! JOHN ALBERT HARRIS
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Chemical Fix in a Foreign Body !
for mixed chamber ensemble
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! for Wooden Cities
JOHN ALBERT HARRIS
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Chemical Fix in a Foreign Body for mixed chamber ensemble
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! ! written for Wooden Cities
! Workshop: June 19, 2014 Wooden Cities Summer 2014 Midwest Tour: Butler University Workshop / Recital
! duration: c. 6 min. oboe trombone electric guitar piano violin cello
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! ! ! ! ! ! Program Note: Chemical Fix in a Foreign Body was written for the new music collective Wooden Cities (www.woodencities.org). Writing this piece was the first time I had ever worked with an ensemble of this nature, so it was an exciting challenge. The piece is meant to intrigue. I have a very specific image/story of what this piece is about, but I wish to keep it to myself, and let listeners determine what the music (and title) means to them. “Chemical Fix� utilizes some untraditional spatial and improvisational notations, which frees each performance to be slightly different and unique.
Performance Notes
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In the score, thin lines indicate nothing should be played. Thick lines indicate a continuation of the established pattern.
! Opening !
The piece begins with standard notation for six measures. During these measures, all players should emit a low painful moan, the combination of nasal tone and vocal fry, wavering somewhat in pitch and occasionally ‘hiccuping’ (releasing air out the nose), as if the person is whining or moaning. The oboist plays a tiny solo, and shortly after, the guitarist plays as everyone crescendos to a loud screaming moan.
! Rehearsal A !
Rhythmic pattern: Imagined to be a haphazardly rhythmic *improvised* pattern, using the rhythm provided as a guide. It should sound very sporadic, somewhat like morse code. Have fun with it! You don’t need to be constantly playing 8th or 16th notes. Take tiny breaks occasionally.
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Indeterminate Notation: As these two sections are notated with using timed brackets, the conductor should use these timings as a general indication of how long and where things happen, and cue each box number instead of beating time.
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Box Box Box Box Box Box Box Box Box Box
1: Trombone entrance 2: Oboe entrance 3: Piano entrance 4: Guitar chord, new material 5: Trombone note 6: Trombone note, Piano material change 7: Guitar material change 8: Trombone material change, Cello entrance 9: Oboe material change, Piano left hand entrance 10: Trombone, Violin, and Cello simultaneity, Piano right hand material change
! Rehearsal B !
Box 1: Everyone except trombone Box 2: Trombone entrance, Piano note addition Box 3: Oboe quintuplet immediately afterwards Box 4: Violin material change Box 5: Oboe, Guitar, Piano cut-off Box 6: Trombone entrance Box 7: Guitar entrance Box 8: Cello entrance
! ! Rehearsal C - F ! Traditional notation ! Rehearsal G !
Repeated section: The guitar, piano, and violin should play all three times. The oboe only plays the first and third repeat. The trombone and cello join in for the second and third repeats. On the third repetition of this section, players that can moan should start vocalizing again, and continue to do so through the ending of the piece. Conducting 2+3 (regardless of guitar part) should be easier due to the melody in the oboe and cello.
! Rehearsal H !
While everyone is moaning, the cello has a solo at the end. The tremolo on the Eb should begin fast and gradually slow down until one final bow is sustained (with no diminuendo) for five seconds. Moaning should gradually die out and end before the cello reaches the final note.
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