SHAKESPEARE

SETTINGS
a series in four volumes
for voice(s) unaccompanied

text by : WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE [1564 – 1616]

imagined/music by : SEAN X. QUINN [born 2000]

PROGRAMME NOTES
Shakespeare Settings is a paradoxical collection of volumes that was inspired by when I first
came across Vincent Giles’ work Mesostics1 (2019-), and began preparing recordings for him.
I started to form my own ideas on how I may transport the performers and listeners into a
theatrical land of unruly and characterised language usage – to morph the characters from
Shakespeare’s original play-settings into subjective bodies of existence.

Similar to John Cage’s Aria2 and the Giles work, I have chosen three mediums in which I
provide notational support for the performer(s) to engage with. The score, while being quite
bare, consists of the typed text with handwritten rhythmic notation and various articulations
– all of which are available to interpretive dimensions – as well as various tempi-flexing;
accelerandi and ritardandi. Occasionally I have chosen to have written notes paired with the
text as well as rhythm, but not too often is this the case. Colours are used throughout to
define changes of character to the voice; perhaps changes of vocal technique, style and/or
dynamic. All colours, as in the Cage, are for the performers to decide on how to interpret.
For the duration of a single movement they should be fairly distinct and consistent, but may
vary slightly depending on the desired result of the performer – between movements it is
appropriate for change of interpretation entirely if one wishes.

The soliloquys and sonnets used are entirely untouched, but various accentuations to the
text, including distortion of various phonetics and inclusion of occasional phoneticised text.
The context of this work, surrounding various emotional states that may be included in the
original meaning of the text, as well as personal touches from the performer(s), should be
taken into account. There are no limits to the gender roles of the characters either – one
may interpret a setting however they see fit, no matter their limitations 3. I am not looking to
be overtly exotic in the work, but more engage with an instinctive quality in the work. The
approach is not dissimilar to other 20 th and 21st Century composers – ones that spring to
mind in particular include Luciano Berio (Sequenza III, 1965)4, Kate Soper (Voices from the
Killing Jar, 2010-20125) and Jennifer Walshe (EVERYTHING YOU OWN HAS BEEN TAKEN
DOWN TO A DEPOT SOMEWHERE, 2013)6, all of which use a variety of notations throughout
that have inspired sections of this work.

Taking on the worlds of Cage, Berio, and the more recent Soper, Walshe and Giles, I was
able to formulate this set of works, using period text to birth a contemporary contemplation
on communication. Shakespeare Settings is not designed as an academic exercise for either
myself or the performers, but instead is a consideration of visceral intent in performance.

SEAN X. QUINN – 2020 ©

1
Mesostics (2019-) V. Giles
2
Aria (1958) J. Cage
3
If a performer cannot reach a certain extreme pitch dictated on occasion, they may choose to displace the octave and/or clef of
the material in order to suit their vocal range. The notation should not be a limit to the performer on how they interpret, and if this is
a means of failure or unexpected outcomes due to strain and/or suddenness, so be it!
4
Sequenza III, for solo female voice (1965) L. Berio
5
Voices from the Killing Jar, for Soprano and Ensemble (2010-2012) K. Soper
6
EVERYTHING YOU OWN HAS BEEN TAKEN DOWN TO A DEPOT SOMEWHERE, for Three Performers (2013) J. Walshe
NOTES FOR PERFORMERS
When choosing movements to perform, take into account the characters and the
lineage. The movements are set in order of when the plays were written, hence forth any
piece of text that is set from multiple instances of the same play/sonnet, have been placed
chronologically.

If performer(s) wish to perform multiple movements, the above regulation of the

setting should be adhered to. However, if multiple settings are performed at once by an
array of performers, there may be displacement allowed through the spectrum of time
space.

If a singular setting is performed by multiple performers, independence is

encouraged/expected, and the characters brought out by the performers may be totally
contrasting. In these cases, the text/pages may be shuffled and repeated randomly by the
performers in order to achieve a textural imbalance.

See Programme Notes (above) for further information on interpretation. And ultimately, have
fun!
SHAKESPEARE SETTINGS (2020)
a series in four volumes

VOLUME ONE:

I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.

VOLUME TWO:

VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.

VOLUME THREE:

X.
XI.
XII.

VOLUME FOUR:

XIII.
XIV.
XV.
XVI.
XVII.

Volumes may be performed entirely, in part, or as fragments amid other volumes or even
other works. Dispersal is optional, and not really recommended. The role of the performer(s)
is a cross between narrator and personifications of certain characters. Unless only
performing one setting, costumes should not be used, or if so, sparingly to provide a broad
overview of the planned trajectory. They should not, unless desired, be overtly gender-
specific either.
VOLUME ONE