Simon Christensen Towards Nothingness (2009) for amplified string quartet, laptop & 4 guitar combos
Dur. 9’15”
T/ (+45) 3313 5445 · E/ sales@edition-s.dk · W/ www.edition-s.dk
Edition·S publications are supported by the Danish Arts Council Music Committee / Edition·S udgivelser er støttet af Kunstrådets Musikudvalg
Viol in I Viol in I I Viola Cello
- TECH NICAL RE QUIREME NTS –
Lapt o p run ni ng Max/ Ms p
4 micr o pho nes
4 small gu itar co mb os – m in imu m 5 watt a nd wit h tube s
4 ear pho nes
PA syste m
- NOTATIO N -
Accidentals: Bb indica tes a quar ter t one belo w b // B i ndicates a quarter to ne bel ow n / / µ i ndicates a quarte r to ne ab ove n / / ˜ indica tes a quar ter t one a bo ve m
Co nsta nt:
Gradually:
Full Bow: Indica tes b owi ng fro m ti p to heel or vice vers a; this cha nges the sou nd, but f ore mos t the spe ed o f bo wi ng.
Playi ng with Full Bo w should be perf or med w ith nor ma l bow in g pr essure; ligh t pressure /Sulta ndo sh ould be a voided .
L P. : L ight Bo wi ng Pr essure
N. P. : Nor mal B ow in g Pressure
A.P. : Added B owi ng Pressure – a forced s ound wit h les s resona nce , but not crushed and n oisy.
F.B. : Fi nger Ba ttut o – i ndicates a s tro ng at tack wit h th e fi nger o n the fin gerb oard w hile b ow ing , n o b owi ng ac cent!
Sul Tast o Ex trem o: Very near the fi ngers of t he le ft ha n d.
Sul Ordinar o: Ordi nary play ing
Piz z. Ét ouf fés: Piz zicat o with the le ft ha nd while bo wi n g; a mu ffled s ound!
Piz z. Cross: Piz zicat o with r igh t hand a bo ve t he f ing ere d left ha nd; play b et wee n lef t ha nd and nut.
Circular B ow ing: A ver tical and hori zo ntal mo ve me nt a cross the s tri ngs mo vi ng; fr o m bridge to fi nger board o r vice versa, ver y fas t bo wi ng. The s ound al ters be twe en no ise and to ne Imagi ne a circle wh ile p erf orm ing this ac tio n.
Subhar mo nic playi ng: This tech nique requires a u ni for med, slo w, a nd hea v y bo wi ng throu ghou t the s tro ke; t h e bo w hair s hould be ke pt flat. The pos iti on of the bo w sh ould be a pp roxi matel y 2 octa ves and a fi fth a bo ve the f in gered n ote .
The resul t is a n octa ve belo w t he n ota ted p itch, but i f t h e speed of the b o w and the pos iti on on the s trin g is cha nged t hroug h the s tro ke; other pi tches ca n em erge. Th is should be av oided.
The s ound of Subhar mo nic play ing is so met hin g un iqu e and peculiar and s hould not be co n fused w ith the har sh sound of pla yin g w ith ex tre me b ow pressur e.
The g eneral p ositi on o f the pla yers and the gu itar c om b os dep ends on the loca tio n o f t he perf or mance; the e ngi neer must ch oose .
The piece s hould be pe rf ormed wi th click track i n ord er to sy nchr on ize pr op erly wit h the electro nics
Tow ards N ot hi n gn ess should be loud a nd f orceful.
Duratio n: 09:15.
Simon Christensen
TOWARDS NOTHINGNESS - amplified string quartet, laptop & 4 guitar combos -