Ian Shanahan (1982/1993)

In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen (1908 1992)

For Greg van der Struik and friends to play:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ritual Canons
for
four trombones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1993, by Ian Shanahan.

PERFORMANCE NOTES
PROGRAMME ANNOTATION
Ritual Canons: In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen (1908 1992); for Greg van der Struik and friends to play. Hieratic ... with
great solemnity (as if for a funeral cortge) granite-like, severe, inexorable, monolithic, immense; yet serene.
INSTRUMENTATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
3 tenor trombones {trombones 1 3}; 1 bass trombone (with a D trigger) {trombone 4}.
Note however that the use of an alto trombone in Ee for the trombone 1 part is perfectly acceptable, perhaps even
desirable: the alto trombones somewhat lighter timbre is wholly compatible with the lyrical yet doleful character of this top
part.
The physical placement of the performers is symmetrical, as follows:
Trombone 1

Trombone 2

Trombone 4

Trombone 3

AUDIENCE

CHRONOMORPHOLOGY AND TEMPO

I have adopted the semiquaver (1) as the basic beat-unit throughout Ritual Canons, in order that the resultant beams will
clearly indicate each parts internal metrication and autonomous phraseology. All time-signatures, therefore, are merely
referential and coordinative. Thus, durations are to be played precisely (yet expressively: sostenuto cantabile), but within the
context of each parts independent temporal organization.

~i~

Although considerable demands have been placed upon each trombonists lung-capacity and stamina, the extremely slow
gravissimo tempo-indication of 1 = 33 throughout Ritual Canons must never be increased. (If anything, this tempo might
even be lowered slightly!)
DYNAMICS AND ARTICULATION
Within the two serial canons marked just mf sempre a moderate degree of interpretative flexibility and expressivity is
permissible. Such nuances (within a prevailing mf dynamic level) are left to the discretion of the players. In addition:
p poss. denotes as soft as possible;
(terminating a diminuendo) represents the final vanishing into silence. Within Ritual Canons, I employ this symbol only in
an articulatory capacity, where a hard, sudden cessation of sound ought to be avoided: at bars 18 and 28, I desire a soft,
rounded release. (Conversely, the end of bar 24 calls for an accentuated and abrupt cut-off of the chord.)
{

Any accent markings, as well as other articulatory directives, should always be respected. Although most durations do
possess a tenuto marking (which in itself carries no implication of any additional accentuation whatsoever), I strongly
encourage subtle variations in articulation-length that serve to emphasize the counterpoint by clarifying each parts
phraseology.

Ian Shanahan, Sydney, Australia; 29 August 1993.

~ ii ~

Ritual Canons

Ian Shanahan (1982/1993).

Ritual Canons: In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen.

Trombone 1.

x. Hieratic; with great solemnity (as if for a cortge) granite-like, monolithic, immense, yet serene: "Gravissimo".
n .
n n
n n n B 165 J
316 b 516 n 4
b
16
J
Fsempre
F:p

Trombone 2.

? 165 .

163 .

Trombone 3.

? 165 .

163

Trombone 4.

? 165 .

163 .

For Greg van der Struik and friends.

n >
4 n -
16
J
R
Fsempre

165

n >
J
Fsempre

516 n R

165

164 n -

b -

164

165

b -

165

165

165

B 165 n J .

n
J

Tbn. 1.

Tbn. 2.

? 165 n

Tbn. 3.

? 165 b
-

Tbn. 4.

? 165

# -

n -

n -

n -

# -

n -

n - b
-

b -

n - b -

b - b - b
-

b .
J

n .
J
Fsempre

3n
J

716 n

-2-

n
J

416 n -

n - b J

164 b

# - - n n n

416 n J-

716 n - - n n

716 n - n -

167 n j
- b
-

n -

n - # J

n -

b -

164 b -

n > .

n -

165

# -

# J

n - .

165

165

165

Tbn. 1.

Tbn. 2.

n
B 165 J
f

- .
J

n
? 165 J

- .
J

Well-balanced; radiant, luminescent.

10

11 .
32
P

attack
>bell-like
316 n - .
n .
R
J
pposs.
:p

bell-like attack

11 .
32
P

.
163 n J
pposs.
:p

b > .

b - .
163 J

bell-like attack

Tbn. 3.

? 165 n j
>
f

j
- .

11 .
32
P

pposs.
:p

b >
b - .
R 163 J
pposs.
:p

Hieratic...

516 b J .

b .
9
32 J
P

.
R

9 b J .
32
P

.
R

b .
9
32 J
P

.
R

3
165 b b b
p F sempre
poss.

9 b j .
32
P

r
.

r
165 b - .
p
poss.

167

poss.

516 b J

167

.
p
poss.

b -

167

bell-like attack

Tbn. 4.

? 165 j
n >
f

j
- .

11 .
32
P

-3-

167

Tbn. 1.

B 167 b b b
F sempre

Tbn. 2.

? 167

Tbn. 3.

Tbn. 4.

? 167 - b
n

? 167

b -

b -

15
416 n b -

b -

716 b

164

n n n
167
F sempre

n - #
- n

164 n j
-

716 n b n - .
- - J

164

#
-

b b n
F sempre

167
-4-

n -

j
n -

n J

n
J

# -

916 # J- .

b - .

166
f

916 # - # - n - n # - n j .
J >

916 n J

j
n -

j # >
n -

169 n -j .

j
n -

b .
J

n - n - .

166
f

166
f

j 166
b >
f

Tbn. 1.

B 166

b .

Well-balanced; radiant, luminescent. Building in magnificence and power...

11 .
64

n > .
R
pposs.
:p

# > .

20

164

bell-like attack

Tbn. 2.

? 166 n .
-

164

11
64

-.
n

163 J

7
32

# - .
163 J

7
32

bell-like attack

:p
pposs.

bell-like attack

Tbn. 3.

? 166 n .

164

11 .
64

n >

bell-like attack

Tbn. 4.

? 166

b - .

164

11 .
64
-5-

:p
pposs.

# .
163 J
:p
pposs.
n - .
163 J

7
32

7
32

Tbn. 1.

Tbn. 2.

Tbn. 3.

Tbn. 4.

-..
B 32
7 # J
p

n 162 J

? 32
7 n J . .
p

n J
162

-..
? 32
7 # J
p

? 32
7 n J . .
p

n J
162

216 n J

164

164

# -

25

stop abruptly

n F

stop abruptly

416 n
F

164

n -

stop abruptly
-6-

- .

- .

- .

- .

13 .
64
f
f

13 .
64
f
f

13 .
64
f
f

B
stop abruptly

13 .
64
f

n .
5
32

legatissimo

5 b - .
32

5 b .
32

5
32

b .

legatissimo

162

162

162

162

Massive, imperious.

Tbn. 1.

Tbn. 2.

B 162 n J

n ? 162 J

15
32

15
32

b > . .

Do not weaken!
n > . .
Do not weaken!

Remain immobile.

11 .
32
o

Remain immobile.

11 .
32
o

(Now relax!)

(Now relax!)

FINE

Tbn. 3.

Tbn. 4.

B 162 n J

? 162 j
b -

15
32

15
32

n > . .
Do not weaken!
n > . .
Do not weaken!

Remain immobile.

11 .
32
o

Remain immobile.

11 .
32

-7-

(Now relax!)

(Now relax!)

Duration: ca. 4'.

I. L. Shanahan.
Sydney, Australia, 29 August 1993.