edgar warren williams

CONIUNCTIO
for violin & violoncello

http://www.edgarwarrenwilliams.com

info@edgarwarrenwilliams.com
GLOSSARY PERFORMANCE NOTES
grand detaché: full bow —The duration of long notes are indicated with duration
AFAP as fast as possible beams; the longer the beam, the longer the note:
C.L.B. col legno battuto —A continuous beam represent a connected series of
B.B. behind bridge (always with “X” note-heads) notes, a gesture or phrase:

C.L.T. col legno tratto

COLLÉ “bowed pizzicato”; short, sharp, pinched
stroke at the frog
FLAUT. sul tasto, long, light bows
FROG at the frog
L.V. let vibrate mandatory simultaneities are marked by a double-headed arrow:
N.V. no vibrato —The bracketed ‘ 7” ‘ above
PIZZ. pizzicato this phrase indicates its
ORD. ordinario approximate duration: 7
SALT. saltato, jeté, ricochet: thrown bow seconds. These duration are
S.P. sul ponticello, half the bow hair always on the meant to provide a sense of
bridge proportion and may be stretched as needed to make musical sense in a
SPICC. spiccato; off-the-string, dropped bow; battuto performance.
at higher dynamics The composer hopes that performers will respond to what they are
STACC. staccato; on-the-string staccato (in hearing, adjusting synchronization accordingly.
contrast to SPICC.)
TREM. tremolo
PROGRAM NOTES
Coniunctio is the final stage of the alchemical program: the joining of
opposites, the combination of feminine and masculine, of yin and yang…
SPECIAL NOTATION
Pizzicato Glissando
Duration Beams The note in parenthesis indicates the terminus of the
The duration of long (sustained) notes is indicated with duration beams: glissando and is not plucked.
the longer the beam, the longer the note.

Strumming
Uninterrupted progressions of notes are connected to the same duration Direction is indicated by arrows above the stem:
beam.

Interruptions of duration beams (gaps between beams) mean silences

(rests).
GENERAL REMARKS
• The performers should understand all spatial and temporal
proportions to be approximate and flexible. The performers are
Notes Sustained from One Stave to the Next not expected to begin and end time frames together.
• But, the ensemble should be in the new time
frame within 2-4 seconds of the first entrance.
• The performers should only attack or begin
passages together where such coordination is
is placed in indicated with the double arrow. (See example,
right.)
• If a phrase or gesture is to be played more than
once, one may vary the performance technique
(e.g. ponticello, tasto, pizzicato, etc.).
• Performers may freely alter the notated dynamics
and may influence dynamic change in one another when/if the
musical necessity arises.
• This score is meant to create a flexible performance environment
in which the choices of the performers may vary from
performance to performance in response to the musical dictates
of the moment. Thus, the “work” will necessarily differ from
performance to performance. All indications of dynamics and
Repeat given pitches in any order: synchronization must be understood as aids to performance, not
as rigid directions. Consider the score as more an environment
for performance than a set of assembly instructions. This piece
is not so much realized through a performance, as created at the
moment of performance.
duration: 5½–6 min. in memoriam: EARLE BROWN (1926–2002)

Accidentals effect only those

notes before which they stand. CONIUNCTIO edgar warren williams
2020

≤˚ b L˘œ
12" FROG 12"
+ ≤ bœ
ORD.
bœ > >
œ
PIZZ. ARCO S.P.

& b œ n œœ œ
x

œI œ œ bœ y b œ y flœ #œ #œ
violin
œ O Unstable pitch (from ¼↑ to ¼↓)
˚
pp f ffpp f ff
1 2"
pp
≤˚FROGb ˘œ
PAUSE

œ+ +œ +œ
sfzsfz
O

?œ œ
sfz
# œœ
O
œ œ bœ ≥
˚ bœ
≥
˚ Q Y
cello #œ œ bœ bœ

Unstable pitch (from ¼↑ to ¼↓)

œ ˚ œ b œœ x
pp f ff f ff ff
15" √
œ
bœ bœ bœ œ nœ œ bœ
loco
œ
ben marc..
œbœ #œ œ œ b œ
S.P.

œ bœ bœ æ
Unstable pitch (from ¼↑ to ¼↓)
& # L
x

#L œ >f #œ
œ œ œ œ
pp
f ffp ff >
bœ
b œ≤ œ b œ
2
#œ
Violin waits for cello

œ
C#/D before playint Bb/A.

#œ
? (# œœ ) #œ œ œ bœ œ œ b ˘œ # œ # œ n œ bœ
O

œœ b œ œœ œ œ œ œ
O 4

bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
f Unstable pitch (from ¼↑ to ¼↓)
ff ff ben marc.. fl
15"
(S.P.) FLT.

& #œ æ L #œ æ L œæ l œ æ L # œæ
(pp)
3
œo ·. b œ≤ ˘œ
œo œ bœ œ y b œ.
# œ.
III

b œ. ·
PIZZ.
?
III

··
IV II
I ARCO
· III œœ · ·
mp mp f mp mf mp p mp
 WILLIAMS: Coniunctio 3
15" 5" 2"
FLT.
TREM.
TIP (TASTO) S.P. FLT. N.V.
#œ
SALT.
ORD. œ. # œ.
æ
FLT.

œæ œæ # æœ
œ œ œ. œ. # œ œ.
Ͼ # Ͼ
& æ
O O

bœ bœ œ œ. .
pp f pp pp mp
4
, œ , œ bœ
bœ bœ nœ #œ
ORD. B.B.

œ œ œ œ # œ # œ œ n œ # œμ œ œ œ ¿. ¿. ¿
SALT.
œ œ# œ
B n œ# œμ œ .¿ ¿. ¿. .
C.L.T.
?
p p mf f f f f mf p ¿.
mp
2" 10"
œ. # œ. U ≥ ≤ ,FLT.accel. to AFAP
& œ. œ. # œ. œ. #œ
bœ bœ bœ œ n œ œ# œn œ b œ
# œ œ n œ# œn œ# œ œ n œ
O O

œœ # œœ œ œ # œ œ œ # œ œ n œb œ œ
x
p œ. œ œ
sfz
5 pp mf pp

?
1"
¿. ¿. ¿. ¿. U · · ·
x
¿. . ¿. · · ·
II

¿
III III
III

p
IV IV

pp

20"
N.V. (TASTO)
· #·
· #·
& bœ ·
I
II II

œ
II

(œ) >
III

f pp
6
O

· b œœ # œ b œœ b œ b œ
O

? (· b œœ œ œ
rit., dying away
·
O

) œœ œœ œ œ b œ œ b œ # œœ œ
II

(· ) œ œ œ œ œ bœ
III

sfz
O
sfz sfz mf
f pp
 WILLIAMS: Coniunctio
4
15" #·
b œ˚ b œ œ. b œœ. n·
I
espress.

& œ ·
II

III

pp pp
p

n œ. œ.
7
#·
COLLÉ PIZZ.

·
IV

?
ARCO

·
II

III
pp mp p pp

5" 6" 2"

SALT. . . . . . . . . . . S.P.
(S.P.)

& Q                    œ
poco
#œ æ l
ff pp p
8
-
n ˘œ
K
œ̆ # ˚œ ˚
PIZZ.
L
#œ nœ œ. b œœ ¢ # œ ii
PIZZ. ARCO
?
PIZZ.

œ œ b œ œ
œ œ œ œ bœ œI
ff f
espress. pp f mf
4" 5" 2"
≥
#œ U
S.P.
ORD.

œœbœ bœ bœ bœ
S.P. S.P.
œ
AFAP
& œ œœ
bœ œ bœ bœ œ œ #œ #œ #œ
#œ
œ
ff ff pp p f
5"
≥
9
œ S.P.
œ b œ b œ œ
ORD.

?
ARCO
œ œ# œ œ œ b œ b œ œœ#œ
œ #œœœ
S.P.
bœ
œ u
ff f p mf pp
 WILLIAMS: Coniunctio 5
10" 10"
#œ
N.V.
ORD. S.P.
œ œ . . .
b œ œ œ # œ œ.
COLLÉ ORD.

#œ
ORD. S.P. S.P. N.V.

& œ œ. œ bœ œ bœ bœ œ b œ.
x

bœ œ #œ n œ œ. œ. œ. œ œ. œ
mf pp pp ff mp
10
ff fp Aperiodic repetition of staccato notes in any order over sustained, open pp
œo bORD.
string. Begin quickly; decelerate over duration. Short and soft.
œ . . b œ. b œ.
?b œ
S.P.

? bœ œ
N.V. S.P.
B
œ œ
œ
œ
œ œ #œ
mf pp molto
ff . .
fp
12" 7"
≥ bœ
œ
Unstable pitch (from ¼↑ to ¼↓)

bœ
& (# œœ ) #œ
œ
#œ
œ
( ) œ pp
pp ff
11 2"
œ
# ϳ
PAUSE
ORD. Unstable pitch (from ¼↑ to ¼↓)

B
N.V.
œ #œ œ œ
œ # œ nœ œ
pp
pp ff
3" . . . . . . .
œ.
ARCO
7" PIZZ.
·
I

· œ #œ bœ
#œ #œ œ #œ œ
II
N.V.

& b œœ œ #œ œ
œ œ œ œ
pp pp 2"
PAUSEf
œ ·
12
#œ ˚œ Y ·œ
ARCO
·
PIZZ.
Y #œ
N.V. I

? y œ
ARCO N.V. PIZZ. PIZZ. COLLÉ
#œ
ORD.

bœ y y œ
II

œ ¥ b œ. x
pp mf pp mf sfz pp
 WILLIAMS: Coniunctio
6
FLT.
15" œo œo

b œœ æL
œ #œ
PIZZ.
bœ
S.P.

æ æ
N.V.

& œ L #œ

œ L #œ #œ
œ.
pp pp f pp f mp pp p
( ··) œ.
13
œ
? () bœ L # œ œ #œ œ
PIZZ.
# œ #œ
S.P. ARCO O

œ œ #œ œ œ œ
æ œ œ
œ #œ #œ
pp f p mp
15" ≤ ++
# .
œ bœ
. .
.œ# œ œ œIœ œ b œ. .
PIZZ. ARCO IV III O O
PIZZ.

& b œœ ·
IV

œI œI bœ · I . b œ.
mp mf f mp
Cello waits for violin A

14 before playing Db.

œ.
Violin waits for cello to finish

. . œ
figure before playin ab, etc.

? œ # œ. # œ. œ # œ. .œ œ. # œ.
As many times as possible on single bow.
ARCO
œ œ ?#·
II

œ B œ #œ
espress.
# œ.
III III

· ·
PIZZ.

# œ. bœ bœ œ bœ œ #œ
fl espress.
pp mf f p mf

10" 5"
Ki
b œ. œ ≥ œ œ. b œ. œ œ œ bœbœ œœ
ARCO

œ. . · · œ. . #œi œ
. bœ œ œbœ
PIZZ.
& b œ. b œ. œ œI
b œ. b œ. œ. II œ. . . # œ. # œœ
sfz
15 pp p pp mp ff
# œi #œ œ œ bœ œLi œ b œ. œ
œ b œ.
PIZZ.

? œi bœ
ARCO ARCO ARCO
PIZZ. PIZZ.
œI
mf sfz p ff
 WILLIAMS: Coniunctio 7

11"
b œi . . œ.
œ .œ b œ œ # œ. œ
# œ. .
# œ. . œ
#œ #œ œ œ
bœ œ
PIZZ.

œ. œ. œ.
ARCO
& œ b œ. . bœ III

œ. œ
2" f mp f
II

b œ. . . b œ-
16
b œi œ. ·
PAUSE

# œ . . œ. bœ . bœ œ.
PIZZ.

? œ ARCO
œ
I

œ #œ œ.
espress.
f mp mp

. 15"
bARCO
œ FLT. # œ
(x 2)
#œ œ œo b œ. b œ -
B.B. PIZZ.

œ. œ.
C.L.B ARCO B.B. B.B. ORD.
œ ¿¿ ¿¿ ¿¿ œ
œ œbœ ¿ ¿¿ ¿¿
FLT. ORD. PIZZ. ARC. to S.P. C.L.B

& œ bœ
O

bœ
¿ ¿
œbœ # œœ œœ œ ¿ ¿
pp mp f mp p mf f f p
VIOLIN: Play stave twice. 1st time: events compressed, with plenty of space between them. 2nd time: lingering more on each event with less space between, varying technique of each event at will.
17 NO SYNCRONIZATION, EACH PART PLAYED INDEPENDENTLY-- BUT IN RESPONSE TO WHAT THEY HEAR IN THE OTHER PART.
CELLO: Play stave twice. 1st time: lingering on each event with little space between. 2nd time: events compressed, with more space between them, varying technique of each event at will.
sim.
b œ-
œœ
B.B. B.B.

œo i œI b œ.
ARCO

? ¿ ¿ bœ y #œ œ ¿¿
PIZZ. PIZZ. ARCO FLT. SALT. S.P. ARCO
bœ
PIZZ. PIZZ. PIZZ. PIZZ. SPC.
¿
FROG

¿ bœ y ¿
¿ œb œ b œ œ #œ œ ¥
œ. œ
p >f > > .
mf mf mf mf mf pp f mf mp
 WILLIAMS: Coniunctio
8

b œi œi œ bœ 15" œ œ bœ
œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ
SECHISS. x

·bœ
PIZZ. ARCO FLT.
O

# œI #œ FROG
bœ
&
IV II

œI œ. œ œ ¥ œ œ> b œ> œ̊
> x
Dynamics ad lib. mf pp f mf pp

18 NO SYNCRONIZATION, EACH PART PLAYED INDEPENDENTLY-- BUT IN RESPONSE TO WHAT THEY HEAR IN THE OTHER PART.

bœ bœ œ y b œ> >
PIZZ.

o œ #œ
FLT.
ORD.
œ œ > œo I b œI
? ·i
y
bœ #œ
· #œ
IV III

œ bœ œ œ III
œI œI bœ y
mf mf pp fp f Dynamics ad lib.

15"
˘œ ˘œ ˘œ
l
¬ b œb œ œo œ œ œ b ˘œ bœ bœ bœ
& bœ œbœ
œ œ œ bœ#œœœbœœ
pp mf p f
œo bœ œ
19
bœ œœ œ œ >œ >œ
bœ œ
ARCO
bœ bœ bœ bœ œ
ORD.
? #œ œ
PIZZ. S.P.
œ bœ
ARCO

œ œœ œ œ œ
fl
f f fp mf f f ff
 WILLIAMS: Coniunctio

9a (Pages 9a and 9b are to be played simultaeously.)

VIOLIN
Play all of the modules once, in any order, but saving the boxed module
for last. If you reach the boxed module first, repeat until cello arrives on the A;
then repeat once more and procede to fermata. If you arrive after the cello has
arrived, repeat ad lib until ready to join the cello at the fermata.

· # œ. bœ
PIZZ. K L
œ
œo
ORD.

· œ bœ œ
ARCO

& #œ # œ.
ORD. II S.P. PIZZ.
I

œ bœ œ œ œ

¿¿ ¿
B.B. S.P. C.L.T.

¿
C.L.B

¿ ¿ ¿

bœ bœ œ
S.P. ORD.

bœ œ œæ æ # æœ æ bœ #œ
& # œœ
S.P.

œ #œ bœ œ œ œ œ
#œ œ œ œ
O

œ œ
S.P.
B.B.
¿¿¿
I

œ ¿ ¿
PIZZ.

¿ ¿ ¿
II

bœ # œ. # œ.
Last time: ORD.----------------------------> S.P.

œo œ. œ. b Kœ U
ORD. SALT.
S.P. PIZZ.

& #œbœ œ œ œ. bœ î
œ N œ œ. œ œ bœ œ Iœ œ
mp pp
 WILLIAMS: Coniunctio
9b
CELLO
Play all of the modules once, in any order, but saving the boxed module
for last. If you reach the boxed module first, repeat until violin arrives on the A;
then repeat once more and procede to fermata. If you arrive after the violin has
arrived, repeat ad lib until ready to join the violin at the fermata.

b ˘œ b œ.
b ˘œ # œ i œ. œ.
ARCO
˘œ
PIZZ.K
bœ bœ #œ
? # œœ Q œœ # œœ œ œi
FROG PIZZ. ARCO

œœ œI   ·     
fl flfl fl
f ff sffz f mf mp p III

B.B. C.L.T.

? ¿¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ? œ 
C.L.B S.P. Gliss.
¿  
¿ ¿
¿ p
p f
œ œ œ #œ oœ FROG
#œ bœ b œ PIZZ. œo
FLAUT.

œ b œb œ
ARCO

?œ #œ bœ bœ œ
œ œ œ œ
mp mp f
S.P. B.B.

¿ ¿¿ ¿¿
S.P.

?
FLAUT. PIZZ. C.L.B

¿ ¿¿
III

¿ ¿¿

Uœ
B.B.
¿ ¿ ?  œ  œ  œ
Last time: ORD.----------------------------> S.P.

¿ ¿    # œ  
ARCO

¿ ¿        î
¿
mp pp