Marais The Depiction of a Bladder Stone Operation
This is one of the earliest examples of program music, where the music is supposed to explicitly represent a scene from real life. In this case, the scene is a bladder stone operation that Marais experienced a few years earlier. Marais himself wrote the descriptions into the score so the performer knew what he should be visualizing at each part of the composition. It is not clear whether Marais intended the descriptions to be read as a narration, but doing so makes for a particularly powerful performance. Marais originally wrote this for viola da gamba and harpsichord.
A few notes on the parts and instruments:
- The standard ("std") parts are the original parts and are designed to be played together.
- The alternate "a" parts, if present, are raised one octave (8va) and can be substituted for a standard part to accommodate the higher instruments listed. They should work as long as they are above the other parts.
- The alternate "b" parts, if present, are lowered one octave (8vb) and can be substituted for a standard part to accommodate the lower instruments listed. They should work as long as they are below the other parts.
- For example, using parts 1, 2, and 3 together is definitely ok. Using parts 1a, 2, and 3b together is probably ok. Using parts 1b, 2, and 3a together might not work well.
- Part ranges are listed in concert key, where C4 is middle C.
When you purchase this composition, you will be taken to PayPal to submit your payment. As soon as you pay, you will be able to download all the PDF files immediately. You will have access to every part for each available instrument, in the proper key and clef. You will also get a complete score (in most cases, we include four separate scores with all parts transposed to C, Bb, Eb, and F).
You don't have to purchase each part separately; one single payment covers all the parts you need for the instruments in your ensemble.
Version v01
Buy Version v01 ($4.99)This version is arranged for cello solo. It is very close to the original, but some of the double-stops have been altered. The ornamentations are given in modern notation, with definitions at the top of the page. The narration is included (in English), with optional fermatas in the part to allow the soloist to read the descriptions oneself during a live performance.
Composition: Marais The Depiction of a Bladder Stone Operation
Version: v01
Instrumentation: Solo
Duration: 3 minutes
Difficulty: Challenging
Price: $4.99
| Marais The Depiction of a Bladder Stone Operation, Version v01 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Part | Range | Available Instruments |
| Score | Full Score in C, Bb, Eb, and F | |
| Part 1 (std) | D#2 - E6 | Cello |