Strange Attractors for chamber ensemble

Darren Stuart Bloom

Strange Attractors for chamber ensemble

Strange Attractors was commissioned by the Ossian Ensemble and first performed by the ensemble on 24 November 2009 as part of their Leverhulme Fellowship concert series at the Royal College of Music. The title Strange Attractors refers to the beautiful and enigmatic images developed by Edward Lorenz to show how a chaotic system, impossible to predict, is built on extraordinarily complex and yet logical and stable patterns and rules.

SCORING Flute (doubling Alto Flute) Clarinet in Bb (doubling Bass Clarinet) Violin Cello Percussion (1 player) Vibraphone, Marimba (5 Octave), Crotales (2 octaves), 5 Temple Blocks, 2 Bongos (high and low), Conga, 2 Tom-toms (high and low), Tam-tam.

The unpitched percussion (U-perc) is notated on a stave descending highest to lowest as: Temple Blocks – Bongos – Conga – Tom-toms. The Tam-tam is indicated with ‘x’ headed notes.

Piano (with soft mallets and wire brushes) PERFORMANCE NOTES Winds: flz. = flutter tongue = Strings: s.t. = s.p. = ex.s.p. = flaut. = =

percussive and ‘breathy’ tone – 1/2 pitch 1/2 air.

sul tasto sul ponticello extreme sul ponticello flautando very abrasive and gritty yet still retaining pitch.

Piano: + = stop strings (approx. 1 inch from agraffe) on player side of dampers with free hand. The sound should be muted and percussive whilst still pitched.

All use of percussion mallets on strings should be done past the dampers.

Ensemble: At letter N players should choose their own, non-diatonic, pitches employing the entire range of their instrument. The ‘x’ headed notes are given as a contour to follow and the intervals used should generally be 4ths or wider – except where the lines focus in towards the A below middle C two bars before letter O. SCORE IN C DURATION c. 10 minutes

Strange Attractors for the Ossian Ensemble Darren Stuart Bloom Mysterious q = 80

no vib.

Alto Flute ppp Bass Clarinet

pp

3

Bass Clarinet in Bb ppp

ppp

pp

Violin ppp 3

Violoncello ppp Marimba

ppp poss. take soft mallets

arco

Percussion ppp

ppp

Mysterious q = 80

silent roll (so strokes are not heard) with very soft percussion mallets

ppp

Piano

8

vib nat.

3

A. Fl. pp

p esp

p esp

poco

3

B. Cl. pp

3

5

ppp

3

p esp.

p

p

p esp.

s.t. IV

nat.

Vln. p

ppp poss 3

vib gliss

3

no vib.

I.

p esp 3

Vc. pp

pp 3

pp 3

Perc. ppp

Pno.

5

pp

p

ppp

Copyright Š Darren Stuart Bloom

2

q=40

molto rit.

12

A

molto accel.

3

q=80 Tempo I 3

A. Fl. pp

f etc.

B. Cl. 6

6

6

sf

mf

p 3

3

3

3

f

3

p

3

3

no vib.

3

3

Vln. pp ex. s.p.

3

3

3

f

nat.

Vc. sf conga 6

rim

nat.

6

pp

Perc.

III. mf

pp 6

p

f

p

rim

sf

start tremolo when possible

6

p

mf

3

on keys

p

pp

A

molto accel.

sf

3

6

q=80 Tempo I

3

pp

3

3

3

3

f

q=40

molto rit.

Pno.

p

3

f

p

6

3

15

A. Fl. ppp

mp

p esp

mf 3

B. Cl. ppp

p esp

mp

mf

IV.

slight pitch dip

III.

pp

Vln. 3

3

III.

3

ppp

ppp

ppp

p slight pitch dip

II.

mf

3

Vc. ppp

mf

Crot. shaft of stick

hand vib.

take bow

Mar. arco

3

take sticks

Perc. mp

ppp ppp

Pno.

pp

ppp

pp

mf

mf

3

3

3

21

3

q=40

molto rit.

molto accel.

3

A. Fl. 3

p

ppp

p esp

B. Cl.

3

p esp

ppp s.p.

nat.

f

p

6

5

Vln. 6

p

p

ppp

ff

pizz. s.p. arco s.p.

p

ppp

nat.

Vc. 6

pp

sfz

p

f

p

f

p

5

p

p f

f

ff

with sticks

pp

6

ppp 3

pp

Pno.

sfz

6

25

pp 3

3

U-perc.

T.-t. shaft of sticks

Perc.

ff

5

f

p

q=80 Tempo I

p

ppp

spz

q=40

molto rit.

molto accel.

3

p

f nat.

spz

B 6

6

no vib

A. Fl. f

p

f

ff

B. Cl. f

p

6

f

ff

6

3

3

3

Vln. 5

p esp

f

p

f

ff

5

3

3

3

Vc. p esp

p

f Crot.

6

f

ff

3

3

Vib - Motor on med.

Mar.

Perc. f

6

p

f

6

q=80 Tempo I

p

B

nat.

Pno.

ff

take wire brushes

6

f

p

f

ff

6

4 vib.

28

3

A. Fl. p

f

ppp pos

ppp

pp

f

vib.

B. Cl. p

f

3

ppp

pp

fppp

no vib

3

f

no vib.

vib.

pp

p

Vln. 6

ppp

p

ff no vib

vib.

ff

pp

0 0

Vc. 3

p

3

3

T.-t.

Vib. sticks nat.

Vib.

Crot.

3

f Crot.

Perc. p

ff

pp

ff

p

f p

f

pp on keys

any notes between G & B p

Pno.

fppp

f

6

f nat.

pp

6

catch pitch

32

6

3

3

A. Fl. 3

3

ff

3

3

3

B. Cl. ff

6

p

6

ff

3

Vln. 3

ff esp

6

3

0 Vc.

low bongo 6

rim

6

nat. conga 3

sfz

p

Perc.

6

6

6

ff

rim

6

p

nat.

low bongo

sfz

rim 3

nat.

3

p

sfz Mar.

6

ff

Pno.

3

ff nat.

6

3

3

3

3

5 34

3

3

A. Fl. f esp

p

pp

p

pp

B. Cl. 3

3

f esp no vib.

6

Vln. f esp

ff

pp

f esp no vib.

Vc. ff 3

f esp

f esp

pp

Perc. piúf

f esp

f esp

Pno.

pp sub.

pp sub.

mp piúf

38

C

3

6

6

3

3

3

A. Fl. pp

sfz

fpp 3

3

6

B. Cl. 6

pp

sfz

6

6

f

poco vib.

Vln. fp esp poco vib.

Vc. fp esp 6

6

Perc. f

pp

3

3

fpp

6

3

fpp

C 3

fpp

Pno.

catch pitch

light

6

3

f

pp

f

6 flz.

3

41

A. Fl. 3

fpp 6

f

3

ffp

p

ff

sffp

3

6

flz.

3

B. Cl. pp

ffp

ff

p

no vib.

ff

vib.

Vln. fff

p

ff esp

II.

3

Vc. fff

f

p

ff conga

Perc.

3

fp

dead centre

3

6

sfz

ff

p

ff U-perc

rim

nat.

p

f

p

sfz

6

sffp

p

3

Pno.

fff

pp

6

43

3

flz.

ff

3

A. Fl. 3

3

sffz

3

f flz.

3

3

fff

f

To Cl.

3

B. Cl. 3

3

p 3

f

fff 6

3

3

f

6

Vln. fff

f esp

Vc. 3

ff esp

fff 3

6

sffz

Perc.

f esp

3

p

ff

Vib.

f 3

3

3

3

6

Pno.

p

light

f

3 3

ff

f

7 46

To Fl.

A. Fl.

B. Cl. ex.s.p.

flaut.

nat.

Vln. f

f

sfz ex.s.p.

nat.

sfz

f

3

6

p flaut.

3

Vc. f

Vib.

T.-t.

3

p

6

Perc. p

p

3

p

f 3

6

p

Pno.

p

sfz

sfz

D no vib.

48

Flute

Fl. ppp

p vib.

Clarinet in Bb

p

3

mf

no vib.

vib.

Cl. ppp

pp

p

pp

vib.

no vib.

vib. nat.

Vln. pp

6

6

pp

ppp

p

pp

vib.

III. Vc. pp

6

6

pp

ppp

p Crot.

p

Perc.

T.-t.

p

ppp

D Pno.

p

Crot.

6

mf

wire brushes

pp

6

p

p

6

6

mf

Pi첫 mosso K iq = q=120

8 52

Tempo I q. = q=80

flz.

3

Fl. 6

p

f

3

3

3

p

f esp

p

f esp

Cl. 3

3

f

ff

f

ff

Vln. 3

p esp

3

p nat.vib.

no vib.

Vc. 3

mp

f

ff

f

ff

p

U-perc.

p

Perc.

Vib.

3

mp

3

Tempo I q. = q=80

6

mp

Pno.

3

Pi첫 mosso K iq = q=120

ff

3

p

E

c.

55

Fl. 3

3

3

ff

p

f c.

Cl. 3

3

3

ff

p

f

ex.vib.

ex.vib.

Vln. ff f esp

3

ff

3

ff sempre

p

f

ex.vib.

Vc. ff f esp

motor high Perc. f

p

f

E

Pno.

ff

p

ff

p

ff

9 58

Fl. 6

ff flz.

Cl. ff

p

3

ff gritty and wild

3

ex.trem.

3

3

Vln. 6

ff

6

3

3

gritty and wild

nat.vib.

ex.trem.

Vc. 6

6

3 U-perc.

Perc.

f

Mar.

p

f

Pno.

6

6

6

ff

3

light

6

6

Pi첫 mosso K iq = q=120 60

Fl. 3

f

ff

Cl. 3

Vln. 3

3

3

0

3

Vc. grind fff

ffp (balance with pn. left hand)

3

3

Perc.

3

Pi첫 mosso K iq = q=120

Pno.

3

3

3

ff

p

3

3

3 3

3

F Tempo I q. = q=80

10 62

To A. Fl.

flz.

Alto Flute

Fl. 3

fff 3

3

Cl. 3

fff 3

ex.sp.

6

Vln. 3

3

3

fff

ff

0

ex.sp.

fff

ff

Vc. 6

ff

6

3

l.v.

T.-t.

3

Perc. ff

sffz

f

ff

F Tempo I q. = q=80 3 3

3

wire brushes

3

3

Pno.

ff

nat.

6

3

5

65

flz.

no vib.

A. Fl. f

p 6

3

ff

f

f

5

p 3

f

p

ff

6

Cl. p

f

f IV.

f

p

no vib.

5

6

pp

f II.

I.

Vln. p

3

II.

III. f

ff

f

f

p

f

pp

p

f

pp

no vib.

3

Vc. 3

p

Mar.

f

f

f

Vib.

3

Perc. p

Pno.

f p

f

3

3

pp

f

mf

5

ff

f

mp

11 flz.

68

3

6

3

A. Fl. f

sff

ff

ex.vib.

3

Cl. f

ff ex.s.p.

6

6

6

ff

6

nat.

3

Vln. 3

ff 3

ex.s.p.

6

3

6

Vc. ff

ff esp

sff Crot.

Perc.

ff

f

f

Pno.

ff

3

70

f

6

p

Pi첫 mosso Kiq = q=120

3

flz.

3

A. Fl. sfz

f 3

6

p

ff

3

ff

p

f

3

Cl. sfz 6

f

p

ff

p

6

3

Vln. p

ff

mp

Vc. sfz

3

6

p

3

6

ff

ff

p

3

Perc. ff

p

p

Pi첫 mosso Kiq = q=120

Pno.

p

3

12

flz.

73

3

3

A. Fl. p

pp

f flz.

3

Cl. pp 3

p

p

mp

f

II. Vln. pp

f

3

pp

p

p

3

0

Vc. fpp

3

p

Mar.

mp

mf

3

Perc. pp

p

pp Pno.

pp

p

3

p

G

Tempo I q. = q=80 poco rit.

76

f

A tempo

6

6

6

no vib.

6

A. Fl. fff

ff 3

ff

3

Cl.

fp

ff

fff 6

3

ff

no vib.

3

Vln. fff

no vib.

ff

ff

ff

ff

Vc. mf

f

fff

3

U-perc.

3

on rim 3

3

fff

Perc.

mf

f

fff

Tempo I q. = q=80 poco rit.

Pno.

3

ppp sub

5 3

f

fff

ff

ff

G A tempo

ff

ff

13

vib. nat.

80

A. Fl. fpp

ff

p

ff

ff

6

6 6

Cl. fpp

ff

p

ff

ff

6

3

vib.nat.

Vln. fpp

ff

p

3

ff

ff esp

fff

vib.nat.

Vc. ffp

ff

3

ff T.-t.

6

6

sf

sf

sf

sf

Perc.

ff

ffp

ff 6

ff

Pno.

p

6

ff

6

H 84

q. =

Pi첫 mosso Kiq = q=120

3

A. Fl. p

f

p

f

ff

3

Cl. p

f

ex.vib.

p

ff

f vib.nat.

III.

3

Vln. p

ff

p

ff 3

Vc. ff

ff

p

6

U-perc

ff T.-t.

back of sticks

Perc. sf

ff

6

f

H 3

Pno.

ff

3

Pi첫 mosso Kiq = q=120

q. =

14

Tempo I q=80

molto

rit.

6

88

A tempo

getting breathy

3

A. Fl. p 3

f

fff

p

f

pp

pp

fff

p

f

pp

no vib

grind

pizz

fff

f

getting breathy

3

Cl. f esp 3

3

3

3

Vln. f esp

f

grind

no vib.

3

mf

pizz

Vc. f esp

p

3

p

f

ff

fff

f

T.-t. nat.

Perc.

pp

Tempo I q=80

molto

rit.

f esp 3

93

p

f

arco

A tempo 3

Pno.

Mar.

f

nat.

ff

p

f

3

Flute

To Fl.

5

5

5

5

A. Fl. ppp

p 3

Cl. p

pp

ppp

ppp flaut.

5

5

3

3

3

5

3

3

3

Vln. p

ppp

pp

flaut.

arco

5

Vc. p

3

pp

ppp with sticks (med. soft)

Perc. p

pp

ppp 5

Pno.

p

3

3

3

3

3

3

ppp

pp

3

p

mf pp

15

96

6

3

6

Fl. f

5

ff

3

Cl. f 9

sfz

ff

5

5

6 6

Vln. f

sfz 9

5

ff

5

3

Vc. ff

sfz

f

6

3

6

Perc. ff 5 3

ff

f

Pno.

3

6

I

c.

flz.

98

Fl. p

fff ff

p

c.

Cl. p sim.

0 III. 0 III. 0 III. 0 III.

6

ppp

fff

gliss.

Vln. fff ff

ppp

Vc. fff ff

p T.-t.

rim

nat.

Vib. - motor off

Perc.

f

I

Pno.

fff ff

ff

16 3

103

Fl. ppp

pp

pp

pp

5

p 3

Cl. 3

3

pp 3

Vln.

pp

ppp

f

ppp

I.

ppp

6

ppp pos

5

pp

pp

Vc. ppp

pp

ppp

pp

6

3

ppp

Perc.

pp Crot.

Vib.

5

6

p

pp take soft sticks 3

ppp

Pno.

pp

6

ppp

flz.

flz.

108

Fl. p esp

mf

f

3

3

ff

3

Cl. pp esp

mf

ppp

f

3

mp 3

3

Vln. ppp

fp

f

3

ff

Vc. pp

p esp

Perc.

mf

ppp

f

pp

sfz

mp

sfz

3

Mar.

p

Pno.

p 3

p

pp

f

3

sfz 3

pp

3

p esp

17

J 112

Fl. ppp

3

3

3

3

p esp

ff

Cl. ppp 3

p esp II.

3

Vln. ppp

ppp f Vc. ppp

ppp Perc. ppp

J ppp

Pno.

ff 3 3

3

3

118

Fl. 3

mf

5

pp

3

f esp

f

3

Cl. 3

mf

5

pp

f esp

f

Vln. 3

3

mf

5

pp

3

f esp

5

3

Vc. 3

mf

pp

f esp

f 5

6 3

Perc. p

f

f 6

5

6

Pno. p

mf

f

light

5

f

3

18 5

121

To A. Fl.

Fl. ff

3

3 3

3

3

3

3

3

To B. Cl.

Cl. ff

3

3

3

Vln. ff

5

3

3

3

3

3

Vc. ff

3 3

3

3

Perc.

p

3

f

take sticks (hard)

3

3

ff

Pno.

3

3

K 125

Alto Flute

Fl. Bass Clarinet in Bb

ppp

Cl. ppp no vib.

vib.

Vln. pp

pp

no vib.

vib.

Vc. pp

pp T.-t. head of sticks

pp 3

Perc.

soft sticks

3

3

3

ppp

ff

K Pno.

ff 3 3

3

3

p

ff

19 3

130

3

3

3

A. Fl. 3

3

f esp

3

3

3

pp

ff

pp

ff

solo 3

B. Cl. f esp

3

5

ff 3

3

Vln. 3

3

f

0

3

3

ff

f

ff

ff

f

ff

3

3

Vc. 3

f conga

3

rim

3

p

Perc.

nat.

3

3

6

6

6

6

U-perc

6

3

fpp

6

p

f 3

3

3

f

Pno.

ff

5

3 3

L

134

3

A. Fl. f

p

p

pp

f

p

ff

f

ff

f

ff

3

B. Cl. f

p

p

pp

f

p

ff

Vln. f

f

pp

f

f

pp

f

II. Vc. III. f

6

Perc.

p esp

sfz

6

3

fpp

Vib.

L 3

Pno.

f

p

f

f 3

take soft sticks

ff

p esp

6

20 139

3

A. Fl. f

6

p

fp

3

sfz

3

3

6

sffz

ff 3

B. Cl. p esp

f

3

p

sffz

vib.

6

vib.

Vln. fff

3

ff 6

vib.

vib.

Vc. fff 3

Perc.

sfz

ff

3

6

3

f

p

6

sfp

3

ff

Vib.

take wire brushes

6

Pno.

p esp

fp

ff

sfz

3

6 6

nat.

ex.vib.

6

142 ex.vib.

6

To Fl.

A. Fl. 6

6

6

ex.vib.

6

fff

6

f esp

ex.vib. To Cl.

Clarinet in Bb

B. Cl. 6

fff

f esp

fff

f esp

6

ex.vib.

6

Vln. 6 6

ex.vib.

6 6

6

Vc. 6

fff

f esp

Perc. fff

3 5

fff

Pno. 3

5

f

21

M 145

Flute

A. Fl. p

fff

p

fff

ppp

ff

Clarinet in Bb Cl. ppp

ff

ppp

p

ppp

ff

ppp

p

grind Vln. fff grind Vc. fff

Perc.

6

p

ppp

6

ff

ff

6

6

ff

M

ff

Pno.

3

p

3

ff

p ff 3

3 6

6

Pi첫 mosso K = q=120 iq

150

Fl. p

6

ff

vib.

6

vib. nat.

ex.vib.

3

Cl. ff ex.vib.

vib.

vib. nat.

Vln. 3

ff 6

6

6

Vc. 3

p

ff

3

6

Perc.

p

6

6

f

6 Mar.

ff 3

Pno.

3

6

right hand wire brushes

6

p

f

Pi첫 mosso K = q=120 iq

ff nat.

6

6

3

22 153

Fl. sfz To B. Cl. Cl. grind ex.s.p.

Vln.

grind ex.s.p.

ex.s.p.

Vc. sffz

Perc.

Pno.

q=120

Meno mosso accel. q=60

c.

156

Fl. ff sempre 9

Bass Clarinet in Bb

flz.

Cl. fff

p

nat.

f

ff

Vln. 3

3

3

3

ffp

ff sempre

nat.

Vc. ff sempre

Perc.

f

Vib.

sfz

6 Mar.

ff

q=120

Meno mosso accel. q=60

Pno.

p

f

p

ff

sfz

ff

f back of mallets

N

23

unspecified pitches moving towards C

159

Fl. fff unspecified pitches

moving towards A

B. Cl. fff unspecified pitches moving towards A Vln. fff moving towards A

unspecified pitches Vc. fff

Perc. fff

N Pno. fff

164

O

Fl. pp sub.

fff

B. Cl. ppp sub.

fff

pp sub.

fff

III. Vln. pp sub.

fff

II. Vc. pp sub.

fff U-perc

Crot.

Perc. pp sub.

O nat.

Pno.

fff

fff

24 169

Fl.

B. Cl.

ex.s.p.

6

6

6

nat.

Vln. 3

nat.

ex.s.p.

Vc. 3

6

6

T.-t.

6

6

U-perc

Perc.

6

3

6

3

Pno.

nat.

wire brushes 3

172

6

6

no vib.

Fl.

B. Cl.

ex.trem.

Vln.

ex.trem.

Vc. U-perc

T.-t.

Perc.

Pno. on keys

25

175

Fl.

B. Cl. sfffz

Vln.

Vc. sfffz T.-t.

U-perc

Perc. sfffz

Pno.

sfffz