SAUNDERS
dust for Percussion Solo
Performing Score
ISSUU Version
For perusal only
ISSUU Version For perusal only
REBECCA SAUNDERS
dust (2017/2018)
for Percussion Solo
An homage to Christian Dierstein and Dirk Rothbrust with my thanks for the wonderful sound sessions ALLE
EDITION PETERS
LEIP ZI G · L ONDO N · NE W YOR K
dust (2017/2018) for percussion solo
ISSUU Version For perusal only
CommissionedbyFestivalAchtBrücken|MusikfürKölnandEnsembleMusikfabrikforChristianDiersteinundDirkRothbrust,withsupportfromthe MinistryforFamilyChildren,Youth,CultureandSportoftheStateofNordrhein-Westfalen
ForfirstdoubleperformanceattheColognePhilharmonieonMay3rd2018
dust / dʌst / n.: a fine, dry powder of tiny particles of waste matter or earth.
A film of dust is a like a membrane, covering or layering the body or thing, on the ground, on surfaces or carried in the air. The dust of the earth is a place of burial. Dust within a room is composed mostly of dead skin, a powder of mortal remains.
"...not a sound only the old breath and the leaves turning and then suddenly this dust whole place suddenly full of dust when you opened your eyes from floor to ceiling nothing only dust and not a sound only what was it said....come and gone in no time gone in no time." That Time, Samuel Beckett
"...all these words, all these strangers, this dust of words, with no ground for their settling, no sky for their dispersing, coming together to say, fleeing one another to say, that I am they, all of them, those things that merge, those that part, those that never meet, and nothing else, yes, something else,....a wordless thing in an empty space..." The Unnameable, Samuel Beckett
Inside, withheld, unbreathed, Nether, undisclosed.
Souffle, vapour, ghost, hauch and dust.
Absent, silent, void Naught beside.
Either, neither, sole, Unified.
RS dust is a solo for two, each their own. An homage to Christian Dierstein and Dirk Rothbrust for the (many) wonderful sound sessions over the years. Each performer creates their own version, defined by their own instruments and the chosen juxtaposition of up to eight separately composed modules.
The fallible physical body behind the sound, feeling the weight of sound, exploring the essence of a timbre, seeking the grit and noise within.
Surface, weight and touch are the essence of musical performance: the weight of a heavy beater resounding on the drum skin; the bow drawing the s ound out of silence; the differentiation of touch pressing the brushes into the drum skin; the expansion of the muscles between the shoulder blades; the player´s in-breath preceding the played tone...
RS, Berlin 1st April 2018
dust (2017/2018)
General
ISSUU Version For perusal only
An homage to Christian Dierstein and Dirk Rothbrust for the (many) wonderful sound sessions over the years. dust is a solo for two, each their own. Each performer creates their own version, defined by their own instruments and by the chosen order and juxtaposition of up to eight separately composed modules.
The Modules
1. Melody 2. Resonance 3. Object 1_2 triangles 4. Object 2_Crystal(s) 5 Metal 6. Bass drum
Each module has a separate legende and notes. In all modules the given beaters are only an ideal indicating the intended colour of the sound - adapt, reduce and change the beaters as you like and need.
Set-up
Main set-up is for M1, 2, 5, 6, (7, 8). M3, 4, (7) outside (front). M8 can be whilst changing position
Important to try to further open up the main set-up with other outside positions, e.g. freestanding extra single Timp. close to audience for M7, or an extra BD for M6, or leave set-up and play BD of M6 from outside set from the side, in silhouette; etc...
Main setup, a detailed proposal:
First set up M2, slightly sideward to the audience with 2 Timps on left of performer: Timp.1 (furthest from audience) + small Rins on it + BP1* hung behind + Snare 1 (upside-down) on Timp. skin, or fixed very close over it, or balanced between the Timps. Timp.2 + large + BP2 + Snare2 as Timp.1.
* Optional: 3rd BP at right angles to BP1 for additional resonances, and store snare drums (SDs) on floor before and after module. Then add M5 - Crotales + Nico. on Timp.2, FCoils on SDs around Timp.2 and across front, Alu. Strips over end of Timp.2 and over 1st FCoils. Then add M6 BD opposite Timps. at right of performer.
Then setup rest of M1 @ front - metals (FPs, Iron, HCoils) hung high in a row. Cymbals, stands, beaters arranged accordingly.
Order is free. Use all or some of the modules. Juxtaposition of modules is wanted and necessary. Ideal duration is 25-28 minutes, if playing all modules. Force with the juxtaposition the modules into this slightly too tight time frame - this is the challenge. First learn the separate modules, then explore different juxtapositions. Gradually consolidate juxtaposition keeping it as tight.
To decide the order of the modules look for extreme contrast from one module to the next - e.g. from high to low, resonant to dry, loud to quiet. If you leave out a module, be careful - maintain extreme contrast of all musical parameters. Note some sounds occur in more than one module - you can use this for overlapping and juxtaposition of modules.
Your choices are limited by the physical restrictions of the set-up, but be careful not to be trapped in a cage of instruments and set-up also outside of the main position. You need to be able to enter and leave the main set-up, at least for M3 + 4, maybe also M7 + 8. Choreograph your movement before, during and after the modules carefully.
M1, 2, 5, 6, 7 have asterisks * to show where the first or last gestures of an overlapping module could be juxtaposed. There may be other solutions. M3 + 4 can overlap any other module and each other. Also possibly use M3, 4 (+ 8) to re-arrange some instruments for later modules, e.g.: replace some rins with crotales on the timpani, or set up SDs or Nicophone, etc.
Some examples of juxtapositions:
M2 end overlapped with M6: 1st * M6 gesture 1&2, 2nd* M6 gesture 3&4, 3rd* M6 gesture 5, 4th* M6 gesture 6, final bar gesture 7 + continue M2.
M5 end overlapped with M1: 1st * M1 gesture 1i), 2nd* M1 gesture 1ii), 3rd* M1 gesture 2i), 4th* M1 gesture 2ii, final bar gesture M1 gesture 2iii onwards....
M1 end overlapped with M6: 1st * M6 gesture Ai)+ii), 2nd* NO M6, 3rd* M6 gesture Aiii), final bar M6 Aiv) onwards....
M1 end overlapped with M5: 1st * M5 gesture 1i) 2nd* M5 gesture1ii), 3rd* M5 gesture 2i)+ii), final bar M5 2iii) onwards....
Nb.: extreme overlapping possible e.g.: M2 subito middle of M6 during cres. to forte...
First performances, some first juxtapositions/orders:
3/7, 8/1/6/2/5, 4b - Dirk Rothbrust UA 30.04.18 (28')
4/7, 3/5/6/1(8)/2 - Christian Dierstein UA 30.04.18 (31')
1/5/6, 8/2, 3/4/7 - Christian Dierstein CD recording 2018 (27'40)
4b, 8, 1, 6/2/5/3/4a(x2 rins) - Dirk Rothbrust 18.11.18, no M7
Further ideas: 4b/3/8, 5/1/6/2/4, 7 and 1/5/6/2, 3/4,7(8)7
RS, 5/2019
(2017/2018)
Overview - Modules and Instruments
Instruments not underlined are listed in a previous module.
1. Melody
ISSUU Version For perusal only
FP 5 aluminium flowerpots, hung F-1/4-sharp to G. Extremely resonant pure, almost sinus tones.
Ossia - (hung) heavy greek bells, burma turning chimes, hung rins (if very resonant!).
Coil 3 hung car coils. Complex contrasting timbres and very resonant
Iron 4 thin square hollow iron tubes extremely resonant, microtonal deviations preferred - *ossia e.g. 4 hung crotales
Rin 8/9 rins on both timpani skins (arco)
Lg Rin 1 large black rin F-sharp3 on Timp.2 skin in front of BP2
Timp 2 large timpani 32"+29", scordatura pegs ca. fourth lower
BP 2 bell plates lowest octave BP1 = Eb, BP2 = E 1/4 flat
BD Large deep low natural skin bass drum
2. Resonance
BP 2 bell plates lowest BP1 = Eb1, BP2 = E-1/4flat1, optional BP3, s. Module 2.
Snare 2 snare drums with adjustable snares - 1 shallow, 2nd picc. SD less shallow - s. Module 2.
Rin 4 rins on Timp.1 in front of BP1
Lg Rin Large low black rin on Timp.2 in front of BP2
Timp 2 timpani
BD Large deep low natural skin bass drum
3. Object 1 2 triangles
2 very large aluminium triangles, preferred central pitches F3, Fis3.
Bent into shape from two long solid aluminium round pipes, diam. 0.2cm for 2 triangles of similar dimensions +/- 1cm: sides 3x50cm, 60°.
4. Object 2_Crystal
Crystal Large white crystal meditation bowl, preferable pitch F2
SD + Picc. SD Side drum and Piccolo side drum with adjustable snares
5. Metal
Crotales 5 crotales upside-down (lowest octave) on skin of Timpani 2 - C-sharp, D, D-sharp, F, F-sharp5.
Nico. Large bass nicophone diagonally on Timpani 2 across 2 edges. On pieces of black compressed rubber (Moosgummi).
Timp. 2 32" (scordatura)
Alu. 4 solid aluminium strips c.a 2,20m x 5cm x 0,2cm. Hung horizontally at both ends with thin plastic wires. 4 different tensions for 4 different pulses.
Pitches intersect with those of the crotales - ideally* B, C, E-1/4-flat, E5.
*Microtonal possible, as it is hard to make the Alu. Strips exactly at notated pitch. Further if necessary, either, B5 or C5 up or down 1/4-tone, or the two Es can be raised 1/4-tone.
Coil 4 old flat car coils of different sizes, complex resonances and timbres. Laid flat on 2 side drums on pieces of black compressed rubber or styrofoam for maximum resonance and timbral differentiation.
SDs 2 side drums on stands without snares for coils.
Cym. Medium Chinese cymbal with big spectral resonance, on stand.
6. Bass drum
BD Large deep low natural skin bass drum
7. Dry
Timp. 2 Timpani
Tiles 5 broken tiles on Timp.1. Rough surface, mostly quasi-triangle form that nearly fit together to make a single surface. Each has a quasi-pitch centre.
Disk Small thin light metal disk with holes, e.g. top of canteen pepper pot - put on thick rough natural stone (or stone tile) at edge of a
Timp.
pl.brush Brush of large hard plastic broom.
wd.brush Brush of wooden washing-up brush with hard natural bristles.
sponge Hard long natural sponge/loafer.
s.grass Short fine stiff straight dried grasses, all same length, bound in middle. Upright and flat.
l.grass Long coarse stiff straight dried grasses, all same length, bound in middle. Upright and flat.
l.reeds Thicker dried reeds leaves or sticks, bound together
+/or sticks Long thin stiff sticks bound together in the middle
8. Cadenza
Rins - f-sharp2, F-sharp3, F4, F-¼-sharp4, F-sharp4.
Crotales - f5, f-sharp5.
5 Flower Pots - F-¼-sharp4 - G4
2 large triangles with soft hammers
BPs overtones
Possibly in addition:
Alu. Strips possibly e5, e-1/4-flat5
Nicophone slats
Possible extra instruments from your personal collection e.g.:
2 small Zymbeln fis4 - hung, also with microtonal deviations, or enormous aluminium tuning fork f6 (B.Mason), & ?
ISSUU Version
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ISSUU Version
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ISSUU Version
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ISSUU Version
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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; void, a concerto for percussion duo and orchestra; and Yes, a spatial performance for soprano, 19 soloists and conductor.
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 räumlich verteilte Kammergruppen, ein Konzert für Schlagzeugduo und Orchester mit dem Titel void sowie die Raumperformance Yes für Sopran, 19 Solisten und Dirigent.
Photo © Astrid Ackermann