But I Want the Harmonica (Preview)

PROMETHEAN EDITIONS
STUART GREENBAUM
But I Want the Harmonica
Piano

Stuart Greenbaum
But I Want The Harmonica
Piano
PROMETHEAN EDITIONS
WELLINGTON

But I Want The Harmonica (PE062), for Piano by
Stuart Greenbaum (1996). Dedicated to Elizabeth Scarlett.
© Stuart Greenbaum 1996
Published exclusively by Promethean Editions Limited
First edition © 2002 Promethean Editions Limited (201508)
Series Editor: Ross Hendy
Editor: Thomas Liggett
ISBN: 978-1-877218-62-0 (print)
ISBN: 978-1-77660-062-5 (ebook)
ISMN: 979-0-67452-073-7
Promethean Editions Limited
PO Box 10-143
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
http://www.promethean-editions.com
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by
any means without permission in writing from the Publisher.
PE062 – ii

Stuart Greenbaum (1966)
Stuart Greenbaum has been working as a professional composer for over 30 years. His output
is quite varied, comprising over 180 works for the concert and theatre stage. He studied
composition with Brenton Broadstock and Barry Conyngham and has also taken an interest
in composers influenced by minimalism. This is evident to some extent in his works which
reveal a strong inclination towards modally-based chromaticism as found in Late Romantic
harmony. In the context of pulsing motoric rhythms (the influence of pop and jazz) he
tends to create music somewhere between the worlds of minimalism, pop and the Romantic
symphonic tradition.
Greenbaum’s music has been performed by ABC orchestras throughout Australia, the Oxford
Philharmonia (United Kingdom), the Pacific Ocean Symphony Orchestra (Vladivostok,
Russia), The Song Company (Sydney Opera House), Arcadian Singers (United Kingdom) and
by Spitalfields Market Opera (London, United Kingdom).
But I Want The Harmonica (1996)
Suitable for pianists of medium ability, Greenbaum’s But I Want the Harmonica is one of
Greenbaum’s most recorded works for piano.
When the composer was around six or seven years old, his class was visited by the school’s
librarian, who asked the students which item they each would choose to have if stranded
alone in a boat – a fishing rod, a cake, a harmonica or a book. Greenbaum recalls that most
of his classmates thought the cake to be an excellent choice (it was getting close to morning
recess), but the librarian rightly pointed out that a cake can only be eaten once, whereas a
book can be read over and over. Greenbaum, however, wanted the harmonica, now admitting
that he was not astute enough at the time to point out to the librarian that not only could the
PE062 – iii

harmonica be played over and over but that one could make up new tunes to play. Though
he can no longer remember her name, Greenbaum has dedicated But I Want the Harmonica
to the school librarian.
The composer writes:
PE062 - HARMONICA - DRAFT 17/4/2002
The core of But I Want the Harmonica is a falling motif of gradually expanding intervals
(viz. perfect 5th, minor 6th, major 6th, minor 7th, major 7th, octave, etc.), all extracted
from the D major scale which is the work’s harmonic centre:
& # # 4 4 ˛ ˛
˛ ˛
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
˛ ˛ ˛
Î
The work was constructed using a number of minimalist procedures, including the
substitution of beats for rests; phrase repetition, augmentation and liquidation; octave
displacement; modal modulation; and mensuration canon. The repeated D, heard in
various pulse lengths, is employed as a metronomic point of reference throughout. The
structure of the work, however, was not governed so much by mathematical process
as by instinct – decisions about issues such as the amount of repetition, for instance,
were ultimately guided by what ‘felt right’. What is left then, are a number of shortscale
minimalist processes that serve the overall structure, which is through-composed.
Essentially though, But I Want the Harmonica is a musical interpretation of sitting in a
boat – with no cake – attempting to pass the time while waiting to be rescued.
PE062 – iv

But I Want The Harmonica
Stuart Greenbaum 
Gentle, relaxed Π= 56
1
#
& # 4 pp
?# # 4 ˛
˛.
˛
°
∑
Ó
ˇ. Î
ˇ
˛
˛
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∑
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Ó
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p
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6
#
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mp ˛ ˛
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Î
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mf
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4 ˛ ˛ ˛
. ˛
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10
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becoming softer each time
(until m.20)
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
ˇ
4 2 4 2 .
x3
˛ ˛
.
˛
∑
˛
4
4
dim.
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& #
15
?# #
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.
20
#
& # ˛ ˛ ˇ. ˇ ˛
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n ˛˛ ˛ ˛ . ‰
n b 4 2 4 ˛ ˛ ˛˛˛ ˇˇˇ ˇˇ
ˇˇ
?# n
ˇ
ˇ ˇ ˇ
mf
# n n b 4 2 p
‰ ˛ ˛.
ˇ ˇ 4 ˛˛
˛ ˛.
ˇ ˇ
°
But I Want The Harmonica © 1996 Stuart Greenbaum
This edition © 2002 Promethean Editions Limited PE062 – 1
ISMN: 979-0-67452-073-7

24
& b
4
˛
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b˛
b˛
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Î
n˛
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4 2 4 2 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 3
?
b
4
∑
∑
ˇˇ ˇ
ˇ
∑
28
& b
?
b
4 3 ˛ ˇ 4 ˛ ˛
˛
4 2 4 ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ Î
˛ ˛
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
˛
4 3 ∑ 4 ˛
Î
4 2 ˛ 4 Î
32
& b
?
b
4
4
. ˛ ˛
mp
.
˛.
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˛ ˛
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˛
4 3 ˛ ˛ ≈ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
˛
.
4 3
˛
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6
x2
.
4
4
34
& b
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b
4
4
.
.
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mf
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(loco)
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.
.
36
& b
?
b
˛
J
mf
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dim.
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j ˛
˛
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2
4
2
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4
4
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p
Î
PE062 – 2

39
& b
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b
42
& b
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b
.
.
4
4
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ˇb
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4 3 ˛ 4 5 .
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4 3 ˛ 4 5 . ˛˛
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◊
&
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√
4 2 ˛ ˛
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becoming softer each time
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4
4
x2
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.
45
& b
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b
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p
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4 6 ˛ #˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ 4 8
˛ ˛
◊
47
& b
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b
4 8 n # #
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4 8 ˛ #˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ n # #
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◊
4
4
. ˛ ˛ ˛ ˇ.
pp
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.
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x2
.
.
4 2 4 2
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& # 4 2 ∑ 4 ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
˛ ˛ ˛
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p
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4 ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
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50
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& #
53
∑
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4 2 4 4 5 4 ?# # 4 2 ˛ ˛
4 ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
4 5 ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
4 PE062 – 3

#
& # 4 .
?# # 4 .
56
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
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4 3 ∑ .
4 3
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.
4
4
#
& #
59
4 ?# # 4 ˛ ˛
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
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Î
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
mp
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
˛
˛
broadening
#
& #
4 2 4 ˛˛ ˛
˛ ˛ ˛.
˛ ˛
˛ ˛ ˛˛˛
˛
4 3 ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
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mf
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# ˛
4 2 Œ 4 ˛
4 3
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≈ ˛ ˛ # ˛ Î
◊
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62
Slower, more definite Π= 52
65
#
& # 4 3 ˛ . ˛
4 ˛ ˛
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4 3 4 ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛.
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. ˛ ˛
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J
?# # 4 3 ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛.
4 ˛
Î
4 3 ˛ a˛
˛ ˛.
4 ˛ ˛ ˛.
Î
a˛
˛ ˛.
68
#
& # 4 ‰ ‰ ˛ ‰ ˛ ‰
. ˛ # ˛ ˛
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. ˇ
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛b˛
˛
ˇ
ˇ
ˇ
4 2 ˛ .
8 3 ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛˛˛
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
n
4 2 ˇ
ˇ
8 3 &
ˇ
PE062 – 4

#
& # 8 3 n˛ ˛ ˛
˛
˛
˛ # ˛
˛. ˛ ˛ .
J
#
& # 8 3 j
a˛
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?
˛ .
70
Ú‰ = ‰Æ
3
x2
4
4
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˛
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˛ ˛
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
ˇ
ˇ
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˛
ˇ
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛b˛
˛
72 ‰ ‰ ˛ ‰ ˛ ‰
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& # ˛ ˛ ˛
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˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛.
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛˛˛ n
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
?# n˛
f
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pˇ
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˛
4 2 ˇ
8 3
ˇ
ˇ
ˇ
ˇ
#
& #
74
n˛
˛
J
3
˛ ˛ ˛
˛ # ˛
. ˛ ˛
n˛
n˛
J
dim.
3
˛ ˛ ˛
˛ # ˛
. ˛ ˛
8 3 8 2
?# # 8 3 ˛.
˛ .
˛.
8 2
˛.
˛ .
˛.
n˛
n˛
J
3
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ # ˛
. ˛ ˛
rall.
#
& #
77
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
˛˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
b˛.
˛ ˛ ˛
J
b ˛ . ˛ ˛
J
b˛.
˛ ˛
J
˛ ˛
8 2 16 3 16 2 4 5
?# # 8 2 16 3 j
˛ ˛
.
j
˛ .
j
˛ . 16 2 j
˛ ˛ 4 5 &
˛ ˛ ˛ . ˛ . ˛ . ˛
√
3
As
#
& # 4 5 at first Π= 56
U
Î
8 3 #˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ .
˛ ˛ n˛
˛ ˛ 4 5 ∑ 4 J
pp
mp
u
#
& # 4 5 ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ 8 3 ∑ 4 5 ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ 4 °
83
PE062 – 5

#
& #
86
4 #
& # 4 ˛ ˛ ˇ . ˛
p
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
ˇ
˛ ˛˛ ˛˛
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
˛
.
˛ ˛ ˇ. ˛
pp
˛ ˇ ˛
ˇ
˛ ˛˛ ˛˛
˛ ˇ ˛
˛
.
#
& #
90
˛ ˛
ppp
#
& #
ˇ
˛
ˇ .
ˇ
ˇ ˛ ˛˛
ˇ
ˇ
˛
˛.
ˇ
Î
˛
˛
pppp
˛
˛ .
(faint echo)
Î
Î
Slower Π= 52
3
√
˛
#
& # Î
˛ ˛ ˛ ˇ .
˛ ˇ Œ
˛ n ˛ j # ˛
˛ ˇ ˛
4 3 ∑ 4 mp pp
mp
#
& # Œ
g nΡ
. ˛ ˛ ˛ˇ ˛
˛
4 3 ?
ˇ . ˛
4 Î
˛ ˇ
°
94
Broadly Œ = 48 rit. 5”
#
& # 4 ,
As at first Π= 56
3
U
j
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ n ˛ j # j
˛ ˛ ˛
˛ ˛
˛˛ ˛ ˛˛
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
˛˛
?# # 4 mf
mp
˛ ˛
˛ ˛ ˛ b˛
g ˛ ˛ ˛ b˛
˛ ˛ ˛ ˛
n˛
V
° °
98
ÎU
ÎU
PE062 – 6

PE062 – 7

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