Alvin Singleton

Be Natural

for any combination of 3 bowed string instruments

(1974)

Duration	minimum: approx. 8 minutes
Premiere	August 5, 1974; Darmstadt Ferienkurse Für Neue Musik, Studiokonzert III (awarded the Kranichsteiner musikpreis by the city of Darmstadt, Germany); Gaby Schumacher and Ronald Crutcher, cello • Andreas Pflüger, bass
Technical requirements	Three scores are required for performance.
Publisher	Schott Music

Media

Stephanie Griffin, viola; Meaghan Burke, cello; James Ilgenfritz, double bass

Program Note

Improvisation is at the core of Alvin Singleton’s gorgeous string trio Be Natural (1974), its title a pun on the B-natural note that is passed around throughout the piece but is always droning, a groaning river flowing underneath jittery textures... near the end, a ferocious duet for viola and cello gave way to a passage of music that was quiet, mellow, simply gorgeous.

- Zachary Woolfe, The New York Times

Be Natural is a work for any three bowed stringed instruments. It brings into the Singleton list of works one featuring improvisation by the players. The score in essence calls for a game involving musical elements, none of which are in traditional notation. None, that is except for the pitch B natural a half step below middle C, which must be sounded and held by at least one musician throughout the piece. Additionally the rules of this game call for each player to perform the pictogrammed notational requirements indicated in 9 different “boxes,” calling for “loud” or “soft” “long” or “short” notes and passages to be improvised against the constantly-sounded B natural. Of course all 3 musicians sounding the B simultaneously for a long time, which happens at both beginning and ending of the piece, can also have a surprisingly psycho-musical effect on the listener.

An early work by Singleton, it reflects an experimental trust in the musicality of the performing artists, much as choreographers when they set up situations that allow their dancers to come up with movements consistent with the spirit of their pieces. But the piece has met with consistent success since its world premiere in Darmstadt, Germany, where it won the 1974 Kranichsteiner musikpreis awarded annually by the city of Darmstadt. And in addition to this high praise, Singleton reports that the work has been performed by elementary school children and sounded wonderful—quite a feat for contemporary music! Needless to say, no two performances of Be Natural will ever be the same.

– Carman Moore

Purchase

Types of Products

Full Score/Performance Score (price reflects 4 copies) (Digital)

Full Score/Performance Score (2 required for performance) (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (includes 3 copies) (Digital)

Full Score/Performance Score (includes 3 copies) (Print)

Choral Booklet (Digital)

Choral Booklet (Print)

Full Score in 3 volumes (Print)

Anthology edition (Print)

Choral Score (includes 4 copies) (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (4 required for performance) (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (4 required for performance) (Digital)

solo part and piano reduction (Digital)

solo part and piano reduction (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (6 scores required for performance) (Digital)

Performance Score (includes 4 scores) (Print)

Choral Scores (Digital - Bulk Purchase for Performance) (Digital)
This price covers the minimum cost of digital copies for performance.

Choral Score Set (Digital)

Choral Score Set (16 copies) (Digital)

Choral Score Set (License for 16 copies) (Digital)

Full Score/Performance Score (5 scores required for performance) (Digital)
Pricing reflects cost of 5 digital scores.

Full Score/Performance Score (8 scores required for performance) (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (5 copies required for performance) (Print)

Vocal Score - single copy (Digital)

Vocal Score - license for single copy (Digital)

Vocal Score Set - 16 copies (Digital)

Vocal Score Set - License for 16 copies (Digital)

Vocal Score Set - 16 copies (Print)

Score (Digital)

Score (Print)

Volume 1 (Print)

Volume 2 (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (price reflects 5 copies) (Digital)

Full Score/Performance Score (6 scores needed for performance) (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (price reflects 6 copies) (Digital)

Full score and Solo Part (Digital)

Full Score/Violin Part (Digital)

Full Score/Violin Part (Print)

Conductor Score (Print)

Score and part (Print)

Score and part (Digital)

Choral Score Set - 16 copies (Print)
Includes 8 copies of the soprano/alto part and 8 copies of the tenor/bass part.

Piano Reduction and solo parts (Digital)

Chamber Ensemble Score (Print)

Choral Score Set - 20 copies (Print)

Full Score (4 needed for performance) (Print)

Parts (Mov. 11 only) (Print)

Full Score (3 scores needed for performance) (Print)

Full Score (3 scores needed for performance) (Digital)

Full Score/Performance Score (2 required for performance) (Digital)

Piano reduction and solo part (Print)

Study Score in Two Volumes (Print)

Video and instructions (Digital)

Piano/Vocal Score (Digital)

Piano/Vocal Score (Print)

Choral Score Set (40 copies) (Print)

Score and Parts (Digital)
Score and part PDF files are delivered via email upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase.

Full Score (Digital)
A PDF file of the full score is delivered via email upon receipt.

Soprano/Alto Part (Print)

Choral Score Set (License for 50 copies) (Digital)

Full Score (Print)
A print edition of the score ships to the customer's address upon receipt.

Tenor/Bass Part (Print)

Parts (Digital)
A PDF file of the part(s) is delivered via email upon receipt.

Parts (Print)
A print edition of the part(s) ship to the customer's address upon receipt.

Solo Instrument Score (Digital)
A score PDF file is delivered via email upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase. An email containing a link to download the electronic files is sent to the customer's email address.

Full Score/Performance Score (Digital)
The full score serves as a performance score for all players. A score PDF file is delivered via email upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase. An email containing a link to download the electronic files is sent to the customer's email address.

Score and Parts (Print)
A print edition of the score and part(s) ship to the customer's address upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase. The email containing a link to download the electronic files is sent to the customer.

Solo Instrument Score (Print)
A print edition of the score is shipped to the customer's address upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase. An email containing a link to download the electronic files is sent to the customer's email address.

Full Score/Performance Score (Print)
The full score serves as a performance score for all players. Print edition(s) of the full score/performance score are shipped to the customer's address upon receipt. Multiple copies are included if the work has more than one player. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase.

Choral Score (Digital)
A PDF file of the choral score is delivered via email upon receipt. The set is priced to allow multiple copies of the PDF to be printed for performance by the purchasing organization only.

Study Score (print) (Digital)

Study Score (print) (Print)

Choral Score Set- 8 copies (Print)
Minimum order quantity is 8 copies. Single copies are not available.

SATB choral score (Print)

Vocal Score (Digital)

Vocal Score (Print)

Choral Score (Print)

Full Score and Solo Part (Print)
A print edition of the score and solo part ships to the customer's address upon receipt.