Thorvaldsdottir FIELDS

ScoresOnDemand

Thorvaldsdottir, Anna Fields

Score for sale (North America): https://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.action?itemid=277291 Score for sale (UK, Europe and other territories): https://www.musicroom.com/product-detail/product1138748/variant1138748/ Information about the work and materials for hire: http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/work/57452

Chester Music Limited Part of the Music Sales Group

Commissioned by the state foundation Villa Musica Rheinland-Pfalz for Bang on a Can All-Stars.

Instrumentation Bass Clarinet in B Percussion Piano Electric Guitar Violoncello Double Bass Duration: c. 6 minutes To download the audio files visit www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/work/57452. If you encounter any problems please email promotion@musicsales.co.uk.

Performance Notes With expressive tranquility * Instruments need to be amplified for performance. There are two pre-recorded files that are played for parts of the work, as indicated in the score. The recordings should not be played through speakers as ‘electronics’ but rather be a part of the instrumental texture, coming from an amplified instrumental source or a small device on stage. There are a few different options to play the files: the audio output (basic playing device, such as a mini player or even a phone) can be held near and played through the pickup of the guitar; a vibration speaker (such as Epishock or Rock-It 3.0 from OrigAudio) can be attached to a surface, such as a table, the bass drum or the gong, to turn the surface into a speaker where the audio from the playing device plays through; or played through a radio placed on stage. There may be other ways to play the recording – the desired outcome of the sound should feel as though coming from the overall texture of the instrumental performance. * Lyrical material is generated just as much by sounds, gestures and nuances as by pitched material. Please approach effect sounds and the indication of ‘white noise’ as lyrical material, both with respect to sounds and performance.

Abbreviations m.b.pr. ord.b.pr. ord. rel. str. s.b. s.p. sust. w.n.

much bow pressure ordinary bow pressure takes back all special effects/performing techniques applied relative string superball sul pont. sustained white noise

General When notes are slurred throughout extended period of time, breathe/bow where necessary, preferably not breathing before the first beat of the bar.

Former effect/sound/technique/indication gradually becomes the following one.

Indicated with airy effects and refers to dynamics relative to the overall texture.

Bass Clarinet Air sounds, no pitch – written on the center line of the staff. When indicated annunciate ‘s’ through the mouthpiece to produce a sound imitating white noise.

Percussion Staff system

Dynamics = relatively slow/short strokes J = relatively fast/longer strokes crescendo = gradually faster strokes descrescendo = gradually slower strokes

Edge of bass drum (placed horizontally) Large Gong (bossed) – a deep B!R Skin of bass drum

Sticks

2 large soft mallets (bass drum mallet)

2 wire brushes

B 2 hard yarn mallets

+ Hands

Superball

Sustained note values with wire brush or superball: Move the mallets/hands over the instrument in sustained back-and-forth/ circular strokes.

Sustained tremolo with wire brush: Quick tremolo, back-and-forth strokes over the instrument, varying in location for subtle variation in colour of the sound.

Sustained tremolo with larger mallets: Play ordinary tremolo with two mallets.

Notation Attacks, mallets hitting surface, are indicated with cross noteheads.

Sustained note values are indicated with ordinary noteheads.

When indicated to play at the center of Gong it refers to hitting the rounded boss at the centre of the instrument for a soft, deep, resonating attack. Let the resonance live from the attacks.

Performing on edge of bass drum refers to the metal rim surrounding the edge – these phrases should result in a sharp attack with a hint of deep resonance. The effect is written with hard yarn mallets, but performers should search for the best means to portray the desired sound.

Piano Staff system Material written on the topmost staff should be performed on the inside of the instrument, as indicated. When a specific texture should be performed, rather than pitches on particular strings, the notehead is placed at the centre of the staff with an indication of the desired effect and register.

Notation Draw superball mallet over string inside the piano, the mallet should be pressed down into the string, resulting in a deep, resonating drone. Where indicated to ‘lightly’ draw mallet over wood or string (without a pitch specified) and with the indication of ‘white noise’, draw the mallet without pressing it into the wood/string, the resulting sound should be similar to white noise. Performers should search for the best means to portray the white noise sound for this effect.

Draw fingers over surface of wood or strings, resulting in an airy sound, similar to the expression/imitation of breath without pitch. Performers should search for the best means to portray the sound of breath for this effect.

Press the base of string and release on attack on the keyboard, this should result in a deep droning resonance following the short attack.

Guitar A sustain pedal, or means to sustain pitches, is needed for performance. Means to generate a sound of subtle ‘white noise’ is needed for performance – this can be, but does not need to be, done with pedals.

Notation When ‘white noise’ is indicated the sound should be played for the duration of the note value and should resemble the sound of white noise as best possible, with a clean and subtle sound without dominating pitch.

When ‘soft white noise’ is indicated, it refers to an airy sound, or a breathing sound, mimicking the actual sound of breath. The effect can perhaps be achieved by sliding the hand over the strings with a piece of paper for an artificial sound of air. It may be possible to achieve the airy sound by other means, but the desired sound should feel as close to breath/air as possible and not have a dominating pitch.

Strings Notation Place left hand (not just one finger) lightly on indicated string, around the given pitch area, not on a harmonic. This produces an unpitched airy sound. The lower small notehead indicates the open string, the upper notehead indicates the approximate position of the hand.

When indicated to play with much bow pressure on air – apply a bit more bow pressure than ordinary to the string for a subtle atmospheric sustained distortion sound.

! "

#

!

#

! !

!

)

!

#