The Troll Variations
for a soloist
by
Tom Duff
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Instructions

This piece is for a soloist playing any instrument.

Alternate sections are marked Say and Play. The Say sections are spoken or sung to an improvised tune in a stentorian and condescending manner, as a traffic court judge lecturing a recidivist speeder. Read as though the text makes perfect sense, even though its grammar and meaning may make sudden, unexpected turns.

The Play sections use an ordinary five-line staff with oval note heads () interspersed with diamond () and cross () note heads. Play in a manner that contrasts with the lecturer's attitude. Be mocking or solicitous or calm or resigned or anything else appropriate.

You can play in concert with other performers, who may play other versions of this piece, or other any other materials, composed or improvised. When playing with others, the Say sections should be performed as disruptively as possible, and the Play sections should be played sensitively, with utmost regard to enhancing the performance of the other players.

Score

Say: Yet another unsubstantiated and erroneous claim.

Play:


Say: What might that be?

Play:


Say: Maybe not to you, but you don't realize how your statement applies to yourself is interesting, if not amusing.

Play:




Say: Non sequitur; I'm talking about the length, yet the two pieces to which I'm replying: Date: Sun, 08 Jul 2001 18:06:14 -0400 Date: Sun, 08 Jul 2001 18:06:14 -0400 Date: Sun, 08 Jul 2001 18:07:26 -0400 All later. Obviously you didn't recognize it as a non-rhetorical question.

Play:














Say: There is a lie. My name has been said to have dictated the length of the "Best American composer of classical music. If you have not given any reason for claiming that the discussion has been about American composers, thus it is too long for its own good. He simply posted "bait".

Play:










Say: The infection being John Doe writes [to Professor Plum]:

Play:


Say: Classic pontification.

Play:


Say: SWTHDTM?

Play:


Say: But you can make lemonade out of lemons.

Play:


Say: Non sequitur.

Play:


Say: On the contrary, he just admitted to posting "bait".

Play:


Say: You're welcome.

Play:


Say: What you think you can.

Play:


Say: On the contrary, you asked a question.

Play:


Say: Non sequitur.

Play:


Say: You prefer verbosity?

Play:


Say: You're presupposing that there are more transcriptions than the so-called "masterwork". Obviously length isn't the criterion.

Play:




Say: It was Doe, and now you, that have nothing to support Pudge's notion that the discussion belongs in alt.usenet.kooks. If you have not given any reason for claiming that a piece of music where the strings aren't playing?

Play:






Say: Well, many of the Blast! performance in London. Yet another unsubstantiated claim.

Play:




Say: Substantiation was not provided below.

Play:


Say: There is a lie. My name has been said to have dictated the length of the members of Blast! were in the style of Bartok's "Concerto for Orchestra", to which I am unfamiliar.

Play:








Say: Well, you can always quit...

Play:


Say: "Your" thread?

Play:


Say: Irrelevant, given that we're not dealing with something that "decent people" do. Thus by your own question.

Play:




Say: Only if within your puking range when he listens to it.

Play:


Say: You might want to advertise to the theme), and I assume that the discussion has been removed, it's hard for readers to determine that.

Play:






Say: Why? Playing more net cop?

Play:


Say: You're erroneously presupposing that the messages to which I'm replying: Date: Sun, 08 Jul 2001 18:06:14 -0400 Date: Sun, 08 Jul 2001 18:06:14 -0400 Date: Sun, 08 Jul 2001 18:06:14 -0400 Date: Sun, 08 Jul 2001 18:07:26 -0400 All later. Obviously you didn't recognize it as a comparison for structure.

Play:
















Say: I haven't started the script.

Play:


Say: Ah, so you're admitting to being one or both.

Play: