Ñamandu by Joshua Keeling

Ă&#x2018;amandu

for solo alto saxophone and interactive electroacoustics

Joshua Keeling 2018â&#x20AC;Š

Ñamandu is a musical reflection on the creation myth of the Mbyá, an indigenous people native to central South America. In their folklore, a handful of creatures have been present since the beginning of time; among them is the sacred hummingbird, which sustains the creator deity, Ñamandu, as he creates the earth and the heavens. Our Father, the Absolute First  created himself from the primordial darkness.  He created the divine soles of his feet,  His small round throne.  He created them as he grew in the primordial darkness. The reflection of his divine wisdom, his divine all-hearing  His divine palms holding his scepter and flowering branches:  these Ñamandu created as he grew from the primordial darkness. Flowers adorned his divine feathered headdress like drops of dew;  And amidst the flowers of his sacred feathered crown  Hummingbird, the primeval bird, gamboled and flew. Even while our first Father created his own divine body,  He existed in the midst of the primordial winds. Before he conceived his future earthly dwelling,  before he conceived his future heavens, his future earth —  Hummingbird refreshed his mouth. It was Hummingbird who sustained Ñamandu with the fruits of paradise. Our Father Ñamandu, the First,  before he created his future paradise  He did not see the darkness  although the sun did not yet exist. The reflection of his own heart illuminated him;  His divine wisdom served as the sun. Our true Father Ñamandu, the First,  dwelt amidst the primordial winds;  Where he stopped to rest  the Owl produced darkness:  for already the cradle of night existed. Before the true Father Ñamandu, the First,  created his future paradise, before the creation of the first earth,  He existed in the midst of the primordial winds. The primal winds in which Our Father existed return  with the arrival of the primal space-time  with the resurgence of the primitive season.  As the old season ends  with the flowering of the lapacho tree  the winds bring the new season.  The new winds come, the new space,  bringing the resurrection of space-time.

Like the Mbyá creation story, all sounds in this piece stem from those present at the beginning: the saxophone (here, the creator), the hummingbird, and later, the owl and the lapacho tree. The listener is made to feel as if in the center of creation, where one may feel the interconnectedness of all things, and perhaps the reflection of divine wisdom. Ambisonic spatialization places the listener within a surrounding sonic atmosphere, and effects like granular synthesis, compression sidechaining, and real-time polyphony help create a sonic environment where one can envision the primordial “space-time” that the Mbyá told of. Spanish to English Translation by Nina Zumel. Guaraní to Spanish Translation by León Cadogan (Ayvu Rapyta: Textos míticos de los Mbyá-Guaraní del Guairá, 1959). Cover image acquired from thepinsta.com

Many thanks to Katherine Weintraub, whose vision and artistry brought this piece to life! Technical requirements: • One instrument microphone with stand (or clip to install on the saxophone) • Audio interface/mixer • Two, Four, Six, or Eight speakers (and amplifiers if passive speakers are used) and optional subwoofer in stereo, quad, hexagonal, or octagonal array • A computer capable of running music software • A foot pedal with two buttons (or two foot pedals) paired to the computer via Bluetooth or MIDI connection Performance notes • Trill markings indicate an upward trill to the next natural note, except where otherwise notated with either a parenthetical notehead or a trill sign with an accidental. • Brackets above notes (see mm. 8, 12, etc.) indicate using alternate palm key fingerings. • Accelerating trills are indicated with a wavy line next to the trill marking. (see mm. 8, 10, etc.) • A wide vibrato / pitch bend effect is notated with a wavy line next to the notehead.   (see mm. 54 & 60). The following multiphonics are used in this piece: 1 2 3 4

• • The gray-shaded keys in multiphonics #3 and #8 are trill keys. • Fingering graphics appear in the score on the first instance of each multiphonic. Subsequent instances are marked with the multiphonic’s number. Score Markings: indicates the pressing of the right foot pedal to advance the patch to the next section. indicates the pressing of the left foot pedal. This happens only one time: m. 94. indicates causation: an upwards arrow from the computer part to the saxophone part is an aural cue for the player to listen for. A downwards arrow from the saxophone to the computer part shows the computer’s reaction to the player’s sound or action. The timing of the piece allows a great deal of flexibility for the performer. Almost all foot pedal markings are placed within rests. Rests are to be counted in tempo; however, the tempo is always flexible. All staves are transposed except where the clef indicates concert pitch: To obtain the software for this piece, please contact the composer: joshua.keeling@gmail.com. Please visit joshuakeeling.org for more music, updates, and information.

Ñamandú

for Solo Alto Saxophone and Interactive Electroacoustics Commissioned and premiered by Katherine Weintraub

Slow, always flexible q ≈ 48

Alto Saxophone

8 &4

4 m ˙˙ .. &4 π

4 &4

Íp

‰

3 4

œ ‰ Œ J

2 4

_____________ processed sax sound

air through mouthpiece molto vib.

∑

4 4

∑

≠. P

4 4

∑

______________________

A2 Dynamic and playful q ≈ 48 * > r mœ Y mœ mœ

Ÿ m˙.

œ ‰ J

119

5 µ ˙. 4 ˙. ∏

∑

high granule stream

Computer

Joshua Keeling

^ œ≈‰ 2 4 R f

∑

Ÿ 4 4 m˙. Á Íp >r œ

___________

Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6 >r Á ¥ Y Á ¥ Á Á j ¥ ¥ ‰ &4 œ w œ œ π

^r ≈ ‰ 42 œœœ f

∑

6 4

__________

2 4

∑

___________________________

Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > r 4 r œY œ œ œ&4 œ J > 3 Fp

> r mœ

Ÿ m˙ Á

2 4

∑

# __________________ ___________ _____________

3 4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ wing noise – building

3 &4

> r œ

m œ.

r œ

Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ m œ .Y œ nœ œ

poco accel.

œ œ mœ

m œ.

8 U„

&4 ?

_____

chirps

concert

(concert pitches)

bbW W

5 & 4 bœ bœ ?

concert

bœ

5 bœ œ œ 4 œ bœ F molto espressivo bœ œ bœ

bœ

œ œ

bœ œ bœ

œ bœ

bœ bœ

6 4

f_____

_______

resonant sustains becoming granulated

˙.

chirps

Ó.

bœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœ œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ

5 4

pitch descent

b b ww

Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~ ˘ mœ mœ œ Á œ mœ œ. J

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a tempo

œ.

____________ ____________

B1 With grandeur 18

>r œ

-r œ

bœ bœ bœ

6 4

˙.

Ó.

œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœ œœœ œœœœœœœœœœ œœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ

∑

b n ˙˙

3 4

œ b œ œ b œ œ b œ Uœ

3 &4

œ bœ

5 bœ bœ œ bœ &4

bœ bœ b œ œ bœ œ

œ bœ

œ œ

b˙

œ bœ bœ œ bœ œ bœ bœ œ 5 4 5

œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œ

3 4

∑

œ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ b œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ b œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ bb œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ 5

& ?

bœ U 4 bœ œ œ bœ œ 4

œ œ bœ

n˙ b˙

concert

œ œ œ bœ

poco accel.

j bœ bœ

concert

b œ- . b œ œ œ œbœ 3

bœ bœ

bœ œ œ bœ bœ œ bœ bœ bœ bœ œ bœ œ bœ œ bœ œ œ bœ nœ œ bœ 5 bœ œ œ bœ œ 4 6 6 â œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ6

accel.

bœ

œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœ œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ

? b˙ b˙

concert

w poco f

2 4

∑

a tempo

5 nœ 4 bœ bœ F

œœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœ œ œœœœœœœœœœ œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœb œ

? bw bw

concert

__ __ _ __ _

bœ

œ bœ bœ œ b œ b œ œ œ œ bœ 3

bœ

œœ œ œ

j nb œœ

6 4

6 &4

concert

Ÿi bœ œ. ˙

œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œŸ

concert

6 &4 & ?

concert

œœœ

œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ

œ œ

√

B6 > r œ

molto vib.

i Ÿ > œ bœ œ œ bœ ˙

œœ

bœ bœ œ bœ a tempo

√b

Ÿ̇i

œ̆ J F

bœ œ œ

œœ

œ b œ œ U̇ œ

‰

7 4

2 4

∑

œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œ

6 4

m˙ ˙ m˙

n n ww mw

bœ œ œ bœ U œ b œ b œ b œ b œ b œ b œ b œ b œ b œ b œ b œ b œ b œ b œ b œ Œ 43 œ œ œ œ œ b

rit.

œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ b œ œb œ b œ œ b œ œ œ b œ b œ œ b œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œœ

concert

∑

bœ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œœœœœœœœœœ 5 4 6 6 P 6 cresc. accel.

˙ b˙

w b b ww

5 n >œ b œ œ &4 F3

3 4

œ̆ ‰ ˙ J 3 f œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ

& ?

Ÿ 35 > bœ œ œ œ & 45 &

m m ˙˙ ˙

∑

4 4

4 &4

œ bœ

bœ

œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ b œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ œ œ 46 œ œ œ œ- œ

˙.

œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ

5 4

œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ

concert

7 &4

œœ

mœ mœ

Œmœ mœ

nœ mœ

œ nœ

Ÿ b ˙ bœ

B10

œ >

œ œœ

œ bœ

p Fp

i Ÿ b˙ ¥ œœ

p Í

7 4

œœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ b œœœ œœœœœ œœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœ œœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ b œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ

w b b ww

bœ bœ bœ b œ œ

Ÿi w bœ bœ nœ ƒ

press after high grain stream begins

bœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œ œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœ œœœœœœ œœœœœœ

& ?

electronic sounds rise to extremely high pitch

w b b ww

concert

Ÿ̇I

Ÿ̇>

B9 a tempo

6 œ bœ bœ &4 œœ >

œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ

Ÿ̇i

bœ œ œ bœ

poco accel.

Reflective

~30"

high grain stream

slow-moving background

∑

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ hummingbird chirp 1

hummingbird chirp 2

chirp 3

low swell

5 4

>r mœ

5 &4

Ÿ m wY

^ œ mœ mœ ≈ ‰ 6 4 R f

Íp

& 45 œ π

Ÿ b b ww

Ÿ 5 4 mw Á Íp

∑

¿¿

2 pulses

Ÿ slight pitch bend (±~1 semitone) C3 b w¥ Ÿ 2 Œ ∑ 4 b˙ f p

^r ≈ ‰ 74 œœœ f

>r œ

listen for dim. of chirps/wing noise

wing noise & chirps

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5 4

∑ ¿

5 pulses

mœ nœ mœ mœ bœ

¿ ¿¿

Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

6 ¥ 4 Á . ˙ *

˙Á

¿> f

burst 1

6 B B œœ. ‰ ‰ ≈ µ œœ. ‰ b B œœ. ‰ &4 J R J p

Ÿ w 4 5 w . j . µ w œ ≈ B B œœ ≈ µ œ ‰ B b œ. œ ‰ 45 œ w R R π ¿

U Ÿ

wÁ

Œ dim.

wing noise & chirps

chirping sounds begin

∑

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

¿> f

burst 2

Ÿ & m˙Y p

C4 62

r œ >

C5 q ≈ 64 Ÿ~~~~~ U, > Ÿ 3 U 2 nœ œ mœ m œ ˙ œ m œ Œ 4 Œ m œ m œ œ m œ 44 mœ mwY œ m œ œ m œ >Y π p espress. p sotto voce Í

œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ # # # œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ

_________

_____

live polyphony

Œ œ

œœ

* Trill loosely between E and F, allowing RH first finger to lift occasionally and A b to interject as the trill note.

> mœ œ

m˙.

U 6 Œ

mœ mœ

m˙.

ŸÁ m w m œ 6 Œ mœ mœ mœ œ mœ œ œ mœ 5 & 4 mœ 4 3 FŸ &

&Œ

wÁ

r œ œ œ mœ œ œ œ mœ mœ Nœ mœ

U 6 B œ. j œ. . œ. B œ. Œ 4 B œ ‰ ‰ B b œ. œ ‰ ≈ µ œ ‰ b B œœ Œ µ œ B œ R J J

r œ

Ÿ m w Y mœ mœ

m œ m œ œ̆ 2 J ‰ Œ 4 f

>r mœ

F 3

mœ ˙. œ m œ mœ mœ mœ >r œ

accel.

7 Œ 4

3 4

chirping sounds begin

3 &4

Ÿ m˙ Á

wild chirping

D1 With splendor q ≈ 48

6 4

¿> f

œ m m œœ

concert

f˙

Œ Œ

bw √

concert

œœ m œœ

œ œ bœ

œ bœ nœ œ œ ˙ p œœ b œœ ~~~ ~ œ m œ ~~~~ ~

µ˙

wait approx. 4 pulses after release

b œ. œ. œ. œ.

b œ. œ. π r œ r m œœ m œ

m˙.

m mn ˙˙˙ .. .

œ.

bœ 2 œ mœ 4 p 3 m m œœœ

œœ œœ œ mœ 3

œ. œ.

3 4

m m ˙˙˙

˙ m m ˙˙

semi-regular pulses ignore this tempo - do not synchronize with pulses

3 œ&4

U̇

m ˙˙ m b ˙˙˙ ...

poco

burst 3

U̇

œ. œ. œ.

nœ œ

œ œ mœ 3

œœ œ

œ m m œœ œ œœ

œœ m œœ œœ œ œ œ 3

œ.

5 4

5 &4

sub.

D2 >r mœ

fpr b b œœ œ

m˙.

˙. b ˙˙ ..

Ÿ ˙.¥

nœ 5 &4 ?

4 &4

F˙

. m ˙˙ m m ˙˙˙ ..

œ œ mœ mœ nœ œ bœ mœ œ mœ 5 Œ 44 4

˙˙ .. Á ¥ ˙. Á

b œœœ

b œ. œ.

œ bœ

j bœ D3

œ. P

œ bœ bœ bœ b œœ n œœ

œ. b œœ ..

mœ œ œ œœ n œœœ m m œœ nœ

œ J

b n œœœ J

œœœ

bœ œœ

~~~

bœ

bœ œœ œ m œœ b n œœœ b œœ œ œ

œ bœ bœ œ bœ bœ bœ bœ bœ bœ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ bœ

pœ b œ n œ b œ n œ b œœ œœ b œœ œœ b œœ n b œœœœ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ œ œœ

œ mœ œ nœ bœ œ m m œœ œœ œœ œœ n n œœ œœ m m œœœ n n œœœ

approx. 10 pulses before next meas.

concert

b œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. √

concert

6 4

U U̇

m˙

œœœ

b˙

b ˙˙ b ˙˙

bœ bœ œ

bœ bœ

b œ b œ 45 p

concert

Ÿ 5 & 4 ˙ .¥

. œ bœ œ J b œ ‰ Œ œ bœ π

∑

Œ &

cross-synthesized sax & bird chirp sounds

concert

b˙

b œ.

n œ.

b b b ˙˙˙

U̇ ˙˙˙

Œ Œ

b˙ b˙ b b b ˙˙˙ b b b ˙˙˙˙

Œ 44 Œ

4 &4

r œ >

m˙ f

poco r m œœ b œœ

mœ mœ

nœ œ mœ mœ mœ nœ nœ œ mœ mœ mœ nœ nœ œ mœ mœ mœ 3 4 4 4

m mm ˙˙˙˙ n m m œœœœ m œœœ m m m œœœ

m˙

mœ mœ

œ m œœ m m œœ œ

m m œœœ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ R

mœ

3 4

˙ m m ˙˙

m m m œœœ

mœ m m œœœ m m m œœœœ

mU˙

4 4

∑

m˙ œœœœ m m m ˙˙˙ œ m ˙

regular pulses begin. do not play in time with them.

œ. œ. œ. œ.

concert

Ÿ ŸÁ b˙. 4 & 4 œ bœ œ œ bœ bœ œ ¥ œP

bœ œ œ bœ

Ÿ̇i

œ. J ‰ Œ F

bœ œ œ bœ

6 4

∑ &

concert

6 &4

concert

r bœ

b˙

œœ

œœ œœœ bœ

b˙

4 4

œ F

harmony

œ bœ œ bœ œ bœ with bravado

bœ bœ œ

œ œ b œ œ

U̇

b b ˙˙ œ

m ˙˙

œœ œ œœ œ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ.

∑

101

m œœ ..

& ? œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ

with intensity

n œ b b œœ œ

œ J

œœ J

œœ

r œ

r mœ œ

bœ nœ

œ˙ 103 J & ‰ bœ œ & J ‰

r œ œ

œ œœ œ

m œœ b œœ œœ n œœ

˙˙

3 4

œœœ ˙ œ œ 5

m ˙˙ m œœ b œœ œœ n œœ œœ n m ˙˙˙ 5

concert

& œ œ f espress.

106

œ œ bœ œ

bœ œ œ œ 3

bœ œ œ

œœ œ

4 4

U̇

b nn ˙˙˙˙ ˙

owlet calls begin

bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b b œœœ œœœ œœ œœœ œœœœ œœœ œœœœ œœ œœœ œœœœ

U̇

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 5 4 3 3 Ï œ ˙ œœœœ œ œ œ œœœœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ 3

concert

∑

˙.

œ œ. œ œ œ b œ bœ œ P dolcemente; molto rubato D9

distant bird call

3 4

∑

wing noise & chirps

rapid upward gesture

3 &4

œm œ m œ œ œ

œ œ œ

12 œm œ œœ œ œmœm œ œ œ m œm œ m œ œ m œ m œ m œ œ œœ œ

concert

109

œœ

concert

>r œ

œœ

4 œ 4

œ bœ œ œ œ œ

U b œ b œ b œ b œ- œ œ . œœ

‰

___________ _____ ___________ __________________________ ____ 13

D10

3 &4

112

œ œ bœ

bœ.

bœ bœ

b˙

œ œ œ 4 & 4 œ bœ p ?

Íp

4 4

-œ œ b œ Ubœ bœ œ œ œ

œ 3 bœ œ œ 4

œ bœ bœ œ bœ.

œ bœ œ

5 4

F _______________________ _______________ _____________

œ œ 116 5 J &4 dolcemente

^ U œ mœ mœ ≈ ‰ Œ R f hummingbird

114

concert

5 4

Ÿ m ˙.Y

______ b __________________ b ______________ _____________________________

concert

≈ bœ bœ bœ

bœ J

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∑

bœ

__________

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owl call

5 – 10"

14" fadeout

wind & leaves ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~