Produced at Open Studio in Rhinebeck, N.Y., a non-profit facility for individual artists & independent publishers, funded in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts & the New York State Council on the Arts.
Copyright Š 1981 by Richard C. Higgins. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America.
ISBN 0-914162-55-1 applies to this book.
2
3 2) This array is a gamut. Each movement uses only the tones given in its gamut; these may be transposed up or down an octave, but usually are played as written. The tones may be played in any order, any sequence. Patterns may be developed — one
per
line—
or
they
may
be
avoided.
Any
number of notes may be played in each line, but — 3) only as suggested by the photograph. The violinist produces timbres, densities, and so on, Instructions for Performance
according to any consistent and personal criteria. Volumes are determined in the same way, as are
This piece is to be played on violin and harp-
the use of mutes, special bowing techniques and
sichord; an organ or chimes could be substituted
the degrees or absence of vibrato. Each line lasts
for the harpsichord, but if an organ is used, only
about eight seconds, and the lines and movements
short sounds should be produced and these in a
are played in the sequence given. 4) Each movement should sound quite different
variety of timbres.
from each other movement, bounded only by what There are ten movements, each lasting eighty
is suggested by the photograph. One movement
seconds. Instructions for playing the harpsichord
might be quite dense and fast, another quite slow
part are printed on page 15.
and solemn, another quite light. Each movement should employ its own system. Thus the degree of
The rules for playing the violin part (printed on pages 5 through 14) are as follows:
darkness in one photograph might determine lots of bow
action
in
one
movement,
deep
pitches
in
another, and soft rich timbres in a third, etc. Or 1) Note that each movement is printed on a
loudness might be determined in some movement
separate page, each consists of ten staves printed
by subject matter, such as the distance in a given
over a photograph, and each has an array of notes
line to the male figure as the violinist's eye travels
listed at the top of the page.
left to right along each line—
maximum volume
4 when
playing
playing
at
the
over ends
the
figure,
of the
minimum
line
away
when
from
the
figure. However, the systems may be repeated from performance to performance; there is no need to work up a new set of systems for each separate performance situation. There should be about ten seconds of silence between each movement.
Barrytown, New York August 18, 1980
First Movement
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Fourth Movement j
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10
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Eighth Movement
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12
13
15
Harpsichord Instructions
The harpsichord part is to vary from movement to movement, performance to performance. The harpsichordist plays twenty sounds in each of the ten movements. These may come together or they may come quite separately, though this latter is mostly preferable. They should surprise the violinist, both in timbre, in harmonic texture and in timing. They may be diatonic, chromatic or dissonant, they may or may not form patterns, progressions, melodies or rhythms. Most of the sounds should be relatively loud. But they should be inconsistent. The sounds should be sounds associated with traditional music, i.e., the musician should not slap or scrape the side of the instrument, for example. If another instrument than a harpsichord is used, maximum variety should be a prime objective. For instance, a piano, organ, percussion, carillon or synthesizer would all be suitable substitutes, whereas a clarinet would not.
ISBN 0-914162-55-1
$10.00
Other musical publications by Dick Higgins include: Piano Album:
Short Piano Pieces, 1962-
1984; $10.00 TWenty-Six
Mountains
for Mewing
the
Sunset From (for three dancers, four singers, two percussionists,
piano,
prepared
piano, two violins and cello), $12.00
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