Vocal score

[David Ward]

It seems likely that I'll have to make my own vocal score of the piece a page of which is in the attached screenshot. I did start by making a draft vocal score as I went along, but inevitably have abandoned that idea.

Anyway, the page shown looks simplicity itself ( = 60) until you notice that on the last beat of the first system the clarinet has F natural (written as G) while the piano continues to have F sharp. This should sound as I wish when played as scored, but in any piano reduction I fear it might sound rather muddy, which without the security of the viola doubling might be disconcerting for the singer.

The score is full of this sort of thing, likely to create a frisson or tension as scored, but at risk of sounding more like a mistake in a piano reduction.

Any advice from members of this forum on how best to realize this in the vocal score will be appreciated.

BTW it's for this unlikely seeming commission, involving my near pastiche of a mix of musical languages https://www.deveron-projects.com/b-means-b/ I'm actually finding it great fun to write.

[Christof Schardt]

An observation: The clarinet is indicated as B-flat-instrument, but the key signature is C rather than D. Is that score page correct?

For the piano reduction: shouldn't the clarinet 6-tuplets be dropped anyway, since there is no reasonable way to join the line with the piano right hand?

[RMK]

You are assuming the excerpt is in C major. It is not, but rather is not in any key, therefore the clarinet KS is correct.

Are you saying that six against four is impossible? Better tell Brahms...

[Christof Schardt]

Are you saying that six against four is impossible?

The left hand has to play some bass notes and isn't likely to help out. So the two 16th-sequences are required to be handled by the right hand. And yes, I don't regard this as reasonable. The arranger has to decide to pick one of both.

[David Ward]

Might the simplest answer be to have the clarinet on a cue stave?

[OCTO]

I just wonder if the term "vocal score" assumes piano reduction only, and nothing transposed at all?

[John Ruggero]

David, condensing as shown in the example is quite pianistic and sounds fine to me if the clarinet part is played softly Putting the clarinet in small notes, as shown, is also a possibility to show that the part is optional or that it should be played on a different dynamic plane to correspond to the different orchestral color of the original.

example.jpeg (97.71 KiB) Viewed 13570 times

[David Ward]

Superb! Thank you very much John, this (either) is just what I need.

What a pity that you are not doing the whole vocal score, as I'm certain you'd make a very much better job of it than will I.

[John Ruggero]

Thanks, David. I am glad that helped. I am sure that your reduction will be fine, but please let me know if I can be of further assistance.