and drift by Heather Stebbins

Commissioned by the Third Practice Electroacoustic Festival

AND DRIFT for Ensemble U:

HEATHER STEBBINS 2015

“...JUST UNDER THE SURFACE I SHALL BE, ALL TOGETHER AT FIRST, THEN SEPARATE, AND DRIFT THROUGH ALL THE EARTH AND PERHAPS IN THE END THROUGH A CLIFF INTO THE SEA, SOMETHING OF ME...” -S. BECKETT

AND DRIFT

(~13’)

ALTO FLUTE B-FLAT CLARINET + BASS CLARINET PIANO PERCUSSION FRAME DRUM AND CYMBAL VIOLIN ‘CELLO FOUR-CHANNEL ELECTRONIC SOUND

PERFORMANCE NOTES All dynamics are should be relative to the dynamics of the electronics in performance. Arrows at beggining of trill/bisb. indicate a gradual speeding up, while arrows at the end of a trill/bisb indicate gradual slowing down. All trills a minor second unless otherwise notated.

!@$%^&*()+

Approx. quarter tone higher

Approx. quarter tone lower

Accidentals with arrows pointing up or down indicate an approximate 1/8-tone inflection. FLUTE All multiphonic fingerings taken from “Die Spieltechnik der Flöte II” (Levin, Mitropoulous-Bott). Fingerings are found in the part rather than the score. Bisbigliando fingerings should be determined by the player. A slight change in pitch is encouraged. CLARINET All multiphonic fingerings and harmonic trill fingerings taken from “The Bass Clarinet” (Sparnaay). Fingerings are found in the part rather than the score. Bisbigliando fingerings should be determined by the player. A slight change in pitch is encouraged.

PERCUSSION Requires large frame drum (suggested: Meinl Tar) and one medium-large cymbal. Plectra: Wire brushes (two), superball mallet, bow, soft yarn mallet, thick plastic comb Frame drum notation uses the following system for any type of mallet: Upper line - edge of drum Lower line - center of drum

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Horizontalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tremolo - Brush hands or brushes vigorously against skin of drum, rather than vertically as in a traditional roll

Down/up bow markings indicate horizontal strokes against skin of drum, rather than normal vertical strokes

Diamond noteheads indicate a snap against the edge of the drum. This example uses one hand to snap and the other to perform a brush tremolo

Cymbal should always be allowed to vibrate. For the material using a comb, run the comb along the edge of the cymbal, applying slight pressure, to produce upper partials. A stiffer comb, such as the one pictured, tends to work more effectively than a thinner comb. If a comb is unavailable, other rigid plastic devices (such as a credit card) can be used.

PIANO Plectra: 2 wooden knitting needles, preferably with a larger end such as the ones pictured. Length of needles is not important. Superball mallet, to be used on lowest register of the piano.

The piano requires preparation using hairpins such as the one pictured on the following strings (with middle C being C4): A3, B-FLAT3, G-SHARP 4, B4, D5, F-SHARP 5, A5, C6. You will need 16 hairpins in total.

Place a hair pin on 2 of the 3 piano strings at different locations in order to activate different partials. The pin should be vertical and not buzz against the soundboard of the piano or neighboring strings. Experiment with different placements to create different timbres. The result should be a gong-like timbre with hints of the fundamental. If hairpins are unavailable, other metallic or wooden preparation devices may be used. Avoid screws or any other device that creates buzzing or rattling.

Indicated above a harmonic. Touch string before damper in order to produce a cluster of harmonics.

The wooden knitting needle material is performed inside the piano on both the felt and winding of the strings as pictured below. The end of the needle is dragged across either the felt bit beneath the agraffe/bridge (in red) or the strings, nearly against the metal pegs (as pictured). When dragging the needle against the felt, the result is a dry clicking. When dragging the needle against the strings, the result is a more metallic, resonant clickling.

The wooden knitting needle material is notated using a graphic notation. The placement of the curved line on the metal/felt axis indicates relative placement of the needles. The thickness of the line indicates relative intensity. To increase intensity of the sound, increase speed, pressure, and span of the dragging needles. One can use the entire span of the piano during more intense sections, while staying inside one â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;boxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; during softer bits, depending on the construction of the particular piano.

STRINGS (require sourdine)

+, ++, +++ b.p. (bow pressure) indicates a hierarchy of pressure, with + being the lightest with just a bit of graininess mixed with the pitch and +++ being the heaviest, with heavy distortion and little to no pitch remaining.

Flutter high, upper natural harmonics as quickly as possible on the indicated string (in this case, the E string of the violin)

ELECTRONICS The electronics consist of four-channel (quadrophonic) playback. Speaker placement should be in a standard LRLsRs configuration, with the Ls and Rs speakers behind the audience. Use of a sub is highly encouraged but not required. The electronic element can performed in one of two ways. 1) An assistant triggers the electronics at specific points throughout the piece based on numbers in the score using a provided Max Patch. Max RunTime, or Max5 or higher will work. 2) The ensemble uses a metronome to play along with the electronics, provided the metronome is synced with the start of the electronics and follows the few tempo changes. This option works best with a light, or flashing, metronome rather than a standard click, as many bits of the electronic and ensemble music is quite soft and the click track may be heard from the audience.

Although not required, amplification of the ensemble can help maintain a good balance between the acoustic and the electronic material. If using amplification, bus the acoustic material to only the front stereo pair, rather than all four speakers. Any questions regarding the piece or the electronic playback should be sent to the composer at hlstebbins@gmail.com I am very thankful for the help of bioligist and sound recordist Veljo Runnel, without whom many of the electronic sounds would not be possible.

AND DRIFT

SCORE IN C

for Ensemble U:

HEATHER STEBBINS 2015

Emerging q = 52

Alto Flute

Bass Clarinet

Frame Drum

4 &4

?4 4

°÷ 4 ¢ 4

tr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(all trills m2 unless otherwise notated)

∑

‰ #œj ˙

j œ ‰

(all trills m2 unless otherwise notated)

∑

‰

Œ #œ

∑

tr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

#œ œ

3pp

tr ~~

œ J ‰ Œ

#œ ‰™ R p

Swirl brushes in center, vary speed and intensity

A• • A Ó

∑

tr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‰ œj ˙

∑

j ‰ œ

∑

horizontal brush trem vary speed/intensity

œ7 ˙7

Wooden Knitting Needles

Piano

METAL ÷ 44 FELT

Violin

Violoncello

Tape

4 &4

∑

?4 4

∑

3 ‰ J

SUL I

o o

o #3

#œ

∑

O æ

gradual tremolo

# 3œ O˙ ‰ J p

3 ææJ ‰ Œ

3œ

O˙

µµ3œ mp

∑ 3œ

∑

3œ J ‰ Ó

∑

÷ 44 5

# 3œ pp

2 A. Fl.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ j & <#>œ œ ˙ œ #œ œ ‰ mp

B. Cl.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ˙ œ <#> ˙ J ? ‰ mp

°÷ ¢

˙7

‰ bœ œ nœ p

∑

q™ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ≤ œ ≥ j œ œ≥ 7 œ œ œ œfi œ p

tr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

j œ ‰

∑

tr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

#˙

œ J

‰

∑

q™ ≥ ≤ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œfij œ œfij ≤ ≥ œfij j j œ œœ œœ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ7 œ7 œ7

˙ mf

METAL

Pno.

FELT

Vln.

Vc.

O B <#> ˙

onset trem. o #gradual 3 3 æ æ

O˙

Begin gliss immediately

Tape

3 æ

3 ææJ

µµ3œ

3œ J

‰

∑

‰

∑

÷ 10

µµ3œ pp

A. Fl.

b˙ Ó K˙

˙ ˙

œ œJ ‰

°÷ ¢

∑

˙7

∑

j‰ Œ œ

nœ

#˙

nœ

Begin portamento immediately

B. Cl.

tr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

œœœ

œœœœ

œ #˙

tr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ c Bœ

#œ

œfij

œ œ œœœ

œ ™œ œ

œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œ œ œ œŒ Ó

∑

High natural harmonics above indicated fundamental

Vln.

Vc.

<µ> O n O B <µ>˙ ˙ mp

Tape

# 3œ

∑

œ™

r 1j ‰ ‰™ 1 1j ‰ Œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ 7 7

Aª 1j 1j ≈ 1r Œ ‰ œ ˙ 7 7

A fp •

#œœ ‰ Œ J

∑

33 ‰J

‰

∑

SUL I

œ™

‰

µµO˙

O˙

High natural harmonics above indicated fundamental

3œ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ˙ J ?nœJ

sf mp 5

œœ ™ ‰ J #œ Ó

‰

∑

Snap

FELT

˙ ˙

‚ 3 ‚œ ‚ ‚ ˙ JJ

b˙ ˙

∑

METAL

Pno.

(pp)

≤ ≥≤ œœœ

÷ 15

4 A. Fl.

<b>œ b œ & œ

? ‰

tr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ c # œ Bœ œ ˙

Pno.

° ¢÷

1™

j & ‰ #œ

#œ

r ‰™ œ7

Vln.

Vc.

O B #˙

Tape

#œ

j #œ œ 3

‚‚‚‚ œ œ J

#œœ

#œ œ

adding bow pressure

3œ J p

r ™ ææ ‰ œ

adding harmonics

ææ ˙

œœ J ‰

#œ

‰

Harmonic just in front of dampers (partial unclear)

" j b3 “‘(mf)

j µ3 p

Sul III

µœ

‰

(mf)

+ bow pressure

Sul Pont (7th partial)

‰ Œ

mf mp

Ord.

adding bow pressure

‰

#œ

" j “‘ b 3

‰

3 mp

‰

3 µ3

mf mp

tr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ c

“‘ b 3

“‘ O

3 J

r≈ ‰ Œ 3 ff ø

‚‚‚‚ œ œ J

++ bp

(f)

++ b.p.

Ord.

+ + b.p.

tr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ord.

3 µ3

œ #3 ™ ff ppsub

r ™ 3 ‰

(Trill with open string)

+ bow pressure

œ J

mf mp

÷ 23

ff 'ff' possible

ææ bœ ™

O˙

œ œ j R 3™

e q™ q ™ Aª ª A œ œ œ œ œ œ +œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ hœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ +œ œ eœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ >œ ‰™ ‰ R

œ ≈ #œ

3 J

Whistle Tones

˙ ˙

Use one hand to gliss from edge to center while other remains on edge

œ Bœ ™ bœ ™

tr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

#œ

(mp)

1 œ ‰ J ˙7 J

bisb ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ c

n˙

B. Cl.

c bisb ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

B Intense, Violent q = 60

A. Fl.

B. Cl.

Cym.

∑

°÷

∑

Pno.

Vln.

Vc.

Tape

∑

( )

∑

∑ <#>O

∑

o o

œ b3

G G

g g

j g ‰ g

‰ bœj œ bœ ˙

bG bG

Split Tone, harsh rough sound

∑ A¡ ˙

+ +

heavily muted, on string past winding

b œ œ™ “‘ °

‰

j 3

œ bœ

j œ ‰

A¡ Œ

≈ j bœ ™

∑

Drag superball across skin

Mostly Breath

œ <b> ˙

bœ

∑

Take Superball Mallet

tr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ tr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ L o o o

over blow

(superball)

Take Superball Mallet

∑

mf mp

j œ ‰ Œ

A¡ Ó

j ‰ Œ œ

ææj ‰ Œ œ

l.v.

∑

j œ bœ œ ææ ææ bœ ˙

bœ œ

∑

œ bœ œ

j œ œ

∑

Slowly drag Superball on winding of lowest strings

j œ ‰ Œ

j ‰ Œ œ

µ˙

Sul Pont ++bow pressure

Ord

#˙

Sul Pont ++bow pressure

+++ b.p.

∑

+++ b.p.

Ord

j ‰ œ

Ord. b.p. (Sul Pont)

‰

j œ œ

µœ

œ nœ

j œ

‰ ‰ œj œ p

(Sul Pont)

œ œ

j œ ‰ Œ

÷ 27

o o o

Sul Pont

B-Flat Clarinet

Remaining Delicate, Veiled

tiny glisses