Étoiles de mer by Kirsten Volness

Ă&#x2030;toiles de Mer _________________________________________________________

for cello, percussion, and stereo digital sound

Kirsten Volness 2010

Performance notes: ª All accidentals carry through the bar in which they appear. ª Electronic parts are cued via MAX patch by third performer. ª Cello should be amplified whenever possible to balance with percussion and electronics. ª When portamento is indicated, hold first pitch almost full duration and slide into next pitch. ª When glissando is indicated, sound first pitch and immediately slide evenly over duration of gliss. to final pitch, unless otherwise indicated. ª All percussion instruments are to be left to vibrate (l.v.) at all times. ª Percussionist may adjust dynamics as needed to balance with cello and electronics. ª Lighting cue is to be executed whenever possible. ª Final section (percussion set-up 2) is to be played from behind, above, below or within the audience. Choose the most acoustically pleasing spot, preferably out of sight if room is not dark. This will likely require the percussionist to play O to end from memory. Percussion instruments, implements, and legend: Medium triangle Two (2) Tom-toms Drum sticks Three (3) temple blocks (or other mounted woodblocks) Cowbell (nice, resonant one) Yarn mallets Medium suspended cymbal Crotales (high octave) Plastic mallets Kick Drum Five (5) Temple bowls Wooden temple bowl beaters

Program note: Having recently moved to Rhode Island, living near the ocean has inspired my interest in the ecosystems of a new and intriguing environment. Sea stars, or starfish (étoiles de mer), are said to have been around for 400 million to a billion years and some are regarded as keystone species, whose role as predators is critical to maintaining balance within the ecosystem. I was inspired by their symmetrical bodies, prickly skins, regenerative capabilities, and fragility of existence in a world among modern humans. Duration: 10’

Written for Uncanny Valley Katie Kennedy, cello and Bill Solomon, percussion Video component commissioned by Providence Premieres New Music Festival for its 2014 Season.

for Bill Solomon and Katie Kennedy Video component commissioned by Providence Premieres New Music Festival for its 2014 season

Étoiles de Mer Mysterious, but with an energetic pulse restless, anxious, breathless, and on top of the beat q=138-144

Violoncello

? 44

∑

œ.bœ. œ. œ. œ- œ. œ. œ. bœ- œ. œ. œ œ œ. œ. >œ p

1 11 1 4 J Œ ‰ /4

Kirsten Volness

cresc. through held notes, then resume previous dynamic level unless otherwise indicated

> œ. j œ ‰ bœ. œ œ- œ œbœ bœ. Œ Œ . . . .

Med. triangle

with sticks

Percussion

l.v. sempre all instruments

∑

Temple/mounted woodblocks 6

3 ‰ ¿¿¿¿ ¿ ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ ¿

1 11 p

‰ j >œ

Vc.

Perc.

‰ bœj œ œ. b œ œ œ œ œ. . . œ. - œ. œ. . œ. . > œ. #œ. >œ œ œ.bœ. œ œ œ. œ. >œ sub p

/ Œ

> j œ ‰ œ. œbœbœ œJ ‰ Ó

¿ ¿ ‰ ¿¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿¿¿ ¿ Œ ‰ ¿¿¿ ¿ ¿ ‰ ¿j ‰ ¿¿¿ ¿ ‰ ¿¿¿ ¿ ¿¿ ¿¿ 3

sfz

1 mf

‰ œ. bœ J . #>œ œnœ.bœ. œ. œ- œ. œ. œ. mp

3 3 1 1 1 ¿¿¿ œ J ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ‰ ¿¿¿ ¿ ¿ ‰ ‰ Suspended cymbal

2 13

Vc.



                  f

            sub mf

sfz

Perc.



3   3          

  

Kick drum



  



3 3                                

                         3       3

Perc.



Vc.

 

 

sub f







  p

more confidently

Perc.



                mp 

                                                            

Vc.



     



Bell ---|

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010



  

 norm.

          

      3      Bell ---|

                    mp

sub p

sub pp

     



3 3 3  3                       

  6



l.v.                  

Vc.

Perc.





 3                            mf

 

Vc.

l.v.

       

              

                      3 3

Perc.

 Vc.

  

     

Perc.





 



sfz n

sfz

 

mfsub p

           

  

   

                       f

        

More aggressive, with belligerence

                      sfz mf press    

   

                                 3 3 6 

          

                 p mp



Tom-Toms (2)

Cantabile

           



  

  



        p

          p

                                             6

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010

4 Vc.

                     sub p

   

       

    

Perc.



 



 

press



 

Perc.









              6

Perc.

             



 

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010

   

   

 

   

gliss.





     sub p



      

            





     





               sub p 

             6



  

press

            

          



rim shots

Vc.

       



                                            

Vc.

        



 

  



1 E Wail   

 

Vc.

      

      mf



sub mp

sfz

    



  

                                                                                      Cowbell

Perc.

Elec.



E Wail    

Perc.

  

sfp

   

 

. gliss . gliss

 

   

   

Airy reverb

sfp

 

sub mp

        mf

       sfz



                                                               mp

Elec.

  

 

   

Tambourine

 

 

Throbbing, overdriven cello

Vc.

sub mp

 

    

sfp

   f

  

  

sfp

    

  



  



 



                      

          

      sfz

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010

6 72



Vc.

gliss.

      

   

gliss.



 



       



sfp

 

     

short Poco rubato et rall.

            mf

                                

Perc.

Elec.



 

   

lazy roll on bell





short Poco rubato et rall.

 





Largo – sostenuto

                    

  

   



 



   

edge

Largo – sostenuto



 





3"              

Vc.

Tempo I – Inquisitively q=138-144

Perc.

     f

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010



bell mp







     p



   





                               mp

moving gradually nearer to edge



 mf



        f





edge

strike edge horizontally



   

mf pp



           

Vc.

    gliss.          mf

norm.

Perc.



3                                        

G Discontented         

Vc.



sfz

Perc.

 Vc.

Perc.

       

  

 

3 3                             6

   

    

 

    

   

     

                                                                                            mp

101

 

   

    



sul pont.



gliss.

                                          



gliss.

    mf





                              Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010

8 H

106

Vc.

 

2 Suddenly calm and airy ord.

  

 

                 p

H Elec.







Perc.

Elec.



  



 p

    



                      



               



sim.

High, reverberant noise (continues until fermata)

     

  

                  mp



Suddenly calm and airy

113

Vc.

  

Perc.









  

                    



Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010

 

port.





             mf

 

  

  

   mf

            p







             mp

       p

9 120

Vc.

    p

Perc.

 

  f

     

 



  

non decresc.

    

                  



   

                

f*non decresc.

    

    



               





 

 

 

 

*quieter if necessary for balance

Elec.







I Distantly — Slightly slower, with rubato q=116

           

127

Vc.

sul tasto

Perc.

 



  

   



  

                    

Yarn mallets



 filter

   

                

  



Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010

Cue electronics after cello begins to play note under fermata

A tempo, sempre legato (q=116)

   

134

Vc.

Perc.

Elec.











 

  

 

  

Lament



ord.



   

A tempo, sempre legato (q=116) Triangle





  



 p

Lament

* 

   *squiggle connotes shimmery delay



Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010





Cello



   



 



   

 

    





 

  



 

sim.





 

sim.

  





 



  p

  

 

      







   

Metallic ringing







 mp

 

11  

146

Vc.







 

 p

Perc.



 



Elec.

 





 

 mf



 







 mf

 

 

 

 





(0:26)

 

 

 

p mf



sub mf

sim.

 







 





p mf

  

sub mf

           

(0:26)

   

 

 

3 Shaker

 p

Air sound





sub mf

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010

12 152

Vc.

 



 f

Perc.



 



Elec.



 

sub mp



  





sfz

 

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010



sub mp







 



 

sfz









 





 

           3

  







   





 











  

 



 







    

panning



159

Vc.

 

poco stringendo

   

  

Perc.







Elec.



A tempo



 

               pp

 



 

  



    

poco stringendo

delay

  p

sim.

   





 

      mf

        



 



         



A tempo

 

   

 

 



 

 



A tempo

        

  

cédez

Metallic scraping/ringing

     mf

  



cédez

  

 



A tempo

 



  mp

 

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010

14 K (0:51)                 

168

Vc.

Perc.



Elec.

              

sim.

    



K  

Dragging slightly

  

(0:51)





Cello

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010

       p



             

   









 

 

sim.







  



      mp

 

               



              

  

 

 



   

sim.

 



                

   

Dragging slightly



 



   

     

  



  mp

  

178

Vc.

Perc.

 







Elec.







          



 

  

  





  



       

        

  



 



             

  

 



  



 mp

  

  

     

15 (1:16) Moving forward

 

   

  

p mf





   

                     

 

(1:16) Moving forward

Trembling reedy cello

               

sub mf

 

  

Piano Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010

16   



185

Vc.

Perc.



       



Elec.

 

  



 



    

     

   





  



 

              

       

  

  









        

sub mp

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010



 





       mp Piano

   

 



 



 



Triangle



poco stringendo







 p



   

poco stringendo



    

                  

   

   p

  



193

Vc.

Perc.

  

  



             



   

Elec.



sfz





 







  p

  

              

       

 

  



sfz

Cello







(1:34) A tempo







(1:34) A tempo





 

 



 

                       

       

 

 

       mp

 



 

17 

 p



               

 

  

  

 



 



 

  

 

           

   mf

        mp

 

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010



202

Vc.

Perc.

    

 

  

       

    

  



      





 

 

 

     

poco stringendo



  



Bells (glock)

 

       

    

Tambourine

   

Elec.

poco stringendo

  

   





 



            

   

                 

           

 

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010

     



    

   

 

 

         Piano Reverse piano



      (mp)

 



 



           

     

  



211

Vc.

Perc.





 

A tempo gliss. gliss.

 

        

M (2:07)     

mf Plastic mallets (not metal) more sustain, less attack











Elec.

         





 



   

                

 

 

     

    



            5 5

 

A tempo

Reverse sweep shaker

      mf  



 

 

    Crotales

 

M  

(2:07) High ringing/scraping

             

                 



 



       mf

     Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010



  

219

Vc.

Perc.





   

 



 

 

  

 

 



  

    

   

                      

        

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010

 



    

 

   

          

   

 

  

sim. continues and builds

   



  

sub mf



Elec.

poco stringendo

  



  

poco stringendo



   





Reedy cello/ goose honk

   

                       

 

   



 

          

        

 



229

Vc.

Perc.

Elec.

    



   

(2:25) A tempo 

 f



  

    

   

   

 

 

 



 

Triangle







   

       





  

                        

 

 

   

  



 



             

   



   

    





 

(2:25) A tempo



 



   

  

    mf

 

 mf

   

                       

              

   

 

 

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010



poco stringendo

238

Vc.

Perc.

 





 

Elec.

 









  

   



 

  



 







   





       

Croak



      

 

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010





   



  

     



          

 



 

 

 

    

poco stringendo





           Piano 

    



 

   





 



  

243

Vc.

Perc.



  

Elec.



 



   



 

            



 





move to set-up 2



 Metal scraping







   

   







 



           

 











                   



 

    



 



 



Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010

24 N

   

248

Vc.

(2:54) Meno mosso — poco rubato q=84

 



gliss.

   p



  mp

 



(3:02)



 





   

 pp

port.

  

  

 p

(2:54)

Elec.

N  Meno mosso — poco rubato (3:02)   q=84                                                delay  p Electronic cues suggest approx. relationship between parts, allowing for rubato between general arrival points (marked by timings). Triangle cues (3-5) to follow cellist.



4 255

Vc.



  

(3:14)

molto rit.

   

 

  

(3:27) Lights fade out over gliss reaching black on release

sul tasto

 

gliss.

 

gliss.

 

    

molto rit.

Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010



 



 

(3:27) Lights fade out over gliss reaching black on release

                                        

      

(3:14)

Elec.

25 O 261

Perc.



Temple bowls

   

l.v. sempre mf

 





 

lazy grace note



   



 

 

longer



   mf

 





 

To be played from behind, above, or within audience. Choose most acoustically pleasing spot, preferably out of sight if room is not dark.

273

Perc.

Very slow, a piacere

   mp

lazier grace note



 



 

     Slower

     

each fermata should be successively longer

 

  

   mp

let sound decay completely



Kirsten Volness - Étoiles de Mer - 2010