neglected Gardens; layers of rust, patina, and rock

neglected Gardens; layers of rust, patina, and rock (Chiffre)

2014

Pianist and assistant

alexHUDDLESTON

Performance notes:

Duration: 6:30 approximately Instrumental forces: Pianist, assistant (percussion) Auxiliary instruments: Smooth stones (2) Sand blocks (2) General: The piano is treated as a complex assembly of mechanical objects and vibrating entities. The hammers of the instrument, through the interface of the keyboard, are parametricised along with the mechanical paring of the dampers as one layer of material, which is subjected to further filtering and/or modification. The strings are allowed to vibrate freely, -or- stopped in such a way or location so as to mute the string to a dull thump with very little pitch content, -or- stopped in such a way or location allowing for a clear harmonic, an unclear harmonic –or- a range of multi-pitched sounds. The instrument is being looked at as a series of oscillators in a great analogico-mechanical synthesizer. For both players, an easy way to locate the correct strings to be stopped, scraped upon, or otherwise manipulated is essential. The vast majority of the piece is performed within the lowest octave of a standard grand piano. The pianist is seated (or standing) at the keyboard whilst the assistant reaches into the body of the instrument from the opposite side. Page turners may be required.

For performance the lid must be removed

Performance notes (cont): Seating arrangement:

(aux. inst.)

Assistant

pianist

(stage)

Audience

same string(s) #

[G B]

Performance notes (cont):

end of string

Notation: The Piece notates on one single ‘piano staff.’ : for both performers, there are many actions on the strings. for the pianist they are notated middle of string in black, for the assistant the are notated in red. (octave harmonic node) rhythmic information and indication of the string to be manipulated are above the staff for the assistant, and above the five line staff for the pianist

Dampers

end of string b

keyboard (almost entirely in the lowest octave) pedals

[B D]

same string(s) 15 vb

sostenuto

una corda

all actions of the assistant are in red Performance notes (cont):

drum on the string with many fingers

stop the string with one finger

Notation (cont): Symbols

stop the string with many fingers/palm

scrape along the string

stop/scrape /strum the string with guitar pick (1 - 1.5 mm) strum across many strings

stop/scrape the string with metal coin ( $ .25, ÂŁ .5, â‚Ź1) scrape the string with fingernail (aux) smooth stones

gently swirl one against the other slowly rub one against the other

(aux) sand blocks

all actions of the pianist are in black and grey on the keys:

articulation: there are four levels of articulation specifying the actions of the dampers on the strings after an attack

the played pitch rings freely stopped by the assistant

dampers do not mute

stopped by both stopped by the pianist

the played pitch is stopped (muted thump, natural harmonic, multiphonic) on the strings: stop the string with one finger stop the string with many fingers/palm scrape the string with fingernail drum on the string with many fingers

pedals:

dampers immediately mute

percussive release percussive depression all pedal percussive noises as loud as possible

Composed April – June 2014 This constitutes a stand-alone work of 6:30 duration or as the second component of Chiffre, lasting approximately 23:00.

Performed alone, it should have a certain incomplete character, a certain lack of fulfillment. Mm 55 to the end should come across as a distinctly other type of discourse, intrinsically unrelated to the rest of the piece.

Performed within Chiffre, the following component for violin viola and cello should begin around the downbeat of measure 57. This final section then becomes a component of another texture.

A

Alex Huddleston

neglected Gardens; layers of rust, patina, and rock

=90-100

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Boston MA June 2014

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