Cabbages and Kings

for clarinet, cello, and piano

Carolyn Chen 2007

Program note

“The time has come,” the Walrus said, “To talk of many things: Of shoes – and ships – and sealing-wax – Of cabbages – and kings – And why the sea is boiling hot – And whether pigs have wings.”

– Lewis Carroll, “The Walrus and The Carpenter” (from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)

I appreciated this poem. Although there may be some genocide in it, it is light. I aimed for lightness. Going forward could be easy, although, looking back, it may not be quite right. Performance notes Each section has distinct character. Following are some pictures that might guide. Tempo indications are suggestions for degree of piu/meno mosso. Sparse expression markings are not meant to signify something mechanical. Different kinds of singing are possible.

The sun was shining leaf by leaf (m.1) Something suspended. Light falls differently on each leaf. Something foreign drifts in and takes hold.

The sea was wet (m.69)

The rocking of a boat – light, legato. The foreignness (sometimes in 3/8 bars) is masked. O oysters come and walk with us (m.119)

Confused groundhog. May require some heroism on your part. There are the beginnings of many things, but nothing can really develop. Something that fights has been swallowed, and sometimes punches from inside the stomach. (Occasionally, walking normally, you might become a leprechaun for a few steps, 3/8, with preservation of mass.) Seeds of concentrated melodrama might be set apart, and their feeling allowed to seep in when patterns recur.

Seamless (m.326)

The singing that’s in objects when they are allowed to be still. (The singing is between you.)

No cloud, no bird (m.375) A solitary place turns out to be quite populated. Each note’s end is a surprise.

Their coats were brushed, their faces washed, their shoes were clean and neat (m.410)

Attempts to put everything in order. Fatigue (m.431) is heavy.

Why the sea is boiling hot (m.434) Sparkliness is difficult to maintain.

Everything falls in pieces (m.439)

But try to hold it together anyway. Piano bassline takes its time. A spot of sun (m.461).

So kind of you to come (m.463) Goodbye song. Not heavy. Getting faster, but more relaxed – faster, but leaning back – faster, not pushing forward.

q = 63 The sun was shining leaf by leaf

Cabbages and KingsCarolyn Chen

2007

Clarinet in Bb

Violoncello

Piano

Score in C

p

p

pizz.

(always let ring)

p

pp

6

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

p

arco

pizz.

12

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

arco

B

pizz.

18

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

arco

light

pizz.

arco

24

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pizz.

arcoflaut.

30

q = 56

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

arco

pp

pizz. p arco pizz.

mf

p

mf

p

mf

p

p

35

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

arco pizz.

3 arco

sfz

f

sfz

3

pp

41

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pp

pizz.

mp

p

arco

ppp

sfz

sfz

p

p

sfz

49 Pno.

sfz

sfz

sfz

sfz

sfz

sfz

sfz

2

57 Pno.

sfz

poco a poco crescendo

sfz

sfz

sfz

sfz

sfz

sfz

64

A

q = 66 The sea was wet

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

p

mf

p

pizz.

mp

arco

sfz

mf

p

mf

70

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mp

mf

mp

mf

mf

76

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

p

arco

p

p

82

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mp

mp

mp

3

86

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mf

mp

p

mf

89

q = 72

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

3

pizz.

arco

93

q = 66

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

99

q = 72

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

p

p

pp

4

105

q = 88

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pp

pp

112

q = 80

Cl.

Pno.

p pp

p

3

Bq = 76 O oysters come and walk with us119

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mp

p

mp

p f

mp

pizz.

mf

arco

mp

p f

mp

mp

p

light

pepper

mf

mp

125

q = 66

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

p

p

mp

pizz.

arco

p

bright

mf

mp

pizz

p mp

bright

mf

mp

5

132

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pp

p mf

arco

p

pizz.

arco

mf

p

6

139

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

p

p

mf

p

p

mf

p

5

p

145

q = 92 rit.

q = 72

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mp

mf

bolder meeker

p

f

mp

p

mp

mf

bolder

meeker

p

f

mp

pizz.

p

arco

p

p

C151

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mp

3

p

pizz.

mp

arco

pizz. arco

3

mp

mf

6

q = 60157

q = 88

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

p

lively mf

p lively

mf

sob

p

mf

164

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

p

sneaky

overt

p

covert

overt

ff

p

170

q = 60

q = 88

q = 66

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

f

mf

pizz.

arco

f

mf 3

f

3

p f

3

176

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

plod

falling back in

cow

mp

horror

ff

mp

mf

p

7

D182

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mp

serene?

mp

serene?

pserene?

187

q = 88

q = 66

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pp

p

pp

p

mp

pp

mp

192

q = 72

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mp

p

199

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mf

pp

mf

pp

mf

mp

mf

f

mf

8

206

q = 76

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mf

mp

pizz.

arco

mf pizz.

f

arco

mf

p

f mf

mp

f

mp

p

E

212

q = 66 rit.

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mf

mp

mf

retreat

mp

mf pizz.

arco

mf

q = 76217

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mp

mighty

f

mp

mp

pizz. arco

mighty

f

mp

regal

fmp

f

mp

3

222

q = 66

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mp

mp

fight

f

lull

p

mp

9

226

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mf

mp

p

pizz.

f

arco

mp pizz.

arco

p

mf

f

fists flying in a dreammp

229

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mp

mf

pizz.

mf

arco pizz.

arco

mp

mf

mp

p

mf

235

q = 58

q = 66

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

f

p

mp

pizz.

p

arco

f

mp

pizz. arco

pp

mp

crisp calm

p

p

243

q = 100

(e= K )

q = 63

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mp

p

ppp

p

mp

p

pizz.

arco pizz.

flashy

p f

mp

6 mf

10

251

Fq = 60

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pp

mp

p

pp

arco

mp

pizz.

arco

p

p

q = 66258

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

264

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pizz.

arco

269

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

f

dolce mp

dolcef

mp

mp

quietlyflowing

p

3

11

275

q = 88

q = 72

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

281

q = 80

accel. q = 92

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pp

mp

p

mf

mp

p

mf

mp

f

p

q = 80288

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

tears

pizz. arco

p

294

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pizz.

arco

soft

12

299

G

q = 92 q = 80 q = 92

q = 80

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

p

306

q = 88

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

gallant

f

312

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

p

p

pizz.arco

f

p

3 3

316

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mf

mf

pizz.

f

f

mf

f

mf

13

321

q = 80

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

arco

mf

f

pizz.

arco

mf

324

H

q = 48 Seamless

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

p

legato

mp

mf

p

mf

legato

legato

mf

331

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pp

mf

340

q = 60

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pp

mp

p

mp

mp

14

352 q = 66

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

p

mp

mp

mf

p

362

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

p

mp

mp

mf

mp

373 q = 52 No cloud, no bird

I

q = 60

Vc.

Pno.

pizz.

p

p

pp

p

mp

381

Cl.

Pno.

p

15

387

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pp

p

pizz.

p

p

sorrowful

393

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

arco

pizz.

398

Vc.

Pno.

403

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mp

p

arco f

p

f

pp

3

16

408

J

q = 50 Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,

their shoes were clean and neat

Cl.

Pno.

3

mp

412

Pno.

414

Pno.

416

Pno.

418 q = 66

Pno.

pp

q = 60420

Cl.

Pno.

p

p

17

422

Pno.

pp

p

q = 80424

Pno.

427

Vc.

Pno.

p

pizz.

429 q = 63

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

f

all of us are fat

f

pizz. arco

pizz.

p

432 q = 60

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

arco

pizz.

arco

pizz. arco

18

Kq = 120 Why the sea is boiling hot

434

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pp

pizz.

f

arco

pp

pizz.

arco

p

436

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pizz.

f

438L

q = 60 Everything falls

in pieces

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mp f

p

pizz.

mf

mp

440

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

f

mp

arco

mp

pizz.

arco

pizz.

arco

p

p

mp

19

442 q = 30 (very careful)

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

f

ff

pp

pizz.

arco

f

pizz.

D

arco

pizz.

pp

q = 60445

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

mp

arco

mp

pizz.arco

pp

f

447

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pizz.arco

pizz. arco

pizz. arco

p

pizz.

mp

20

450

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

ff

p

mf

p

ppp

3 3

pizz

arco

pizz.

mf

arco

p

ppp

sfz

454

Cl.

Vc.

Pno.

pizz.

sfz

sfz

sfz

sfz

mp

sfz

462 M q = 108

Pno.

to silence (ca. 20")

mf

So kind of you to come

468

q = 120

Pno.

474

accel.

Pno.

no crescendo,

no hurry

q = 132480 Pno.

486

q = 144 no hurry

Pno.

492 Pno.

21