Peters Contemporary Chamber Series
SAUNDERS
dialogue for viola and percussion
Performing Score
ISSUU Version
For perusal only
ISSUU Version For perusal only
REBECCA SAUNDERS
dialogue
(2010) for viola and percussion
POD PETERS on demand
EDITION PETERS
LEIP ZI G · L ONDO N · NE W YOR K
ALLE RECHTE VORBEHALTEN · ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ISSUU Version For perusal only
dialogue – for viola and percussion (2010)
"...a person who demands attention purely by her being there...processes of development are not unfolded, but instead "conditions of being" are presented in hard-edged sections that cut into each other. ...figures that did nothing but simply were."
„…ein Mensch, der die Aufmerksamkeit fesselt allein durch sein Dasein, es sind nicht Entwicklungen, die entfaltet werden, sondern “Seinzustände”, die in harten Schnitten aneinandergefügt sind …Figuren, die nichts taten, sondern waren.“
on Gertrude Stein´s book Ida, Suhrkamp Verlag, 1941
„At this juncture we ought to say something about lights and colours. It is evident that colours vary according to light, as every colour appears different when in shade, and placed under rays of light. Shade makes a colour dimmer, and light makes it brighter and clear. Colour is swallowed by the dark.“
„Dies ermahnt mich, über Licht und Farbe zu sprechen. Es scheint mir offenbar, dass die Verschiedenheit der Farbe vom Licht herkommt, da jede Farbe, ins Dunkel gesetzt, nicht mehr als jene erscheint, die sie im Hellen ist. Der Schatten macht die Farbe dunkel. Vom Licht getroffen, wird sie hell. Farbe wird vom Dunkel verschluckt.“
Leon Battista Alberti, DreiBücherüberMalerei, 1435.
And with my thanks to Dixi and Axel. RS
ISSUU Version For perusal only
General
Part 1
This is a melodic line! Always in motion. Much passion. Concentrate on subtle variation and contrast of klangfarbe. Bring out beats and vibrations in the double-stoppping.
Part 2
Also a melody! When quiet, explore subtle tonal and klangfarbe contrast – beautiful. When loud, explore border to noise and complete distortion – with much passion and conviction. Part 3i (bars 1-42)
A shadow-like and intimate melody. Timbre always in motion. Sempre flautando for both SP and ST Part 3ii (bars 43 till the end)
Although expressive, these fragments of melody should retain intimate and restrained quality. Always very quiet.
Viola explanatory notes
Natural harmonic, string and node given. Sounding tone given when other than written tone.
Molto expressivo pulse of vibrato marks start of note.
Raise or lower by ¼-tone - a timbral and expressive function which need not be exact.
Tip! At point of bow (usually quiet and flautando).
½-s.p. „White“ klangfarbe, but written pitch clearly heard.
s.p. extr. Written pitch lost to „noise“.
s.p. flaut. When quiet, floating bow bring out „white“ klangfarbe
flaut.
Artificial harmonic.
Raise or lower by 1/8-tone
A light floating quiet bow.
s.p. sul pont - many high partials.
distort! When loud and SP allow full distortion through.
s.t. Sul tasto
fl. Bowed half-way between fingered tone and bridge. Play ST extreme and flautando. A very quiet, hollow and „flute“-like tone. s.p. ord. Gradually move from one klangfarbe to the next.
Bow-stop onto next beat, deep in the string
Distorted „noise“ accent – quasi marcato extreme
A momentary pause, wait!
Percussion explanatory notes
Part 1
Instruments
ISSUU Version For perusal only
BD Bass drum, min. 36“/1 metre diameter, both sides natural skin, with wooden rim and wooden circular frame supporting edge of skin.
SD Piccolo snare drum
Beaters
Bass drum beaters.
Ideally Kolberg triangle stick (rubber handles and metal-weighted end). Alternatively, find metal sticks which give a very smooth trill sounding many high partials. Subtle and beautiful sound.
Dowel and needle Large serrated wooden dowel ca. 25 cm long, Ø 12-15 mm Knitting needle size 3,2 mm.
Snare drum sticks
Extra-light thin snare drum sticks.
Part 2
Instruments
TAM-TAM Very loud tamtam with serrated edge, min. 1 metre diameter.
CROTALE 2-octave set of crotales with dampers. Notation:
LIONS ROAR Large and deep lion´s roar for very low tone. Replace string with lowest double bass string, or low overwound string from harp, for very long non-stuttering pianissimo and an enormous FFF
BRASS PLATES (BP)
Two thin brass plates, large and very large, with very low complex pitch centres.
WOODBLOCK Very high woodblock.
XYLO Small xylophone of 2 1/2 octaves e.g: Sudio 49 in a box with no resonating tubes. Notation:
GONG With flat profile, min. 50cm diameter, or possibly a small tamtam contrasting the tamtam above (of a different make).
Beaters
For tamtam: Birch
2 yarn-wrapped marimba beaters.
For tamtam and gong:
For tamtam, xylophone, crotales, woodblock and triangle:
2 tamtam beaters.
2 ordinary glockenspiel beaters.
For crotale only: Bass bow, hung beside crotales.
2 mole-skin wrapped glockenspiel beaters. Strong dynamic and klangfarbe contrast to ord. glock beaters.
For bell plates (PG): Ordinary bell plate beaters for beautiful and complex mp/p sound.
ISSUU Version For perusal only
4 alloy metal tubes – hollow, heavy, thick, of varying lengths, arranged from high to low (4. – 1.). Choose subtly contrasting tubes for complex and beautiful sound, with low tonal centres. Choose suitable beaters to bring out these qualties. Resonant sound, but individual pulses should always be heard clearly.
Notes from score (i) – (v):
i) Bass drum contact points:
1 Centre of drum head.
2 Very resonant between centre and edge
3 On skin near edge (ord.).
4 On skin directly over the circular wooden frame found beneath the skin.
5 Wooden rim.
6 On plank of wood - klangfarbe contrasts 5.
ii) Dowel and needle The dowel is laid flat on the skin of the drum. The knitting needle strokes slowly backwards and forwards, resulting in very high changing overtones and deep resonance of the drum.
iii) Snare stick contact points for pulsing lines on BD 3 on BD 5 + 6 on BD for accents and louder dynamics (thicker, richer sound).
iv) Tamtam contact points:
1 Absolute centre.
2 In centre circle.
3 Ridged zone.
4 Smooth zone between 3 and 5.
5-a Side perpendicular to front.
5-b Back edge.
v) Damp tamtam with other hand: Slowly release pressure of damping hand, gradually opening up sound.
Subito damp or subito release.
Satz und Layout:
dialogue for viola and percussion
(2010)
slow, continuous gliss. with smooth bow
ISSUU Version
For perusal only
Rebecca Saunders
Rebecca Saunders (b. 1967) studied with Wolfgang Rihm at the Musikhochschule in Karlsruhe, Germany, and for a doctorate in composition with Nigel Osborne at Edinburgh University. She lives in Berlin. Saunders’ numerous composition prizes include three Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards, two BASCA British Composer Awards and the 2019 Ernst von Siemens Music Prize. Her works have been performed at festivals including the Huddersfield Festival, the Berlin Biennale and the Darmstadt International Summer Course. In 2009 she became a member of the Berlin Academy of Arts. Saunders’ works include chroma, for chamber groups distributed throughout the performance space, albescere, written for Ensemble Modern and the Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, and a double concerto for trumpet, percussion and orchestra.
Rebecca Saunders (*1967) studierte Komposition bei Wolfgang Rihm an der Musikhochschule Karlsruhe und promovierte an der Edinburgh University bei Nigel Osborne. Sie lebt in Berlin. Saunders wurde für ihr Schaffen vielfach ausgezeichnet, u. a. mit drei Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards, zwei BASCA British Composer Awards sowie mit dem Ernst von Siemens Musikpreis 2019. Ihre Werke erklangen bei zahlreichen Festivals, wie dem Huddersfield Festival, der Berliner Biennale und den Darmstädter Ferienkursen für Neue Musik. 2009 wurde sie zum Mitglied der Berliner Akademie der Künste ernannt. Zu ihren Werken zählen chroma für im Raum verteilte Kammergruppen, albescere (entstanden für das Ensemble Modern und die Neuen Vocalsolisten Stuttgart) sowie ein Doppelkonzert für Trompete, Schlagzeug und Orchester.
Photo © Astrid Ackermann