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Contemporary Music Review
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Performing Sequenza VII Christopher Redgate
To cite this Article Redgate, Christopher(2007) 'Performing Sequenza VII', Contemporary Music Review, 26: 2, 219 — 230 To link to this Article: DOI: 10.1080/07494460701295374 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07494460701295374
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Contemporary Music Review Vol. 26, No. 2, April 2007, pp. 219 – 230
Performing Sequenza VII
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Christopher Redgate
Christopher Redgate offers an approach to dealing with some of the issues performers face in preparation of Sequenza VII through a study of the different versions of the work that are available. Keywords: Berio; Sequenza VII; Chemins IV; Extended Techniques Introduction When Sequenza VII1 first appeared in 1969 it was arguably the most difficult work in the oboe repertoire. Indeed even today it is still considered to be one of the major technical challenges for the oboist. The work contains a number of problems for the interpreter, including, occasionally, discerning exactly what the composer intends. The challenge is less formidable today given the number of recordings that are available, but listening to recordings does not always bring clarity to the technical problems as it is not always easy to tell exactly what a performer is doing simply by listening. Sequenza VII is a seminal work in the literature of the oboe.2 The work is one of the few written using ‘extended techniques’ that has been accepted into the wider oboeplaying community including being a chosen as a set piece at major international competitions.3 At the time of writing, ‘extended techniques’ were still relatively new and little explored; they are, however, beautifully integrated into the composition. The work demands from the oboist a very high level of technical and musical virtuosity, in terms not only of finger dexterity, breath and embouchure control, but also of an ability to interpret the complex lines and to cope with the timing and pacing. The work is an excellent example of idiomatic writing for the oboe. The choices made by Berio in this respect could hardly be better.4 He has shaped the work around the exact range of the instrument as it was generally accepted to be at the time: Bb3 to G65 and the choice of the B natural, B4, which forms a ‘tonic’6 around which the work evolves, could not be better chosen. This particular pitch can be achieved on the instrument using an extraordinary number of fingerings.
ISSN 0749-4467 (print)/ISSN 1477-2256 (online) ª 2007 Taylor & Francis DOI: 10.1080/07494460701295374
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Sequenza VII is published on one large sheet. The most recent publication includes two versions of the work. On one side is Sequenza VIIa (Revised Version 2000) (RV) and on the reverse is Sequenza VIIa supplementary edition by Jacqueline Leclair (JLV) (2000). The JLV was developed as a study version for oboists and the RV is the performing version.7 The JLV differs from the RV in that it includes time signatures (rather than the indication of seconds, as in the RV), the proportional notation is replaced by a fully realised version, and the ‘as short as possible’ symbol is removed.8 I first studied the work in the 1970s and have always performed from a copy from that period (OV). The RV/JLV corrects some small errors in the OV9and includes some important revisions. These revisions have been made in order to facilitate a more practical approach to performance. Paul Roberts, who worked extensively on this edition with Berio, suggests that the JLV ‘should be taken as the most reliable version’.10 Included with both the OV and the RV/JLV are a list of instructions for the realisation of the sounds and extended techniques, written by Heinz Holliger. In the more recent publication (RV/JLV), these are reproduced exactly as they were in the earlier edition. They have not been altered to reflect the revisions of some of the double harmonic fifths in the text. In addition to the versions mentioned above there are a number of others. The earliest form of the work, published as Studie zu Sequenza VII11 (ESV), is obviously a version of the Sequenza. Two points are significant for our discussion: the metronome indication—crochet equals 62—and the triple-time nature of the piece. There are once again instructions on performance included with the publication (written by Holliger). Sequenza VII was reworked for soprano saxophone12 (SV). The composer worked in conjunction with the saxophonist Claude Delangle. Of particular relevance to our discussion is Berio’s apparent preference for the version for saxophone13 and the directions for performance written by Delangle. There are some minor changes to the text, including the altered double harmonic 5ths, which are consistent with the RV/JLV. Berio reworked Sequenza VII in a version for oboe and 11 strings in 1975 and in 1992 for saxophone and strings: Chemins IV. The two versions, for oboe and for soprano saxophone, have performing directions written by Holliger and Delangle, respectively. The edited version of Chemins IV also has the microtonally altered double harmonics in both versions. Of particular importance to our discussion are the tempo indication (quaver ¼ 110 – 120), the loss of the proportional notation and the introduction of time signatures. The pauses, instead of being played through by the performer, as is the case with the majority of them in the Sequenza, offer a breathing space and, interestingly, often have substantial string activity. In the oboe version the strings are muted but in the saxophone version they are not. From the opening bar the performer is faced with a number of issues of interpretation: Choices need to be made concerning the B natural fingerings, how the sustained B natural is to be performed, how the proportional notation is to be read
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and interpreted and how to cope with the time indications in seconds. These decisions are foundational to the detailed interpretation of the work. The B(s)
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Even a most cursory look at the score will establish the central role of the B natural in the work. Berio, in his programme notes for the Sequenza, states: . . . I carry on the research of a latent polyphony putting into perspective the complex sound structures of the instrument with an ever-present ‘tonic’: a B natural that can be played pianissimo by any other instrument, behind the stage or in the audience. It is a harmonic perspective that contributes to a subtler analytic insight of the various stages of transformation of the solo part.14
Two brief observations on the above comment are called for. First, the B natural can also be played, according to the notes in the score, on an electronic source or with pre-recorded instruments.15 I have also seen it being performed using several stringed instruments. Second, the comment that the B natural can be performed ‘in the audience’ does not appear in the instructions that accompany the score; rather, they state that the ‘sound-source must not be visible’. This is of course not the only B in the work. The opening line of the oboe part consists of nothing else. This is, however, ‘coloured’ by the use of six different fingerings and by a range of articulations, ties with fingering changes and a wide variety of dynamics. Berio does not himself give specific fingerings but leaves them to the choice of the oboist; Berio simply gives numbers from one to five. Altogether, then, he asks for these five fingerings, plus the ‘normal’ fingering and also a harmonic fingering (see bar 93). One of the most important interpretative questions that these fingerings raise is how to choose them. The score offers no instructions from Berio. Holliger’s fingerings are a helpful start but for various reasons these are sometimes not practical. The B natural fingerings in the ESV occur in a numerically different order to those of the Sequenza (ESV begins 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 1 . . . while Sequenza VII begins 3, 5, 3, 4, 2, 3, 4 . . . ). Holliger offers several illuminating comments in his commentary on the ESV.16 Concerning the B natural fingerings (and applying the same principle to the other alternative fingerings needed), Holliger suggests, ‘These timbres should deviate more and more from the timbres of the normal fingerings, in relation to the numeration (1) to (5)’.17 There is obviously progression intended here, according to this comment, but exactly what does ‘deviate’ mean? Getting brighter and brighter or perhaps darker and darker? This instruction can be found repeated in other discussions about the Sequenza and the choice of B fingerings. Holliger also states: ‘The fingerings on the chart are only suggestions. Each student can choose for himself other fingerings which are better suited to his instrument’.18 So the oboist does not have to use Holliger’s19 suggested fingerings but if s/he doesn’t or can’t then other fingerings should be chosen according to the above principle—that of differentiation.
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In studying the use of the B naturals in the Sequenza there are perhaps some generalisations that can be made about the use of specific fingering numbers and in turn perhaps these generalisations could help the oboist to make reasonable choices. Many of the fingering options available for the B natural offer slight microtonal differences. Some of them would be difficult to use in combination with each other simply because of the clumsiness of the fingerings—making difficult the smooth transition required in some sections of the work. Therefore many of the possible fingerings can be eliminated on the grounds of pitch or practicality. The dynamics are a significant factor in choosing the fingerings because some will only work at a lower dynamic. Some general observations can be made concerning the fingerings numbered 1 – 5: (1) (2) (3) (4)
(5)
needs a wide range of dynamics and is usually the fingering used in passages which include bisbigliando; is used with a broad range of dynamics; is generally used as a quieter fingering; is for the quiet notes and is used in the first two of the pauses at a ppp dynamic. It is occasionally used as a grace note anacrusis to the main B natural pitch; is always quiet and is used on several occasions as the fingering following a tied ‘sffz’ grace note on the same pitch.
The same principle can be applied to the other pitches that require this treatment. The ESV includes another instruction, which is not included in the introduction to the Sequenza: the 1st finger LH key should be slightly unscrewed in order to obtain some of the fingerings.20 (This can also help with the double harmonics and the multiphonics later in the work.) The Text Before discussing the issues surrounding the proportional notation there are some general observations concerning the text, which it is important for the performer to understand. The musical text that a performer works from and possibly performs from can play an important part in the interpretation and performance of a work. A text communicates, at the most basic level, the information that a composer wishes to present to the performer. Even the precise layout of each bar is very important. Performers then add to the text reminders, re-writings, even in some cases colouring in of specific details in order to highlight them. The text becomes personal. The look of a piece of music can play a significant part in the performance of the work, not only at the superficial level but also at the far more important level of inspiration. The layout of the text can alter the response of the performer. This is especially so when the text is as visually stimulating as Sequenza VII.21
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The way Sequenza VII is printed (on one side of one large sheet) not only obviates the necessity for any page turns but also creates a very special visual effect. The unity of the work as displayed on one sheet in this way echoes the unity of the work that is brought about by the continually sounding B natural. There is a link between the visual and the aural. The special ‘as short as possible’ indications and layout of the proportionally notated sections also add significantly to the look of the text (see Figure 1). Paul Roberts sums up the RV text very well when he states: Of course the intention behind this notation is for the benefit of the performer who within a controlled freedom will never play the piece in exactly the same way as another, even though the content and the character of the piece will always remain identical. (Roberts, 2003)
There is an essential tension built into the Sequenza between the ‘freedom’ of the proportionally notated sections and the precisely written material.22 This tension must not be lost in performance. It is important to point out, however, that the proportional notation gives only very limited freedom to the performer. The noteheads are placed carefully within the context of the space and any studious performer should have a good idea of where to place these notes. Berio has, on occasion,23 asked performers to memorise the work. This removes the text completely from the performer on stage and begs the question as to how the performer memorises and performs the work maintaining the tensions mentioned above. Response to proportional notation, unless the performer has a visual memory, is going to be altered and any response to the text may well be learned in advance of the performance. One is going to have to use very advanced memorisation techniques in order to maintain the studied spontaneity and tension implied in the text. The JLV aims to help performers deal with the problem of both the proportional notation and the time indications. A brief comparison of Figure 1 (RV) and Figure 2 (JLV) will demonstrate the difference. In the JLV the proportional notation is written out and the ‘seconds’ indications have been realised as time signatures.24 The JLV is therefore a very useful learning tool but I would also encourage students to work with the proportional notation, partly to gain experience of some basic improvisation from a text, as well as to prepare for performance from the RV. Multiphonics, Double Harmonics and Overblowing Two categories of sound production require in-depth discussion—namely, the use of multiphonics and double harmonics, and overblowing. The challenge the oboist faces here is that some of the double harmonics (and occasionally the multiphonics) cannot, on some instruments or reed designs, be reproduced exactly. In particular the perfect fifths sometimes do not sound like perfect fifths. This is in part a problem of instrumental design and in part
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Figure 1 Luciano Berio, Sequenza VII, first four bars of line 1 of the RV. Copyright 1971, Universal Edition (London) Ltd., London. Reproduced by permission. All rights reserved.
Figure 2 Luciano Berio, Sequenza VIIa, first four bars of line 1 of the JLV. Copyright 2001, Universal Edition A.G., Vienna. Reproduced by permission. All rights reserved.
due to differences of reed styles. The problem was recognised by Berio and in the RV/ JLV the notation of some of the fifths has been revised to include a microtonal change.25 In the OV the ‘perfect fifth’ double harmonics are notated as perfect fifths, while in the RV, JLV and SV as well as in the modern editions of Chemins IV, a number of the double fifths have been notated microtonally altered (see Figure 3). Though one would have expected the RV and the JLV to be identical in these alterations there are in fact a number of differences. The SV and the JLV are identical with one exception, and that is bar 150, where the SV agrees with the RV. This, I am convinced, should be seen as a printing error in the JLV. Chemins IV at this same point, bar 193, also has a perfect fifth in the oboe version and a microtonally altered fifth in the sax version. I am equally certain that the oboe version should be microtonally altered here as well. Two of the multiphonics differ in the SV from the oboe versions: bars 161 and 168. As we have observed above, in none of the
Figure 3 Luciano Berio, Sequenza VIIa, bars 11 – 13 of line 4 of the RV. Copyright 1971, Universal Edition (London) Ltd., London. Reproduced by permission. All rights reserved.
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performance instructions are these microtonal alterations mentioned: The perfect fifth double harmonics are printed with no reference made concerning the changes. I have also consulted a number of the ‘compendium style’ books that give lists of fingerings for a wide range of multiphonics and these altered fifths do not appear as fingering options. It is well documented (see, for example, Burgess & Haynes, 2004) that the double harmonic fifths are very difficult to produce on some instruments and possibly also on some reed styles. This is of course a great problem for oboists learning or wishing to perform the work. Paul Roberts suggests: Luciano Berio was a practical musician and realised that this notation of the multiphonics could not be 100% precise. In a performance of Sequenza VII the player (oboist, or saxophonist) must produce a convincing effect with the multiphonics. The quarter-tone indications should be understood as margins of error, since it is taken for granted that a perfect intonation is almost impossible.26
This to me is a very convincing argument for these changes and for the resultant potential for a range of possible options for these harmonics. The oboist therefore should get as close to the ideal as possible—perfect fifths—but the composer recognised that there is a problem and in making these alterations the problem is acknowledged and a small range of alternatives that could include limited pitch changes is sanctioned. The oboist should seek fingerings27 that get as close as possible to the ideal but not shy away from the performance of the work if the double fifths are not perfect. Overblowing This is symbolised in the text by a ‘Z’ with a line through it, brackets and a line to indicate its duration (see Figure 4). The ‘overblow’ issue also has problems of interpretation.28 On the oboe, to ‘overblow’ implies blowing hard enough that the pitch splits thus creating some distortion or indeed a multiphonic sound. The problems are simple: many of the pitches chosen for overblowing are unsuitable in that they produce little effect when
Figure 4 Luciano Berio, Sequenza VIIa, bars 8 – 11 of line 3 of the RV. Copyright 1971, Universal Edition (London) Ltd., London. Reproduced by permission. All rights reserved.
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pushed in this way (see Van Cleve, 1991). Two of the ‘overblow’ sections are not single notes but short phrases (bars 94 and 144). Many of the ‘overblow’ pitches also have other pitch alteration or distortion attached to them—either microtonal trills or flutter tonguing. The interpreter’s question must be: ‘What sound is Berio seeking when he indicates ‘‘overblow’’?’ Holliger’s instructions offer a range of fingerings, some with instructions to increase lip pressure or to increase air pressure.29 No suggestions are offered for the two passages that have short phrases (bars 94 and 144). In the instructions to the SV, Delangle also suggests fingerings for the individual notes. His performance directions imply that some of the overblown pitches result in multiple pitches of an unspecified nature. For the phrases in bars 94 and 144, he suggests ‘growling’ throughout the whole of 94 (with flutter tongue where indicated) and in 144 growling throughout the first part of the passage. The last six notes of the passage in the saxophone version include flutter tonguing, and this, it would appear, takes over from the growl. The flutter tonguing in this passage appears in the sax version (also in Chemins IV—sax version) but not in any oboe versions. Bringing together these different instructions—alternative fingerings, growling and increased embouchure pressure—along with the observation that most of the individual notes have some form of ‘distortion’ already, I suggest that what is being looked for at these moments is a fairly extreme form of distortion where the written pitch(es) is a guide that should be distorted. I see no reason why the oboist should not also add a ‘growl’. This I suggest would be in keeping with the spirit of the music. There are two additional overblown pitches in the SV that are marked flutter tongue in the oboe versions—including the G6 climax of the work.30 In the SV one of the later multiphonics employs different pitches. Tempo and the Length of the Work The duration of the work is an important area for discussion. When all of the seconds are added up the work is about 7 minutes long.31 However, a number of writers32 observe that that many of the recordings (including those of Holliger the dedicatee) are longer than the mathematically correct length of the piece.33 Libby van Cleve suggests ‘that Berio (like many composers) gives slightly optimistic tempo indications, and that some flexibility in time . . . is permissible’ (Van Cleve, 1991). My own approach is that the basic unit of the second is an ideal unit to use in a work with a grid notation such as this, rather than using a unit of say 1.2’ which would lead to some complex durations! I am convinced that Berio intended the ‘seconds’ pulse to be a guide and that it is much more important to maintain the relative bar lengths.34 Comparison of the tempo indications in the related works is quite informative: The ESV is ‘crotchet equals 62 (sempre)’ and Chemins IV is ‘quaver equals 110 – 120’. There is a little flexibility in these tempos, possibly suggesting that some flexibility could be allowed in performance. The JLV could be a tremendous help in practising to maintain the integrity of the differing bar lengths.
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General Interpretation Issues Having negotiated the issues raised above—choices of fingerings, multiphonic problems, tempo and so on—the performer is in a position to begin work on the main issues of interpretation. As has already been observed, it is vital in performance to maintain the tension between the strictly notated sections and the proportionally notated sections. This difference needs to be practised.35 The score contains no words of instruction—there are no indications as to the nature of the colours required or the style in which any particular passages are to be played. The performer is required to consider carefully the colours, character and moods of the piece. These should be considered in conjunction with the overall journey. This aspect of the work is of considerable importance to the interpretation in that, as with the variety afforded from performance to performance of the proportionally notated material, there is another level of potential change from performance to performance. The use of vibrato is an issue of particular relevance especially where the pauses are concerned. A number of the pauses work well with no vibrato at all and on a couple of occasions could ‘melt’ into the sustained background B. The pauses themselves are a very significant part of the work’s architecture and contribute significantly to the pacing, especially towards the end of the piece. Special consideration should also be given to the use of vibrato on the multiphonics. Vibrato on multiphonics can be wonderful,36 but in the context of this work it can take away from the stillness sometimes implied by the context. The overblowing and frequently the flutter tonguing should be viewed as very harsh distortions. Something in the way oboists are brought up to make as an agreeable sound as possible can make performers reticent about making the kinds of sounds Berio requires. I wonder if Berio’s preference for the sax version can at least in part be explained by the fact that the sax can make a colossal sound at these points. I have alluded already to the journey of the work. This is a particularly important concept in the Sequenza. At its centre is the stasis of the continually sounding B natural. Around this a web is woven where new pitches are introduced in a very disciplined manner,37 moving towards the ‘climax’ of the work, the high G6 in bar 123. From here onward there is an unwinding towards the end which is facilitated by pauses, bringing greater and greater stillness to the work and lengthening each line considerably. Considering the work as a journey or as a developing web offers the performer an approach with which to evaluate the choice of colours, to understand the shifting moods and to plan the pacing of the work as a whole. The Sequenza is finding a major place in the repertoire of the modern oboist. This is a work that should be studied at college level. The ESV and the JLV both offer the student helpful routes into the work and the technical demands, while being very
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challenging, can add to the refinement of traditional oboe technique. Young composers likewise will find a great deal to study, not only in the comparison and analysis of the different versions but also through the study of beautifully idiomatic yet virtuoso oboe writing. Notes [1]
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[2] [3] [4] [5]
[6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]
[14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]
[20] [21]
[22] [23]
Sequenza VII was written for the oboist Heinz Holliger, who gave it its first performance in Basle, Switzerland. See for example Holliger’s (1972) introductory notes in Pro Musica Nova. See Burgess & Haynes (2004), p. 279 (n32). See ibid., p. 279. A6 and B6 had both been written for before this. Berio’s choice not to use these pitches could have been compositional rather than based on the limitations of the instrument. B6 he certainly would not have used. B4 is the only B natural pitch used in the piece. See Roberts (2003). Berio refers to the B natural as a tonic in his programme note to the Sequenza. This information comes from Jacqueline Leclair’s ‘beriooboesequenza’ website. The information is not stated on the published copy—an issue that could cause confusion. There are a number of other minor differences between the two—but these are errors rather than deliberate textual changes. It should be noted that there are some errors in the RV that are correct in the JLV. Paul Roberts, personal email communication to the author. This was apparently a draft version of the Sequenza. A version of this draft was used in the first performance of the Sequenza. Known as Sequenza VIIb. Paul Roberts, in a personal email communication to the author, states, ‘It may be disappointing for oboists to learn, but in private, Luciano Berio admitted that he preferred the saxophone version of Sequenza VII. The reason being that the multiphonics—and all the other special timbral effects—work better on the saxophone, which is a much more powerful instrument . . .’. Berio’s programme notes. Footnote in the published score. I suggest that it is safe to assume that Berio’s influence is contained in the comment, as Holliger worked closely with him on this work. See Holliger’s (1972) introductory notes in Pro Musica Nova. See Holliger’s (1972) introductory notes in Pro Musica Nova. Jacqueline Leclair, on her ‘beriooboesequenza’ website, states: ‘The Sequenzas of Berio should be approached with the understanding that the virtuoso, the interpreter, has a great deal of latitude. Holliger’s suggestions about performance technique choices should be taken with at least a grain of salt . . . . Many of the techniques, like the double harmonics, can be supplanted with various multiphonics, as long as the pitch content is correct. The ‘‘B’’s, for example, can be fingered any number of ways’. See Holliger’s (1972) introductory notes in Pro Musica Nova. This discussion can be applied to the performance of a great deal of the more complex music being written today. The visual impression of the music is an important factor in performance that should not be overlooked by performer or composer. See Jacqueline Leclair’s ‘beriooboesequenza’ website. Melinda Maxwell, Director of Woodwind Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, performed the work from memory at Berio’s request.
Contemporary Music Review [24] [25] [26] [27]
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[28] [29] [30]
[31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37]
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See Van Cleve (1991) for another discussion of time signatures. This is also reflected in Chemins IV and in the saxophone versions of both works. Paul Roberts, private email communication with the author. Jacqueline Leclair, on her ‘beriooboesequenza’ website, is planning to offer a range of fingerings for these fifths. This problem is discussed by Van Cleve (1991, 2004) and by Leclair. See instructions published with the Sequenza. Top G, which appears four times in the piece, twice as a very short note and twice flutter tongued, has a challenging technical problem. In its last appearance it should be performed ff followed by a sudden drop to p, over the bar line, while maintaining the flutter tonguing. The OV simply repeats the pitch and the flutter tonguing indication at the beginning of the new bar. But the RV includes a tie over the bar line and an additional harmonic symbol over the second G. In the copy I have the flutter tonguing mark is missing from the second G. The JLV includes the tie, which is dotted, the flutter tonguing and the harmonic symbol. There is also a diminuendo added to the first G. This makes the execution of this note much easier. The copy I have of the RV looks as if there has been a diminuendo but that it has not printed properly. The SV has an overblow indication instead of the flutter, a tie and a harmonic but no diminuendo. The saxophone version of Chemins IV also includes a diminuendo. Chemins IV for oboe includes the harmonic and the flutter along with the diminuendo. I have, over the years, heard several different solutions to this problem and I suggest that the diminuendo is a very good way of dealing with the problem but, I further suggest, the sudden drop in dynamic over the bar line would be Berio’s ideal. The publisher states 10 minutes as the duration on the Universal Edition website. Van Cleve (2004), Burgess & Haynes (2004), and Leclair on her ‘beriooboesequenza’ website. My own recording is 8 minutes (Oboe Classics). Leclair, ‘beriooboesequenza’ website. Ibid. See the comments in Van Cleve (2004). For detailed discussion of the pitches in the work and some in-depth study of the structure, see Roberts (2003) and Osmond-Smith (1991).
References Berio, Luciano. (1969a). Sequenza VII for Oboe (programme notes provided by Universal Edition). Berio, Luciano. (1969b, rev. 2000). Sequenza VIIa. Vienna: Universal Edition A.G. Berio, Luciano. (1971a). Sequenza VII. London: Universal Edition (London) Ltd. Berio, Luciano. (1971b). Studie zu Sequenza VII. In Heinz Holliger (Ed.), Pro Musica Nova Studien zum Spielen Neuer Music. Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Ha¨rtel. Berio, Luciano. (1975/2000). Chemins IV (su Sequenza VII), for Oboe (or Soprano Saxophone) and 11 Strings. Vienna: Universal Edition A.G. Berio, Luciano. (n.d.). Programme notes as supplied by Universal Edition, Vienna. Burgess, Geoffrey & Haynes, Bruce. (2004). The Oboe. Yale Musical Instrument Series. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. Holliger, Heinz. (Ed.) (1972). Pro Musica Nova: Studien zum Spielen Neuer Musik. Weisbaden: Breitkopf & Ha¨rtel. Leclair, Jacqueline. (n.d.). http://www.beriooboesequenza.com/ Osmond-Smith, David. (1991). Berio. Oxford Studies of Composers (20). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Roberts, Paul. (2003). On Luciano Berio’s Sequenza VII for Oboe. Mitteilungen der Paul Sacher Stiftung, No. 16, March.
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Van Cleve, Libby. (1991). Suggestions for the performance of Berio’s Sequenza VII. The Double Reed, Journal of the International Double Reed Society, 13(3), 45 – 51. Van Cleve, Libby. (2004). Oboe unbounded: Contemporary techniques. Maryland: Scarecrow Press.
Recording
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Redgate, Christopher. (2006). Oboeþ: Berio and beyond. Oboe Classics.