Three for Three for Violin, Guitar & Piano
Edward P. Mascari
About this work:
Three for Three for violin, guitar and piano was commissioned by the Strung Out Trio, an ensemble whose members are on the faculty of Eastern Mediterranean University in Turkey. This composition is designed to exhibit the individual characteristics of each instrument as well as to explore the possibilities of this somewhat unusual instrumental combination.
I. Danza Scherzosa (Playful Dance): This movement was composed in its entirety in July of 2002 while my wife and I were on vacation in Franconia, New Hampshire. As the title suggests, the mood of this short opening movement is light, upbeat and jazzy. Its structure loosely follows an ABA form. The piano, by itself, introduces the movement with the accompaniment material that it will continue to play three more times in succession. This six and a half measure section serves as the foundation for the entire A section. Above this supporting material, the violin and guitar each play the theme individually before rendering this melody in unison. Although the movement’s 8/8 meter occasionally expands to 9/8 or contracts to 7/8, the overall effect created is that of a feeling of swing. The B section begins with the violin / guitar duo. The block chords which are introduced by the guitar and prominent in this section continue to appear for the remainder of the movement. At first the piano is silent, later it provides rhythmic punctuation for the string duo. When the A section returns, so does the piano’s original six and a half measure accompaniment material. This time, however, it participates in the thematic dialog which also incorporates some of the B material as well as variations on the A motives.
II. Elegia (Elegy): Although I did not have a specific person or a particular occasion in mind when I chose this title, the mournful character of the theme evokes a series of emotions often connected with the idea of loss. The violin states the theme at the outset of the movement which is in 4/4 time. The two-voiced guitar accompaniment material provides a foundation for this A theme which is repeated by the piano playing softly in octaves in its high register. When the violin re-enters to repeat the theme (now with tremolo), the piano imitates this melody in canonic fashion as the guitar switches to block chords made up of super-imposed fourths. The B section begins with a new theme which is in 3/4 time. The single-line unaccompanied guitar rendering of this seven-measure melody provides a striking contrast to what preceded it. After additional statements of the B theme in a variety of textures and instrumental combinations, the A section returns with its 4/4 meter and imitative writing. An extended coda follows and builds in intensity and volume as the B theme combines with the A material to bring the movement to a triumphant conclusion.
III. Capriccio romantico: Returning to the earlier mood of playfulness, this final movement once again loosely follows an ABA structure. After the 13 measure introduction in which the piano is the prominent voice and the violin and guitar each appear occasionally, the improvisatory A theme is stated in the right hand of the piano. The chromatic dominant seventh chords continue to be played in the left hand of the piano while the double stops of the violin add to the rhythmic energy of the accompaniment. The violin / guitar duo varies this thematic material in subsequent repetitions and then ushers in the movement’s long central B section. The um-pah accompaniment of the guitar emphasizes the metric shift from 4/4 to 7/8. The violin states a new lyrical theme which is presented in an imitative texture with the piano and later with the addition of the guitar. The intensity builds and subsides before the A section returns. The violin and guitar motives which were heard at the beginning of the movement are now inverted, and the A theme of the piano is enriched by the addition of the guitar. A playful coda, derived from the last three measures of the first A section, presents a joyful exchange among the three instruments before concluding this movement with great exuberance.
Year composed: 2003
Duration: 00:12:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Other Combinations, 2-5 players
Instrumentation: 1 Piano, 1 Violin, 1 Guitar (Classical/Acoustic)
Instrumentation notes: The individual movements may be performed separately or within the context of the entire piece. In larger halls, it may be helpful if the guitar has some amplification. A solo woodwind instrument (particularly the flute)or a viola could substitute for the violin, although some editing would be necessary.