Andrew Robbie

Of Their Own
Loveliness
for (amplified) mandolin quartet

2001

robbie@fas.harvard.edu
Program Note

Sometimes I become fond of a particular material or process that contributes, along with
many others, to the fabric of one of my more complex pieces. Similarly, sometimes a
fragment of pre-existing music strikes me as worth more attention than it would receive
in my often dense layering of quotations and other materials. These special artifacts
sometimes engender satelite pieces; usually shorter, more static works in which whatever
found object is given an environment where it can proliferate. Perhaps these pieces are
like exhibits - carefully made display cabinets for little treasures - but, in place of the
austerity of the displays of natural history museums, their encasements are made of many
mirrors and copies which both magnify and obscure.

This piece takes the plucked harmonics of a mandolin quartet, such as those that
appeared briefly at the end of my 'Fields of Golden Hay', and a quotation from the final
movement of Alfred Schnittke's Piano Quintet. In both sources, the chosen materials
represented a transcendent closure; in 'Fields' the harmonics color the return of the
opening chorale, in Schnittke's piece, the piano ostinato is a vision of eternal paradise for
his recently deceased mother. While harmonics are all pervasive in this quartet, the
ostinato quote is recalled only gradually. By the time it appears in full, it is lost in the light
of its own refractions. The gentle decadence of this bright light recalled for me these
lines of Oscar Wilde:

...where half afraid

Of their own loveliness some violets lie
That will not look the gold sun in the face
For fear of too much splendour,

which themselves recall Lord Byron, here suddenly at war:

Ah! then and there was hurrying to and fro,

And gathering tears, and tremblings of distress,
And cheeks all pale, which, but an hour ago,
Blushed at the praise of their own loveliness.
 

























sul G sul D sul A
  
sul E
 
          
   
 G
sul sul D sul A sul E

      
  


   

 
     

     
        
      


   
  



    
sul E

sul A sul D sul G sul B sul E

7

    
   
                  
  
     
7 sul
 E sul A sul D sul G sul B sul E


             


        

         


          
 


    
     
  






 5
Of Their Own Loveliness
Andrew Robbie (2001)

q = 56,
 3
3

Pure and sonorous
 3  3  3  3  
    
3
 3  3 
       
     
Mandolin I
mf

    
Mandolin II         
m 
Mandola    

  
Guitar



4
 3  3 
    
3
     
 3 3 3  3
 
      

        
 
        

        

    
   

   
       
  
 m

   


 3  3
7

3 3 3

 
        
  


     
  

         
   
 
  
   
 

     
  
   

  
  

  




  


6
10
3 3   3 
 

      
  
   
           

  
 

     
          
 

  
  



  3 
13

   

     
 

       
          

 
   

      
  
   
 

   

 
 
mf
   



A
q
     3  3   3  3   3 
17 = 64
3 3 3 3

              


  
f

  
  
 
       
   
   
    
 

 


   

    
3

3

3 3

3 3 3 3

  
     
     
  
     
f
 7
20 3
   3        
        
3
 

   

 

 
mf
 3 3
  3  3 3   3   
  
        
  
 


 m
f

   
  

  
3 3
 3
       
3
       
3 3     
   
 
  

   
  
f mf

3 
22 3

3

3 3 3 3
          
 
     

     
        
mf

f

 3   
3

  
3 

  
 3 
      
  
    

 f 3   m

   
       
  
    
3

3 3 3
3
3
  

    

        
  
  
f

  3     3
25 3
 
3

   
 
      

   
p
3   
 3            
3 3 3

          
 f 
 
  
m

  
  
  

     
3 3

    
3 3 3 3 3

   
  
       
 
   
     
8
3
       3  3
28
   
3
       
3
        
  
f m p sfz

f

 3   
    
3
     
3 3
 
 
   
   
 
f non dim. m
   
     
 

    
 3   3  
3

           3

   
 3

 

   


    
 f  f m f

B
31 q = 74.5
3
3
3 3  3
       
  
    

   
  

m


3
3

3

    3    

        
   sfz m
  3
f
 3
      


   
  
f cresc.
3
 3  3   3
 3 3
 3
   

     
     
     
 
più f

 3   3  
3

34
3

3
  3 
 
  
    

   
più f
mf  più f
  

    
 ff


3
3 3 3
 
3 3
   
   
    
    
 più f
 sul B

   
3 3
 
 3 3 3



    

 più f
 

  
f
 9

 
36

3

3 3 3
 

    
 
   


 
mp
  
3 3

     
 


   m
     3

3
    
  
  
   
 m mp f
3
            
3
  

 

       
 f più f
mf

38
3         3   3

            
 3
 
3 3



     
 
     
m f m
3 
 
         
 3
  
  

      
 cresc. f m
 3  
3
3  
     
3 
     
 
    
 m
 3 
3
 3  
3
3  3   3 
         
  


   


   
 più f mf f 3

3  
41

   
3

 
3
3  3   3
   
   
 
  

  
  
poco cresc.
3
  3
       
 
   

3

 
 più f
3
 3 3
3  
       
3
 
    
  
 più


  
 f 

         
 3 3 3
 
 3 3  
 
    
   
       

 dim. f più f mf cresc.
mf
10

  3
44
  3 
3
 
3 3
    
 


    f 
   
   ff 
 


       
  
m f
  3   3 
         
 3
    
   
  
  

  


3
 3       
3 sul B

 


   
   
 f mf

C
3 
q = 90
       3  
47 3
  
3 3
 

    
 
ff ff, molto espress.

3
     
        

 
 
ff sfz m cresc. 

   
        
3

 

      

f
     
3 3

   
3

    
   
  
 f
cresc.

 3  3    3   3  3 
50 3 3
   
 3 3
 
  

     

 


3


3
  
 
      

  

 
  
     
    

ff
3
dim. mf   m

         
  3 3

 
    
  
 
 
sul B
  
3 3
   
       
 
      
 ff poco f ff
 11
53
3   3 3   3   3  

3 3
   


   


  
3
 



     
  
 
   
  
ff m f
  
3

  

   
     
   
  
  m f ff

 
    
  
 
 
 f


     

 
mf

 cresc.
3


56 3 3
3
 3        3   3 
   

 
 

     
     
   
       
 
f 
3

    
 
    
  


 mf m
 
 
 f 
  

   


59 3 3 
 
 3 

 

    

    

 
3 3
 
  
      



  
mp f m
f
    
  

    
   
  f
 
sul B m


3       
  
    

 

 
 f
  ff m
12
62 3
     3   3   3 3
      
  

 
3
 3  
   



     
 
ff
più f

      


  
 
 
mf
3 
sul G

   
   3 3 sul B

 
 
   
  
        


f

       
65   3  3  3

3

 
 
 
     
    
            
 
  
f m  
pm

 
3 
     
3 
   
 
    

     
 f cresc. f

 
3
   
3  
 
 
  

  

 
      
 
ff mf cresc. ff

69

    
3
   
            
   

mf m f



      
  
     

    f

  

      
f
 13
D
q = 56
  
73

      
 3
 
              
 
     
mf poco f m
             
 
 

 mp m


     
    
poco f


78

 
3
 
3


  


mf
 
3
3

  

      

   

   


81

    

   
          
 
 
 
     
 
   

    

14 Of Their Own Loveliness -
sounding score
q = 56 Andrew Robbie (2001)

 3  3  3
        
3

3 3 3 3

     
3

     
   
 mf
   
      
 m  
   

   


   3  3
4 3
 3 

3 3 3
           

  
     
        
            
  

     

       
m  
  


 3  3
7

   3 3 3
  
        

    
  

        
 
        

    
    

     
 

    
   
 15
 
10 3 3
 3
   

      


       
     
 

    
    
 


  
      
  


   


   3 
13

   

  


         

     
   
   

  
        

      
  

mf
   


A
q =3 64

17
3
3
    
 3
 
      
3 3 3 3 3
           
      

 

f
     
     
    

 

      
 
  
3 
3
   3  3  
3 3

      
          
3  3


  

f
16
 3      
  
20
   3   
3
   
  
          
mf  
  3  
 3 3 3 3 3
         
           

  m

  
 f

 
  
3
3  3
  3  3
  3
     
 
      
  

         
f mf


22


3
 3 3 3 3 3 3

          
  

   

      

   mf  f

 3 
  

  
3
 
      
3 3
     
   m 
f  3 
     
   
  


  3
3 3  3
 3 
        
  
 
    

  
3

f
25
  3
 3
 3
 
3  
              
 
  3
p
3    3
    
3 3
    

   
 
         
  
 
 f m
   
     
 
 


 3
3   
3

   
      
3

3 3 3
    

          
 17

           3
28 3
3
  
3
  
3
        
 
f  
 
3      
 f m
3
p sfz

       
   

  
   3 
 

 3 f non dim. m

       
    

 

  3 3 
      3 3
  3
    



    
   


 
f f m f

B
31 q = 74.5
 3   3  
3 3 3
     
    
   
 
  
 m    
3

3
     
3 3

        
   sfz  m 
 f   3

 
 3
    

  
   
3 
f cresc.
3
 3  3     3   3  3
    

 
           
più f

3   3 
 
34

 
3 3
   
 
3 3
    
      

 mf  più f
più f
 

     
 ff 
 3 
 
3 3 3 3 3
        
     
 

 3

più f
  3 
 3 
       
3
 
3
  



   più f
f
18


36
   
3 3 3 3
        
    
  3  
mp



3
 
     
   m
 
     
3 3

  




  
m
    
mp f
3
 
 
        
 3

  

 
   

   
 
f più f mf

      3
38 3
 
         3 3

3 3

        

     
m  
 f
m
 
       3  3
 
   
   cresc.  
 
 m
 3
 
f
 
3 
3 3
          


   m 
 
 3 
        
3
 3 3

 3 3
     
3 


 
   
 
più f mf f 
3
41
 3
3  3   3   3 3
   


 



        
  
  
  
 poco cresc. 3
3
     
 
  

  
 
più f
 3 3

3 3 3 3
     

      
  
     


 più f  3
   
  3
 
        
3 3
 
3




     
    
dim. mf f più f mf cresc.
 19
44
3

 

  
3 3 3
     
  3 
       

   
    ff f 

      
   
m
   
f
 

  
3 3 3
   
     
 

   
  
    

  3
   
3
  
3 
 

 
   
f mf
C
q = 90
3  3   3 

47
 
3 3
       
  
 3   ff ff, molto espress.
 
     
           
ff
 sfz m cresc. 
    
3


  
   
 
     
3
 3
   f
3

   
    
  
 
 cresc.
f

 3
50
 
3

               
3
 3 3 3

3 3 3
  


    

  3      
   
      

  
      
   
ff dim. 3
    m
mf 3
     

    
3 3
    

 
  
   
 3 3

      

     

  
ff poco f ff
20
  3
  3  
53
 3    3    
3 3
 

3
     
 
 
3

    
 
      
   
  

ff m f
   3
 
    
    
   
  
  

  
 m f ff

        

    
  

   


f mf 3 cresc.

     3  3
    
56

      
3 3 3

 
3
 



      


    



      
 f

 

  
3

  
  
  
 mf m

  

  
  
f 

 
      
3

59
3 3

   
  
  3     
  
3
    
   
 
 
    
f mp f m
     
 

  
 
 
  
  
f m
  
 
   
3 
       
   
 

f ff m
 21
 3   3   3    
62 3
    
3

    
  
  3 3 
    

    


 

più f ff


        
 

 

mf
3 
   
 3
 
3

           
  


 
  
f

 
65
   3   3    3  

3

      
  

     

           

      
f m p m 3
   
   
3
  
  
 

     
   
f

  f
 
cresc.
   
3
   
 3

       

   
  
ff mf cresc.
 ff

69

    
  3 
   
           
  
 


m 
mf f

    
   

     
   
 
 f

   
 


 
poco dim. f poco f
22 D
73 q = 56
      
  
 3

    

    

  
  
mf      m
poco f
      
       
 
mp m
 

  
     
mf
77
       
3 3



  
 
mf
  3
 
3
      
    



   

   


81

    

 
    

    
 

 

     
 



   
