Whispered Sarabande - Scott Wheeler

Composer: Scott Wheeler

Instrumentation: Solo violin

Duration: Approx. 5 minutes

Date Written: 2018

Additional Information: Whispered Sarabande is dedicated to Mark Peskanov, who gave the premiere at Bargemusic in New York in January 2019. This enchanting setting suggested the subtitle from Goethe: “to be sung upon the water.” This brief movement is entirely muted and marked between ppp and p, often in slow melodic fragments with a variety of feathery and whispered bowing patterns. Those fragments eventually coalesce into the opening and cadential phrases of the Bach Partita in b minor.

Note: the player should feel free to make any alterations to the written bowings, in order to achieve a sense of whispered phrases of varying lengths. The use of the mute is suggested for this reason, but it may be considered optional.