FULL SCORE IN C

Composed for the Soundstream Collective Ensemble

The King in Yellow

Three pieces for six Instruments
...Based on the Psychological Horror stories of Robert W. Chambers

2012
Duration: approx. 10 minutes

Melody Eötvös
+1 (812) 369-6993
melodyeotvos.com.au
eotvospublishing@gmail.com
 The King in Yellow

I The Yellow Sign

II The Mask

III Court of the Dragon

This work is based on three stories from the psychological horror (pre-Lovecraft/Kafka) book by
Robert W. Chambers called “The King in Yellow”. The stories all together allude to a fictional play
(that is, fictional within the fictional setting) which, when read in its entirety, eventually sends the
reader mad (followed by death, disappearance, or change). Below is an excerpt from each story:

I - The Yellow Sign

Along the shore the cloud waves break, The twin suns sink behind the lake,
The shadows lengthen In Carcosa.
Strange is the night where black stars rise, And strange moons circle through
the skies, But stranger still is Lost Carcosa.
Songs that the Hyades shall sing, Where flap the tatters of the King, Must die
unheard in Dim Carcosa.
Song of my soul, my voice is dead, Die thou, unsung, as tears unshed Shall
dry and die in Lost Carcosa.

II - The Mask
CAMILLA: You, sir, should unmask. STRANGER: Indeed? CAMILLA: Indeed
it’s time. We all have laid aside disguise but you. STRANGER: I wear no mask.
CAMILLA: (Terrified, aside to Cassilda.) No mask? No mask?
Act 1. Scene 2.

III - Court of the Dragon

The people faded away, the arches, the vaulted roof vanished. I raised my
seared eyes to a fathomless glare, and I saw the black stars hanging in
the heavens: and the wet winds from the Lake of Hali chilled my face. And
now, far away, over leagues of tossing cloud-waves, I saw the moon dripping
with spray; and beyond, the towers of Carcosa rose behind the moon.
 INSTRUMENTATION:
(Full score in C)

Flute/Piccolo

Bass/Bflat Clarinet

Percussion*

Piano

Violin

Violoncello

*Percussion:

Glockenspiel

Vibraphone

Triangle

Temple Blocks (5)

Bass Drum

Tam-tam (any size available, but preferably Large)

Large suspended cymbal

FULL SCORE IN C
Composed for the Soundstream Collective Ensemble

The King in Yellow for chamber ensemble

I - The Yellow Sign Melody Eötvös (2012)

q = 92
        
                          
Piccolo                      

5 5 5 5
5

     
5
     
5
     
p
          

        


Clarinet in Bb                     
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
p


Glockenspiel sempre l.v.

 

    
  


Percussion
p

   

 
Piano
 
   
Violin 

Violoncello
   


        
                       
3
          5
5

Picc.           
5 5 5 5 5
 
p mf
ff
        
             5 5

    
 
              
     
Cl.
5 5 5 5 5
ff p mf

     

   


Glock.
mp
 
   
3
 
3

   
Pno.

  


f p

Vln.   



3 3
      
 
Vc.

 
f p

© Melody Eötvös 2012 | Eötvös Publishing

2 - The King in Yellow -



   A
       5    

5

5

Picc.        
  
mp
 ff
p ff
5 5

        

Cl.    
 
 
p

mp
 
To T. Bl. 
Temple Blocks
          

Glock.       
  
ff


f mp 5 5 5
   
ppp mf

  3 3
 3 3

   
       
Pno.
   

f p mp ff

       

 
                
Vln. 
5 5 5
       
5 mf
 
pp
    

3


3 3 3
             
 
 
   
 
Vc.
  
   5 5 5 5
f p f pp mf

   

              
 
7
    
Picc.                              
5 5 5
5 5 p f mp
pp ff
  5 

              


 
Cl.
 
5 5
mf 5
p

            
Glockenspiel

               
To Temple. Bl.
T. Bl.      


5 5 5 5
ppp f mf p

  

Pno.
    

  
   
        
                    
  
Vln.                 

5 5 5 5 5
pp ff mf 5
p 5

                
          5
            

 
   
      
                
        
 
Vc.
     
5 5 5 5
 5 5 5 5 5
pp mf 5
ff p mf p
 - The King in Yellow - 9

II - The Mask
q = 84
    
  

        
35

Picc.     
p 3
Bass Clarinet mf


 
in Bb
B. Cl.  
Bass Drum

Vib.

       


pp Tam-tam p

        
       
    
     
3 3 3
mp

  
pp
      
Pno.

   
  
 
  
 3 3 3



       
 
Vln.    
pp  p

Vc.    

f p

   

  
    
37

To Fl.

Picc. 
      
 
3 ppp
pp mf p

 
mf
 
 

B. Cl.

f p

 
 
B.D.

   
Vib.  


T-t. mp

 
   
  
     
     
      
3 3 3 3
3

  

pp mp pp mp
 

Pno.
         
    
  

3 3


   
 
Vln. 
  

 p p
 
Vc.
       
ppp
  
10 - The King in Yellow -
39
     
Picc. 
To Cl.
 
 
      
B. Cl.

ppp

     
   
Vibraphone always pedal
  
Vib.     

 
p mf mp
       
    
  
 
3
 


Pno. pp mp

 
mf mf
        
 



mp

   
  
   
      
Vln.   
p  p mp 


arco
 
 
      
pizz

 
  

Vc.

f f pp

F
 
43 q = 72
Picc.      


 
B. Cl.
     

       
       
   
Vib.    
    


3 3
p mf mp mp

                          

   

    
 
 
3 3
p 6
f p f mp f pp
Pno.

        
     
    
 

3 3
f p f

     
Vln.  

   
    

   
Vc.

ppp
20 - The King in Yellow -

III - Court of the Dragon

q=80
 
81 Piccolo
Picc.     


 
heavy
Cl.
            

p f p f p ff


Triangle
Tri.     
     
     
mp mf p
Pno.
     
    
   
     
mp


     
Vln. 
              
heavy

Vc.
            
  

p f p f p ff

  
    
 
85         
Picc.      
3 3
mf p mf p mf


        

Cl.
mp f
mp f


      


Tri.       
mp 3 mp

mf
  

Pno.
 
mf
  
  
 
 
   
mp p mf



       
Vln.

p f

mp f
 
      
     
 
Vc.

mp f mp f
 - The King in Yellow - 21

       
 
                    

87
  To Fl.

Picc.     
3 3 3
sub. 3 sub. p
p mp f f ppp

   
Cl.
         
fp

 
  
            


Tri.  
3
p mf p mp

    
 
 
     
Pno.
     
 
p   
    
mf
p


f

Vln. 
 
    
    
mp fp f
    
Vc.
  



  
 
mp fp f

K q=84 With more movement 

     
     
89


Flute
Fl.      
   
3 3
  f p f
  
Cl.
     
f pp

  


Tri.   

    

  
Pno.
       
     
     

   
mp p mf p


  
 
Vln.    
3

   

               
   
f p f

mp
 f
 
 
Vc.   
 - The King in Yellow - 27

     
112
     
Piccolo
Fl.     

    3
   
f p
 
Cl.

    

    



  
pp ff p

        
Vib.         

 
mf

 

      
  
 

    

       
Pno. mf f  p
ff
 
p
    
    

    
  
           
     
      
  
 
           
      
 
Vln.

f p p

    
 

 
    
Vc.

 
         
114
        
Picc.      
mp f 3
fff mp f p f
     

 
   
    
        

  
Cl.


 
3


ff mp f p f
   

       
   
Vib.   
  
f

  
    



p f
Pno. mp
 
f

     
ff 3
        
        

 
   
    
     
     
         
Vln.   
ff mp f mp f
    
 
 
            
 

Vc.
   

gliss.

ff mp f p f

28 - The King in Yellow -
molto rit. q = 84
      
        

116
Picc.         
3 3 3
mp pp ff p
 
        
3

       
 
  
Cl.
3

3
mp pp ff p

   3     
To T.-t.


3
  
        
Vib.


   
pp ff

       
                 
              
 3 3

3

Pno. mp ff pp

    3     
3
 
     
3
   
 
           

     
     
         
       
Vln.             
 3 3
3
mp pp ff p

 
  
          
3 3 3

    
  
Vc.
 
mp pp ff

O q = 110 A tempo 

  

118
      
Picc. 
  
 
3 fp ff
ff
   
Cl.
      
ff

   
Vib.   
    
       
 
         
 
p f

mp
Pno.
 
    
ff

      
3
      
     
 
  
  
    
 

 
  
     
Vln.   
         
ff

    
Vc.
  
ff fp ff