ALBUM LEAVES

justinmerrit

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.

meltwater
mosquito
quiet land
sprinkles
album leaves
old eagle lake cemetery
ancient stars
flurries
solstice
the long drive home
epilogue

In 2000 composer Justin Merritt (bn. 1975) was the youngest-ever winner of
the ASCAP Foundation/Rudolph Nissim Award for Janus Mask. He is also
the winner of a host of other awards including the 2008-09 Copland Award,
the 2008 Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute Prize for River of Blood,
and the 2006 Polyphonos Prize.
He received his Bachelors from Trinity University and his Masters and
Doctorate from Indiana University. He studied composition with Samuel
Adler, Sven-David Sandstrm, Claude Baker, Timothy Kramer, Don Freund,
and electronic and computer music with Jeffrey Hass. He is currently
Associate Professor of Composition at St. Olaf College. He resides in
Northfield, Minnesota with his wife Yuedong and their children Cullen Fang
Ouxiang and Molly Fang Qinghe.

8 1 5 t h y e p a r k w a y n o r t h f i e l d , m n 5 0 7 - 6 4 5 - 4 8 2 0 i n f o @ m o o n e a s t . c o m w w w. m o o n e a s t . c o m

This work was begun while in residence at Copland House,

Cortland Manor, New York as a recipient of the Aaron Copland Award
for kathryn ananda-owens

album leaves

{
{
9

&
&
&

17

&

26

&
&

justin merritt

i. meltwater

sparkling q = c. 69

continue in the same pattern

2
J
&4
ppp ripples

2
j

&4

p singing

una corda, ped. sempre

continue ripples with

changed pitches

b n
p sub.

ppp

3

J

b
#
3

b n

pp

ppp

J
J

pp

ppp

3
#
3
J J

p singing

p sub.

ppp

&
&

for piano

J
3

j
j

Copyright 2010 Justin Merritt (ASCAP) Published by Moon East www.mooneast.com

ii. mosquito
Allegro possibile

. . . . . b . . . . b . . n. n. . . b . . . . .

& . . . . . . . . . #. . . n. . . . . . . . . #. . .

. b . .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
b . . . b . .

& . . . . . . #. . n. . . . . . . #. . . . .
. b . .
fp
fp
ff
fp
ff
.
b . .
.
.
.
.
.
.

b . #n. . n # . .
&
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .
fp
staccatissimo sempre

fp

fp

fp

fp

fp

fp

fp

. . . b . . . . #. n. . . . . n. b . . #. n. . . . . . . . b . n.

. . #n b . .
&
. . . . . . . .
. .
fp
fpp
fp
ff
.
.
.
. b b . . .
b
b . . . . . . . . . . b ?. b . &
& b . . . . . n.
..
..
.. .

. b .
. .
fp
.
ff
.
. b . . . b . n . . n .
.
.
.
.
b

.
.
.
.
.

.

b
b
.
n

& b . . . ? . & . .

. . . . . . . . . .
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.

.
. b . .
b b b n b . .
.
.
.
.
.
# n ? . b
. .
& b ? b . & b
? . & .
&
#. n.
. . . . . . . . . #. . . . . . . . . . . .

. . .
. b b . n. ?
. b . . # . .
&
. .
......... .
fp
ff
. b . . . . fp
.
.
.
n b . . b . n. . . . .
b . . . . b . . . .
.

.
.
?

& # . n # . . . .
. . ....... .
ff
fp
fp
ff
. . . .
#

b . . . . . . . . b . .

.
. . . #.
. .
&
#

.
. b . . . . . #
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

for faye

iii. quiet land

4
&4
o

whistle

warm, gentle q = c. 48

3 4
4
4

& 44

p3

?4 w
4w

p
molto ped. ad lib.

44 w
w

45

3
b

b

3 5 b
4
4
b

pp 3

43

U
U

45

&

andante q = c. 84

? 44 w
w
w

whistle

w
w
w
w

p wistfully

(whistle)

& 44 46 w
w
w
w

&

b
b

46 b b
44

& 44 46 w

?4 w
4w

46 w
w

44
w
w
w

46
46
w
64
?w
w
w
w

b
b j 46 b

44
w

44 w
w

pp

w
w

p more plaintive

pp

4
&4

& 44

43

43

46
46

46 w
w

bb

&

&

iv. sprinkles
each line lasts c. 10"

. .
#q.= c.. 72
p

{
{

&

always unsynchronized; somewhat free

&

pp

.
p

(as always, do NOT align with upper G#)

#
p

growing faster

&

&

&

ppp

growing slower and thinner

&

&

randomly sprinkle the given pitches

&
&

silently affix with Sos.

.
&
&

continue, always very precise, with a touch of bounce

rit. al fine

pp

v. album leaves

sentimental q = c. 56

%
b

& 43 j b
b
p cantabile

jb
n

b j
?

bn

pp

2. f

n
? b b #n n

n n
nn

? n

n n
J

n

b
&b b

? b 3 n
b b4 n
n

b j
b

n
J

44

rit.

w
j 4w
w

Pu mosso q = c. 69

bb 3 U
b
& 4
n

1.
2.

j nb b b

b b b

bb

&

j b b

b
b

?3
4 n

ad lib.

&

for granna

j





p to the fore

Fine

&

nnn
pp

pp

sim.

una corda

nnn

bw
bw
& w
**

vi. old eagle lake cemetary

&

c. 8"

***
? U

? w

for cullen

Place * Marti gras beads and ** stiff, heavy cardboard across the strings over the given range (approximately). Different
pianos have different placements for crossbars, so two set of beads or cardboard may be required
*** Play on the key while rubbing nail of thumb vertically up and down the given string. The result should be a weirdly
shifting timbre.
*
4
& 4 b

& 44

44
b n

b b

c. 14"

44
b

# b

* play the given pattern as fast as possible for duration of line

** pluck string hard enough to vibrate again metal

fff

n # b

w
>

## > > > > b ## > > > > ## > > > b >
ord.

>>>>
> > > >
> > > > > > >
>f
ppp cresc. poco a poco

b b
p

&

non ped.

r

>

b b

?

#
#
##
> > > > b > > > > # > > > > > > > b # > > > > > > >
>
>

**

44

poco a poco release ped.

&

sfffz

driving q = c. 144

? 44

bw
w
w
#
w
w

w
w
#b w
w
w

# #

#
. # n. #.
.

b
>> >

#

># > b > > > > >
>
>
.
bb
R

#
## ##
#
b

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
>
>

sffz

> > > > >

cold, timeless h = c. 36

pp distant sparkles

& 2 b
* W p dying away
? 26 W
W
itant sparklesdistant staprkles

vii. ancient stars

#
#

b
b
(come sopra)
W

W
W

#
#

itant sparklesdistant staprkles

**

ppp
* Hum a D in the lowest octave possible for one full breath each time. With each breath calm the body and mind.
** For each low chord, hold the notes silently, and then strum across the strings across the range of the chord with no
pedal. Then, add the pedal for the rest of the bar. The effect should be 1.) strum, 2.) chord holding over, 3.) upper
melody with pedal.

& 24
W
? 24 W
W
W

b
b

un poco meno mosso

& 25
U
W
?5 W
2W
W
W

b
p

p
molto accel.

#
3

&2
& 24 #

# #

# #

b
b

&

n #

<n>
<n>
<n>

23

#
#

w
32 b w
w
bw
w

mp

n n
# #
b
n #
b n
n #
h = c. 116

h = c. 32

24
W
42 b W
bW
bW

pp

ppp

rit.

24
24

ix. solstice

adagio e = c. 80

& 4+3
8

throughout

& 4+3
8
p

#
? 4+3
8

a tempo

U pp

U
n
n
J

b b
& b b

& b #
b
J n

ppp

4+3
8

mf

nb b
J

4
& 4

mp

2+3 bb b
8
b
rit.

pp

U
j
43 b

n n
n n

2+3
8 b b #
b
#
mf

5
?
j

# # n

&8

tempo primo

n n b b U
b

4
b
&4
43 b
p

bb

&

4+3
& 8

? 4+3
8

pp

b b #n 5 # # b r

8 #

J
rit.

for mom

pi mosso q = c. 63

44

&4

b b b n

for dad

x. the long drive home

b
& b b b b 7+6
4

b 7+6
& b bbb 4

b
& b b b b
b
& b b b b

b
& b b b b J
b
& b bbb

b
& b bbb
bbb
b
& b

1.

2.

<b>

n
n
J

light pedal sempre

mp light, long-lined

andante, with nostalgia h = c. 72

n
n

n
n

b b j j j
b

& bb
JJ
J
J
J
J
bb
&b b b

xi. epilogue
sparkling q = c. 69

come sopra
#### 2
& #4
J

####
& #
####
& #
####
& #

ppp

#### 2
j
& # 4

####
& #

una corda, ped. sempre

p sub.

3
#
3
J J

pp

ppp

####
& #

n
J

pp

####
& #

####
& #
####
& #

this is a sample only

to purchase the complete score or parts and
for other compositions by justinmerritt please visit:

www.mooneast.com
or send emails to

info@mooneast.com

8 1 5 t h y e p a r k w a y n o r t h f i e l d , m n 5 0 7 - 6 4 5 - 4 8 2 0 i n f o @ m o o n e a s t . c o m w w w. m o o n e a s t . c o m

!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!

choral orchestral

!
!
!
!
!

solo

!
!
!
!
!
!

Standard Deviation!.............................................................................................violin
Bar for Hans Sachs!.................................................................................................flute
Veloce!.......................................................................................................violin & piano
Coupling!................................................................................................................organ
Drum Break!...................................................................................................percussion

chamber

!
!
!
!

Janus Mask!..................................................................................................
!
winds in 2s
River of Blood!.............................................................................................winds in 2s
Dervish!.........................................................................................................winds in 2s
Lachryme!..............................................................................................string orchestra
Monster!........................................................................................................winds in 3s

A Gauze of Misted Silver!..........................................................string quartet & harp

Ravening!..................................................................................................string quartet
Invocation!....................................................................................................8 solo brass
The Day Florestan Murdered Magister Raro!............clarinet, violin, cello, & piano
Trio!.................................................................................................violin, cello, & piano

piano

5 Preludes!..............................................................................................................piano
Chaconne: Mercy Endures!..................................................................................piano
Rococo Suite!..........................................................................................................piano
Sierpinski Gasket!..................................................................................................piano
Windchimes!...........................................................................................................piano
Hive!...................................................................................................4 pianos, 16 hands

vocal

other compositions by justinmerritt

Dissonance!.....................................................................................................song cycle
Steps Into Stillness!........................................................................................song cycle
Dhammapada!................................................................................................song cycle
London Thoroughfare, 2AM!...........................................tenor, horn, violin, & piano
May Evening in Central Park...........................................................
!
baritone & piano

Corde natus!..........................................................................................................SATB
Lamentations!.......................................................................................................SATB
Hay Das!......................................................................................................SMsATBrB
Nativity!.................................................................................................................SATB
Adoro Te Devote!.................................................................................................SATB
Fire Sermon!....................................................................................SSATB & orchestra

8 1 5 t h y e p a r k w a y n o r t h f i e l d , m n 5 0 7 - 6 4 5 - 4 8 2 0 i n f o @ m o o n e a s t . c o m w w w. m o o n e a s t . c o m