CONRAD

WINSLOW DRY COUNTY

for piano solo

duration: ca. 16 minutes
edition 16 August 2022
 Premiered on 28 July 2021 at KM28 in Berlin, and
recorded in Mount Vernon, NY by Conrad Winslow.
PROGRAM NOTE
I like a trip through a semi-arid landscape—not at all like
a desert—where the eye is drawn to intermittent ushes of
life, yellow grasses waiting for rain, ancient-rooted olives
ticking away the seasons. Brittle sonorities on the piano
put me in a similar state of expectancy, where resonance
is a precious good, where singing voices carry a long way.
Dry County is a four movement essay for piano solo built
primarily with staccato chords. They remind me of a basic
photographic principle: in bright light, extremely short
exposures and small apertures yield the greatest depth of
eld, bringing layers of information into simultaneous
focus. I can recall seeing as a child one of those touristic
signposts with directional signs akimbo giving the
distances to far-off cities. I stood rapt before it attempting
to picture the eld of possible journeys and the
interposing geographies. A chord, standing alone, takes on
for me a similar quantum charge of possible directions: of austere joy and deep possibility as a way of marking
the gaps between isolated chords suggests voice-leading as time.
often disavowed as con rmed. What has always fascinated
me most about the piano is the implicit—maybe—voices
between chords that I can just make out (or imagine),
humming in the cracks. My favorite pianists are the
magicians who make me believe in those voices, who with
only the barest suggestion of linear continuity and
harmonic underpinning manage to convince me of the
presence of these other lurking shades.
I think I’m still obsessed by line and harmony, especially
in the sketchiest guise, because any chordal underpinning
can itself be doubly regarded, as a harmony with an
immanent history, and as a concrete timbre: a chord can
become simply the sound of a hallucinatory body,
resonating with its own agenda. I am fascinated by
imagining the rules that govern a chord’s behavior, the
syntax that controls its interplay with other such objects
placed together in a room, depth of eld expanding.
Counties of the United States that limit the sale of
alcohol through various and sometimes arcane rules are
known as dry counties. These statutes are salient markers
of cultural memory that continue to shape the culture.
Dry County was composed during a time of stricture, of
unexpected silence and waiting. During this time of
prohibitions it became paramount for me to mark ashes
MOVEMENTS
I. Still on the books
II. Run out
III. State lines
IV. Spirit of the law
PERFORMANCE NOTE
The performer must remove or place the music stand to
facilitate quick access to the strings of the bass register.
© 2021 by the Winslow Inn. International copyright secured. All rights reserved.
 DRY COUNTY

Conrad Winslow
2020-21

I. STILL ON THE BOOKS



                              
 = 126 Rigid

     
                     

    


  
                        
sempre legato

     
 
6

    
                    
    


 
        
          
11

                 
     
    
                         
    





                      
17

   
          
     
              
      
  
      

© 2021 by the Winslow Inn. International copyright secured. All rights reserved.

2 Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16

   
 
                        
23

        
    
                 

  
      
  


   
          
29

            
       
  
         
            
   
    



   
         
33

                

    
           
       
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 


   
      
              
A
       
39

     
              
       
         
                        
 



          
                
   
          
44

    

      
      
        
     


   
 


Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16 3

              

                
50



                       
    
    


     
   
   

   
    
  
   
58

  
      
       
      
     
     



        
           

   
   
66


        
          
   


 
       
     
B
    
74

   




        
           
   


   

     
     
82

 

         
          

 


         
    
        
90

 
                
  
 


4 Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16

       
          
       
98

    
     
         
  

     


                           
 
         
105

    
   
    
                      

   


   

                      
110
C

      
  
 
   
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
      
    



      

                   
116

    
   
     

  
                  
      
 



 
  
        
  
 
   
        
122

   
       
   
                     
    



Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16 5

128  
      
       
                        

       
       
   
             
    
  
    
     



     
                     
       
134

 
        
  
         
  
          
 



      
  


 
 

D

       
      
140


  
    
                             
     
      




                                        
145


        
    
  
                          
        


    

   
   
                
148

        
    
   
                           
       
       


    
6 Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16


       
    
   
     
   
   
      
          
   
151 pesante

 
    
 
  
                      
           
 
 


     
                              
         
   
155

 

     

  
 
   
    
              
  
      




 ½
             

  
E

      
         
160

  
      
          
                      
         

½


                
   
       
163

 
              
  


        
167      
                
        
 
    
         
 


                     

171

  

 
          
 

7

         

Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16

     

          
      
175

    
       
 



      
      

   
         

179

  
      
        
 


 
                   
        
183


 
    
       




   
                
   
187




  
          



       
           
   
  
191

  


  
          
 


                      
  
       
195


    
   

 8 Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16

II. RUN OUT


 = c. 63 Broad, relaxed

     
balance harmonics and chords




      
              
 
RH

[ ] plangent



     

3

               

 

  



     

5

      
             

   



   
     
arpeggiate synchronously


7

[ ] sim.  

 

   
           
 





        
        
9








  
              



   

 

Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16 9
 = 126–132 Fugitive, threadbare
maintain tempo and gesture, allowing notes to speak sporadically,
A

                         
emphasizing non-pitched noises and odd grooves (ad lib.)

  
  
3-5x


  

     
    



            
        
4-8x


   
s.v.

  
14

 


 
        


     
 ½


                          
s.v.

 
  
s.v.

  

16


  
   
       

        

  
 
 ½  ½


                    4-6x

    


 
    
18

   
 
       
  


   


½ 


  

              
  

4-6x 2-4x


21


    
            
      
  ½

10 Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16

                         
 

 
24
 

 


 

   

 
 
  
 


B    
 
                 
            
     

    
 
 
 

       
 
 ½ 


                             
s.v.




28

  

   

      
 ½


            

30

  

    
      



                    
 
  
2-4x

  
 

33

  
  
     

    
secco


 ½

11

         ! articulate & fast

Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16

             
3-5x
  
   

 


   
  
35
  
       
 
  
   
 

        

  
 
    

  
  

 senza pedale 
½



   
  

 
 
 
C




  
 
 

    
       
  



 


  4-6x
    2-4x
              
  
          
40

     

         
   
    





                    
4-6x
 
  
   
44


      

   
      
  
½


              
12

              
Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16


3-5x 4-6x

 
       
46


      

   
             
 


                      
4-6x


      

50


   
  
  
       
  
  
½



                      
4-8x



     
   

   
52

  
 
      
  

     
 


darker percussive sound

                             
4-6x 10-12x




         

56

  
      
    

    
over repeats over repeats

 ½
 Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16 13


III. STATE LINES

     
           
          
 
 = 76 Moderato

      
         
       
        
            
    

 

 
        
  


                   
            
                  
3

()
      
     
                           
                    
  ½


                     
5
  
   
 
                
    
     
     
                        
                          

½ ½



              
   
 
   
  
    
                 
7

          
     
   
                              
                             


  

     
   
9

         












   


 

   

       
   

 
 
                                     
        
                                   


14 Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16

    

                                  

11

               
  
  

                         
             
   
    



            
                                   
        
13

           
  
 
        
                        
          
                    


½
loco

               

           
              
15

    
  
  
                         
          
                



            
                       
                         
17


       
      
                        
                                  
 





              
            
  
                             
19

 
        
    
             
                                            
     
 


Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16 15

        
                     
  
 



 
21

     


                             
                      



    
     
           
23

           
    

 
             
  
   
    
        
                               
    




     
                          
25

                  

       


                                     
                         


     
                 
                    
27

               
 
    
              
                   

    
           




 
                       
                
                    
         
29

        
   
       
 
            
                        
                                
       
   


16


Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16

      
 
                                   
 
32

                      

          
                                     
   

        


 ½
  
    
    
 
            
      
                    
35

                                   
 
      
                        

                                 
     
(LH to the fore)


 
   


   
  
        
      
    
 
                                     
38

                    

  (LH to the fore)  leggero
 
                                 
         
      


        
                                  
41

                          
                        
                                 
         
poco cresc.

   


 

       
   
                
                    
44

             
 
 
    
                    
           
  
  
     
 17


Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16

IV. SPIRIT OF THE LAW

 
    
 = c. 104 Fragile

  
   
 
                       
4x 4x


   
 sparking; never rush the downbeats
  
  
    

                     




u.c.

   
          
                  
4

     

 
  
  
 
       
   
             
 


    
      



   
 
     
       
sotto voce


8

  
  
            

                          
 



   
     
        
         
12

 
    
  

           
          
     



  
  
     
        
    
      
16

    
    
               

 

              
   



18 Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16


   
     
      
         
    
         
20

   
 
     
   
                 

  
     



  
    
    
 
  
             
A

     
   
    
  
          
 
     
  
    
 
    


  
   
     
   
     
               
          
29

 
    
                       
       
 




  
       
      
     
 
                   
33

      

          
 
      

        
   
 


  
  
poco accelerando


 = 108–112

     
             

            
37

           
 
    
      
 
      
     
                 
  
  ½ ½
½  ½


      
Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16 19

        
                 
40

    

 sub.   

  
              
         



  u.c.  

   
    
        
44


   

 
     
    
            
    

     
   



 
(u.c.)


  
                  
                   
48

     
   
             
  
sub.

      
    
    u.c.




       
 
       
B ( = c. 96) Relax tempo
       
 

           
52

   
  gentle  
 
              
  
 


(u.c.)

    
  
              
56

      

         
 
  

20 Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16

   
                
60


          
       

 



              

64

       

        

 


           
        
 
68

       

           


   
    


          
C Più mosso
     
     
            
                       


   
 desultory  
                                      
  
          
 u.c. 



 
76  
     =       
    
                                          
              
  

  
    
                        
  
           

   
(u.c.)


21


Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16

     
   
          
D Più mosso
                
                          
80


 

     
           
   
                              
   


  
(ideally)

                     

84

 
   


  
      
                 
   

sounding [ ]

  


    
        
     
s.v. s.v.

   
89
 
  

[  ]
 
 
                   
     
 
    


  
          
    

 
        
      
94 less resonant harmonics
  
 
 
 
 
  
       
             
           

 
   


   
          
accelerando

         
99
 
 
    
 
          
 

22 Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16
E


                          
 = c. 112

 
104

 
 [ ] sizzling 
  sim.
[  ] [ ] sim.
          
s.v.

 
 
 



                         
108

 
  sim.   
[ ] sim.   
            
  
    


 
              
 
    
higher harmonics

    
111


      
    [ ]
                  
   
 

    
 



                
  
114


  

 
[  ]
  
 
           

          
      
 



          
           
116



  
    [ ]

   
           
           
       


  


Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16 23

 
     
     
sounding harmonics

         
        
118
 

 



   [  ]
 
[ ]  [ ]
 
         
      
 

    


  
  
F  = 120 Flowing
        
       
             
 



 
  
 

                 
       

   
 
   
  


 
     

   
     
126






 

 
             
                   
      
 
   
 


 

      
         
  
130










 
  

     

               
          
    
 


24 Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16



  
  
  
       
Pushing forward a bit ( = c. 132)

    
G ritardando

               
 
133




 




  espr. 
                            
 

   
            
       
  


    
( = 88) Steady

        


            
     
 
137

    


 
              
                      
           
   
  
   


 
  
141      
         

        
  
         


          

   
     
        
 
           
                
      
 
  
   


  


          
                         

144

  

       
   

   
    
       
                                
 
           
 


    
 
147        
      
 
             
  

        
     
    
  
                
       
         
              
  
  

 
25


Winslow » Dry County » 2022-08-16


        
  
                       
        
150

      


()    
 
   
              
                  

                
    



    
accelerando

 
 = 108–112

154   
            
 
       
    
 
      
   
  
   
    
   
    
                 
                      


     



 
         
  
       
H

  




     
       
lithe

         
       
  
  



       
            
    
 
165

 ()
    )
  
(

 
    )



(


         
            


174


 
   
 
  
  ()     
  BERLIN, JULY 2021