AARON EINBOND
XYLOGRAPHY for violoncello and electronics
XYLOGRAPHY for violoncello and electronics
AARON EINBOND 2015 duration ca. 8 minutes
to Séverine Ballon and Pierre Morlet
Instrumentation Cello solo, scordatura (string IV tuned down to E-flat): Strings I-III are fully muted with a cloth or Blu-tack (see photo), while string IV is left to vibrate freely.
Technical Setup 1 Macbook Pro computer, minimum 2.6 GHz, 8 GB RAM, OS 10.9.5 with Max 7.0.3 (32-bit mode) and Python 2.7.8. MuBu and PyOracle libraries and Py external provided with patch. 1 Audio interface (RME 800 or similar) with at least 4 inputs and 4 outputs 1 MIDI pedal (optional), connected to computer or audio interface with a MIDI interface. 4 microphones: 1. DPA 4060 (or similar compact cardioid microphone) mounted behind the bridge 2. AKG C411 (or similar contact microphone in a solid enclosure) un-mounted 3. Schertler DYN-C (or similar contact microphone) mounted on the wooden face stage left of the tailpiece 4. Schertler DYN-C (or similar contact microphone) mounted on the wooden face stage right of the fingerboard as pictured:
Electronic events are triggered either by the soloist through an optional MIDI pedal and interface, or by the audio engineer from the computer keyboard. Loudspeaker setup is as follows: ’Cello loudspeaker 1
loudspeaker 2 Audience
loudspeaker 3
loudspeaker 4
I gratefully acknowledge Séverine Ballon, Pierre Morlet, and Seth Woods for their collaboration in developing ’cello samples and playing techniques. I thank Diemo Schwarz, Riccardo Borghese, Norbert Schnell, Greg Surges, Schlomo Dubnov, Arshia Cont, and Thomas Grill for their work on the MuBu and PyOracle libraries and Py external for Max.
Xylography Notes
µ B J
¼-tone sharp, ¼-tone flat, and 1/6-tone flat, respectively. Accidentals last the entire measure. Gradual change between playing techniques.
" f"
Dynamic indicating subjective effort applied when the sonic result may be significantly quieter.
Small notes played as fast as possible before or after the beat.
W U U
Short (less than 1”), medium (ca. 3”), and long fermata (ca. 5” or more).
Clef indicating approximate vertical position on the ’cello, with staff lines (top to bottom) representing the bottom of the body, the bridge, the top of the body, and the nut.
Clef indicating approximate vertical position on the back of the ’cello when the instrument is turned with the strings facing the player.
Two clefs indicating both vertical position (hand or bow) on upper staff and fingered pitch (or open string) on lower. Notes connected by a single stem represent a single sound or action.
Glissando lines representing four different hand or bow pressures (top to bottom): light (flautando), ordinary, heavy, and very heavy (écrasé). The dotted lines at the two extremes suggest irregularities or perforation that may result in the sound. Glissandi last the full duration indicated with speed suggested by the slope of the line and the indicated rhythm. Wedge shape indicating a gradual change between ordinary and heavy pressure.
LH, RH
Left hand, right hand, also indicated with stem directions where appropriate.
m.s.p,, s.p.
Molto sul ponticello, sul ponticello: play almost at bridge, or near bridge, respectively (also indicated with ’cello clef ).
m.s.t., s.t.
Molto sul tasto, sul tasto: play over fingerboard, or near fingerboard, respectively (also indicated with ’cello clef ).
c.l.t., arco
Col legno tratto: play only with wood of bow, arco: play with bow hair.
Harmonic fingering pressure: suggested fingerings may be changed ad lib.
String dampened with fingers to produce as little pitch as possible.
Hand positions indicating palm, fingertips, forefinger, and thumb, respectively.
m
Bow
Parts of the ’cello body are indicated in the score as follows: Back
back face bouts (éclises): sides of the instrument purfling (bords): wooden seam between face, or back, and bouts edge (près du bord): on the face or back near the purfling
To know what you’re going to draw, you have to begin drawing. — Brassaï, Conversations with Picasso
In Xylography for solo cello and electronics the performance begins with the cello turned backwards, a blank surface upon which the cellist starts to draw. The near-silence is projected around the concert space by a network of contact microphones, then analyzed by the computer to attempt an improvised response. The cellist in turn responds to this computerized noise improvisation through a score inspired by live improvisations of several cellist collaborators. This game of imitation continues with a broadening repertoire of sounds, finally coming to rest on the detuned fourth string, from which the performer elicits a flickering spectrum of harmonics and multiphonics. Xylography follows Graffiti, premiered by Seth Woods, and is dedicated to Séverine Ballon and Pierre Morlet.
to Séverine Ballon and Pierre Morlet
Cello14.mus 5/14/15
XYLOGRAPHY for violoncello and electronics
Aaron Einbond 2015
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