Marc Sabat
Claudius Ptolemy
for violin or contrabass and cello
PLAINSOUND MUSIC EDITION
Claudius Ptolemy (2008/17)
for violin or contrabass and cello
for Johnny Chang and Jessica Catron
for Nicholas Chalk and David Eggert
NOTES ABOUT THE INTERPRETATION
Tempo is free: as swiftly as accurate intonation permits, but taking time whenever
necessary. Each pitch may be considered to have a ‘virtual fermata’, which may be
held whenever more time is needed to clearly focus the indicated just interval ratio.
For the most part, overlapping tones produce ‘tuneable intervals’ which may be
precisely realized by ear.
There are only seven pitch classes used in this piece, forming a D Major scale tuned
according to Claudius Ptolemy’s tense diatonic (5-limit just intonation). The four
pitches G - D - A - E are tuned as a chain of pure (3/2) fifths, matching the open
strings of the violin. The pitches B - F# - C# are tuned as pure (5/4) major thirds
above G - D - E, and are accordingly notated with downward arrows to indicate
alteration by a syntonic comma (81/80). The resulting thirds should sound beatless
and resonant, and care should be taken not to exaggerate the extent of the comma!
The two individual voices may also be played as solo pieces for violin or contrabass
and cello. Various intrumentations (solo, duo) may be played on various repeats.
Berlin, 15 January 2008 / 28 February 2017
forJohnnyChangandJessicaCatron
Claudius Ptolemy
Marc Sabat
Sempre rubato: swiftly and freely, sustaining longer whenever accurate tuning requires it
≤ consordino
1
™™
& 1 nw
w
nw
w
-2
o
0
I ≤ consordino
n
w
w
?1
™
™
1
0
û
o
≥
uw
w
III
ù
Violin
Cello
w
w
I≤
nw
+2
o
w
o
w
nw
-14
-4
+2
p o r t.
uw
mw
w
nw
w
-14
nw
nw
w
w
uw
nw
port.
-2
w
-16
-18
III
12
ù
&
Vln
o
n~
+2
uw
mw
w
w
uw
w
nw
w
w
o
~
w
o
-2
-16
I
-14
-18
n ~o
III
~o
n ~o
w
II
n ~o
nw
II
I
o
? n~
~o
+2
II
nw
nw
w
0
w
nw
w
w
w
Vlc
0
û
-4
-2
23
≤
uw
-14
o
ù
&
Vln
w
mw
w
uw
w
nw
-18
-16
-4
~
nw
?
Vlc
û
m w≤
uw
≥o 5°/II
uw
m~
w
w
0
~
port.
w
w
-16
-14
-18
-2
-4 III
5°/II
34
ù
&
Vln
u~o
≤
nw
o
+2
w
~o
nw
w
nw
w
nw
w
w
-4
III
-2
o
o
? n~
I
nw
~
u w≤
w
uw
w
III
w
mw
n~o
w
Vlc
û
o
o
-14
II
-16
o
-4
-18
repeatoften,
asdesired
45
II
+2
ù
0
& uw
Vln
w
nw
nw
-16
I
n ~o
~o
w
w
≤ 5°/I
u ~o
≤
nw
III
-18
nw
w
mw
nw
w
nw
w
™™
w
-2
o
I
~
port.
n ~o
~
n w≥
w
? ~
™™
Vlc
û
o
-2
o
o
Berlin,15January2008
forNicholasChalkandDavidEggert
2
Claudius Ptolemy
Marc Sabat
Sempre rubato: swiftly and freely, sustaining longer whenever accurate tuning requires it
+2
≤ consordino
w
™™ nw
0
o
I
ù?
Cello
nw
nw
p o r t.
mw
uw
w
nw
-14
-2
w
w
w
uw
nw
port.
w
-16
-18
2°/I
9°/II
n ~o
~o
+2
4°/II
n~o
?
Contrabass
û ‹ -2 o
~~o
0 o
o
™™ ~
~~o
o
unw~
o
-14
4°/III
~
o
?
‹
&
‹
o
n ~o
-4
o
5°/III
I
n ~o
12
III
~o
II
n ~o
I
ù? n~o
~o
+2
II
nw
nw
w
0
nw
w
w
Vlc
0
-4
-2
6°/I
~o
Cb
?
û‹
5°/I
~o
m ~o
port.
n ~o
5°/II
5°/III
m~o
~o
o
u~
o
~
-18
-16
-14
o
~~
+2 o
~
o
&
‹
~o
?
‹
-2
o
2°/IV
II
≥
m ~o 5°/II u w
23
Vlc
ù? ~
nw
m w≤
uw
w
w
n ~o
~
port.
w
w
-16
-18
-14
-2
-4 III
5°/I
5°/II
5°/III
Cb
o
u~
?
û‹
mw
m~o
-4
o
u~
o
~
o
~
uw
-16
n w~
o
w
mw
w
nw
0
-14
I
nw
~
34
ù? n~o
u w≤
w
uw
w
III
w
n~o
Vlc
o
-16
o
-14
II
o
-18
-4
4°/IV
5°/III
Cb
? w
û‹
o
n~
+2
nw
o
o
n ~o
nw
~
o
w
nw
nw
w
w
-4
-2
≤ 5°/I
u ~o
I
45
u~
-14 o
~o
I
~
port.
n ~o
~
n w≥
w
ù? ~
™™
Vlc
o
o
-2
o
2°/III
5°/II
5°/I
+2
Cb
o
? u~
û ‹ -16
uw
ow
~
o
onw~
o
w~
m ~~o
o
-16
~o
n ~o
nw
n ~o
p o r t.
o
™™ n~
o
4°/II
6°/III
Berlin,28February2017