8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
1/16
wire attached to thin frame;
unstill water
Jeremy Corren
[2015]
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
2/16
wire attached to thin frame;
unstill waterwritten for New Music On the Point
Notes
Microtonal NotationStandard quarter-tone notation applies:
Raise by 1/4th of a tone
Raise by 3/4ths of a tone
Lower by 1/4th of a tone
Beating is achieved throughout the piece in two ways:
Static Beat Frequencies
The first: two instruments voice pitches a quarter-tone apart — this produces
a rapid form of beating known as ‘roughness.’ Try to tune stopped quarter-
tone pitches as precisely as possible in order to maintain consistent
‘roughness’ when asked for.
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
3/16
Time-space Notation and Changing Beat FrequenciesAt rehearsal letters E through F, the second kind of beating is achieved in the following scenario:
Rehearsal letter E
(a) Violin: Starting on a unison A (open string II and stopped A on I), the violin slides slowly from the unison towards a quarter-tone (A and G-3/4
sharp). The glissando should produce a gradually increasing beat frequency. Simultaneously, move the bow seamlessly from sul tasto towards
ordinario position.
(b) Soprano: The saxophone repeats a roughly 10-second module in which it: gradually crescendos into the same pitch as the violin’s A over the
course of 8 seconds and breathes for 2 seconds. Timing should be fairly precise. Over the course of the 30 seconds, the peaks of the
crescendi become gradually louder, from ppp to mp. During the crescendi, the saxophone’s tone should accentuate the beating effects active
in the violin.
(c) Piano: The piano repeats a 5- to 7-second module in which it softly plays the A pitch in groups of two. Unlike the saxophone module, which is
fairly precise in its periodicity, the pianist may vary the duration and attack of its module slightly, to give a sensation of aperiodicity. Each
piano attack will produce additional disturbances with respect to the violin beating. Over the course of the 30 seconds, the module shouldgradually increase in volume, but only very slightly (from pp to mp)
(d) Viola: For the first 30 seconds, the violist plays exclusively on the bridge, producing a pitchless air-sound. Horizontal bowing helps avoid
slipping onto the string, which produces unwanted pitches. The violist should vary the pressure and speed of the bow over the bridge to
produce aperiodic discontinuities within the sound, so long as it remains pitchless.
Rehearsal letter F
(a) Violin: The violin performs the glissando of letter E in reverse, moving back towards the unison. As a result, the beat frequency gradually
decreases to nothing, arriving ultimately at psychoacoustic smoothness. Simultaneously, the violinist should move back towards sul tasto.
(b) Soprano: The saxophone begins a crescendo to the multiphonic on A-Bb for 6 seconds, and then reverts to the 10-second module describedin the notes to letter E. This time, the peaks of the crescendi should get softer and softer.
(c) Piano: During the first ~5 seconds piano begins by touching the 11th partial-node of a low Eb while striking the key to produce a harmonic at
the pitch A, lowered by a quarter-tone. By playing a normal A directly after the harmonic, beats within the piano are produced. Following this,
the piano should revert to the module described in the notes to letter E. The module, this time, should decrease in volume from p to pppp
(ultimately silence).
(d) Viola: The violist performs two actions. First: starting at molto sul ponticello, they should gradually bow away from the bridge and towards the
end of the fingerboard. Second: the violist should gradually increase duration of bow-lengths from long sustain towards very rapid tremolo.
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
4/16
Saxophone
air: produce a pitchless air sound
bright air: use a syllable like [sss] to produce a brighter timbre
dark air: use a syllable like [hro] to produce a darker timbreair to tone: attempt to seamlessly transition from air sound to tone; when impossible, transition from niente
Multiphonic: #57 in Netti and Weiss’s Technique of Saxophone Playing.
The small dyad multiphonic is very soft, so dynamic indications mp and p are descriptions of effort
relative to the maximum dynamic possible (in absolute terms, around a p).
The squiggly line conveys the resultant ‘beating’ timbre that results from the two component
frequencies of the multiphonic, which are quite close together, and produce ‘roughness.’
Piano
Harmonics
The piece asks for a single piano harmonic, shown in the graphic. Strive for a sound that resembles most closely the
isolated partial, and as devoid of the fundamental as possible (though not completely). Let ring with the assistance of
sustain pedal. In this case, the pianist plays the equal-tempered version (A) of the harmonic (A 1/4-flat) — the
combination of the two should produce audible beating.
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
5/16
Strings
Timbressul pont , indicated by s.p., should produce a mixed sonority of a pitch’s fundamental and upper partials.
molto sul pont, indicated by m.s.p., should produce a sonority that is predominantly the upper partials of a pitch.
sul tasto, indicated by s.t., asks for bowing towards the fingerboard to mute higher partials.
molto sul tasto, indicated by m.s.t., asks for bowing high up on the fingerboard to produce a hollow sound.
on the bridge, indicated by o.b., should produce an audible but pitchless sonority similar to white noise.
flautando, indicated by flaut., asks for a light, fast bow-stroke — often coupled with sul tasto
Techniques
with pizz. asks for a fingernail pizzicato
harmonic trill: in this case, the violin bows the open E string and quickly depresses and lifts the octave harmonic
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
6/16
A
Jeremy Corren
= 67
i. wire attached to thin frame
Soprano Sax.
Piano
Violin
Viola
4 4 5 4 4 4 3 4 4 4& ∑air tone
po o
bright air
p
&
catch resonance of the ensemble
∑ pp
&Ped
∑ ∑ø
&o.b.
p
pp
beats slightly with piano
p o
&
indiscernable pitch
po o
B
o
‰ 6b ) wb œ œ ‰ )n ) ™
Ó ™ Ó wb w ˙™
‰ œœbb ˙ ˙™ ww ˙ ˙™
) ) ™ ) wµ Ȯ Ȯ Ȯ ™
~w O ˙™ O ˙ O ˙ ™ Oœ‰ Ó O ˙b O ˙™™
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
7/16
6
4 4 2 4 4 4&
dark air
mp o
cross-fade from violin
po
tone air
o
&mp
>
mf
” .>
pp
[l.h.]
mp
& p
Ped
?3:2
& IIIflaut.s.t.
p
m.s.t.
o sub p
ord
beats with viola>o3:2
B p
> ord>pitch becomes indiscernable
m.s.p.
ord
o
beats with violin
mpo o
) 6
Œ ˙ œ ™ œ ˙ w ˙ ) )
w# œ œn ≈ ‰ Ó Œ ˙ ˙™
‰ œb ˙www
www
˙ ˙ ˙
Ó ≈ œn œ ™ œ Œ ˙b w
Ó ˙ ˙ ww ww ˙ ˙
Ó œn œ œ ™ ˙ ˙ œ ™ œObb Ȯ Ȯ Ȯ w Ȯ
~w## œœæ
O ˙™™ Oœ ™™ Oœµ
O ˙ O ˙ O ˙ ~w O ˙
3
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
8/16
B
12
4 4 3 4 4 4& o mp
Ÿ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
o pp o ∑ ∑
& p
lightly
o p
o
Ÿ ~~~~~~~ p pp
faint echo
?mf
Ped.>
mp
∑ ∑
& pp
flaut. stop bow
. p
beats slightly with piano
o o∑ ∑
B IIIm.s.t.
p
crossfade from soprano
o o∑ ∑ ∑ &
Ó ‰ œ ™œ
œ ‰
˙ ™ w ˙
Ó
˙ ˙b ™™œn œ Œ
˙n ™ w‰ œ w
˙ ˙
Œ̇ w‰ œ w
˙ ™ ˙ ™
Œ ≈œ
‰ Ó ww## ww ˙ ˙ Ó
œOb œO œO ‰ Ó Œ O ˙B Oœ Oœ ~w O ˙™™ Oœ ‰
Ó Œ œœ ww ww
4
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
9/16
18
4 4 6 4 4 4&
air
mp
> sharp cutoff hold stable intonation: beats against violin
pp mf
&
in a sudden movement
sub pp
.>lift immediately
∑”;
mf
>
mp3:2
3:2
?sffz
>∑
Ped
p3:2
& III
IV
pp
s.t. o.b.
mp
> stop bow III
flaut.s.t.
p
ordslow gliss from unison:produces audible beating
f
3:2
&
in a sudden movement
pizz
sfz
.>B
arcoricochet
mp o∑
p
>
mp3:26:4
Ó Œ 6 )
Ó Œ œ w ™
≈œœ# ≈ ‰ ˙n Œ
˙# ≈ œ
œ# œ
Ϫ
™
ww™
™
œ ≈ ≈ ‰
˙ ˙ Œ Ó Œœ w ™
Œ ˙ ˙ 6 ) Ó œ œ œ œœ ww œœ
≈œ# ≈ ‰ Œ Œ
œœbn O ˙## ™™ Oœ ~w ™™
5
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
10/16
22
C
™
™
™
™
™
™
™
™
™
™
4 4 6 4 4 4 6 4 4 4&
sharp cutoff
∑ po o po
4x
o
&
”
mp
.>∑
p p
? ∑
Ped
pp
ø
pp
&stop bow
∑ ∑port.
flaut.s.t.
po
m.s.t.
o
flaut.s.t.
po
m.s.t.
o
Bsub p
ord>pitch becomes indiscernable
m.s.p.
o
s.t.
o p
beats with soprano
ord
mp o
s.t.
o p
ord
mp o
∑ Œ ‰ ≈ œb œ ™ œ œ w œ œ ≈ ‰ ≈ œb œ ™ œ œ w w ™
œ ≈ ‰ Œ Ó Œ ‰ ≈ œb œ
™
œ œ‰ ™œb œ
ww Œ ‰ ≈ œb œ
™
œ œ‰ ™œb œ
ww
w™
w ™
Œ Œ Ó œb œ ™ œ œ‰ ≈ ™ œ œ
˙ ˙
ww
œb œ ™ œ œ‰ ≈ ™ œ œ
˙ ˙
ww
w ™w ™
Ϊ
œb ̇ w œ œ ≈™
œb ˙ w w ™
æ
~w#>æ
~w ™™ ‰ ≈ ™œ œ œ
™
œO
µ
œO
w œO ≈ ™
œ œ œ™
œO
µ
œO
w w™
6
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
11/16
D
29
4 4 2 4 5 4 4 4 6 4 5 4& ∑
o mf
Ÿ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
o mp p o ∑
5:4
5:4
&mp mf
>lightly
mf o
Ÿ ~~~~~~~~~~~
p
very lightly:accelerate tremolo over crescendo
o mp o
5:4
5:4
? p &.>
pp
Ped
p
ø
∑ ∑ ∑
& IIIs.t.
p sub mpoIII
III
pp IV
flaut.s.t.
mf
III
beats with viola
m.s.t.
p
7: 4
o
B p
>
mf
beats with violin
mp ppp
ord
accelerate tremoloover crescendo
s.p.
mf
ord
o
3:2 3:2
Ó Ó ≈ œ™
˙ œ ≈
œ œ œ œ# œ#
œ# œ ™ ˙ w
˙ ˙# ™™ œœœ ˙ ˙ œ ™
≈ ̇ œ œ# œ œ œ œ# œ#
œ# œ ™ ˙‰ æ
œ#æ
Ͼ
˙æ
Ͼ
œ‰ Œ Ó ™
œb ≈ ‰ ®œœ œœ ™™ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙™™ ˙ ˙
˙ ˙# ™™ œœ œœ œœ œœ ™™ œœ ˙ ˙™™ ˙ ˙ œ# œ œ œ œ# œ ̇ w w™
Ó ™ ‰ Oœ O ˙ O ˙™ O ˙ ‰ ‰
œO## œOµ œO O ˙ O ˙
æ
O ˙æ
~w ™
7
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
12/16
35
5 4 3 4 4 4 3 4&
mf o
Ÿ ~~~~~~~
mp
Ÿ ~~~~~~
o∑ ∑
mpo p
ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ
∑
& ∑
”;
mf
.>
pp
[l.h.]
mp
beats with soprano
pp ppp
∑
&
Ped
near-imperceptibleattack ppp
Ped
?
ø
p
∑
&
(m.s.t.)
o f III
ord
#Ÿ ~~~~~~~
mf
flaut.s.t.
p
Ÿ ~~~~~~ m.s.t.
o
crossfade with viola:
match timbre
ppo o
ord
I
mf o p
s.p.
B ∑ p
ord
pitch becomes indiscernable
> m.s.p.
o
IIIIV
ord
noo oo
o pp
oo
o
IIIIII
mp
3 o∑
œ œ# œ œ Œ Ó ̇˙b œœ œœ œœ ̇˙ ™ œœ œœ ‰ Œ Ó
Ó
œ ≈ ‰ Ó Œ ˙ ˙™‰
œb ˙ ˙‰ œb œ œ ™ œ ̇ ™ w
Œ ww Œ ˙b w
Ó ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ™™
‰œ w w
œ# œ œ œœ ˙ ™ ˙ ™ ˙ ™ w Œ ‰ œœ ˙ ˙ ww œœ œ ˙™ w ~
æ
O ˙## ™™æ
Oœ ™™ ‰ ˙ ˙ ww œœ Ó œ
œ œœ ww
8
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
13/16
42
™
™
™
™
™
™
™
™
™
™
3 4 4 4 6 4 5 4 1 4&
∑o mp
Ÿ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
o pp o
3x
∑ ∑
attaca
& ∑ p
lightly
o p oŸ ~~~~~
p
echo
pppp
ppp
pp
in a sudden movement .>
3:2
? ∑mf
Ped.>
mp
1x:2x:3x:
∑ ∑
sffz
>
3:2
&
ord
o
beats slightly with piano
po ppp
pp
p o
B ∑ pp
flaut. stop bow . I
II
m.s.t.crossfade from soprano
po o
1x:2x:3x:
∑ ∑ &
in a sudden movement
pizz
sfz
.>B
3:2
Ó ‰ œ
™
œ
œ ‰ ˙ ™ w ˙ Ó Ó
˙ ˙b ™™œ œ Œ
˙n ™ w‰ œ w
Ó̇ ww
ww
œœ
≈œœ# ≈ ‰
Œ ≈œ
‰ Ó ww## wwœ
≈ ≈ ‰
˙™ O™
Ó Ó Œ O ˙B Oœ Oœ ~w ~w ™™ ~w Oœ Œ
Oœb Oœ Oœ ‰ Œ œœn ww ww ≈œ# ≈ ‰
9
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
14/16
E
49
ii. unstill water
&
ppp
8"
o
10"
,
o
breathe
2"
repeat
30"
(mp)
&sub p
6"
pp
5-7"
repeat ad. lib.: give the feeling of aperiodicity
?Ped
(mp)
& IIIII
s.t.
pp
slow gliss: should produce audible beats at increasing frequency
50¢ difference:12 bps
ord
Barcoo.b.
mp
aperiodically vary bow speed/pressure
œ
œn œ œ
œœ œœ
)
10
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
15/16
F
57
4 4&
o mp
6"
o
ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ
,
(mp)
8"
o
10"
,
o
2"
repeat
30"
pppp
&
mf
11th partial of Ebobeats with harmonic
5"
p
5-7"
repeat ad. lib.: give the feeling of aperiodicity
pppp
?
Ped
>
&
ord
mf
slow gliss: beat frequency decreases to nothingprepare forharmonic
s.t.
o
,
B III
bow position: m.s.p.
bow speed: long
sub ppp
gradually increase duration of bow lengths from long and sustained towards a very rapid tremolo
gradually move contact position of bow from the bridge towards the fingerboard
s.p. ord s.t.flaut.m.s.t.
ff
œœb œ
œ œn œ œ
~b
œœ œœ
œœ œœ œœ œœ 朜
11
8/16/2019 Wire Attached to Thin Frame; Unstill Water
16/16
G = 67
62
4 4& ∑ ∑ ∑
mp
air bright air
o
√
& p o
√
Bbeats with violin
mpo o∑ ∑
April - May 2016New York - Boston
√
Ó ) ) ) 6 6 ‰ Ó
w w w Ȯ Ȯ w w œO œO ‰ Ó
Ó Oœ Oœ˜ O ˙ Ó Ó
12