TransformationsforPianoandLiveElectronics(2021)IsaacRaymondSmith
Instrumentation: Piano and Live Electronics
Transformations
Duration: ~11 minutes
Program Notes: Transformations, written for piano and electronics, is my first work utilizing a solo instrument with live electronic manipulations. As the title suggests, I used electronics paired with prepared piano and extended piano techniques to transform and develop the original idea. The motive heard at the beginning of the work features three ideas that develop simultaneously through the rest of the piece: the descending semitone, the percussive attack, and the “buzzing” heard after said attack. Using notation that does not always specify the order of events, these three original musical ideas are developed in a non-linear fashion, until they reach their final versions and eventually come to a head just before the opening motive returns in its original form, providing a bookend to the piece.
The other concept explored in this work is the relationship between the performer and the electronics. During the first part of the piece, the performer controls the electronics, deciding when to switch between boxes and when to move to the next section. Just after the halfway point, though, the electronics seize control, and each “beep” prompts the player to change what they are playing. Eventually, the electronics reach a fever pitch as they completely take over, developing motives heard from disparate moments earlier in the piece through a fixed media climax. The performer finally wrests control back from the electronics for the closing section, before the piano and electronics fade out together.
- Isaac Raymond Smith June 23, 2021
Copyright © 2021 Isaac R. Smith Music
Transformations ~10" una corda iA tre corde iB Repeat ad lib Tap with fingers while pressing correspond ng keys iC Interject ad lib Copyright © 2021 Isaac R. Smith Music Move on once buzzing has faded To Module 1
Isaac Raymond Smith
1B (lowest notes on piano) 1C 1D Knock 2A 4 6 secs 2B Scrape slow y along str ng ins de piano; do not produce pitch Fingernail 2C 2x 2D From intro To Module 2 2Smith - Transformations - Module 1
palm poptionaledal 5A 6. Module 2 palm optionapedal 5B 5C lowest notes on piano 5D 5E spoptionaledalamlid up against piano6 7. Module 2-6 s ap with spoon 7A gliss. strike with back of spoon ( et ring) w th l p of spoon 7B " " scrape str ng w th spoon 7C 8A 9. Flow 2-8 5 10x8B 8C slam lid down 9A 10. Flow 2 9 knock on lid 9B slap 9C 9D knock on soundboard arepeatdib 9E From Module 1 Occasionally pause 4-5 secsboxesbetween ~30Aftersecs ~45Aftersecs To Module 3 Smith - Transformations - Module 2 3
To Module 4
Place hangers, then proceed
Smith - Transformations - Module 3 4
Place paper, then proceed
From Module 2 After ~5 secs
After ~30 secs
From Module 3
Coda Smith - Transformations - Module 4 5
To
Randomlyclimax.switch
From Module 4 Smith - Transformations - Coda 6
between 8 boxes, repeating each box until the beep in the electronics signals you to switch boxes again. The beep will happen every 5 seconds.
After ~2 min, stop playing and trigger the fixed media
Proceed after ~1 min, when fixed media climax is over