CommuniquĂŠ
for female vocal quartet (SSAA), narrator (male or female), and computer (audio playback)
by Anthony T. Marasco
Text, software*, and audio by Anthony T. Marasco Cover photo by Anthony T. Marasco Copyright 2012 www.atmarasco.com
*Software developed with help from Kyle Vinton
Performance Notes ∇ Passages placed inside of boxes are to be performed repetitively across the span of time designated. Performers should take short breaks between each performance.
∇ Unison passages occur periodically throughout the piece. To perform these passages, one member of the ensemble should be chosen to lead the entire group through crescendi or to dictate movement from one pitch to the next.
∇ Due to the lack of a meter, note values should be understood as generic measurements of short, long, and longest values. The exact length of each note is to be determined by the performer, unless otherwise noted.
xe short
∇ The preferred ensemble and audio set up can be seen to the right:
∇ This piece requires the use of the following equipment and materials: o A laptop and the corresponding software (needed to playback the prerecorded audio file) o A 2-channel stereo sound system (right and left on-stage speakers) o The included set of postcards (containing “recitative” passages)
qh long
w longest
For Kayleigh Butcher, Amanda Deboer Bartlett, Liz Pearse, & Aubrey von Almen
Communiqué Written for the Quince Contempory Vocal Ensemble
Soprano 1
&c
Anthony T. Marasco [b.1986-] Sustain the notated pitch on the designated syllable. Perform the crescendo as written. Repeat this cell across the designated time, taking short breaks between each performance.
p bw
∑
ah
Sustain the notated pitch on the designated syllable. Perform the crescendo as written. Repeat this cell across the designated time, taking short breaks between each performance.
Soprano 2
&c
f
P bw
∑
c. 6 seconds
f
[0:53] Perfom in the same manner
π bw
ah
ee
[0:20] Sustain the notated pitch on the designated syllable. c. 7 seconds
Alto 1
Alto 2
&c &c
∑ Sustain the notated pitch on the designated syllable. Perform the crescendo as written. Repeat this cell across the designated time, taking short breaks between each performance.
∑
π bw
f
c. 3 seconds
Perform the crescendo as written. Repeat this cell across the designated time, taking short breaks between each performance.
p bw
F
ah
c. 5 seconds
Perfom in the same manner as the previous passage.
P bw
ah
Computer Audio
f
ah
c. 5 seconds
c. 4 seconds
Narration
"Two years ago, Karen moved to Glasgow."
"Officially, she left to take...
...to talk about just yet."
Organ drone Warm fuzz drone
Additional Sounds
Warm fuzz drone (added harmonic sliding)
Bit-crushed organ drone
0:00
0:04
F
as the previous passage.
0:08
0:16
0:42 ©2012 Anthony T. Marasco
0:50
Communiqué
2
[1:33] Perfom this passage
[1:04] Perfom an accel.
Syncronized between all four performers. Entire passage lasts exactly 5 seconds
across this passage. Restart at a slow tempo each time you perform it.
S1
F nœ bœ œ
&
ta ta tee accel. c. 2 seconds
S2
& p & bw
f
across this passage. Restart at a slow tempo each time you perform it.
F nœ œ œ
A2
f ˘ ¿ ¿ Å –
ƒ
ß bw
c. 2 seconds
ta ta tee
P ˙
using un-pitched vocal sounds. Tempo and rhythm are up to you.
ƒ
[1:12] Perfom an accel.
ß bw
Sustain the notated pitch on the designated syllable. Perform the crescendo as written.
[1:40] Perfom this passage
pah across this passage. Restart at a slow tempo each time you perform it.
ta
c. 4 seconds
pah
F bœ œ œ
&
ß w
F
tik - a - tss
[1:10] Perfom an accel.
ah
c. 3 seconds
ƒ
pah
ta ta tee accel. Perfom in the same manner as the previous passage.
A1
ß nw
using un-pitched vocal sounds. Tempo and rhythm are up to you.
n.
f
Å ¿ ¿
˘ –
tss
tik - a
ta
n.
tee c. 3 seconds
c. 6 seconds
ƒ
pah 5 seconds exactly
c. 2 seconds
Nar.
"I wasn't terribly excited...
...part of the equation."
"The first three months...
...post Wayfarer 515 crash."
"But once...
CA Sampled speech (with telephone compression)
Add. Sound Filter compression swell (with crescendo)
[1:40]
Cell Phone Interfearence
n.
1:00
1:23
1:28
2:00
2:04
Communiqué
[2:52] Perfom this passage
[2:16] Sustain the notated pitch
F ˙
using un-pitched vocal sounds. Tempo and rhythm are up to you.
f ¿¿ ¿
on the designated syllable. Perform the decrescendo as written.
S1
&
n.
tee
tik-a - ta
[2:35] Perfom this passage
c. 3 seconds
f
using un-pitched vocal sounds. Tempo and rhythm are up to you.
n. S2
&
A1
f #˙
&
tee
c. 2 seconds
A2
[3:00]
n.
notated pitch on the designated syllable. Perform the crescendo as written.
f ˙
&
c. 1 second
*
ƒ ¿¿¿ ¿
n.
[3:30] Perform this passage across
tee
* n.
c. 2 seconds
ƒ * Å L –
n.
c. 3 seconds
20 seconds exactly Nar.
"I had almost thrown...
...the first postcard arrived."
CA
Low-bit arppegios
n.
Add. Sound Low-bit arppegios (filtered) Sampled speech (with telephone compression): Voicemails, "unknown number"
3:08
oo
c. 1 second
tss pow tuh
c. 2 seconds
f bœ bœ
the designated time. Alter the length of each pitch with every repition of the passage.
ta ta ta ta
[2:37] Sustain the
oo
c. 5 seconds
c. 4 seconds
c. 4 seconds
f œ œ
n.
tik - a pow tuh tow
[2:20] Sustain the notated pitch on the designated syllable. Perform the decrescendo as written.
across the designated time. Alter the length of each pitch with every repition of the passage.
tuh
j ¿¿ L – –
tik - a
[3:32] Perform this passage
ƒ * j L Å ¿¿ – ƒ
Å ¿ ¿
tss
20 second span of time designated. All voices should gradually decrease the volume of their passages with each repeatition, fading into silence.
pow tss tik - a
c. 1 second
3
*Perform all of the passages below, repeating them within the
3:16
Communiqué
4
*Perform all of the passages below, repeating them within the [4:05] Sustain the notated pitch on the designated syllable.
14 second span of time designated. S 1, A 1, and A 2 should gradually decrease the volume of their passages with each repeatition, fading into silence.
S1
&
∑
PF œ bœ
Micro-tonally waver in intonation, raising and lower the pitch no more than a quarter-step. Perform the decrescendo as written.
F ˙
*
oo tah
n.
oo
n.
c. 2 seconds c. 4 seconds
S2
A1
&
[
&
p * b œ b œ œœ œ œ œ
]
Perfom the passage located on the back of Postcard #1 withing the alloted time.
c. 12 seconds
∑
ah
n.
c. 3 seconds
A2
&
∑
p
œœœœœœœ
Sustain the notated pitch on the designated syllable. Micro-tonally waver in intonation, raising and lower the pitch no more than a quarter-step. Perform the decrescendo as written.
F ˙
*
ah
n.
ee
n.
c. 4 seconds
c. 4 seconds
14 seconds exactly Nar.
...was a single sentence:"
CA
"I didn't recognise...
...had written this card."
"They started arriving...
Organ Block Chords (Glitch Loop)
Add. Sound
Voltage "pops" (random)
Sampled Speech (with tape warp effect)
3:40
3:55
4:18
4:28
Communiqué
5 Syncronized between all four performers. Entire passage lasts exactly 10 seconds
S1
[4:42]
&
[
Select a postcard from the deck. Perfom the passage located on the back within the alloted time.
F " œ œb œ ß˙ f ˙ œ J
]
*Pick any percussive syllable. Switch with each pitch
c. 16 seconds
[4:50] Perfom the passage below, using a rubato
f F b ˙ b œ œ. b œ Œ
tempo. Vary your rhytmic/ temporal approach with each repetition of the passage.
S2
&
too ta rubato
F ß f "b œb œ j n ˙ bœ ˙ œ
*Pick any percussive syllable. Switch with each pitch
ta
[5:12] Sustain the notated pitch on the designated syllable.
F ˙
Micro-tonally waver in intonation, raising and lower the pitch no more than a quarter-step. Perform the decrescendo as written.
c. 4 seconds A1
&
[
Select a postcard from the deck. Perfom the passage located on the back within the alloted time.
]
n.
ee
A2
*Pick any percussive syllable. Switch with each pitch
c. 16 seconds c. 3 seconds
&Œ
Perfom the passage below, using a rubato tempo. Vary your rhytmic/ temporal approach with each repetition of the passage.
F bœ ˙ bœ
[5:00]
ß f F " j b œ ˙ œ œ œ ˙
ta ya rubato
ta
F ß f " j ˙ œ œ bœ œ b˙
*Pick any percussive syllable. Switch with each pitch
10 seconds exactly
c. 3 seconds
Nar.
...on a single one."
CA
Voltage "snaps" (random & frenzied)
Organ Fragments (Glitch Loop)
Add. Sound
[4:50]
4:38
CD Player motor (pitch shifted and chopped)
5:04
5:20
5:54
Communiqué
6 [6:19] Perfom the passage below
f nœ œ . bœ
[7:17] Perfom the passage below
across the designated span of time.
S1
&
ta
[6:47]
[
Select a postcard from the deck. Perfom the passage located on the back within the alloted time.
oh
[
ta
f nœ œ . bœ
f bœ œ œbœ > bœ J
as the previous passage
across the designated span of time.
Select a postcard from the deck. Perfom the passage located on the back within the alloted time.
]
te ta
c. 16 seconds
ta
ta
f j j j bœ œ œ bœ
across the designated span of time.
A1
&
te - ah ta
[6:37]
[
&
[6:07]
[
[6:51] Perfom in the same manner
f bœ bœ œ
f b œ b œ œ œ b >œ J
as the previous passage
across the designated span of time.
]
te
ta
[7:10] Perfom the passage below
ƒ bœ bœ œ
across the designated span of time.
ah
[6:30] Perfom the passage below
Select a postcard from the deck. Perfom the passage located on the back within the alloted time.
c. 12 seconds
]
c. 20 seconds
c. 3 seconds
A2
Select a postcard from the deck. Perfom the passage located on the back within the alloted time.
ta
oh
c. 2 seconds
c. 3 seconds
[6:17] Perfom the passage below
ta
ah
c. 3 seconds
ta oh
[7:00] Perfom in the same manner
[6:43] Perfom the passage below
[6:12]
&
]Œ
c. 16 seconds
c. 2 seconds
S2
ƒ . œ bœ œ œ bœ
across the designated span of time.
ta
c. 3 seconds
ta
c. 2 seconds
Nar.
...from either party."
"In total,...
CA Add. Sound
[6:07]
"But everything stops...
Organ Fragments (Glitch Loop)
CD Player motor (pitch shifted and chopped) Organ Block Chords (Glitch Loop) CD player seeking through organ loops
6:04
6:47
...then I mailed it."
Communiqué
*Perform all of the passages below, repeating them within the 14 second span
S1
&
ƒ bœ œ œ R
span of time. Stop abruptly at [8:44] mark, even if you are in the middle of a passage!
S2
&
te
F ˙
œf
Very Expressive, alå art song
*
te te te
œ J
kan nicht*
[8:22] Perfom the passage below across the designated
*Exaggerate hard "t" sound
span of time. Stop abruptly at [8:44] mark, even if you are in the middle of a passage!
Ich
n.
&
* ƒ bœ œ bœ
[8:07] Perfom the passage below across
n.
* f j b œ bœ œ œ
the designated span of time. Stop abruptly at [8:44] mark, even if you are in the middle of a passage!
c. 2 seconds
A2
&
te
F œ œ œ œ œ J
Very Expressive, alå art song
n.
te
F #œ œ œ œ Very Expressive, alå art song
c. 5 seconds
te
Yo no pue-do
the designated span of time. Stop abruptly at [8:44] mark, even if you are in the middle of a passage!
c. 1 second
A1
F j œ bœ œ œ
[8:13] Perfom the passage below across
n.
c. 3 seconds
p b œ œ œ œf
[8:44] Abrupt Stop!
Very Expressive, alå art song
*
te
7
[8:26] Perfom the passage below across the designated
of time designated. Do NOT pause between repetitions of passages. Perform these passages back-to-back, emulating a skipping CD. All voices should gradually decrease the volume of their passages with each repeatition, fading into silence.
Non pos - so
c. 4 seconds
Je ne peux pas
c. 3 seconds
[8:44] Abrupt Stop!
c. 6 seconds
14 seconds exactly Nar.
"Two weeks went by...
...in plain English:" [7:55]
Voltage "snaps" (random & frenzied)
[8:17]
"I can't."
CD player seeking through organ loops & drones
Slow Organ Fragments (Glitch Loop)
CA Voltage "pops" (random)
[8:24]
Slightly Slower Organ Fragments (Glitch Loop)
Add. Sound Bit-crushed organ drone
[8:05]
Fast Organ Fragments (Glitch Loop)
n.
7:33
7:37
8:45 ATM 9/26/12