Mette Nielsen: Square #2 (2012)

Mette Nielsen Square #2 (2012) for 7 percussionists with iPods Dur. variable

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Mette Nielsen Square #2 (2012) for 7 percussionists with iPods Dur. variable

PERFORMANCE NOTES What to do: Each performer is equipped with an iPod containing a number of tracks with spoken instructions.

The piece starts with the seven performers in their starting positions all facing the square (see drawing on p. 5) and simultaneously pressing ‘play’ on their iPods, which are all set on ‘shuffle’.

What$to$do:$ The performers move from square to square, and sometimes outside the square, as they follow Each$performer$is$equipped$with$an$iPod$containing$a$number$of$tracks$with$spoken$ theinstructions.$ instructions.

The$piece$starts$by$the$seven$performers$in$their$starting$positions$all$facing$the$square$(see$

There are two kinds of instructions on the iPods: drawing$above)$and$simultaneously$pressing$‘play’$on$their$iPods,$which$are$all$set$on$ 1. ‘shuffle’.$The$performers$move$from$square$to$square,$and$sometimes$outside$the$square,$as$ Go to an instrument in one of the four squares and play, after which a click track in one of they$follow$the$instructions.$ seven tempi (32, 38, 44, 51, 60, 70, 82) is played.

There$are$two$kinds$of$instructions$on$the$iPods.$1)$Go$to$an$instrument$in$one$of$the$four$ 2. Do something else – for example move an instrument, retune the timpani or play the squares$and$play,$after$which$is$a$click$track$in$one$of$seven$tempi$(32,$38,$44,$51,$60,$70,$82).$ clapper. After following this kind of instruction, if the iPod does not immediately move on to 2)$Do$something$else$–$for$example$move$an$instrument,$retune$the$timpani$or$play$the$ the next track, go back to your starting position and wait for the next track. If you have not clapper.$After$following$this$kind$of$instruction,$if$the$iPod$does$not$immediately$move$on$ to$the$next$track,$go$back$to$your$starting$position$and$wait$for$the$next$track.$If$you$have$ finished your task when the next track begins, simply ignore this new track, finish your task, not$finished$your$task$when$the$next$track$begins,$simply$ignore$this$new$track,$finish$your$ go back to your starting position and wait for the next track. task$and$go$back$to$your$starting$position$and$wait$for$the$next$track.$ $

What to play – rhythm and dynamics: What$to$play$–$rhythm$and$dynamics:$ When you are told to play in a certain square, go to the square, notice how many performers areWhen$you$are$told$to$play$in$a$certain$square,$go$to$the$square,$notice$how$many$performers$ in the square (including yourself), and play the corresponding rhythm and dynamics as are$in$the$square$(including$yourself),$and$play$the$corresponding$rhythm$and$dynamics$as$ seen below. If a performer enters or leaves the square while you are playing, switch to the seen$below.$If$a$performer$enters$or$leaves$the$square$while$you$are$playing,$switch$to$the$ rhythm and dynamics corresponding to the new number of performers in the square. rhythm$and$dynamics$corresponding$to$the$new$number$of$performers$in$the$square.$ Percussion

1 performer in the square 1$performer$in$the$square:$$ Percussion

…$ $ 3

2 performers in the square 2$performers$in$the$square:$ Percussion

$ 3

4

3 performers in the square 3$performers$in$the$square:$$

…$ $ …$

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4

4 performers in the square 4$performers$in$the$square:$$

5 performers in the square 5$performers$in$the$square:$$ 5

6 performers in the square 6$performers$in$the$square:$$

…$

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…$ $

5

πpp$

3

pp$

Fmf$ f f$

5

ƒff$

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5

7 performers in the square 7$performers$in$the$square:$$

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Note,$that$even$a$performer$who$is$in$the$square$performing$a$task$(retuning$timpani,$ Note, that even a performer who is in the square performing a task (retuning timpani, exchanging$instruments$etc.),$but$not$playing,$counts.$If,$for$example,$two$performers$are$ exchanging instruments etc.), but not playing, counts. If, for example, two performers are playing the timpani and a third is retuning it, the correct rhythm will be the triplet and the correct dynamic .

F

What to play – pitch: Wood blocks/ cowbells:

Crotales:

The Clapper:

playing$the$timpani$and$a$third$is$retuning$it,$the$correct$rhythm$will$be$the$triplet$and$the$ playing$the$timpani$and$a$third$is$retuning$it,$the$correct$rhythm$will$be$the$triplet$and$the$ correct$dynamic$mf.$ correct$dynamic$mf.$ $ $ What$to$play$–$pitch:$ What$to$play$–$pitch:$ Wood$blocks/$cowbells:$ Wood$blocks/$cowbells:$

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Crotales:$ Crotales:$

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$

$

$

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When you have clappedThe$clapper:$ the clapper twice, freeze until all sound from the other The$clapper:$ instruments has died out.

When$you$have$played$the$clapper$once,$freeze$for$2C3$seconds,$and$then$move$on.$When$ When$you$have$played$the$clapper$once,$freeze$for$2C3$seconds,$and$then$move$on.$When$

you$have$clapped$the$clapper$twice,$freeze$until$all$sound$from$the$other$instruments$has$ When you hear the clapper: freeze until the musician playing the clapper has you$have$clapped$the$clapper$twice,$freeze$until$all$sound$from$the$other$instruments$has$ died$out.$ moved again. died$out.$

When$you$hear$the$clapper:$freeze$until$the$musician$playing$the$clapper$has$moved$again.$

When$you$hear$the$clapper:$freeze$until$the$musician$playing$the$clapper$has$moved$again.$ When you hear the clapper being clapped twice (or when you have clapped the When$you$hear$the$clapper$being$clapped$twice$(or$when$you$have$clapped$the$clapper$ clapper twice): freeze, then go to your starting position facing the square, then When$you$hear$the$clapper$being$clapped$twice$(or$when$you$have$clapped$the$clapper$ twice):$freeze,$then$go$to$your$starting$position$facing$the$square,$then$turn$and$face$the$ turn and face the audience (if the audience is placed around the square, turn twice):$freeze,$then$go$to$your$starting$position$facing$the$square,$then$turn$and$face$the$ audience$(if$the$audience$is$placed$around$the$square,$turn$away$from$the$square).$The$piece$ away from the square). audience$(if$the$audience$is$placed$around$the$square,$turn$away$from$the$square).$The$piece$ The piece is over. is$over.$ is$over.$ $ $ Instructions (on the iPod): Instructions$(on$the$iPod):$ “Square A: play” [click track] Instructions$(on$the$iPod):$ “Square$A:$play”$[click$track]$ 1 “Square A: exchange instruments” “Square$A:$play”$[click$track]$ “Square$A:$exchange$instruments”$*$ “Square B: play with hard mallet near middle of tam-tam” [click track] “Square$A:$exchange$instruments”$*$ “Square B: play with hard mallet near edge of tam-tam” [click track] “Square$B:$play$with$hard$mallet$near$middle$of$tamCtam”$[click$track]$ “Square$B:$play$with$hard$mallet$near$middle$of$tamCtam”$[click$track]$ “Square B: play with soft“Square$B:$play$with$hard$mallet$near$edge$of$tamCtam”$[click$track]$ mallet near middle of tam-tam” [click track] “Square$B:$play$with$hard$mallet$near$edge$of$tamCtam”$[click$track]$ “Square B: play with soft“Square$B:$play$with$soft$mallet$near$middle$of$tamCtam”$[click$track]$ mallet near edge of tam-tam” [click track] “Square$B:$play$with$soft$mallet$near$middle$of$tamCtam”$[click$track]$ 2 “Square B: sizzles” “Square$B:$play$with$soft$mallet$near$edge$of$tamCtam”$[click$track]$ “Square B: blanket” 3 “Square$B:$play$with$soft$mallet$near$edge$of$tamCtam”$[click$track]$

“Square C: play with hard mallet near middle of timpani” [click track] “Square C: play with hard mallet near edge of timpani” [click track] “Square C: play with soft mallet near middle of timpani” [click track] “Square C: play with soft mallet near edge of timpani” [click track] “Square C: tune timpani up by [interval]”

4

“Square C: tune timpani down by [interval]”

4

“Square D: play” [click track] “Square D: exchange instruments”

1

“Go to your starting position” “Move the clapper to a new position of your choice” “Play the clapper. The third time you hear this instruction, clap it twice, ending the piece” 1. When hearing this instruction, take whatever instrument is in the square (crotales, wood blocks or cowbells), move it outside of the square and replace it with the remaining instrument. If you are playing the instrument and someone moves it away, simply wait for the new instrument and continue, when it is placed before you.

2. When hearing this instruction, put the sizzles on the tam-tam, or – if the sizzles are already there – remove them.

3. When hearing this instruction, halfCcover the tam-tam with the blanket, or – if the blanket is already there – remove it.

4. If you are playing the timpani when someone retunes it, just keep playing.

Instrument list: Square A/D:

7 crotales (start: square A) 7 wood blocks (start: square D) 7 cowbells (start: outside square)

Square B:

1 tamCtam w/ sizzles and blanket

Square C:

1 timpani, low range

Outside square:

1 clapper

Audience

Perc #2

Perc #1

Crotales

Tam-tam

Cowbells

Perc #3 Clapper Timpani

Wood Blocks Perc #7

Perc #4

Perc #5

Perc #6