Dreaming Aloud

For solo guitar

Nigel Morgan
This study score has been downloaded from the website archive of
composer Nigel Morgan. The PDF file is solely for personal study,
repertoire research or educational reference. It is not intended for use
in public performance except in educational situations when an
extract is required for illustration purposes.

Performance scores and parts are available from Tonality Systems

Press in two formats: as standard printed and bound paper copies,
and as PDF electronic masters carrying a special electronic license
for an unlimited number of performances over an agreed period. For
more information please e-mail Tonality Systems Press.

ISMN 979-0-57043-108-3 (Full Score)

 About the piece

Dreaming Aloud was written in 2000 for the

remarkable American guitarist Alan
Thomas. Its composition directly follows
that of the Four Preludes for electric guitar
and tape written for Alan as an upbeat to
Steve Reichs Electric Counterpoint.
Dreaming Aloud is one of a number of
Dreaming Aloud works by Nigel Morgan that use source
material from Nicholas Slonimksys
Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns
for solo guitar
(1947), a collection of several thousand
examples much used by jazz musicians and
Nigel Morgan composers. John Coltrane is said to have
learnt them all! John Adams recently
celebrated their use in his orchestral work
Slonimskys Earbox. Dreaming Aloud
employs patterns 53 to 58: the tritone
progression (an equal division of the octave
into two parts) with an ultrapolation of one
note.
The five movements of this work were
created with the interaction of the Symbolic
Composer software, an application co-
developed by the composer. The intention
was, in the making of the work, to mimic
certain aspects of free improvisation through
the application of particular algorithmic
routines. An introduction to Symbolic
Composer, the Lisp code for Dreaming
Aloud and a recording of the work can be
found on the composers website
www.nigel-morgan.co.uk

i
Dreaming Aloud is similar in some aspects to Array for solo violin. Elements of the Baroque
instrumental suite are present in both works as is the creation and modification of melodic
and rhythmic material using fractal and wave-form generation. In Array each movement is
based on a different algorithmic process whereas Dreaming Aloud is defined throughout by a
specific pitch series found in Nicholas Slonimksys Thesaurus of Scales and Musical
Patterns. The series used is a sequence of six four-note Ultrapolations of One Note within a
Tritone Progression.

Slonimsky patterns used in Dreaming Aloud.

There is an extended notation for time-signatures used throughout this piece.

The example above uses a conventional time-signature with an extended notation for grouped
phrases. These may be treated as free rhythmic expansions, contractions and variants within
the duration of the grouped phrase. The grouped phrase shown in the second bar of the
example has duration of three quarter beats, although the rhythmic grouping of the notes is
free.

The time signatures in other sections, such as those above, show just the denominator. This
indicates the underlying reference pulse, not the metre. The bars in these sections are often of
varying lengths and arranged as a guide to clarify the musical structure.

Here is a synopsis of the five movements:

I an extended Prelude in three distinct parts: the first part is a play of pitches across the
whole compass of the guitar; the second part explores chords (and their potential within a
limited pitch series for transposition) in a context of short ostinatos and additive rhythms; the
third part is a mosaic of tiny motifs derived from the first pattern of the series and structured
using the pattern of a modulated sine-wave.

In the third section rasgueado patterns may be applied to the chords. Also note that the
groups of three notes are not to be played as triplets but as full sixteenth notes, in keeping
with the 16th note pulse running through the latter part of this movement.

i
II a slow reflective and rhapsodic movement in a palindromic form. The focus here is the
algorithmic exploration of chords and arpeggios based on a partial inversion of the symbolic
mapping of the second pattern of the Slonimsky series.

Original Slonimsky pattern and its symbolic inversion, with material algorithmically generated from the patterns.

III a very slow Sarabande-like movement. Three rhythmic quotations from sarabandes in
J.S.Bachs solo suites and partitas are used to frame two extended and rhythmically complex
variations. The rhythmic play of these variations is the result of neural processing operations
on the melodic material derived from the third pattern of the series in conjunction with
evolutionary algorithmic generation.

Tonality derived from Slonimsky pattern 55.

Sarabande from Bach cello suite (BWV 1011) and corresponding rhythmic quotation.

IV a Courante-like movement that emphasises the running quality associated with early
forms of this dance. The texture is sparse in comparison to the previous movements but
resonant in pedal and tremolo effects from the use of open strings. The music expands the
tonality derived from the fourth pattern of the series into full-blown octatonic scales.

Running sequence, resonant interlude and tremolo passage from movement IV.

ii
V This is an intense and dramatic finale, part Gigue, part Toccata: it is a very final
statement. The fast rhythmic opening and closing sections maintain an angry dialogue
between treble and bass voices. They frame a long declamatory passage, which gradually
transforms itself into a retrograde of the opening music. The melodic and rhythmic
organisation of the movement is generated from the Mandlebrot-like Hopalong algorithm.

Segmented tonality used in movement V.

A quotation from the opening bars note use of first tonal segment in bass voice and second in treble voice.

iii
 Dreaming Aloud
I
bright and resonant  = 90
     
4  
 
  
 

4
  
 

  

   
   
3
         




  

   
  
gliss.


 
5
     



 

  
        
    
 gliss.


 
7

   
   
 


            
  cresc.

9 
   
  

 
  

 
  
    
  
 
    
 (poss. pizz) 

    
 
11
       

   
  
  
  
 

 
  
( = 85 ) with strength
13
      
     
    
 16

   

Beams marked to be treated as free
rhythmic expansions, contractions and
variants inside the duration of the phrase.
Copyright Tonality Systems Press 2009
Make dynamics exciting/varied.
              
17
     *

       




   
20        
    
       
    
 
molto



24
 *

    
             
      


    
27 *  
           
        
 gliss.


  
30 *
    
  
        
 * sim.

    
33
 
*

      
           
 sim.  

36       
     
  
 
   
  
* Always vary repeated phrases in an extreme way
by changing dynamics and/or timbre.

2
39 
( = 80 ) with intensity and purpose

 
 0        
    0           0   

 (susurrando) poco a poco crescendo

44

           
  0   
     
   0   0
sim. 

49
      
    0  0        0      
 0 
poco a poco crescendo

52
            

   0        
   0  


55 0
             
     
  0  0 0
 0
 poco a poco crescendo 

 
     
59
               
    0  
0 0 0 0
 

63 *

                 
                  

* Articulate chords with
rasgueado patterns ad lib.

3
66
    
*
            
             
 

69
         
                      
  


71
                       
               
    
       


 
74  
   
   
    
 
            
  
 

 
   
   
76   
  



  

 
  
 






78       
 
  

        
   

     = 60
80 transitional

       
 
       
    
* Articulate chords with
rasgueado patterns ad lib.

4
 II

( = 56 ) with restraint x

     
     

 8 
  



 
   
( )* molto tasto

3
      
 
     



    
     
 

6   
      
 

 
 
    


    
8
    
  

 
     
 
molto pont. molto tasto

11 

      


       
 
       
   

   


13
     

    
    
  

 


15
  


      

 
   
( )
x if possible, all 4 note chords
played without the nails, non-arpeggio.

* dynamics are free, but begin and end 

5
 III
(  = 40 ) as if a threnody...

 
3    
4  
 ( )*  

3
  

 
    


with anxiety
5


   

4  



         

6   
   
       
     
    
   subito

7
 

      
         
     

8

 
  
                 
    

9  


  
                 
          
* dynamics ad lib except in the sarabande quotations.

6
10

                
   
      


calm and deliberate
11
 
      

  43   

       
()

 

13
    
       
 0
0

gracefully

       
   
     
16
 
4        


   

   
17

         
     
    
 

 
18
  
           
     
 

19    
        
  
     
    
  

7
    
 

20
 
 

     

 

 

21   
  
  
   
    
  

22

 

            
       
 

  
  
  


23


               
   

as a final statement
24  
34      
     
 ( )  

 

27

    
 

8
 IV
(  = 140 ) smooth and even

 8 0  0 

  
 




   

   
  

0
  

4

  



   


 

  
 
 

 

 poco cresc.

5


 0
 



   

   
    
  
 
 cresc.

7
  

 0   

  

   

     
  
  

 
   
 
 
 
10
     


      



12
 

 
         

  
 
 

   

14

    
 
  
       
 
    
       

15
 
              
              

9
17
                       
 
     

18
     
                   
     

20
                 
        
    

21
     
  

 
 

         
   
  poco dim.

23
         
    
  
  
 

     


    
24
   
        

 

crescendo 
26
  0 0
         
 

   0  
   
 

28

 
   0
     0  


 0
  0  


10
30

 
 
  

    
            
 

 


( = 135 ) poco dim.

             
       
   



         
poco cresc.
in basso.

 
( = 130 )
    
   


 
         

(laissez vibr.)
36
0
(  = 125 )

   
  


  

 
  
  
  
sim.

39 0 0


 
 



  
  
  
  


sim.

    = 77 )
41 ( = 120 )
  (
0  
 
  
       
 0
attacca

11
 V
(  = 96 ) angry and intense  =

                  
 16        


      
 


 subito 

3  
                
       
            

   
sub. 

5   
                  
   
( )     


     

sub. 

7
                         
 
     
 
   
poco cresc.

9  
                        
  
  

 
 



          
11
             


  
   
    

 sub. 
molto sub. cresc. . . .
piu mosso

    

13
 
  
     
   
   
 
   

   

    
 


12
 
15          
    
   
     
                 

 
 sempre

 
 
17
      
       
       
       
      
   

allargando
19
         
      
 


 
   ( 
 )
quasi gliss.

    
lighter/less intense

   
21
 
    
   
    
 

      
23



   

   
 
    

 
  

regain intensity . . .
25

        

            
 subito      


  
27
        

   
        
    
      

13
     
29
        
      
    
 

    
  
  
 
  

30
  
    
  

    
 meno        

   
32
 
      
         
   
     
a tempo
     
allargando

       

34
   
    

 

  
 
    

       
      sempre


         
37   
        
      
    
       

    
                            
39

  
        
    


 

 
       
      
41

       
  
       


 

 


14
  
subito
43 
                  

       


      
 
 

45
                      

          
 
     
 

47 
    
  
   ( )   
    ( ) 
     
 

 
 
   
subito 

49
    
          
      
        
    
  
subito 

51 murmuring . . .

                               
         

     

53
  
 
            
 

molto

15