on negative space for solo violin
derek douglas carter 2018
notations and techniques s.t.
sul tasto
all trills should alternate to the half step above, unless otherwise notated
s.p.
sul ponticello
arrows show a gradual, continuous change between techniques
molto sul ponticello
quarter tones are notated as follows, splitting the distance between naturals and sharps/flats:
m.s.p. ric. vib. n. flaut., molto flaut.
ricochet bow vibrato normal bow pressure
All natural harmonics are notated at fingered position with open diamond heads as the piece is very quiet in nature, it is recommended to use light amplification in large concert venues.
flautando, using a quick bow speed, and minimal bow pressure. aim for a flute-like sound, airy and veiled tone ordinary bow pressure to crushed bow hairpins with circle denote an imperceptible attack or release quotes around dynamics show the intensity that a technique should be performed rather than the sounding volume of the technique filled in diamond noteheads with downsteams show fingered notes. the performer should press down desired note with left hand without bowing or plucking string; a very quiet tone should occur behind-the-bridge-clef: each space corresponds to a string, labeled with roman numerals. notes on this clef are performed on the notated string, behind or on the bridge. from top to bottom: E string, A string, D string, G string
pressed bowing, near the tailpiece. dry rattling sound, “perforated.� avoid whining, smudgy, distorted sounds.
x-noteheads are played on the bridge
circles indicate the bow is no longer playing behind the bridge
for Mieko Kanno
On Negative Space derek douglas carter (2018)
III. The technology of silence
I. rich, yet silent q = 52
Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #3 ™ 3
U Œ
° 3 &2 Œ
3
3 b3
3 b3
3
3
U ≈
≈
3 3
3
11
Violin
o "f "
U Œ
3 ¢ 2 >Œ mp
Πo
¡Œ
U ≈
r Œ>.
‰
p mp
I III II IV
The rituals, etiquette
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
pizz.
# Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~ ° ‰ Ÿ~~~~~~~~ n3 3#3 Ÿ3 ~~~~~3b3 n3b3 Œ 3 3 3 b3 & #3 ™ 3 3 2
5
7
II. pizz. III. flautando
mf bœ ¿ + #œœ™ ¿ œj œ™™ # œ ¿J ‰ o mp
(III.) ric. 5
U Bœ Œ
≈ œ mp
p
3
o
o "f "
U ∑
3
¢
Ó o
¡Œ
,,,
Œ >Œ >Œ >Œ
,
mf
The blurring of terms 7 0 flaut. + ric. œ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ # œ Ÿ Ÿ~~~~~~ ° 6Ó # œ œ j œ œ œ # œ œ œ # œ œ œ n œ œœ &2 nœ#œ œ 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 œ™ œ œ #3 n3 3 œ œ œ J Æ 7 7 o "f " mp f pp "f " p mp 6 j ,, Ó Ó Ó ‰ Œ ¢ 2 -Œ -Œ -Œ -Œ -Œ ‰ ,, arco, m.s.p.
4
5
U Bœ ‰ p
U ‰
mp of words or music or even
silence not absence
raw sounds
ord.
™ ° 5 ## Oœ ™ &2 5
pizz.
arco.
‰ #œ
pp
#3 3 #3 3 3 n3 Ÿ~~~~~~ #3 3 3 3 3 333 2 32 #3 3 3 3 (IV.)
#œj
œ
m.s.p
j ‰ Œ œ
∑
mp 3
5 ¢ 2
Ó
Œ
Π,
3 ‰ j ¿ Œ Œ Œ Œ ‰
mp
YY ™™
2Y 2Y
Œ Œ >Œ
pp mf
Copyright © Derek Carter
2
Silence can be a plan 7
° 4 #3#3#333 ‰ Œ Ó Œ 3 3 3 3 3 + Œ 3 3 & 2 #33 33
#3#3 3 3 ‰ 3 33 Œ 1 5 3 3 4 + 2 Œ Ó #3 3#3
333
3333 Ó 3
3 3
3
4‰ ¢ 2
‰
ŒŒŒ Ó Ó >>>
3
Œ Œ Œ 41 + 52 Œ Ó Ó
Œ
j Œ‰
p
Œ Œ Œ ŒŒ
Ó >Œ ™ Œ
mf
sf the blueprint of a life
rigorously executed II. m.s.p. Ÿ~~~~ œj ## Oœ # 3#œ œ œ # 3 œ33333 Œ #3 3 3 3 o ppp mp "f " 6 "f " Œ , , ¿ ¿ Œ Œ ,,, Œ
9
° 5Ó &2
5Y ¢ 2
slow, pulsing wide vib.
IV. ric. Oœ J ‰ œ
m.s.t., at the tip
Bœ W
Bœœ œœ œœ œœ
p
p
pp
mf
Œ
Œ
∑
p It is a presence slow, pulsing wide vib. slow, pulsing wide vib. molto flaut.
11 ord. flaut.
(III.)
3
& <B>˙
œ Bœ œ œ
˙ BO˙ w
4˙ 2
œ œ œ ˙
j #œ
Bœ pp
p
5 2 Bw ∑
w™ # œ œ œ Œ Ó attacca + + +
pp pp
pp mp
mp
pp
II. sharp and grey it has a history of form
° 5 ≤ & 2<B>w
(slow, pulsing wide vib.)
# œ≥ ord. BBœw™ µœ
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
(molto flaut.)
m.s.p. m.s.p. ord. m.s.p.
W
˙
Ó w
Ó
Ó
Ó #W pp
pp fp
5 ¢ 2
∑ ∑
∑ ,
Y
¡Œ
¡Œ
¡Œ
p
mf
pp
mp
,Ó
Ó
Ó
Ó
Do not confuse it 18 ord.
3
& <#>˙
O
4 O O O O nO O#O O œ O œ O œ O œ O œ O œ 2 #O#O O O#O O nO O n O nw f
˙
p
mp with any kind of absence.
IV. norm., ric.
20
3 &2
5 2
‰ œ
œ
Bœ w
4 2 ˙
˙ B ˙O w ™
Ÿ~~~~~~ n O O # O O n O O O O O O OnO O O O ˙ œ O#O O œ # O O O nO O mp
mf
p
p
mf
mf wide vib., irregular speed
VI. The scream m.s.p. <Ÿ>~~~~~~~ ° 5 Ó &2 ˙
Bw ææ
23
Bw ∑
Ó
˙ æ
W 4 ææ 2 f
Œ Œ Œ ¡Œ
Y
Y p
mp
p
,
w ææ
ppp
f
mf
mp
5 ¢ 2 ,Ó
sub.p
w ææ
∑
4 2
Ú
Ú
of an illegitimate voice I. II.
bpizz. œ #œ
<B> w ™ 27 3 æ &2 æ
#œ
#arco w nw
Œ
II. III.
bpizz. œ #œ
3
#œ
#arco w nw
œ nœ Œ
œ 3
o pp
fff sub.p
p
pp 3
o
It has ceased to hear itself, therefore 30 pizz.
ord.
arco
#œ œ#œ œ#œ œ ‰ j & #œ w
4 j ‰ Œ 2œ
Ó
Ó
Ó
#˙O
Ó
∑
pp 6
mf
ppp
III. colorful, but light
IV. III.
How do I exist? it asks itself
m.s.p.
#˙ Ó ˙
molto flaut.
5
° 4 b˙ &2
Ó
5 5 2 OnO O#O O O O OnO O Oj ‰ 3 3 3#3 3 3 3 3n3 3 3 ‰ Ó J
∑
5
ppp
4Ó 2
Ó
Ó
5
o ppp
p
pp
p "f "
4 ¢ 2
5 2Ó
Ú
Ó
Ó
4Y 2
Y
Ó,
¿ ¿™ ¿ Y
pp
This was the silence I wanted to break in you ord. slow, narrow vib.
36
° <#> w & w
slow, narrow vib.
3 2Ó
∑ ppp
B˙
˙
p
mp
,Ó
Ó
j ‰ œ o
Ó
¢
Ó B˙ p
3
∑
Œ
3
3 Œ> >Œ >Œ 2 ¡>Œ mp
‰ Œ Œ Œ Œ >>> mp
p
Ó,
¡Œ
slow, wide vib
I had questions but you would not answer 39 7 6 6
° & O #O nO bO O O O 3 b3 3 3 b 3 Œ O O O b O n O <B> œ n3
6
bO O n O O # O nO #O O nO O O O B w ™
6
mf
p
mf
pp
"f "
Ó
Π¢
,Ó
∑
mp
I had answers but you could not use them pizz.
arco, ord.
œœ & #œ #œ œBœ w <B> œJ ‰ (pp)
bœ ric. # œ Ó ‰ Œ œ #œ # œ J œ
pizz.
‰Œ Œ Bœ o
Ó nœ
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
m.s.p.
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
41
b œ ric. Bn˙˙ Ó #n#œœœ ‰ œ J
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏
pizz.
5
bœ Œ ##œœœ ‰ J
# œo
p f
mp
pp
(pp)
ppp
This is useless to you and perhaps to others. — Adrienne Rich, Cartographies of Silence
n
ord.