ScoresOnDemand
Thorvaldsdottir, Anna Trajectories
Score for sale (North America): https://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.action?itemid=262852 Score for sale (UK, Europe and other territories): https://www.musicroom.com/product-detail/product1133205/variant1133205/ Information about the work and materials for hire: http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/work/57468
Chester Music Limited Part of the Music Sales Group
Written for the Reykjavik Center for Visual Music, with visual projection by SigurĂ°ur GuĂ°jĂłnsson. The first performance was given on 30 January 2014 at Harpa Concert Hall, Reykjavik, Iceland, by Tinna ĂžorsteinsdĂłttir. Duration: c. 14 minutes
Performance Notes Abbreviations f.n. f.t.
Fingernails on strings (or use guitar pick if preferred) Fingertips on strings
Tools
Superball mallet – should be dragged in sustained strokes over the strings as indicated. @ Two soft yarn mallets (or other soft mallets) – for soft tremolo on strings. Preparation Place one rather big metal screw on each of the following g pitches: p The result should be a percussive sound effect with a subtle pitch resonance (as a screw is only placed between two of the three strings of each pitch). Ensure there is not a strong resonance on a high harmonic but rather find a sound with a subtle lower harmonic. The following pitches need to be labeled inside the piano for performance: The pianist may need to be able to move around the piano during performance. It would be ideal to remove the lid of the piano for performance. Timing indications for electronic part in the score is for rehearsal purposes only in order for performer to get acquainted with the electronics, but is not intended to be strictly synchronized. No patterns need to be precisely synchronized between the live piano part and the electronics. The tempo of the piano part is not metronomically in sync with the electronics. The pace and flow of the electronic part is slower than in the piano part. The pedal should be held pressed throughout the piece. Notation Multiple staff lines: indicates the range of the instrument. Material written on the designated multiple line staff should be performed over an arbitrary range of the instrument as the multiple lines roughly represent the area of the strings. Top lines indicate highest register, middle lines indicate mid range, lower lines indicate lowest register. It is, however, clear that the number of staff lines are not equal to the number of strings, so the exact register is somewhat arbitrary except where specific pitches are indicated. Ordinary staff: conventional notation on the keyboard. However, at times the keyboard staff is used to indicate resulting pitches that are performed on the inside of the piano. Crackling sound. Mute strings with the hand and crackle over the surface of the string with a fingernail in very short movements. The desired resulting sound is the same as the crackling sound that appears for the first time at 1’59 in the electronic part and reappears regularly, e.g. at 8’55. When specific rhythms are not indicated for the crackling sounds, make the same crackling sounds in arrhythmic patterns over the string with fingernail or pick with a very small movement. Crackling sounds are always played on muted strings. Glissando over strings as indicated without plucking. Play the lower note on the keyboard and gently press on the harmonic of the octave on the string inside the piano. The resulting pitch is indicated with the note in the bracket. As grand pianos vary in sizes and types: if it is not possible to play the written harmonic on the written pitch, please find another position on another key to perform the written harmonic. The upper notehead should be plucked inside the instrument at the pitch indicated on the keyboard staff in a small notehead with a bracket (do not perform the note on the keyboard). Pizzicato on the inside of the piano is always performed with fingertips. When the note that should be plucked is prepared with a screw, kindly pluck the string of the pitch that is free from the prepared area, and do not touch the screw, so that the pitch sounds without the metallic sound. Sustain over surface on the inside of the instrument with fingertips or superball mallet as indicated.
Technical Rider & Performance with Visual Projection Audio Four speakers surrounding the space and a sub for the electronic part of the music. The piano needs to be prepared and amplified, and the lid of the instrument removed for performance. Four (or at least 2) microphones for amplification of the piano. Mixer. Visual 3 projectors, minimum 12,000 lumens, but can be less depending on the size of the screens. 3 large screens, dimensions 16:9. Computer to stream the synchronized performance of the three video files along with the audio electronics, installed with suitable program e.g. QLab 3. Screens: One screen in the center and two on each side of the center screen with the edges aligned to the center screen so that the projection appears connected – the two screens on each side should be tilted outwards. The piano is placed at the center of the screens.
Where possible and desired it could be allowed for the audience to move in the space during performance for various visual and audio perspectives.
Trajectories q = 36
Anna ThorvaldsdĂłttir
approx. '30
mute string with hand and scrape string with finger nail, or a pick, for a cracling sound
sim. in arrhythmic patterns on str.
sim. on crackling sound
4 4
Inside
p
4 4
Keyb.
4 4
Elec.
Pedal held pressed throughout the piece
approx. 1'30 5
sim. scrape - crackling sound
3
3
Inside p
Keyb.
Elec.
8
3
3
pizz. w. fingertip
Inside
mp
Keyb.
Elec.
Copyright Š 2017 Chester Music Limited
2 10
soft strokes w. fingertips over strings in high register mallets tremolo on str.
Inside p
mp
p
mp
Keyb.
2'20
Elec.
15
pizz.
mute with hand & pizz.
pizz.
Inside mf
mp
mf
p
mp
Keyb.
Elec.
mute & scrape w. f.n. - crackling sound
20
Inside mp
mp
Keyb.
mp
Elec.
mp
mf
mp