragments

A CONDUCTOR’S GUIDE TO HARRISON BIRTWISTLE’S

ENTR’ACTES AND SAPPHO FRAGMENTS

Hyeyoun Jang, B.M., M.M., M.A.

Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of

DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS

August 2019

APPROVED:

Kirsten Broberg, Co-Major Professor Clay Couturiaux, Co-Major Professor Nicholas E. Williams, Committee Member Jessica Napoles, Chair of the Division of Conducting and Ensembles Felix Olschofka, Interim Director of Graduate Studies in the College of Music John Richmond, Dean of the College of Music Victor Prybutok, Dean of the Toulouse Graduate School Jang, Hyeyoun. A Conductor’s Guide to Harrison Birtwistle’s “Entr’actes and Sappho

Fragments.” Doctor of Musical Arts (Performance), August 2019, 36 pp., 1 table, 1 figure, 18 musical examples, bibliography, 12 titles.

Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments (1964) by English Composer Harrison Birtwistle represent extended notation, complex meters, and extended instrumental techniques. After World

War II, the style and techniques of musical composition evolved considerably and musical trends began to continuously change. Conducting contemporary compositions requires new approaches in conducting methods. This paper examines a) introduce important elements of Birtwistle’s compositions in the 1960, b) include an updated score of Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments

Hyeyoun Jang

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The journey to complete my doctoral studies was long and complicated. Without the help of everyone I met during this journey, I would not have been able to reach this milestone. I wish to sincerely thank all of my teachers and friends. You helped me grow and become a better person and musician.

First of all, I want to sincerely thank my teacher, Prof. David Itkin, for his passionate guidance and support during my studies at UNT. He has my deepest gratitude for all of his knowledge and guidance during this exciting period in my life. His vast experience has been of great help me and allowed me to get to the next chapter. Dr. Kirsten Broberg’s direction was also instrumental for me to achieve this milestone. She helped me grow as a conductor and composer, broadening my perspective as a more complete musician. In addition, her excitement towards teaching always inspired me. I also want to thank Dr. Clay Couturiaux, for his support during all of my course work and during the writing of this dissertation. He has been a cherished mentor and I feel very guided in my life. I also wish to thank Dr. Nicholas Williams, who provided me with crucial questions and knowledgeable feedback while writing this treatise; his guidance was crucial as it helped me think more broadly about important aspects of my research.

Finally, I would like to express my deepest love to my dearest father and mother, Wook-

Hyung Jang and Kye-Sook Kim. I am very thankful to have been raised in a family so full of unconditional love, warmth and support. The value of this gift is immeasurable. I thank them for their endless love and encouragement. Last but not least, I would like to thank my sister

HyeSeung, for her love and for generously believing in me. Without all her love and understanding, I would not be able to finish my degrees.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... iii

LIST OF TABLES ...... v

LIST OF FIGURES ...... vi

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES ...... vii

CHAPTER

I. INTRODUCTION ...... 1

II. SIR HARRISON BIRTWISTLE ...... 3

III. ENTR’ACTES AND SAPPHO FRAGMENTS ...... 7 3.1 Background ...... 7 3.2 Structure ...... 8 3.3 Birtwistle’s Musical Style Related to Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments ...... 9

IV. CONDUCTOR’S GUIDE TO ENTR’ACTES AND SAPPHO FRAGMENTS ...... 12 4.1 Staging ...... 12 4.2 Synchronized Bar Lines and the ‘Quality of Timelessness’ ...... 13 4.3 Conducting in the Absence of Meter (including Discrepancies with the Original Score) ...... 17 4.4 Considerations of the Voice ...... 27 4.4.1 Complex Meter Changes ...... 29 4.4.2 Merging Bar Lines ...... 32

V. CONCLUSION ...... 34

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 35

LIST OF TABLES

Page Table 1 Structure of Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments with instrumentation ...... 8

LIST OF FIGURES

Harrison Birtwistle and Sappho. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments Copyright ã 1965 by Universal Edition (London) Ltd., London Copyright ã renewed All Rights Reserved. Used by permission of European American Music Distributors Company, U.S. and Canadian agent for Universal Edition (London) Ltd., London

Page Figure 1 Illustrating the staging. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments ...... 13

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES

Page Example 1 Illustrating the ‘quality of timelessness’ and repetition. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, end of Set II, mm. 445-447 ...... 10

Example 2 Illustrating the ‘quality of timelessness’ and repetition. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, end of Set I (I), m. 21 ...... 11

Example 3 Illustrating the ‘quality of timelessness’ and repetition. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, end of Set I, mm. 76-77 ...... 11

Example 4 Illustrating synchronized bar lines. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (I), mm. 1-8 ...... 14

Example 5 Illustrating synchronized bar lines. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (I), mm. 9-16 ...... 15

Example 6 Illustrating the ‘quality of timelessness.’ Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (I), mm. 17-21 ...... 16

Example 7-1 Illustrating discrepancies with the original score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), original score, mm. 52-55 ...... 18

Example 7-2 Illustrating the updated score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), updated score, mm. 52-55 ...... 18

Example 8-1 Illustrating discrepancies with the original score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), original score, mm. 56-58 ...... 19

Example 8-2 Illustrating the updated score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), updated score, mm. 56-58 ...... 19

Example 9-1 Illustrating discrepancies with the original score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), original score, mm. 60-63 ...... 20

Example 9-2 Illustrating the updated score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), updated score, mm. 60-63 ...... 21

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Example 10-1 Illustrating discrepancies with the original score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), original score, mm. 64-66 ...... 21

Example 10-2 Illustrating the updated score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), updated score, mm. 64-66 ...... 22

Example 11-1 Illustrating discrepancies with the original score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), original score, mm. 67-68 ...... 23

Example 11-2 Illustrating the updated score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), updated score, mm. 67-68 ...... 23

Example 12-1 Illustrating the original score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (V), original score, mm. 69-74 ...... 24

Example 12-2 Illustrating the Flute Part. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (V), mm. 69-80...... 25

Example 12-3 Illustrating problems in the updated score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (V), updated score, mm. 69-74 ...... 26

Example 13 Illustrating the use of the voice. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set II, mm. 78-92 ...... 27

Example 14 Illustrating the use of the voice. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set II, mm. 93-97 ...... 28

Example 15 Illustrating the use of the voice. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set II (Cantus I), mm. 117-123 ...... 29

Example 16 Illustrating complex meter changes. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set II (Entr’acte III, updated score), mm. 200-208 ...... 30

Example 17 Illustrating complex meter changes. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set II (Entr’acte V, updated score), mm. 267-275 ...... 31

Example 18 Illustrating complex meter changes. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set II (Cantus I), mm. 138-148 ...... 32

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Harrison Birtwistle (b. 1934) is one of the most acclaimed British composers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and his early piece Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments

(1964) for six instruments and a voice showcases his characteristic compositional style. After

World War II (1939-1945), the styles and techniques of musical composition evolved considerably1 and musical trends began to continuously change. Entr’actes and Sappho

Fragments includes multiple innovations that are common in many contemporary compositions written after World War II; these include extended notation, complex meters, and extended instrumental techniques. Such changes require new approaches in conducting methods. Thus, providing a conducting guide to Birtwistle’s Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments is important for conductors who want to explore Birtwistle’s compositions or any similar type of contemporary work. This dissertation will a) introduce important elements of Birtwistle’s compositions from the 1960s, b) include an updated score of Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments (notated by the author), and c) provide a performance guide to the work.

In spite of the relative acclaim his music has received in Europe, Birtwistle’s compositions are not often performed in the United States. One possible reason for this is the amount of time required to properly learn his works. This dissertation will help conductors to solve several problems involved in the performance of his music. Through a conducting guide to

Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, conductors will learn what kind of obstacles they may face.

This study will also provide methods that may help them approach and master such works

1 Richard Kostelanetz and Joseph Darby. Classic Essays on Twentieth-Century Music (New York: Schirmer Books, 1996), 1.

through both a detailed description of conducting methodologies, as well as an overview outlining important aspects of the piece. My research will point out the specific sections that require consideration and examine detailed conducting techniques for those sections. In addition, this study will provide an updated version of the score for Set I (IV), intended to offer solutions regarding the discrepancies this section presents with the original score.

1.1 State of Research

While there are writings on conducting techniques for orchestra/ensemble, existing methodologies for conducting modern music are insufficient. There are several publications that delve into the relevant issues of conducting contemporary music, but there is still more work to be done. Conducting modern works requires different approaches that can deal with the existence of complex notation and extended techniques. Both in rehearsal and performance, conductors will face additional challenges as compared to conducting works from the standard repertoire.

Multiple conductors have written guides based on their own experiences of various pieces. Such is the case of Gustav Meier, who is one of the most famous conducting teachers in the twenty-first century. He published a conducting method book titled The Score, The

Orchestra, and The Conductor (2009). In addition, Norman Del Mar’s series of conducting books is useful for orchestral conductors. These guides establish a forum for conductors to share their own experiences, providing insight into works and furnishing a basis for discussion about the pieces. More recently, authors have begun to publish conducting guides for contemporary music. For example, Arthur Weisberg’s text, Performing Twentieth-Century Music (1993), is the first book to venture into the realm of performing twentieth century music (not necessarily just

conducting), while Edwin Roxburgh’s Conducting for a New Era (2014)2 is a study that does focus on conducting contemporary music. Roxburgh asserts that “the twenty-first century world of classical music has evolved into one of great diversity. From 1950 onwards, the adventurous repertoire of progressive music has rapidly expanded, and the role of the conductor has become more complex.”3 These books are valuable resources, but do not analyze specific pieces in detail.

This research will further discuss conducting techniques as they relate in particular to

Birtwistle’s Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments.

2 Edwin Roxburgh, Andrew Davis, and Warehouse Ensemble. Conducting for a New Era (Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 2014). 3 Ibid, 1.

CHAPTER II

SIR HARRISON BIRTWISTLE

Early in his life, Birtwistle developed a distinct compositional style that would lead to the creation of Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments.4 He was a student at the Royal Manchester

College of Music (now the Royal Northern College of Music), where he majored in clarinet under the guidance of Frederick Thurston. He also pursued studies in composition, studying with

Richard Hall. Because he was a clarinet player, his compositions often feature the use of wind instruments rather than strings; furthermore, a majority of his works feature solo or prominent woodwind or brass instruments. In his small ensemble work, Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, he employs the flute as a solo instrument. Birtwistle has noted the influence of composers such as Edgard Varèse5 (1883 – 1965) and Igor Stravinsky6 (1882 – 1971) throughout his life.

Stravinsky’s influence can be perceived, for instance, in the rhythmic organization in Set II of

Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments.

In 1953, Birtwistle and his contemporaries launched the New Music Manchester Group to explore avant-garde twentieth century music. The members of the group were German composer Alexander Goehr (b. 1932); English composer Peter Maxwell Davies (1934-2016);

English pianist and composer John Ogdon (1937-1989); and English conductor, composer, and trumpeter Elgar Howarth (b. 1935). They were interested in serial music and stage works, which proved to have an influence on the compositions of Birtwistle, Goehr, and Davies. Indeed, all

4 Jonathan Cross. "Birtwistle, Sir Harrison." Grove Music, Oxford Online. Accessed 8 Jan. 2019. http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo- 9781561592630-e-0000003136. Cross-divides Birtwistle’s life into three stages: 1) to 1969, 2) the time of ‘the Mask of Orpheus’ and 3) after 1986. 5 Michael Hall, Harrison Birtwistle (London, UK: Robson Books, 1984), 7. 6 Ibid, 28.

three composers began to come to prominence during the 1960s. Jonathan Cross, a professor at

Oxford University, claims that Birtwistle and his companions played a crucial role in England during this period. They were the first generation of British composers who brought avant-garde influences on the English musical scene after World War II. The music of Stravinsky and the

Second Viennese School was certainly known in London, but not many British composers took them seriously. The New Music Manchester Group, however, was different.7

Refrains and Choruses for wind quintet (1957) was the first piece for which Birtwistle received certain recognition. Both the title of this piece and Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments reflect the relevance of structure to the overall concept of the piece. “Refrain,” “Chorus,” and

“Entr’acte” are different types of musical forms. Birtwistle therefore alludes to specific structural components used in these pieces and experiments with various compositional tools. He uses verse-refrain patterns in Refrains and Choruses.8 Both pieces incorporate serialism, in addition to functioning as a motive of rhythmic language to his ensemble work Tragoedia (1965),9 composed a year later.

Birtwistle mentions that Tragoedia was composed to bridge the gap between “absolute music” and “theatre music.”10 Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments partly consists of “absolute music” in the Entr’actes section and “theatre music” in the song sections. Tragoedia is an instrumental work using the principal formal divisions of a Greek choric ode11 and the texts of

Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments. These were taken from tombstone inscriptions and translations from Sappho and various editions of The Greek Anthology.12

7 Jonathan Cross, Harrison Birtwistle: Man, Mind, Music (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2000), 13. 8 Cross, Oxford Online. 9 Philip Rupprecht, "Mechanical Song: Birtwistle's Rhythmic Imagination," in Harrison Birtwistle Studies, ed. David Beard, Kenneth Gloag, and Nicholas Jones, (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press), 33. 10 Cross, Oxford online. 11 Ibid. 12 Hall, 53.

Birtwistle’s first opera, Punch and Judy (1966-7), is regarded as a landmark in twentieth century opera. It features a small cast doubling roles and a chamber scoring not unlike

Stravinsky’s Histoire du Soldat.13 Birtwistle’s experimental stage works first appeared during his early period of composition: this is evident from pieces written during the 1960s, the culmination of which resulted in the creation of Punch and Judy. Cross explained that his next opera, The

Mask of Orpheus (which he completed in 1984 and is a central work in Birtwistle’s output), has come to be understood as equally relevant in the development of postwar opera: a work which extended the boundaries of what was possible in lyrical theater.14 Later, during the 1980s and early 1990s, Birtwistle delivered large operatic pieces such as Yan Tan Tethera (1984), Gawain

(1991) and The Second Mrs. Kong (1993-4).

In the twenty-first century, Birtwistle has continued to write full scale operas and instrumental pieces. He is a master of theater work and is still regarded as one of the most important living composers in England. His orchestra composition, The Shadow of Night (2001), was commissioned and premiered by the Cleveland Orchestra under the baton of Christoph von

Dohnányi. His opera, The Minotaur (2005-2007), was premiered by the Royal Opera House in

London. His works for singers with ensemble, The Corridor (2008) and The Cure (2014-15), were premiered by the London Sinfonietta. Birtwistle has received several recognitions during his distinguished career, among them the Grawemeyer Award in 1986, the Siemens Prize in 1995 and the Wihuri Sibelius Prize in 2015. Recordings of his works have been released by Decca,

Deutsche Grammophon, Teldec, Etcetera, NMC, Black Box and CPO.

13 Cross, Oxford online. 14 Ibid.

CHAPTER III ENTR’ACTES AND SAPPHO FRAGMENTS

3.1 Background

Paul Klee was one of Birtwistle’s primary inspirations while composing Entr’actes and

Sappho Fragments. Klee wrote about “an active line on a walk moving freely, without a goal. It is a walk for a walk’s sake.”15 These words gave Birtwistle ideas about the presentation of objects in different contexts and the use of juxtaposition.16 Another source of inspiration came from Claude Debussy’s (1862-1918) Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp (1915), which consists of

‘five different visions of the same object.’ When Birtwistle became familiar with this piece, he wanted to place his own work within a different context.17 He expanded the original composition by adding five songs using texts from The Greek Anthology and interspersing new versions of the entr’actes between them. In this regard, he has stated that “something strange happens to the entr’actes in the new context.”18 He also expanded the instrumentation to soprano, flute, oboe, harp, percussion, violin and viola. The piece was premiered in 1964 by the Virtuoso Ensemble of

London at the Cheltenham Festival, in Goehr.19 Birtwistle revised the piece after the premiere and the score now includes a second version of the Entr’actes. The United States premiere took place on November 15, 2016 in Denton, Texas, performed by the University of North Texas

Nova Ensemble, conducted by HyeYoun Jang, under the direction of Elizabeth McNutt.

15 Hall, 26. 16 Ibid. 17 Ibid. 18 Ibid, 26-27. 19 Ibid, 27.

3.2 Structure

“Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments has a unique structure that is derived from Pierre

Boulez’s (1925-2016) La Marteau sans maître in the sense that it has interleaved cycles of vocal and instrumental music.”20 Set I consists of five pieces with a coda and Set II consists of five songs “Cantus” and four Entr’actes with a coda.

Table 1. Structure of Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments with instrumentation

Set I Trio (flute, viola, harp) I II Trio III Duet (flute and viola) IV Trio Duet Trio V Trio Coda Trio Set Voice, flute, violin, harp, and percussion II Cantus I Voice, flute, violin, oboe, harp, and percussion Entr’acte II Duet (violin and viola) Cantus II Voice, flute, oboe, and viola Entr’acte III Flute, violin, viola, harp, and percussion Cantus III Voice, flute, oboe, violin, viola, and percussion Entr’acte V Flute, violin, viola, harp, and percussion Cantus IV Voice, flute, oboe, violin, viola, harp, and percussion Cantus V Voice, flute, oboe, and harp Coda Flute, oboe, violin, viola, harp, and percussion

Birtwistle first used the term “Cantus” and “Entr’acte” in this piece, and they are not often used in instrumental works. During the Medieval and Renaissance periods “Cantus” usually referred to a melody, or the highest voice in a polyphonic composition.21 “Entr’acte” is a

French term alluding to music or other events written for performance between the acts of play

20 Robert Adlington, The Music of Harrison Birtwistle: Music in the Twentieth Century (Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press), 74. 21 Owen Jander, "Cantus (i)." Grove Music Online. Accessed 29 Dec. 2017. http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2173/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo- 9781561592630-e-0000004793.

or opera.22 Birtwistle uses these two terms to distinguish the pieces themselves; he uses Cantus when there is voice and Entr’acte for the instrumental numbers between the songs.

3.3 Birtwistle’s Musical Style Related to Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments

To understand Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, one must first examine Birtwistle’s entire output from the 1960s. There are two important musical characteristics from this period that relate to Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments: the unending quality of the music and repetition.

Jonathan Cross asserts that “Birtwistle’s music has a paradoxical quality of timelessness.”23 Many of his works have no real beginning or ending, thus, it is hard to say when one piece ends and the next begins. This is an important aspect of Entr’actes and Sappho

Fragments, especially in Set I. The music starts and ends very subtly, and this is enhanced by the fact that the movements are to be played attacca. For example, at the very beginning of the piece, the music starts quietly with a flute solo while the viola is playing very soft (see Example

4). Also, at the end of set I (IV), Birtwistle writes rallentando at a different pace for individual instruments, so as to make them end non-simultaneously (see Examples 11-1 and 11-2). In addition, at the very end of each movement, all the instruments have different specified speeds and lengths while playing very soft dynamics, resulting in a ‘quality of timelessness’ (see

Example 1, 2 and 3.)

22 Philip Rupprecht, "Entr’acte." Grove Music Online. Accessed 29 Dec. 2017. http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2173/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo- 9781561592630-e-0000008858. 23 Cross, Harrison Birtwistle: Man, Mind, Music, 17.

Example 1: Illustrating the ‘quality of timelessness’ and repetition. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, end of Set II, mm. 445-447

Another important characteristic is repetition. Birtwistle never repeats the same idea in an identical way. He has said that he does not look back on a piece to copy any part again at a later point of the work. When a section needs to be repeated, he imagines the previous section of the piece and adds a newly composed similar section.24 Birtwistle has noted that, “there are things that keep repeating, but if you listen to them or look at them closely, they’re not repeating. It’s like the leaves of a tree. You know what an oak leaf looks like, but if you take one, then look at the next one, they’re all different.”25 This character also describes Entr’actes and Sappho

24 Cross, Harrison Birtwistle: Man, Mind, Music, 9. 25 Ibid, 150.

Fragments. Birtwistle repeats similar ideas at the end of each movement. However, the moments are never exactly the same. A comparison of Examples 1, 2 and 3 serves to illustrate that he uses the same ideas but changes them through various styles of repetition.

Example 2: Illustrating the ‘quality of timelessness’ and repetition. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, end of Set I (I), m. 21

Example 3: Illustrating the ‘quality of timelessness’ and repetition. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, end of Set I, mm. 76-77

CHAPTER IV

CONDUCTOR’S GUIDE TO ENTR’ACTES AND SAPPHO FRAGMENTS

In Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Birtwistle provides a detailed notation of rhythmic ideas. The inclusion of diverse elements, such as avant-garde notation, the use of voice, and meter changes, considerably increase the technical and musical difficulties posed by the piece.

To conduct this composition properly and lead rehearsals, a conductor should understand all of the challenges entailed by the work. With the research materials provided in this study, it is my hope that conductors will have all the updated information on the score that is needed to improve their preparation.

The five primary concerns for a conductor preparing Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments are

(1) staging (2) synchronized bars within the ‘quality of timelessness,’ (3) discrepancies in the score and the parts (4) considerations of the voice, and (5) complex meter changes, including merging bars. This chapter will provide a detailed explanation of suggestions regarding these five aspects. The study will only focus on the movements that need a conductor and require special considerations.

4.1 Staging

In this piece, Birtwistle treats performers like actors in that each of the performers has a character.26 While Birtwistle has composed large scale operas during the later stages of his career, during this period he experimented with providing characteristic aspects to each of the instruments. On the first page of the score, Birtwistle describes the stage setting. From the conductor’s left to right, the order of the instruments is flute (standing), violin, viola, harp,

26 Hall, 16.

percussion, oboe, and soprano. Birtwistle specified that the flute player should stand, so we can assume that the rest of the players should be sitting down. Michael Hall indicates that by designating instruments to stand up, Birtwistle was attempting to visualize the foreground and background.27 Over the course of the composition, the flute has many important parts and the composer treats the flute as a soloist in the work. However, the voice also has an important function as a storyteller, and as such I would recommend the singer to also stand while she is singing.

Figure 1: Illustrating the staging. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments

4.2 Synchronized Bar Lines and the ‘Quality of Timelessness’

From the first beat, the conductor will notice there are no solid bar lines or meters.

Instead, there are synchronized lines to help the ensemble coordinate. Rupprecht mentions that the music cuts between gestures—as it is separated by pauses with fermatas.28 The synchronized bars are not real measures; thus, both conductor and performers will need to designate signposts in order to move together. In Example 4 and 5, the fermata can be one such signpost.

27 Ibid, 27. 28 Rupprecht, 31.

Example 4: Illustrating synchronized bar lines. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (I), mm. 1-8

In Example 4, the circled notes denote an important chromatic ascending line in this passage (G-Ab-A-Bb). Thus, a conductor should mark a down beat for these fermatas. When synchronizing bar 1, the conductor should begin the piece by gently giving a cue to the viola and then one to the flute. The conductor can make eye contact with the violist and give a left-hand cue for the flute entrance. Since the flute is marked ad libitum, and this is a duet, the first synchronized bar does not require conducting; as a result, the viola player will hold the note on the first fermata. Before the second fermata, the thirty-second note should be in an upward motion to make the second fermata a down beat. In other words, after the first fermata, a conductor’s right hand should move to the right. This should be followed by an ictus and then a rebound to an upward motion for the thirty-second notes. A down beat comes next for the second fermata. The upward motion should be mf and the down beat has to look clean, but in pp.

To synchronize bars 3 and 4, the conductor should give a cue with the left hand for the flute, then let the flute play the thirty-second notes. After the third fermata, a conductor should give a preparatory beat for the quarter note by moving to the right in anticipation of a preparatory beat for the quarter note. The quarter note should be in an upward motion at mp. Next, the conductor should mark the downbeat again for the fourth fermata.

Synchronizing bars 5 and 6 involves the same ideas as the previous bars. The conductor should give a left-hand cue to the flute and then wait for the fifth fermata. After that, the right hand should move in an upward motion for the thirty-second notes. Finally, the sixth fermata should come with a down beat at p. If the conductor wants a crisp staccato, the fifth fermata has to be cut off with the left hand while the right hand is giving a preparatory gesture.

After the sixth fermata, the flute should play its respective sixteenth notes, and this needs to be followed by a complete cut off. In the passage in Example 4, many rests help the flute player to breath, thus the breath mark represents a slight pause. The conductor should allow a short break before giving the preparatory gesture for the 4/16 bar at a tempo of Quarter note = 56. In Example

4, the length of the fermata can vary, but there should always be enough time for the fermata notes to be heard by the audience. The whole passage should be gentle and free. The 4/16 bar can be conducted ‘in one,’ as if it was a 1/4 bar. A short ad libitum section in the flute will be followed by the seventh fermata, as show in Example 5.

Example 5: Illustrating synchronized bar lines. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (I), mm. 9-16

7 8 9 10 11 12

Example 5 can also be solved by following the process used for the previous measures.

Between the eleventh and twelfth fermatas, the three eighth notes should be conducted separately to express the three different dynamic markings. Before the 4/4 bar, the 32th notes in the flute

need to be conducted like a grace note. The conductor should give a big upward motion as a preparatory gesture for the 4/4 bar, and the flute needs to jump into the preparatory gesture as if playing grace notes.

Example 6: Illustrating the ‘quality of timelessness.’ Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (I), mm. 17-21

The passage in mm.17-21 has bar lines, but the conductor also needs to focus on expressing the ‘quality of timelessness.’ The passage is complicated because it features several challenges for the conductor; these include changing the beat patterns accordingly, stopping at every bar line, and following the shifts in tempo accurately. The conductor’s role should be leading the tempi to fit the musical context. Example 6 includes breath marks in every bar. The

metered bars need to be conducted in a traditional manner: the 11/8 bar (Example 6) can be in

2+2+2+2+3 (five beats in total). After the first bar of Example 6, the right hand should stop at the top and give a short break before the 3/4 bar. After a stop between the 11/8 and the 3/4 bars, the conductor should move faster in the poco più mosso and then take another short break. All of these stops need to be short, but complete. At the 6/4 bar, the tempo slows down a bit to meno mosso, and then picks back up again in the 9/16 bar. After stopping between the 9/16 and the 7/4 bars, the 7/4 bar requires a noticeable molto rallentando. The conductor should conduct the last bar to provide a sense of time. However, focusing on the musical flow is more important than providing exact mathematical precision. It is important to make the diminuendo smooth to create an unsettling effect so that the audience is unable to tell whether the piece has ended or not.

4.3 Conducting in the Absence of Meter (including Discrepancies in the Original Score)

Birtwistle used complex notation in his early period and then later moved to using conventional notational devices. For example, his Silbury Air has two different versions: the first version was published by Universal Edition in 1979, while a revised version followed in 2003.

The biggest difference between these versions is in terms of notation. The first one has a unique graphic characteristic, while the second one simplifies the complex irregularity of pulse by using conventional notation.29 Similarly, in Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, the conductor’s score shows creative notation, while the parts feature traditional notation. It is fascinating to see the composer’s first thoughts on the work. However, different notations between the score and parts are certainly confusing to both the conductor and performers. While explaining Birtwistle’s

Silbury Air, Roxburgh asserts that by studying the first version, the conductor will gain insight

29 Roxburgh, 202.

into the motivation behind Birtwistle’s ideas; in exchange, analyzing the second version will help the conductor understand the work’s ‘compositional logic.’30 In Entr’actes and Sappho

Fragments, the biggest issue between both versions are differences in meter. Sometimes, the conductor’s score does not have any meter, while the players’ parts do. The most effective way to conduct and communicate with performers will be learning each part. The following examples will show the differences between the original version and what is in the individual parts. The updated version of the score is the one used for this research.

Example 7-1: Illustrating discrepancies with the original score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), original score, mm. 52-55

Example 7-2: Illustrating the updated score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), updated score, mm. 52-55

30 Ibid.

At the beginning of Examples 7-1 and 7-2, the original score does not have a 3/8 meter, although the performers’ parts are marked in 3/8. In addition, the 4/4 bar is not exactly clear in the original score, while in the musicians’ parts, the exact time is notated. The 7/8+5/8 bar is divided into two synchronized bars. The next bar is not exactly in any meter in either of the scores; thus, the breves should accordingly take a large amount of time. In the performance notes, Birtwistle explains that a white breve is longer than a black breve. These can all be conducted in a two-pattern, stopping in each breve for a while to increase their length. In both of the scores, a short breath comes before the 2/4 bar and the tempo is Quarter note = 42, which is faster than the previous 5/8 bar (Eighth note = 72).

Example 8-1: Illustrating discrepancies with the original score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), original score, mm. 56-58

Example 8-2: Illustrating the updated score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), updated score, mm. 56-58

In Example 8-1, the passage can be very confusing to conduct without measures.

Thankfully, the parts have meters: Example 8-2 includes this updated information. The first bar needs to be in a three-pattern. The first beat will be for the quarter note and the second beat will sustain the white breve note. Next, the conductor should give a cue for the flute with the left hand while sustaining the second beat and provide a preparatory gesture before the third beat, which occurs along the line with the flute’s repeated notes. During the third beat, the solo flute accompanies the rest of the ensemble. Therefore, the conductor should find the right timing and offer an appropriate preparatory gesture for the viola and the harp. The next 3/8 bar, as shown in

Example 8-2, will also be in three. In the following bar, the harp will need two separate beats while the viola and harp maintain a breve. The last bar is in free meter. The harp should play the six notes alone without any interruption from the conductor’s pattern. The conductor should lead the flute and viola, helping them to start the first note of the septuplets together. The rest of septuplets do not require conducting because the flute and viola have different tempos.

Example 9-1: Illustrating discrepancies with the original score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), original score, mm.60-63

Example 9-2: Illustrating the updated score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), updated score, mm. 60-63

Examples 9-1 and 9-2 also provide two instances where the original score and the parts differ from one another. I should also note that there is a typo in the second bar of the original score: it is missing a fermata in the harp. Regardless, all three instruments should hold the note for the same amount of time. After the fermata, the 3/16 bar has a rallentando up to the next bar, which is at Quarter note = 40. In Example 9-2, m.61, Birtwistle marks Eighth note = 88 (Quarter note = 44). Thus, the rallentando is from 44 to 40. Also, the meter values change from quarter note to eighth, from eighth to sixteenth, and then from sixteenth to quarter note again over the course of five bars. A conductor should keep the sixteenth note in mind in order to keep the phrase steady. The 3/16 bar can be conducted in one or in a rounded three pattern.

Example 10-1: Illustrating discrepancies with the original score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), original score, mm. 64-66

Example 10-2: Illustrating the updated score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), updated score, mm. 64-66

( ♪= 80 ♪= 84 ♪= 144)

Interestingly, the first bar of Example 10-1 is marked in 6/8 in the original score, but in

3/4 in the parts. The conducting pattern should reflect this change. Another issue in this passage is the accelerando. The first bar of Example 10-1 starts at Quarter note = 40, which was marked in m. 63. At the 3/16 bar the tempo is Sixteenth note = 168, which means Eighth note = 84.

There is a very subtle change from the first bar to the third bar, and there is an abrupt change when arriving at the 5/4 bar. Another problem in the passage are the second and fourth bars.

These two bars do not have exact note lengths. A conductor should decide how long the note will be ahead of time to facilitate consistent rehearsal and performance. If the note is too long, the sense of accelerando cannot be perceived. Therefore, the conductor needs to decide the note lengths; making the second bar longer than the fourth bar can help to create the accelerando.

Example 11-1: Illustrating discrepancies with the original score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), original score, mm. 67-68

Example 11-2: Illustrating the updated score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (IV), updated score, mm. 67-68

In Example 11-2, the first bar is in a 7/4 meter, and the last bar has a 5/4 plus meter, which means longer than a 5/4 meter. In the second bar of Example 11-1 and 11-2, the flute and viola should play the thirty-second notes together and match the length of their black note heads; however, the harp player should be doing a molto rallentando by him/herself. The ending of this passage does not need to be coordinated exactly. All three players should let the last note ring; afterwards, the flute will play the last grace note.

Example 12-1: Illustrating problems in the original score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (V), original score, mm. 69-74

5+3

4+3

5+3

4+3

The difficulty in Example 12-1 lies mainly with the material shown in brackets.

Birtwistle indicates his intentions regarding groupings by placing brackets above the notes. The rhythms themselves are not difficult to execute, but it is hard to find a correct conducting pattern without meters that will convey the proper information to the performers. Also, at times instruments have different phrases that do not match with their grouping ideas. For example, in the second system of Example 12-1 (see the box), the flute and the higher register of the harp have the same grouping idea, 5+3, but the viola and the lower register of the harp have a 4+3

idea. This section definitely needs more information than the existing brackets. However,

Birtwistle notates the same section in a more conventional way with revisions in the parts.

Example 12-2: Illustrating the Flute Part. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (V), mm. 69-80

The flute part shows all the meters, unlike the original score, which helps the performer understand what meters the composer intended. This is the same for the other instruments. All the parts include these meters instead of the brackets. Based on the collective information from all the parts, an updated score is provided below.

Example 12-3: Illustrating problems in the updated score. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set I (V), updated score, mm.69-74

5+3

4+4

5+3

By utilizing conventional conducting patterns, such as 4/4 and 5/8, the conductor can easily achieve the musical goal of this passage. However, knowing both versions of the score requires a different mindset from the conductor. In Example 12-2, the whole section does not flow as much from a musical standpoint as it does in Example 12-1.

4.4 Considerations of the Voice

Birtwistle adds a vocal part in Set II. The voice functions like one of the instruments, but it actually has texts, which need to be heard by the audience. Thus, the balance between the instruments and the voice are important. Furthermore, the complex rhythms and leaping notes provide additional difficulties for the singer.

Example 13: Illustrating the use of the voice. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set II, mm. 78-92

The voice first enters during Set II, playing tutti with the rest of the instruments. The atmosphere of Set II is energetically and rhythmically different from that of Set I. Set II contains more rhythmic variety as well as a strong, driving energy. In Example 13 (m.81), the voice starts with a hum, holding back the actual text until later in the set. The composer directs the singer to sing with “closed lips,” essentially humming. Barring the singer having perfect pitch, she has to

find the first pitch from the violin in the first measure of the example. This moment is a perfect

example of Birtwistle using the voice like an instrument. There is no distinction between

foreground or background in this section. The composer divides his rhythmic creation and gives

parts of the rhythms to all instruments, creating a dovetailed effect. Consequently, the pitches

have to be very accurate and the voice does not need to be dramatic or lyrical.

The passage can be conducted in a conventional way. But the tempo has to be very

accurate; this is another distinguishing fact from Set I, which has much more independence and

freedom between the individual instruments. Most of the passages in Set II have to be in strict

tempo because of complex rhythmic figures.

Example 13 ends with the vocalist singing a vowel sound. The instruments end earlier but

the singer has to continue with the passage. The tempo of the next phrase is Quarter note = 76-

80, which is slower than the previous passage. The conductor should wait for the singer until she

completes her last three notes. When the singer starts to sing the E (the third pitch from the end),

the conductor needs to start the preparatory gesture for the next entrance in the new tempo

(Quarter note = 76 - 80).

Example 14: Illustrating the use of the voice. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set II, mm. 93-97

voice ßß FL.

Vln.

Harp

In Example 14, it is tricky for the vocalist to properly sing the first G. The singer will

generally want to open her mouth and drop her jaw more as she moves higher in her range.

However, in this case, the composer instructs “closed lips” and con espressivo. Because of this, the singer may need a little more time to prepare the sound. If this is the case, the conductor

should be aware and help the singer and the harp synchronize their figures.

Example 15: Illustrating the use of the voice. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set II (Cantus I), mm. 117-123

Throughout the piece, the voice is generally paired with the flute. Occasionally, the voice

and flute have the same rhythms and pitches. These two form a duet while the other instruments

are essentially playing in another ensemble underneath. In Example 15, Birtwistle clearly marks

that the voice and flute are in the forefront by giving them louder dynamics.

4. 4. 1 Complex Meter Changes

As mentioned earlier, Set II has more rhythmic variety. This portion of the piece features

extended time signatures, repetition and variation, and folk materials, the influence of which can

be traced to Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. The work is famously known for its syncopated

29 rhythmic structures and Birtwistle developed this idea in an even more complex manner in

Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments.31

Example 16: Illustrating complex meter changes. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set II (Entr’acte III, updated score), mm. 200-208

At the beginning of Entr’acte III, Birtwistle marks the tempo Eighth note = 132.

However, the conductor should subdivide the sixteenth note in his/her mind (Sixteenth note =

264.) Subsequently, it should be easy to adjust the changes of note values in the 5/16 and 5/32 bars, as shown in Example 16. The conducting pattern should follow the eighth note pulse from the beginning of the passage. In the first bar of Example 16, the 3/8 bar will be in three, the 2/8

31 Cross writes, “The structural importance of rhythm in Stravinsky, the construction of new kinds of musical time, structures built both from the opposition of blocks and of the simultaneous layering of opposed materials (two different kinds of stratification), repetition and variation, verse refrain structures, modality (especially melodically), ritual and role play, the suggestive richness of folk art... all these key and influential facets of Stravinsky’s modernism are central to an understanding of Birtwistle’s modernism too.” (Cross, Harrison Birtwistle: Man, Mind, Music, 36)

30 bar will be in two, the 5/16 bar will be in two (2 + 3), and the 2/8 bar will be in two again. Next,

the 5/16 bar will be in two, more specifically 3 + 2 because of the rhythm in the violin. The

following 3/16 bar will be in one and the next 5/32 bar will be in one again. However, the

heights of the conducting pattern should vary depending on the value of the meter (e.g. in the

5/16 bar (m.202), the first beat will be smaller and sharper, while the second will be rounder and

more spacious to convey the triple subdivision and be longer in relative length to the surrounding

beats). Roxburgh addresses that the varying height of the units is the key to achieve absolute

control of the speed variations in the pulse.32 By staying in the same tempo, and varying the height of the beat in the different rhythmic structures, the players will feel more secure.33 For a comparison of the last two measures, the height of a one-pattern for 3/16 should be longer than a one-pattern in 5/32 because it has a larger number of beats (6/32 > 5/32).

In Example 17, continuous bars consisting exclusively of sixteenth notes at a very fast tempo make it difficult for the performers to discern the underlying pulse. The tempo for

Example 17 is Eighth note = 144.

Example 17: Illustrating complex meter changes. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set II (Entr’acte V, updated score), mm. 267-275

*Typo: this measure is 4/16

32 Roxburgh, 39. 33 Ibid, 34.

31 This is another challenging passage because of the complex meters. The conductor should always keep in mind the length of the sixteenth note. I should point out that there is a typo in the original score here as well: the seventh bar in the example should be 4/16, not 4/8. The first bar of the example is in two (2 + 3), the 2/8 bar is in two, the 3/16 bar is in one, the 7/16 bar is in three (3 + 2 + 2), the following 3/16 bar is in one, the next 5/16 bar is in two (2 + 3), the next 4/16 bar is in two, the following 3/16 is in one again, and the last bar is in three (3 + 2 + 2).

4. 4. 2 Merging Bar Lines

Birtwistle portrays his musical imagination through very specific meter changes.

However, the conductor’s work is to transfer these changes from imagination to reality. If the composer’s idea is not practical for the performers, other methods should be considered.

Example 18: Illustrating complex meter changes. Birtwistle. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Set II (Cantus I), mm. 138-148

Beat patterns: 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2

This passage is in a fast tempo: Quarter note = 112. If the passage was in a slow tempo, each bar could be executed in individual beat patterns. However, at a fast pace, continually beating downward can confuse performers. From the fifth bar of Example 18, the meter is consistently grouped in measures of 2/8 + 2/4. In addition, the rhythms are developing in two measures phrases. Rather than continuing to give short down beats in every measure, the conductor can create two bar phrases and put them in one beat pattern. From the fifth bar of the example, a three-beat pattern can be used. Meier asserts that the melodic and harmonic structures, phrasing, articulation, bowing, dynamics, and orchestration determine when bars should be grouped into larger units.34 Thus, when the measures are too complicated to conduct, merging the beat can be a reliable option to consider.

34 Gustav Meier, The Score, the Orchestra, and the Conductor (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2009), 50.

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

In Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments, Sir Harrison Birtwistle presents the listener with individual ideas regarding theatricality, structure, rhythm, repetition and perpetuity. These thoughts are expressed by way of his own notation, which requires the use of extended conducting techniques. A conductor’s job is to interpret the composer’s ideas in a proper manner and convey these ideas to performers in the most effective way. Understanding the composer’s intent is critical in order to deliver subtle nuances during performance. Nonetheless, it is also important to attain the necessary balance between developing such musical ideas and finding realistic solutions from a technical standpoint that allow musicians to save time and effort, thus maximizing their performing experience. Contemporary music that features the use of extended techniques, notation, and tempo changes requires more preparation for conductors. After providing a detailed discussion with regards to staging, synchronized bars within a ‘quality of timelessness,’ discrepancies in the score and the parts, considerations of the voice, and complex meter changes (including merging bars), my hope is that this study of Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments fills the existing gaps in the score. Consequently, this can be conducive to more performances of this fascinating composition. I also wish that my research can help musicians to better understand Birtwistle and his musical world.

34 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Scores

Birtwistle, Harrison, and Sappho. Entr’actes and Sappho Fragments. London: Universal Edition, 1965.

Books

Adlington, Robert. The Music of Harrison Birtwistle: Music in the Twentieth Century. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000.

Cross, Jonathan. Harrison Birtwistle: Man, Mind, Music. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 2000.

Hall, Michael. Harrison Birtwistle. London, UK: Robson Books, 1984.

Kostelanetz, Richard, and Joseph Darby. Classic Essays on Twentieth-Century Music. New York: Schirmer Books, 1996.

Meier, Gustav. The Score, the Orchestra, and the Conductor. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Roxburgh, Edwin, Andrew Davis, and Warehouse Ensemble. Conducting for a New Era. Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 2014.

Weisberg, Arthur. Performing Twentieth-Century Music: a Handbook for Conductors and Instrumentalists. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1993.

Articles

Rupprecht, Philip. “Mechanical Song: Birtwistle’s Rhythmic Imagination.” Harrison Birtwistle Studies, edited by David Beard, Kenneth Gloag, and Nicholas Jones. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2015, pp. 26-62.

Electronic Resources

Cross, Jonathan. “Birtwistle, Sir Harrison.” Grove Music Online, Oxford Music Online. Accessed January 8, 2019. http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001. 0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000003136.

35 Jander, Owen. “Cantus (i).” Grove Music Online, Oxford Music Online. Accessed December 29, 2018. http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2173/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001. 0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000004793.

Rupprecht, Philip. “Entr’acte.” Grove Music Online, Oxford Music Online. Accessed January 23, 2019. http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2173/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001. 0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000008858.