alex nikiporenko

inusitatus contrapunctus trifarius

for mixed quintet

2011

Inusitatus Contrapunctus Trifarius

(odd counterpoint in three parts)

for clarinet in b flat, marimba, piano, violin and viola

duration: 5 min 30 sec
score in c

The x noteheads indicate that a percussive sound must be played. Each musician is advised to use
the following sound:

Clarinet unpitched slap tongue

Marimba sticks hit together
Piano hand clap
Violin and viola tailpiece hit with the back of the bow

Inusitatus Contrapunctus Trifarius is trifarius for three reasons: the piece is divided into three
vaguely fugal sections, instrumentation is split into three groups (clarinet with marimba, piano and
violin with viola) and, as each group is assigned a harmonic minor scale a minor, c sharp minor
and f minor respectively, the harmonic language of the piece is formed by the interplay of the
three scales used.
The percussive sounds assigned to each instrument evolve throughout the duration of each
section from their original function as the signals indicating the appearance of a theme to a form
of accompaniment surrounding a leading instrumental group and, finally, to an independent voice
playing along to the melodic material. The simplicity of the percussive sounds is used to emphasise
the relative complexity of the rhythmic structures created by the melodic lines.

inusitatus contrapunctus trifarius

I

alex nikiporenko (2011)

strict and sincere

q = 72
2, 2, 3

Clarinet in Bb

Marimba

Piano

Violin

mp simply

strict and sincere

q = 72

Viola

2, 2, 3

alex nikiporenko

2, 2, 3
6

Cl.

Mar.

Pno.

Vln.

Vla.

mf

Vln.

Vla.

mf

faster

11

Pno.

espress.

3, 2, 2

Mar.

mp

Cl.

mp

mf

q = 100

2, 2, 3

mf

p simple

espress.

faster

mf

q = 100

mp

q = q.

q. = q

q = q.

3, 2, 2
16

Cl.

Mar.

3, 2, 2

mf
f
mf
f
mf

Pno.

Vln.

Vla.

Pno.

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Vla.

q = q.

q. = q

3 3

mp

q = q.

q. = q
21

Mar.

Cl.

mp

q. = q

mp

mf

mp

p
f

2, 2, 3

mf

3, 2
26

Cl.

Mar.

3, 2

Pno.

3, 2, 2

Vln.

Vla.

2, 3
33

Cl.

Mar.

2, 2, 3

3, 2

mf

mf

ff

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Vla.

ff

ff

2, 3

3, 2

2, 2, 3

2, 2, 3

ff
mf
ff
mf

mf
ff
mf

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3, 2

mf

ff

mf

ff

mf

first tempo
q = 72
2, 3

Cl.

Mar.

2, 2, 3

ff

ff

Vln.

Vla.

dim.

ff

mf

Pno.

3, 2, 2

41

first tempo

q = 72

ff
f
mp

ff
f

2, 2, 3

45

Cl.

Mar.

Vln.

Vla.

mp

mf

pp

pp

pp

mf

mp

mf
p

mp

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mp
pp

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3, 2, 2
49

Cl.

Mar.

Pno.

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Vla.

3, 2, 2

espress.

mp

mp

espress.

mp

simple

simple

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mp

II
2, 2, 3
53

Cl.

Mar.

Pno.

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Vla.

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mf

mp

mf

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59

Cl.

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64

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[ x] =x
68

Cl.

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ff

Pno.

5, 3, 3

ff

Cl.

73

Vla.

f
ff

Pno.

5, 5

ff

subito p

ff

subito

subito p

79

Cl.

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Pno.

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mf

4:5
4:5

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mp

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mp

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mp

Cl.

84

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88

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mp

first tempo
q = 72

mp

mp

slower

first tempo

q = 45

q = 72

10

mp

q = 45

slower

mf clear

mp cresc.

cresc.

mp

mp

Pno.

91

mp

mp

mp

Vla.

Pno.

3, 2, 2

mp

mp

III
2, 2, 3
96

Cl.

Mar.

Pno.

Vln.

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3, 2

2, 2, 3

3, 2

articulated

2, 2, 3
103

Mar.

Pno.

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2, 3

mf

mp

mp

mf

mf

mp
11

mf

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mp

mp articulated

Vla.

3
3

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mp
f
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mp

mp

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3, 2
108

Cl.

Mar.

Pno.

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3, 2, 2

mf

3, 2, 2

mf

mf

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3, 2
113

Cl.

Mar.

Pno.

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mp simple

mp

3
3

f
3

Vla.

2, 2, 3

12

2, 3

118

Cl.

Mar.

Pno.

Vln.

Vla.

Pno.

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Vla.

[ p x] = x

ff

13

[ p x] = x
121

Mar.

3
3
3
3

3

3
3
3
3
3

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125

Cl.

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ff

Pno.

ff

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ff

129

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14

dim.

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133

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136

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Pno.

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15

pp

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pp