Mirage? (Preview)

Christos Hatzis
Mirage?
Solo Percussion and String Orchestra
Facsimile Study Score
PROMETHEAN EDITIONS
WELLINGTON

Christos Hatzis
Mirage?
Solo Percussion and String Orchestra
Facsimile Study Score
Score version September 2009
Mirage? was commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
(CBC) for Dame Evelyn Glennie and the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra. The
premiere performance on 9 September 2009, by Dame Evelyn Glennie with
the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra conducted by Anne Mason, took place at
the Westminster Church, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
This edition is a facsimile of the original score provided by the composer.
PEF116
© 2009 Promethean Editions Limited
PO Box 10-143
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
www.prometheaneditions.com
+64 4 473 5033

Programme Notes
Commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) for Dame
Evelyn Glennie and the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Mirage? was
composed during the winter months of 2009. It was a time when the world
was entering an economic downturn which has often been compared
with the Great Depression of the 1930s. This dark period was preceded by
years of greed, selfishness, political and economic opportunism and plain
disregard for basic human rights all over the world which necessitated the
present period of cleansing and testing so we can hopefully reclaim our
humanity and faith through the trials and tribulations of today’s economic
and geopolitical crucible. Looking back at the previous period of careless
and callous accumulation of wealth by the few at the expense of many, one
wonders if the exorbitant life-style which we, the residents of the developed
nations, managed to sustain for several decades at the expense of the
developing world and the underprivileged among us was real or a mirage:
sweet, lovely and seductive, but a mirage non-the-less. The unmistakable
connection between the years preceding the present crisis and the “roaring
twenties” accounts for the particular musical styles used in the composition
and the question mark in the title. The music of Mirage? is permeated by
a sense of sadness, and at one point, of despair. It is lamenting the loss of
something pleasurable that could not be held on to: of a way of living that
less fortunate generations in our post-apocalyptic future may find hard to
believe as possible and relegate instead to the domains of myth and legend,
like the myths and legends of lost continents and civilizations of our distant
past that are still pounding at the threshold of our collective memory.
Were they mirages too or are we failing the same test over and over again,
destroying ourselves and others in the process while blotting our legacy in
the collective memory of humankind? I don’t know if the music of Mirage?
answers any of these questions, but these were the questions that led to its
being. Perhaps there is still hope, that is hope for human solutions before
God and nature take matters into their own hand, but during the days of
composing this work that too seemed like a mirage.
I would like to thank Dame Evelyn Glennie and the Manitoba Chamber
Orchestra for commissioning the work and the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation for funding the commission. Also I would like to extend my
gratitude to vibraphonist Brian Graiser for his advice and assistance in
editing the final manuscript of Mirage?
Christos Hatzis

Instrumentation
Cloud Gongs: The following cloud gongs are used in Mirage? They should be
suspended on a rack right in front of the vibraphone, so that the soloist can
play the gongs and the vibraphone at the same time.
Strings: the optimal string ensemble consists of 6 first violins, 6 second
violins, 4 violas, 4 cellos, and 2 contrabasses. The work can also be performed
by slightly larger or smaller string ensembles with minor modifications.
If the number of instruments in each section is different than the indicated
divisi, the top part of each divisi should be favoured in the instrument
assignments.
If a smaller ensemble than the one indicated above is used, the tone-clusters
at measures 8 to 10 and 190 to the end should be ‘compressed’: they should
be still semitone clusters but covering a smaller range with the same starting
and ending pitches in the glissandi.
Performance Notes
In a number of places where the music enters the world of jazz, a bracket
with a dashed line and the indication “improv.”on top of the vibraphone
part indicates that the performer may substitute the notated music with
other, largely improvised music. During these bracketed segments of
the music jazz chords of the harmony are displayed to assist with the
improvisation. Only performers with extensive understanding of jazz should
attempt this, and then only by taking into account the logic and musical
intention of the notated music.
Tempo: Tempo markings indicate maxima tempi. In most acoustics,
proportionately slower (sometimes considerably slower) tempi should be
used.
Tempo: tempo fluctuations are so pervasive in Mirage? that, instead of text
indications of tempo changes, arrow signs are used which are accompanied
occasionally by numeric tempo indications. An arrow sign pointing slightly
to the left indicates a slower tempo, an arrow pointing to the right indicates
a faster tempo while an arrow sign pointing upwards indicates “a tempo”.
Where these arrows indicate a tempo change and not just a momentary
change, metronomic markings accompany the arrows.
Dynamics: the circle at the beginning or end of a crescendo or diminuendo
indicates the softest sound possible (niente)…barely audible.

Tuplets: there are two distinct ways of notating tuplets in the score: triple
subdivisions of beats (triplets and sextuplets) are just indicated with the
number of the tuplet, but duplet subdivisions (quadruplets or octuplets) are
indicated as a ratio (4:3 or 8:6) as these subdivisions are more unusual and
don’t always fit over a beat. The notational dilemma with this piece was to
combine the music that is in 4/4 and the music that is in 12/8 on the same
notational grid. What would have been simple eighth or sixteenth notes in
4/4 at a slower tempo are converted into quadruplets or octuplets in 12/8.
When the music has predominately duplet subdivisions on the beat, it is
written in 4/4 in the ‘same’ tempo—the beat in both 4/4 and 12/8 remaining
constant from one section to the next. It looks more complicated than it
should sound.
Solo percussion: the sign “x” is used to indicate dampening of sounds.
When the x is right on the stem of a note, it indicates a “dead stroke” on
the vibraphone. When it appears anywhere else it indicates dampening a
vibrating sound at the indicated pitch in either the vibraphone or the cloud
gongs. Pedaling indications for the vibraphone are only approximate: the
soloist is encouraged to use as intricate pedaling as necessary to bring out
the intended nuances of the music. In a lot of melodic writing, left-hand
dampening and pedaling should be used in combination to produce the
desired result.
Vibraphone: pitch bends are accomplished by placing a hard rubber mallet
with the left hand firmly against the bar and sliding it towards the player
while striking the bar with the right-hand mallet. The harder the mallet, the
more pronounced the pitch bend will be. Since the changes between pitch
bends and passages requiring four normal mallets happen very quickly, the
soloist should either have the mallets placed very close by or alternatively
(and preferably) use two mallets on the left hand, the back end of which
have a hard rubber head while the front end are the same as the two mallets
held by the right hand.
“Sea-gull glissando”: this effect is created on the cellos and contrabasses by
creating an octave artificial harmonic in the extreme high register of the
instrument and then sliding downwards in pitch while maintaining exactly
the same distance between the finger stopping the string and the one
touching the harmonic nodes. A series of repeated harmonics on the same
pitch bending downwards should result which is reminiscent of the sound of
sea-gulls.

Mirage?
Tempi indicated are maxima tempi.
Slower tempi should be used where possible.
sempre...
Christos Hatzis
Vibraphone
Cloud gongs
Violin 1
Violin 2
Viola
Cello
Contrabass
o o
o o
o
o
"sea-gull" gliss.
"sea-gull" gliss.
o
o
Like in the forming of a mirage sensation, the beginning of the music should be
barely audible. The beginnings of each measure should have no attack at all and
the endings should be perfect dissolves into silence. The duration of each fermata
in measures 1 to 10 should be roughly 4 -5 seconds long—or longer, if the
acoustic of the performance space is quite ambient.
Duration: c. 12:00
Copyright © 2009 Promethean Editions
All Rights Reserved

2
Mirage?
c.g.
4
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vlc.
Cb.
non vib. o
flautando
o
o
o
o
o
o
c.g.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
o
o
o
o
7
o
o o
flautando
o
flautando
o
flautando
o
flautando
o
o
o
o
o
o

Vib.
c.g.
11
Mirage?
3
3
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
pizz.
non div.
pizz.
non div.
pizz.
pizz.
non div.
con sordina
non vib.
Vib.
c.g.
16
5:3
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.

4
Mirage?
Vib.
c.g.
21
3
6
3 3
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
Vib.
c.g.
24
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
4:3 4:3
solo
modo ordinario
arco
con sordina

Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
27
con sordina
arco
arco
con sordina
con sordina
arco
con sordina
arco
tutti
Mirage?
sub
sub
sub
4:3
sub
sub
sub
sub
5
Vib.
c.g.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
31
pizz.
3 3
non div.
non div.
pizz.
pizz.
non div.
arco
con sordina

6
Mirage?
Vib.
c.g.
35
8:6
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
con sordina
arco
arco
con sordina
con sordina
arco
con sordina
arco

Mirage?
7
Vib.
39
8:6
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
arco

8
Mirage?
Vib.
42
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.

Mirage?
9
Vib.
c.g.
45
4:3
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
"sea-gull" gliss.
"sea-gull" gliss.
o

Vib.
c.g.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
10
50
o
o
o
o
pizz.
non div.
pizz.
non div.
pizz.
non div.
pizz.
non div.
pizz.
Mirage?
arco
non vib.
arco non
non vib.
arco
non vib.
improv.
D m7
D m7 5 G 7
C M7
8:6
Vib.
55
4:3
4:3
4:3
Vln. 1
modo ordinario
Vln. 2
Vla.
modo ordinario
modo ordinario
Vlc.
Cb.
arco

Mirage?
11
Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
58
C dim7 A 7
8:6
crescendo...poco...a...poco...
D m9
8:6
improv.
D m7
4:3
D m7 5 Dm( 5)
4:3
Vib.
Vln. 1
61
F m9
8:6
crescendo...poco...a...poco...
improv.
F m7 5
8:6
4:3
E M7/D
C m7/G
8:6
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
4:3
4:3
4:3

Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
12
C m7/B
64
crescendo...poco...a...poco...
A m7 5
G M7
improv.
Mirage?
4:3
4:3
4:3 4:3
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
4:3
4:3
Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
67
G m7
improv.
G mmaj7

Mirage?
improv.
13
Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
70
sub
sub
sub
4:3
sub
sub
sub
sub
F M7
D m9
3 8:6
non div.
pizz.
non div.
pizz.
non div.
pizz.
non div.
pizz.
arco
arco
arco
arco
Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
74
C Maj
4:3
sub
sub
sub
sub
F M7
improv.
FM(add11)/F
F M7

14
Mirage?
77
improv.
G m7/B
Vib.
8:6
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.

Mirage?
15
Vib.
80
C dim7/B
improv.
8:6
ritardando
8:6
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
arco

16
Mirage?
Vib.
83
8:6
o
c.g.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
senza sord.
sul ponticello
senza sord.
sul ponticello
senza sord.
sul ponticello
senza sord.
sul ponticello
senza sord.
senza sord.
senza sord.
senza sord.

Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vlc.
Cb.
87
o
o
o
o
pizz.
Mirage?
o
17
Vib.
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
93
pizz.
non div.
pizz.
(very slow arp.)
Vib.
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
98

18
Mirage?
Vib.
103
4:3
4:3
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
Vib.
109
4:3
4:3
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
naturale
naturale
solo
naturale
arco
arco

Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
113
116
arco
arco
Mirage?
19

20
Mirage?
Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
119
tutti
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
124

Mirage?
21
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
127
Vib.
129
rit.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
div.
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.

Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
22
unis.
pizz.
132
8:6 4:3
8:6
Mirage?
4:3
4:3
Vib.
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
135
arco
sempre...

Mirage?
23
Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vlc.
138
crescendo...poco...a...poco...
Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vlc.
140
crescendo...poco...a...poco...
sempre...
Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vlc.
142
crescendo...poco...a...poco...

24
Mirage?
Vib.
144
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
Vib.
147
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.

Mirage?
25
Vib.
150
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
153
sempre...
sempre...
sempre...
sempre...
sempre...
sempre...
sempre...
sempre...
sempre...
div.
div.
div.
div.

26
Mirage?
Vib.
156
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
unis.

Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
162
Mirage?
3
3
3
27
3
3
Vib.
166
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
3
3
3

28
Mirage?
Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
170
6
(on-the-string staccato)
(on-the-string staccato)
(on-the-string staccato)
6
sempre...
sempre...
sempre...
3
3
3
Vlc.
Cb.
Vib.
c.g.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
173
3
3
3
3 3 3 3
3
3 3 3 3

Mirage?
29
c.g.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
176
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
3 3 3 3
o
3
3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3
o
Vib.
c.g.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
180
o
o
3 3 3
o
3 3 3
o
3 3 3 3
3
pizz.
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

30
Mirage?
Vib.
184
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
c.g.
Vla.
3 3
3
3
3 3
Vib.
188
3
3
3
3
From measure 179 fermatas should be progressively
longer, each lasting several seconds. The end of the
piece should feel like an extremely long fermata.
3
3
3
3
c.g.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
3
sul ponticello
sul ponticello
sul ponticello
sul ponticello
o
o
o
o
3
div.
div.
div.
div.

Mirage?
31
Vib.
194
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
c.g.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
3
unis.
o
unis.
o
unis.
o
unis.
o
3
3
3
Vib.
c.g.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
197
o
o
o
o
3
3
3 3
3
3 3
3
pizz.
div.
3
3
div.
div.
div.
3
3

32
Mirage?
Vib.
c.g.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
Vib.
c.g.
200
pizz.
3
flautando
arco
o
flautando
arco
204
unis.
unis.
unis.
unis.
3
o
o
o
o
o
3
3
arco
flautando
arco
flautando
3
3
div.
div.
3
3
div.
div.
unis.
unis.
unis.
unis.
o
o
o
o

Mirage?
33
Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
208
con sordina
con sordina
con sordina
sempre...
sempre...
sempre...
o
o
Vlc.
o
o
Vib.
211
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
div.
unis.
o
o
o
o

34
Mirage?
Vib.
c.g.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
214
sempre...
3
sempre...
sempre...
3
Vib.
c.g.
218
o
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
pizz.
non div.
o
o
o
o
pizz.
non div.
pizz.
div.
senza sord.
senza sord.
unis.
o
o
o
o

Vib.
Vla.
Vlc.
224
o
o
o
o
div.
Mirage?
unis.
o
o
o
o
35
Vib.
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
229
arco naturale
arco o naturale
arco o naturale
arco o naturale
o
naturale
o
naturale
o
naturale
o
naturale
o
o
o
o
o
non vib.
non vib.
non vib.
non vib.
o non vib.
o
o
o
non vib.
non vib.
non vib.

36
Mirage?
Vib.
234
with double bass bow
Vln. 1
Vln. 2
Vla.
Vlc.
Cb.
To the Master Who is the Power and the Glory