The Trieste Vessel

"The Trieste Vessel" is an orchestral symphonic poem for three recorders: two sopranos and one alto. Recorder 2 and alto recorder are both optional. The recorder 2 part is simpler than recorder 1. For the most part, all three recorders play the same rhythms throughout.

The piece begins with a sense of imminence. One can imagine the Trieste in large rolling water. The Trieste dives. Clarinets and piano sink deeper and deeper with their constant stream of descending eighth notes. At measure 11, the tonality shifts – the Trieste has entered the Bathypelagic zone and there is no more sunlight from above. The sustained low brass and piano's left hand go deeper yet. In measure 13, the piano even plays the lowest note on the instrument. Then, at measure 15, the Trieste arrives and settles at the bottom. Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard look out their tiny window to view a place no person has ever seen before. The strong low orchestral chords in measures 15-18 contrasted by the high strings, piano, and harp portray the vast amount of space between the Trieste and the surface – a distance of almost seven miles. At measure 19, the drum kit enters, they release the ballast, and begin their ascent. The Trieste rises up from Challenger Deep with a sense of building hope, excitement, and accomplishment. Light returns, and finally, the Trieste majestically breaks through the surface, making history!

The recorder parts are not difficult. The tempo is slow, and except for one whole note and a couple of dotted half notes in the alto recorder part, all three recorders have only quarter notes and half notes throughout the entire piece. Recorder 1 uses ABCDE. If your recorder players have not learned how to play high E yet, the C below it can be used instead (or A for measures 28-30). Recorder 2 is simpler and uses only GABC. Alto recorder uses CDEF#, and the F# can be substituted with D instead (or E in measure 16) if your alto players haven't learned F# yet. You will see all of the alternate notes shown on the score and parts.

A cool fact about the recorder 1 part is that it plays to measure 15 (the Trieste's descent), then, beginning in measure 19 (the Trieste's ascent), the recorder 1 part is in perfect retrograde through to the end – all of the pitches and rhythms are identical to the first half, but everything is in reverse order, mirroring the voyage of the Trieste. See if your students can identify the retrograde compositional technique while inspecting the recorder 1 part. To help with this, we have included a recorder 1 only version on the recording (track 29). You may also prefer the simplicity of just one part with your players.

A PDF of the piano/recorder score is also available online free to subscribers if you and your students would like to follow along.