Vocal score Kubla Khan poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge music by Philip Legge Vocal score Copyright © 2004, 2006 Philip Legge All rights reserved. http://www.carringbush.net/~pml/music/legge/ This printing January 15 2006 Kubla Khan Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem Kubla Khan is an unsettling glimpse of the poet’s unconscious as well as a vivid and evocative set of dreamlike images. The story of how it came to be written is well-known; the visions in a dream inspired by reading a passage of Purchas’s Pilgrimage relating the construction of the Khan’s palace (and possibly influenced by laudanum) might have resulted in a poem of two or three hundred lines had not Coleridge been interrupted by the infamous “man from Porlock”. We are left instead with a fleeting spiral of fragmentary images and ideas that never seem to connect. A fragment of Coleridge’s Fragment appears on the cover (Add. MS 50847, f. 1v). The obvious inspiration for the harp accompaniment is the first line of the final stanza, “A damsel with a dulcimer”, and the instrumental trio of a harp and two flutes is not completely unknown. The keyboard part here is a transcription of the harp and flute parts suitable for rehearsal with piano. A proper orchestral double harp is preferred for performance, however an electronic keyboard with a full set of octaves and capable of producing a decent harp-like timbre may prove adequate (as well as overcoming the harp’s limitations in rapid changes of tuning), especially if the choir is comparatively large. Programme Notes by the composer: “The poem ‘Kubla Khan’ by Coleridge has been a favourite of mine for many years, but the inspiration to set it to music – originally for female voices with harp accompaniment – came to me on a holiday a couple of years ago, when I scribbled down a fragmentary page or two. “Coleridge had been in self-imposed retreat at a country farm-house when he wrote the poem, and had been taking opium purportedly as a relief for some illness, so after reading a travel book with an exotic description of Kublai Khan’s palace, he had an extremely vivid poetic dream. Unfortunately after he awoke he was interrupted while in the middle of writing it all down, and later on he couldn’t remember the poem or the dream; so what little of the poem that remains is very evocative. “Unlike Coleridge I can’t claim to have been inspired by an opium-influenced dream, but most of that musical fragment I wrote has found its way into the current composition in one form or another. The poem – and my music as well – consists of a dreamy and kaleidoscopic series of images and motifs, some of which recur and connect overtly or subliminally. The impetus of a performance led me to expand the work to incorporate two flutes as well as full mixed-voice choir, and a small solo for soprano.” Kubla Khan received its premiére at the Kaleide Theatre, RMIT University, Melbourne, on June 4 2004. Flutes: Karl Billeter, Nick Adler Soprano solo: Sarah Chan Keyboard (quasi arpa): Michael Winikoff The RMIT Occasional Choral Society (ROCS), conducted by Philip Legge Copyright © 2004, 2006 Philip Legge. All rights reserved. For permission to publicly perform or record this work, or to obtain instrumental parts, please send electronic mail to the composer: phi1ip AT netscape DOT net Kubla Khan (Or, a vision in a dream. A fragment) In Xanadu did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure-dome decree: Where Alph, the sacred river, ran Through caverns measureless to man Down to a sunless sea. So twice five miles of fertile ground With walls and towers were girdled round: And here were gardens bright with sinuous rills Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree; And here were forests ancient as the hills, Enfolding sunny spots of greenery. But oh! that deep romantic chasm which slanted Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover! A savage place! as holy and enchanted As e’er beneath a waning moon was haunted By woman wailing for her demon-lover! And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething, As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing, A mighty fountain momently was forced; Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail, Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher’s flail: And ‘mid these dancing rocks at once and ever It flung up momently the sacred river. Five miles meandering with a mazy motion Through wood and dale the sacred river ran, Then reached the caverns measureless to man, And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean: And ‘mid this tumult Kubla heard from far Ancestral voices prophesying war! The shadow of the dome of pleasure Floated midway on the waves: Where was heard the mingled measure From the fountain and the caves. It was a miracle of rare device, A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice! A damsel with a dulcimer In a vision once I saw: It was an Abyssinian maid, And on her dulcimer she played, Singing of Mount Abora. Could I revive within me Her symphony and song, To such a deep delight ‘twould win me That with music loud and long, I would build that dome in air, That sunny dome! those caves of ice! And all who heard should see them there, And all should cry, Beware! Beware! His flashing eyes, his floating hair! Weave a circle round him thrice, And close your eyes with holy dread, For he on honey-dew hath fed, And drunk the milk of Paradise. Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1798 Kubla Khan Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) With a slow swing, about h. = 54 Soprano solo Sopranos Basses Tenors Altos Philip Legge (*1972) (2003–4) With a slow swing, about h. = 54 Keyboard (practice only) 2 2 sf Xa 9 2 2 p In Xa p In Xa p 1 In Xa na du, in Xa na du, p mf 9 5 16 December 2003 5 na du, na du, in cresc. na du Xa in na du cresc. p du na Xa in na du, cresc. na du Xa in Xa In na du, 1 Copyright © 2004, 2006 Philip Legge. All rights reserved. Xa in cresc. did did did did 4 13 Ku Ku Ku Ku bla Khan A state bla Khan bla bla A state Khan A Khan A state state 13 de de de 16 f ly plea ly plea ly plea sure sure f f plea dome ly dome sure dome f f f mf Alph, cree: Where mf cree: Where Alph, mf cree: Where Alph, mf Where Alph, sure dome cree: de 16 the sa the sa 2 cred 2 2 cred cred 2 the sa the sa cred mp ri ver, ran 19 2 ri 2 2 ver, ri ver, 2 ri ver, ran Through ca 2 mp So twice mp five miles Down to a sun man of fer fer So twice mp five miles of fer gird dled round: gird dled round: gird dled round: So And here five p twice were gar 3 Down to a sun of five miles to man to dens bright tile ground less sea. less less sea. less sea. and tow’rs With walls With walls sea. tile ground were were and tow’rs tile ground With walls and tow’rs were miles ground With walls and tow’rs were with sin 2 blos somed u ous rills Where p 2 Where blos somed ppp 2 Where blos somed dled round: p 28 3 gird man Down to a sun to So twice mp Down to a sun verns mea sure less 28 verns mea sure less ran Through ca verns mea sure less 24 24 Through 5 ca verns mea sure less to man ran Through ca 19 2 2 ma ny 6 33 an in 2 ma ny 2 ma ny 2 2 cense bear ing 2 2 tree; cense bear ing tree; 2 2 an in cense bear ing tree; an in pp div. cresc. And here were fo div. pp cresc. rests an cient as the rests an cient as the 33 And here 38 hills, hills, 38 43 43 Allegro, broad in feeling, about h = 108 4 mp were fo En fol ding sun ny spots of green e ry. mp En fol ding sun ny spots of green e ry. mp En fol ding sun ny spots of green e ry. mp En fol ding sun ny spots of green e ry. Allegro, broad in feeling, about h = 108 f 4 ac - - - - cel poco a poco cresc. - - - - e - - - - ran - - - - 47 do ... ... do al ... 47 51 deep ro mp ce ce ce ce 51 55 f man 55 darn co darn darn darn tic co co co f ver! ver! ver! ver! f quasiglissando mp sm which slan cha A sa that But o! f that But o! that f 5 Down the green hill athwart a ted Down the green hill athwart a ted Down the green hill athwart a ted Down the green hill a thwart a vage place! vage place! A sa vage place! A sa f that But o! f vage sa mp 7 But o! f A sm which slan sm which slan cha sm which slant ed cha 5 f cha Vivace, about h = 132 ... al deep ro man tic deep ro man tic deep ro man tic Vivace, about h = 132 mp as mp as mp place! as 8 59 ho ho 59 wa and en ly wa ly ly 62 mp wa ho 6 chant and en and en chant ning moon was haunt ning moon was haunt ning moon was haunt 62 66 ed As e’er be ed As ed ed ed By ed As By By ver! ver! be e’er be wo wo neath a neath a neath a ing for her wail ing for her wail wail man wail ing for her ing for her 7 p man And from this chasm, with cease p And from this chasm, with cease less tur moil less tur moil ver! ver! f wo man wo man e’er By q=q de mon lo de mon lo de mon lo de mon lo q=q 66 chant 6 dim. p 7 9 71 seeth seeth ing, As if ing, As if in fast this earth 76 ly ly ly ly 76 was forced; ing, mo ment p subito mo ment p subito mf ing, were breath mf mo ment p subito A migh ty foun tain p subito A migh ty foun tain mf A migh ty foun tain mf A migh ty foun tain thick pants were breath A mid whose swift half mf in mo was forced; mf 81 Or chaff mf Or chaff y grain y grain mf the thresh ment 8 mf And ‘mid these danc mf be neath the thresh er’s flail: be neath ter mit ted burst Huge fragments was forced; 8 was forced; p subito vaulted like rebound ing hail, 81 in fast thick pants this earth 71 mf er’s flail: And ‘mid these danc ing ing 10 86 rocks rocks at once at once and e ver It flung up mo ment ly cresc. and e ver It flung up mo ment ly cresc. It flung up mo ment ly cresc. 86 9 90 90 cresc. 9 Five miles me sa f cred f cred with a f ma f motion zy p the and dale the and dale the sa and dale the sa the cred dale 95 sa an dering and wood wood wood the ri ver. ri ver. ri ver. Through p Through p Through p Through wood sa 95 the f mo p Meno allegro, about h = 120 cred ri ver. ment ly the sa poco rit. Meno allegro, about h = 120 It flung up poco rit. cresc. sa sa cred ri cred ri cred ri cred ri ver ran, Then Then ver ver ran, ver ran, ran, Then 10 100 reached reached reached the ca the ca 100 the ca verns verns verns 10 106 tu mult mult tu 106 mea mea mea sure less sure less sure less to a to a life p life less less o cean: o cean: man, to to And sank in B. II mf ‘mid 11 cresc. this tu mult And sank in pp T.I: And ‘mid this cresc. pp B.I:And ‘mid this cresc. ‘mid ‘mid this this tu tu tu Ku 11 mult mult Ku mult cresc. cresc. mf T. II this And man, pp tremelo rap. ‘mid And man, And mf And pp p to pp p 11 Ku Ku bla bla bla bla 12 112 heard from heard from heard from heard from 112 f far An f far An f far An f far An f Wild, cest ral ff voi cest ral unis. voi cest ral voi cest ral voi then… 117 ces pro ces ces pro ces pro pro phesy ing phesy ing phesy ing phesy ing war! war! war! war! ff cresc. Alla marcia (metronomic and slower) 12 ff ff ff then… Wild, 117 121 121 f Alla marcia (metronomic and slower) Losing momentum 12 dim. 13 Slower, languid, about h = 80 125 SOPRANOS p The sha dow 6 6 6 6 p 125 Slower, languid, about h = 80 6 129 129 6 13 of 6 plea 133 3 6 the Float mid way on the sure ed 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 13 dome 6 of waves: ALTOS Where was heard the ming led mea sure From the 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 133 137 It was 14 a mi ra cle of and the caves. tain 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 137 14 foun 141 rare de vice, 6 6 141 A sunny plea sure dome with caves of 6 6 6 6 6 6 14 145 ice! 6 6 145 6 6 6 6 6 6 p 3 Moderate, about q = 120 15 149 SOPRANO SOLO A damsel with a Moderate, about q = 120 149 15 157 hemiola: q = q 3 A byssi hemiola: q = q 157 164 16 3 ni an maid, And on her dul ci mer she played, poco rit. poco rit. 164 vision once I saw: It was an dulci mer In a A little slower, q = 100 Could T. B. I re vive with in me Her A little slower, q = 100 sym phony and song, Tempo Slower again, q = 80 TUTTI TUTTI To such a deep de light ‘twould p Could I re vive with in meHer sym p Slower again, q = 80 Could 170 * Sing ing of Mount A bo ra. Tempo 17 170 I re vive * Abora: the composer suggests the first syllable is sung with a long “A”, as in “arbor” (but with as little or no hint of an “r” before the next syllable). 176 win me Could - phony andsong, To such a deep with in me Her sym phony andsong, 176 181 Her sym pho ny and song, I To such a deep de light re with in me me, vive Could ‘twould win with in me Her sym pho ny andsong, re vive de light ‘twould win p Could I p 15 18 I re me, 18 To such a deep de light, Slightly faster, about q = 88 ‘twould win cresc. me, to such a deep de cresc. To such a deep de light ‘twould win me, To such a deep de light, to cresc. vive within me Her sym pho ny andsong, To such a deep de light, to suchde light, to cresc. Could I re vive within me Her sym pho ny and song, to such a deep de Slightly faster, about q = 88 181 mf 16 186 light, to such a deep de light accelerando to such a deep de light, Allegro, about h = 108 ‘twould such a deep de light, to such a deep de light, to such a deep delight ‘twould such a deep de light, to such a deep de light, to such a deep delight ‘twould light, to such a deep de light, to such a deep de light ‘twould accelerando cresc. 186 19 190 f me f me f me f me 190 19 That That That with mus win win win win Allegro, about h = 108 f ic loud mus ic loud with mus ic loud with and long, and long, and long, and long, ic loud That with mus 193 I I I would build that would build that would build that dome in air, dome in air, dome in air, ac 193 I would build that dome in air, ran - caves caves caves caves ran 197 - - - - do ... of ice! of ice! of ice! of ice! - - - do . . . al ... sun ny That That dome! - dome! - - - cel - those those those - - e 20 - And all who heard p subito non cresc. should see And should see them there, should see them there, all ... all who heard who heard Vivace, about h = 132* quasi glissando mp 5 - see p subito non cresc. 17 - - - sun ny ac - That e dome! sun ny - those - should - And all who heard p subito non cresc. And al - Vivace, about h = 132* p subito non cresc. cel dome! - - sun ny - That 197 - them there, them there, - - And And And And 20 * Do not give in to the illusory appearance of the choir singing in - 18 201 all all should cry, ware! Be f Be f ware! cry, Be f ware! should should 201 204 p 207 Weave a a 207 cir p his cir Weave cir a His flash flash flash f with ho ho ing ing ing ing hair! ing hair! ing hair! ing hair! ly dread, For he on he on ly dread, For he on on ly dread, For 21 cle round… with dread, For ing ho with 21 cle round him thrice… with p His flash cle round him thrice, And close your eyes p a cle round him thrice, And close your eyes His float float His float his Be ware! float his Be ware! his Weave cir Be ware! ware! Be Be ware! 5 204 Weave p cry, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, cry, all f should all he 212 ho ho ho ney ney ney ney dew dew 217 and drunk hath fed, and drunk hath fed, mf 222 mf fed, niente niente niente poco rit. of the milk and drunk the milk and drunk the milk mf niente fed, mf the milk 22 of of of dise. Pa ra dise. dise. Pa ra dise. Pa ra 22 Camberwell 27 May 2004 Pa ra 19 p dim. 217 222 hath hath dew 212 ho dew mf pp
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