IANNOTTA
dead wasps in the jam-jar (ii)
for String Orchestra
Score
CLARA IANNOTTA
dead wasps in the jam-jar (ii)
for String Orchestra (2016)
Score
Eine Auftragskomposition von Musica Femina München für das Münchener Kammerorchester, Oktober 2016
World première: 13 October 2016, Prinzregententheater, Munich, Germany
I would like to thank:
Anne Holler-Kuthe, Susanne Wosnitzka, and musica femina münchen e.V., for giving me the possibility of writing this piece; Florian Ganslmeier and Anselm Cybinski, from the Münchener Kammerorchester, for being so kind and allowing me to use all my imagination (which includes objects of all kind!);
Chris Swithinbank, always present, helpful, and caring.
Instrumentation
Violin I
1) violi n metal mute preparation with circular paperclips low electric guitar string two metal thimbles
2) violin metal mute preparation with circular paperclips large crystal wine glass with water (on a small low table) low electric guitar string two metal thimbles
3) violin metal mute preparation with circular paperclips large crystal wine glass with water (on a small low table)
“Waldteufel”
low electric guitar string two metal thimbles
4) violin
wooden mute + ordinary (rubber) mute piece of polystyrene attached to the music stand
“gelinotte” birdcall low electric guitar string two metal thimbles
5) violin ordinary (rubber) mute piece of polystyrene attached to the music stand
“gelinotte” birdcall
low electric guitar string
small plastic tupperware on rigid A4 sheet of plexiglass two metal thimbles
6) violin piece of polystyrene attached to the music stand
large crystal wine glass with water (on a small low table)
“gelinotte” birdcall
“Waldteufel”
low spring drum hung from percussion stand two metal thimbles
Violin II
1) violin metal mute preparation with circular paperclips low electric guitar string two metal thimbles
2) violin metal mute + ordinary mute preparation with circular paperclips large crystal wine glass with water (on a small low table)
“Waldteufel”
small plastic tupperware on rigid A4 sheet of plexiglass low electric guitar string
3) violin two metal thimbles low electric guitar string
4) violin
large crystal wine glass with water (on a small low table) low electric guitar string
5) violin
large crystal wine glass with water (on a small low table) piece of polystyrene attached to the music stand
“gelinotte” birdcall
“Waldteufel”
low spring drum hung from percussion stand small plastic tupperware on rigid A4 sheet of plexiglass
Viola I
1) viola
wooden mute
small plastic tupperware on rigid A4 sheet of plexiglass
low electric guitar string two metal thimbles
2) viola
wooden mute
large crystal wine glass with water (on a small low table)
“Waldteufel”
low electric guitar string two metal thimbles
Viola II
1) viola
metal mute + wooden mute preparation with circular paperclips large crystal wine glass with water (on a small low table)
“Waldteufel”
small plastic tupperware on rigid A4 sheet of plexiglass thick block of very hard polystyrene with metal-bristle brush
2) viola
metal mute + wooden mute preparation with circular paperclips large crystal wine glass with water (on a small low table)
“gelinotte” birdcall piece of polystyrene attached to the music stand
“Waldteufel”
low spring drum hung from percussion stand small plastic tupperware on rigid A4 sheet of plexiglass thick block of very hard polystyrene with metal-bristle brush
Cello
1) cello
wooden mute small plastic tupperware on rigid A4 sheet of plexiglass
2) cello
wooden mute low electric guitar string
3) cello
ordinary (rubber) mute
scordatura: string IV tuned down a minor 7th to a low D large wine glass with water
Double bass (5 - string)
ordinary (rubber) mute scordatura: string V tuned down one 8ve
Laptop performer (potentially could be the conductor) laptop connected to a pair of stereo loudpeakers placed on the ground at the back of the orchestra
General Notes
Accidentals apply only to those notes before which they are placed, with the exception of repeated notes. Phrases should aways be played legatissimo, unless marked otherwise
“Waldteufel”
Waldteufel can be purchased at www.thomann.de or at http://suono.at/wordpress/produkt/waldteufel/. This instrument is played in two ways:
The thread must be tight and move in circle.
The thread should scrape against the skin of the instrument.
“ Gelinotte” [Grouse] Birdcall
To be played in two ways:
1.blow and cover/uncover the end of the instrument with one finger (like a wa-wa mute); 2.blow leaving the end uncovered.
The “gelinotte” can be purchased here: http://www.qbc.fr/index.php?cPath=23_21&osCsid=4cb45019efa6d2cff5c3cf7396045f26
Polystyrene on music stands (vln. I, 4–6; vln. II, 5; vla. II, 2)
Polystyrene should be attached to the music stands so that it can be comfortably bowed. Bow to create a consistently high pitched, continuous sound (e.g. violins b. 30ff.).
Electric guitar strings (vln. I, 1–5; vln. II, 1–4; vla. I, 1–2; vc. 2)
The electric guitar string should be pulled tight using a foot to hold one end against the floor and the left hand to hold the other. The sound produced is a quiet, airy thrumming.
It may be best to attach the guitar string to small pieces of wood at either end in order to make pulling it tense more comfortable for the player.
Tupperware on plexiglass (vln. I, 5; vln. II, 2 + 5; vla. I, 1; vla. II, 1 + 2; vc. 1)
The plexiglass should be placed on a flat surface so that it can be scraped with one hand.
Scraping the plexiglass with pressure will produce a very loud, distorted screeching, while applying very little pressure should produce a very high-pitched, intermittent whistling sound.
Tupperwares: the best option would be to use the transparent lid of the plastic case of the iPhone 6S earplugs. Try different kinds in order to find the good sound.
Plesiglass Sheet: 12’’x12’’x3/16’’ or an A4 size with a thickness of 5mm.
Metal thimbles (vln. I, 1–5; vln. II, 1, 3 + 5; vla. I, 1 + 2)
The thimbles should be placed on two fingertips of the right hand and used to perform a kind of twofinger, irregular trill percussively tapping the string.
Strings (general)
Lefthand pressure:
Righthand (bow) pressure:
= almost no pressure
= ordinary pressure
= half overpressure
Bow position:
AST = alto sul tasto
T = al tasto
PO = posizione ordinaria
SP = sul ponticello
MSP = molto sul ponticello
Bow techniques:
l.b. = legno battuto
c.l.t. = col legno tratto
crini = hair
Special techniques:
Damp the strings and play with a very slow speed of the bow. The sound must be broken, perforated, with small silences inside. One grain at a time.
The three lines of the stave represent the three registers of the instrument: high, medium, low. Left hand always half pressure; right hand col legno tratto.
Left hand: half pressure. Right hand: col legno tratto (clt), very little pressure, close to the left hand, follow the movements of the left hand (glissando up = MSP // glissando down = AST).
Violin & Viola Preparations
Violin I, 1+2
Viola II, 1
Prepare strings I + II with two circular paperclips each (one AST and one MSP)
Paperclips have to be metal, and circular.
Violin I, 3
Violin II, 1
Viola II, 2
Prepare strings II + III with two circular paperclips each (one AST and one MSP)
Violin II, 2
Prepare strings III + IV with two circular paperclips each (one AST and one MSP)
Radio Effect: the bow should pass between the two fingers, continuously vary the bow pressure. The result should sound like radio static moving between frequencies.
Laptop performer /Conductor
The laptop performer (conductor, or other musicians) should have a laptop running a patch for Cycling 74’s Max software that produces sine waves (provided by the composer) connected to a stereo pair of loudspeakers.
Numbers above the stave (as shown left) indicate that a change in the sine waves should be triggered by hitting the laptop’s spacebar. The cue numbers match bar numbers, so for example the first cue of the piece is number 32, the second 43, etc.
Instructions on how to download and use the patch will be found in the package provided by the composer/publisher alongside separated parts for the musicians, and explanatory audio files and videos.
clara.iannotta@gmail.com
www.claraiannotta.com
+49 (0)157 75686990
Duration: 15' ca.
Cello (2+3)
a Marco Frei, per il sostegno e l'entusiasmo
deadwaspsinthejam-jar(ii) for String Orchestra
Clara Iannotta (2016)
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