an interpretation of

Antonio Vivaldis
Stabat Mater

2 Pianos ~ 4 hands
and
2 Cellos

Full Score
c.

13

contact

jacquesbailhepublishing@gmail.com

demo

http://soundcloud.com/jacques-bailhe/a-mothers-tears

2013 Jacques Bailh Publishing

Los Angeles, California
ASCAP All Rights Reserved Worldwide
Printed by Black Ribbon Printing
Culver City, California
www.blackribbonprinting.com

A Mothers Tears
We immediately associate Vivaldis Stabat Mater, and all other musical versions
of that 13th century text, with church because, of course, its a contemplation
of Mother Mary experiencing the Crucifixion of her son, a defining event of the
western worldin many respects, the defining event. But none of the story took
place in a church. It took place in the streets of a city that socially, was not really
so different from our own.
If we recount the events in plain language, without religious associations, its a
story that occurs every day in every city around the world: a mothers child is
brutally, senselessly killed. More often than not, the child is innocent in every
wayinnocent of any crime and, still so young, innocent of the world.
We see images of this repeated without end on the news. A weeping mother
holds her dying child and cries out in unbearable pain. In this way, the defining
event of the western world is repeated every day, everywhere. A mother grieves
over the death of her childthe reason for the killing pathetically meaningless
and insignificant in comparison to the loss. By our inaction, we allow this to
continue. And although were told, You cant save everybody, isnt that the
opposite of what Jesus told us? Isnt that obviously wrong weighed against the
eternal love and devotion of a mother?
Their cries through the ages dont seem to have been heard. Despite our
mannered sympathy, we are as brutal as ever and it strikes me as hopelessly
tragic that the defining event of the western world involves the brutal killing of a
young man. I would be overcome with despair, except for this:
As these images and sounds come from my television, what I see every time is
a mother standing as a pillar of strength, begging, demanding that we uphold the
very fundamentals of society: order, harmony, and compassionate understanding.
This dance honors and marvels at the towering, inexhaustible strength of
mothersmine and yours.

Story
In a city, a mother walks
toward her son in a playground.
He waves.
She sees a man pull a gun.
He fires at someone. Vanishes.
The crowd slowly clears
as mother looks for her son.
He lies dying.
She lovingly craddles him.
He struggles for his last breaths.
On-lookers gather.
He dies in her arms.
She tenderly wipes his face,
neatens his hair,
then gathers her strength
to defy the pain
that would drive her insane.
Police arrive.
The on-lookers offer sympathy.
She is lucid,
filled with fire,
but also compassion.
She begs, pleads
that we stop this senseless violence forever.
Everyone leaves in shame.
She watches her son taken away.
She is alone.
Where to go? What to do? How to live?
What for? With him, went her hopes,
her dreamsher life.
Her son returns to inspire her love,
joy, and the strength to live.
His memory begins to fade.
She fights to stay with him,
refuses to let him go.
He shows her he will always be with her.
She watches him vanish
into eternal bliss,
then faces us,
arms outstretched,
asking us to come to our senses.
ii

Music
Small numbers above the end of tempo lines indicate the target tempo.
Sound Effects avaialbale from Jacques Bailh Publishing.
Position instruments to create clearly distinguishable left and right.

iii

Full Score

A Mothers Tears
c. 13'

Jacques Bailh
after Antonio Vivaldi

I. A mother walks toward her son in a city park playground

/ 44

? 44

Piano 1
Stage Right

Piano 2
Stage Left

Cello 1
Stage Right

Cello 2
Stage Left

&

P1

? 44 w
w
w
w
w

UC
? 44

? 44

Harmonics at sounding pitch

Harmonics at sounding pitch

C1 &
?

ffff

&

pp
R.H.

L.H.

? 44

The shooter disappears. The crowd panics, then

clears as Mother looks for her son. He lies dying.

^
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mp

P2

? 4
4

= 14

Gun Shots
(prefer live)

City park ambiance

12

SFX

q = 100

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2013 Jacques Bailh Publishing ASCAP All Rights Reserved Worldwide

pp

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A Mother's Tears

24

II. She craddles him as he takes his last breaths

ww l.v.
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A Mother's Tears

45

III. She wipes his face, neatens his hair

q = 40 accel

44

q = 60

.




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A Mother's Tears

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A Mother's Tears

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A Mother's Tears

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