Simon Løffler
F.O.W.L. (2023)
for cl, sax, pno, 2 perc , vln, vlc, db (cl, pno, perc, vln, vlc play conventional as well as unconventional instruments) Dur. 17′
Commissioned by the Oslo Sinfonietta
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F.O.W.L. (2023)
for cl, sax, pno, 2 perc, vln, vlc, db
(cl, pno, perc, vln, vlc play conventional as well as unconventional instruments)
Dur. c. 17′
This piece is written for a combination of conventional and unconventional instruments. Each of the six movements have a different instrumental setup. A performance note is provided for each movement below.
Alto saxophone and double bass play their normal instrument throughout. The remaining six musicians has varying degrees of changing instruments.
Transposing instruments are notated in their relevant transpositions. These include clarinet (B≤), alto saxophone (E≤), and double bass (octave lower).
Due to the big difference in volume between conventional and unconventional instruments, an amplification strategy is necessary to ensure a proper balance of the ensemble.
Instrumentation
Clarinettist: Siren whistle
Alto Saxophone (E≤)
Pianist: Drill with bell
Percussionist 1: Snare drum manipulated by whammy pedal
Percussionist 2: Metal chair, struck hand pipe 1 & 2, duct tape shoes
Violin (G-string tuned a fifth down to c)
Cellist: Struck hand pipe 1 & 2, duct tape shoes
Double bass
Clarinettist.
See video example 1: https://vimeo.com/editions/fowl1
The clarinettist plays a modified Acme siren whistle. The tension of the rotating wheel is loosened to allow for precise pitch control, and the metal shield is removed. The instrument must be amplified.
The whistle is held with one hand, while the index finger of the other hand is held next to the rotation wheel:
Killing the sound of the whistle instantaneously with the index finger. When no damping sign occurs, the rotating wheel continues to rotate without sound. The lowest register of the siren whistle has an undefinable pitch quality, and has therefore not been notated precisely.
Inhaling air through the whistle, producing a downwards glissando. It is important to stop the inhalation just before the rotating wheel stops and start turning the other way, which will produce a new upwards glissando.
The lowest stable note is roughly a C≥ a major seventh below middle c. The portamento leading up to the note should be played on the beat fast as possible.
A fast breathing in and out of the whistle.
Alto Saxophone (E≤)
The alto saxophone is notated in transposition and sounds a major sixth lower than written.
Drill
Overblown major chords. The sound should be immediate and precise.
Downwards smooth glissando from an undefined highest pitch that can be controlled dynamically. The sound should blend with the other instruments in the relevant context.
Minor third multiphonics.
See video example 2: https://vimeo.com/editions/fowl2
The drill is amplified with a coil microphone, such as an electric guitar pick-up or similar.
The battery driven drill has a hole saw attached to it, which acts as a bell. The pitch should be e2 (an octave and major third above middle c). On the picture below, the size of hole saw employed is 73 mm. In the musician’s other hand a rugged wooden stick (reibenstock) is held, which is used to make the bell ring continuously while the drill is turning.
Percussion 1
Gradually depressing the “on” button of the drill is notated with a crescendo curve.
A wavy line above noteheads indicates to place the rugged stick on the bell while its turning, to make it ring continuously. An accent at the end indicates to scrape the bell downwards quickly on the beat.
Staccato notes indicate notes as short as possible, regardless of the duration of the individual note value.
Percussionist 1 plays a snare drum processed through a whammy pedal. The setting of the whammy should be ‘Dive Bomb’. A piece of thick foam is placed on the skin to dampen the snare.
The whammy is notated as up and down movement of the whammy bar. Scraping the drumhead with a fingernail is notated with a curved note head. Hitting the drumhead with the fingertips is notated with normal heads.
Percussion 2
See video example 3 for a demonstration of chair: https://vimeo.com/editions/fowl3
See video examples 4 + 5 for demonstrations of struck hand pipe 1 + 2: https://vimeo.com/editions/fowl4 https://vimeo.com/editions/fowl5
See video example 6 for a demonstrations of duct tape shoes https://vimeo.com/editions/fowl6
The chair should be a heavy metal one with rubber feet, and the stage floor need to be wood. If it is not, a wooden plate should be placed underneath the chair.
When dragged along the floor on all four legs, the chair will make various scraping sounds. When dragged backwards on its two front legs, the chair should produce a softer sound. The size of the movement of the chair is relatively small; roughly 10 – 15 centimeters.
An arrow above the notehead indicate the direction of the chair. A 4-point square symbol indicates to drag the chair on all four legs. A 2-point symbol indicate to drag on its two front legs.
Hand pipe 1, hung around the neck, is notated with crossed noteheads in the center of the staff.
Hand pipe 2, placed on the thigh, is notated with square noteheads above the staff.
Duct tape is spun around both shoes with the sticky side turning down. Lifting the shoes quickly off the floor produces a loud “swish” sound.
Violin
Lifting the shoe quickly is notated with square noteheads below the staff. A letter above the notehead indicate which foot to lift: L for left, R for right.
The fourth string is tuned down one fifth to c throughout the piece. When playing on the fourth string the notation is action based: pitch is transposed a fifth up.
Cello
Same techniques as Violin. No Scordatura.
Double Bass
Triangular noteheads indicate an undefined highest pitch.
Fast glissandi without a specified end point should be over as wide a range as possible within the duration.
See video example 7 for a demonstration of “Tight Roll”, abbreviated T.R. in the score: https://vimeo.com/editions/fowl7
See video example 8 for a demonstration of vertical jeté: https://vimeo.com/editions/fowl8
See video example 9 for a demonstration of the two different techniques employed in section C, namely “tight roll” and vertical bouncing up and down on the open string: https://vimeo.com/editions/fowl9
Instrumentation
Perc.2 + Vl. + Vcl. + Pno.: Swung whistles
Clarinet: Siren Whistle (as in Movement 1)
Alto Saxophone: (E≤)
Percussionist 1: Bowed flexatone and metal plate
Double bass
Swung Whistles
See video example 12: https://vimeo.com/editions/fowl12
Vertical jeté: The bow bounces downwards on the string, producing a rising “grainy” pitch quality.
Tight Roll, abbreviated T.R. Letting the bow bounce rapidly on the string with a great deal of pressure and a minimal of horizontal movement. The string is dampened.
Soft vertical bouncing of the bow up and down the string.
As in the case of the violin, triangular noteheads indicate an undefined highest pitch. Fast glissandi should be over as wide a range as possible within the duration.
Each of the four musicians hold one wooded stick, at the end of which are placed two small hollow plastic tubes on each side (small bottles and vitamin pill containers). The plastic tubes have a rectangular 5 mm × 5 cm hole cut into their side, causing them to resonate with a clear pitch quality when moved through the air.
The downwards and upwards movement of the swung whistles is notated with arrows for each hand:
Percussionist 1
Percussionist 1 plays a bowed flexatone and a metal plate with a high shrill sound. The flexatone is notated as normal pitch, the metal plate is notated with a rectangular note head. The two instruments are held thus:
SECOND MOVEMENT
Instrumentation
Clarinettist: (B≤)
Alto Saxophone (E≤)
Percussionist 1: Bowed flexatone and metal plate
Percussionist 2: Swung whistle
Violin (G-string tuned a fifth down to c)
Cello
Double bass
Piano: Tuning-Fork Piano
The tuning-fork piano consists of 8 tuning forks tuned, more or less, diatonically from C – C. It is notated in C in the score, but transposed a third up in the part according to the keys.
REFRAIN II
Same instrumentation as Refrain I
THIRD MOVEMENT
Instrumentation
Clarinet (B≤).
Alto Saxophone (E≤)
Piano: Glockenspiel played on with the fingertips
Percussionist 1: Overtone Solenoid
Percussionist 2: Overtone Solenoid
Violin
Cello
Double bass
Percussionist 1 & 2: Overtone solenoids
See video example 13: https://vimeo.com/editions/fowl13
Both percussionists play a DYI overtone solenoid, which produce a fast clicking sound when turned on. The resonance is dampened with the hand as it closes around the solenoid, producing a gradually lower pitch quality.
The damping of the solenoid is notated as a downwards glissando.
Pianist: Glockenspiel played on with the fingernails
Pianist plays a glockenspiel with the fingertips.
Normal note heads indicate to play with the fingernails. White square note heads indicate to lay the fingertips on the keys.
Black square note head indicate to lift the fingertips quickly, resulting in a soft resonant sound. It is possible to attach a small amount of hair grease to the keys, to create more resonance when the fingers are lifted.
Same instrumentation as Refrain I.
Swung whistles 1
Tuningfork Pno.
Bowed flexatone & metalplate. (played by Perc. 1)
Bowed flexatone & metalplate. (played by Perc. 2)
Swung whistles 1
Swung whistles 2
Swung whistles 3
Swung whistles 4
Sirene Whistle (played by Cl.)
Alto Sax. (Eb)
Bowed flexatone & metalplate. (played by Perc. 2)
Slightly below the dynamic level of the glockenspiel, like a shadow.
Slightly below the dynamic level of the glockenspiel, like a shadow.
Same level as echo pitch of glockenspil (almost not audible)
Slightly below the dynamic level of the glockenspiel, like a shadow.
Slightly below the dynamic level of the glockenspiel, like a shadow.
Swung whistles 1
Swung whistles 2
Swung whistles 3
Swung whistles 4
Sirene Whistle (played by Cl.) Alto Sax. (Eb)
Bowed flexatone & metalplate (played by Perc. 2)