Marc Sabat

De profundis clamavi
ad te, Domine
for viola, adapted viola and cello
each musician also singing

PLAINSOUND MUSIC EDITION

De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine (2008)

for viola, adapted viola and cello
each musician also singing
for Jeremy Woodruff
NOTES ABOUT THE INTERPRETATION
Each of the three instruments both play and sing. The playing should
dominate, with the singing shaping the color of played tones.
If it facilitates tuning the sung pitches, the three players may sit
somewhat apart from each other. The pitches should generally be sung
in the octave notated (i.e. male voices). For female voices, the
pitches may be transposed up an octave.
Alternately, it is possible to share the parts between string
players and male voices. In this case the respective string player
and singer should sit close together, working as one musician.
The adapted viola used in this piece is based on the tuning of Harry
Partch's so-named instrument: G-D-A-E one octave below the violin.
Any similar string instrument with these four open strings may be
used (e.g. tenor violin). One possibility, using a large normal
viola, is to restring the instrument as follows: replace the bottom
two strings with shortened cello C and G strings (the difference in
length will allow tuning the pitches G and D). Thinner tungsten
strings are preferred. For the upper two strings, use long viola G
and D, tuned up a wholestep. Flexible wire-core strings will
accomplish this without breaking.
Berlin, 17 November 2008

De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine

for Jeremy Woodruff

Marc Sabat

1B
Viola

1/IV
n
Take as many bows as needed, playing with a full tone even as the harmonics become
higher and noisier. In the instrumental parts, black noteheads indicate previously
mezza voce
sounded pitches that are tied over, while white noteheads are used to indicate new
pitches. On occasion, there are portamenti from one harmonic node to another. Allow
sempre sotto voce, singing as to the instrument
the bowing to continue unimpeded, even if unexpected tones might be produced!

Sing softly, tuning as purely as possible to your instrument, mainly sounding the vowels
of the text, as though from the bottom of a well. The voice may freely follow rhythms
suggested by the text and by the time needed to tune carefully: in general, each bar might
last between about 3 and 5 seconds. The sung phrases may elide into the next bar at the
players discretion.

Do - mi - ne,
1/III

1/IV

&

mezza voce

Adapted
Viola

sempre sotto voce, singing as to the instrument

ad

te,

Do - mi - ne:
1/II

vo - cem

1/III

1/IV

mezza voce

Cello

<e n

<e

2/IV

sempre sotto voce, singing as to the instrument

n

<e n

De

<e

n n

pro - fun - dis

cla -ma - vi

ex - au - di

=
8B

1/III

Vla

>

tu - ae

&

A Vla

~
w

1/II

2/IV

au - res

? e
n~

Vlc

2/III
n

in

, n1/I

e
~

4/IV

3/IV

n n

me - am:

Fi - ant

>

<e

in - ten - den - tes,

vo - cem

15
B n~

Vla

1/II

2/IV

> n n

de - pre - ca - tio - nis

&

Do - mi - ne:

2/III

e
~

A Vla

3/IV

3/III

e
~

?
Vlc

2/II

i - ni - qui - ta - tes

ob - ser - va - ve - ris,

e
m~

5/IV
n

me - ae.

gl.

Si

Do - mi - ne

=
B

22

e
~

Vla

2/III
n

~
e

3/IV

<e n n 5 >u n

a - pud te pro - pi - ta - tio

1/I

&

A Vla

4/IV
n

e
~

gl.

est:

<e

Qui - a

6/IV

4/III

gl. n

<

3/II

sus - ti - ne - bit?

.
gl

Vlc

qui

e
? m

>

> n 9

- t pro - p - ter

29
B
Vla

1/I

Do -mi - ne.

&

A Vla

3/III

2/II

e
~

e
m~

5/IV

9m f

su - sti - nui te
2/I
n

~
?

in

, e~ 1/III

Vlc

7/IV

1/II
n

Su - sti - nu - it

gl.
gl.

5/III

le - gem tu - am

n
n

wer - bo

7/IV

n n

a - ni - ma me - a

=
B
36

Vla

4/IV
n

e
~

A Vla

Vlc

n n

vit

A cu - sto - di - a ma

gl.

6/IV

gl.

4/III

<

ei - us

? ggll..

2/II

gl.

e me
m~
<e~

e
~

spe - ra

&

3/III

in Do - mi - no

6/III

&
?

4/II

n n n n
a - ni - ma me - a

43
B
Vla

e
m~

5/IV

us-que
3/II

&

2/I

gl.

1/III

spe
3/I

e
~

n >v

ret

I - sra - el

<

<

ad no - ctem:

5/II

gl. u

n n n

Qui - a

1/III

7/IV

1/II

7/III

2/III

Vlc.

&

gl.

tu - ti - na

A Vla

&

i - n Do - mi - no.

<e

a - pud

=
m

50
B gl. m

gl.

gl.

1/III

4/III

6/IV

Vla

u n <n

mi - ser - i - cor-di - a
u

e
& m~
5/III

A Vla

e u

7/IV

1/IV

u <

n 5

&

6/II

gl. n

III

4/II

e
~

<e

re - de - m - pti - o

gl.
gl.

n n

gl.

II

Vlc.

Do- mi - nu

&

6/III

4/I

<

et co - pi - o - sa a - pud e - um

gl. n

, e e
n~ g
n~
l.
3/II

B
57

Vla

7/IV

2/I

i - pse

5/III

e e
m~

re - di - me t

gl.

<e

? n
Et

1/III

I - sra -el
3/I

e
~

Vlc.

7/III

&

&

A Vla

gl. n

> <

7/II

i - ni- qui-ta - ti-bus

<

om - ni

gl. >

bus

B
64

Vla

6/III

en

gl.

gl.

m
e

~ ~

gl.

4/II
n

e
~

Pa - tri,
5/II

u~
e

&

A Vla

6/II

gl.
gl.

~ ~

gl.

~
n

Glo - ri - a

5/I

&
Vlc.

6/I

u n

e - i - us.

e
~

et Spi - ri - tu - i Sa -nc -to

<

4/I

et Fi - li - o,

3/I

71
B

1/II

e
~

5/II

e
m~

6/II

1/I

, ne

7/III

Vla

<

Si - cut

e - rat

in prin - ci - pi - o

sae - cu - la

5/I

7/II

&

A Vla

gl.

gl. u

gl.

>

et sem -per

&
Vlc.

7/I

et in

et nunc,

4/I

78B

e
~

5/I

<

6/I

n
o

7/I

7/II

Vla

sae -cu - lo - rum.

&
A Vla

gl. u

gl. u

6/I

gl.

7/I

gl.

A - men.

&
Vlc.

&