Chemtrails
For 8 players (flute, oboe, clarinet, percussion, piano, guitar, viola, cello) (2017) Yoav Chorev
Instruments Preparation:
Flute:
Preset: A cheap transparent straw, close proximity microphone. Instrument setup: Insert straw slightly inside keyhole number 6, counting from the head joint. Exhale through the straw, and press the other keys, like a keyboard. Symbols:
= press the keys, while exhaling through the straw, creating a white/pink noise. Rotate the head joint slightly, blocking the air- but not completely.
= extreme rotation of the head joint, blocking the air completely, creating a squeaky sound. (the straw has to warm up before)
FLZ= flutter tongue in straw- creating a bass sound. = shake, the more signs the more intensity … -= process, movement from head joint position to another. Notice- no dots= freeze movement.
Oboe:
Preset: A cheap transparent straw, close proximity microphone and 2 short and hollow tubes from the composer. Instrument setup: insert straw to an available fixed, strong, keyhole. Should not move during the piece, you can use gaffer tape. Tube 1 is higher then Tube 2.
Symbols: The same as the flute, plus tubes and glasses when indicated.
Clarinet:
Preset: Same as the flute, plus long, ribbed, plastic tube from the composer. Instrument setup: Play only with the upper half of the Clarinet, without the reed. Insert an upside down straw, making an angle of 70°- instead of the reed. Mute the instrument using a wine cork. Symbols: The same as the flute, plus “free“ indication for the long tube. Glasses: see attached video in dropbox folder. The playing on the jars is very echoing the accumulating and de-accumulating of the strings.
All: Range: lowest edge in stave presents open keys air sound, and the highest closed keys air sound. In between different combinations, up to your musicality.
Percussion:
Preset: 2 small, of different size, singing bowls, 3 “Hexbug“ toys, constructed paper “ball“, leg toy pump and a close proximity microphone, Bag of coins, plastic flexible cone (contact composer)
Instrument setup: Singing Bowl- Put the bowl in your palms, blocking the echo. Insert inside the hex-bug. Block the Bowl using your face and use your mouth as a resonator with mouth gestures of a/e/i/o/u. Like resonating a speakerphone. Should sound like a metallic voice speaking. Paper Ball- Place the vibrate motor (from composer) inside. should sound like regular beats/ granular. Needs to be moved to create different textures during the piece, and be hanged from the ceiling (!) (video on dropbox folder)
Pump- (toy leg pump) Press regular beat, the slowest beat is about 1.5 presses per bar, with your leg. Indicated general remark of “slower/ faster“ is given. Line acts as a “time code” and is for your interpretation. Coins and cone: insert hexbug inside when written No special symbols, mostly indicated with words.
Piano:
preset/ Grand piano, 2 Baoding Balls, thick fabric like felt, close proximity microphone. Setup: Player faces the opposite side of the Piano, Playing with the Baoding Balls on the treble area of the strings. Place fabric on the string, an arm further tfrom you, so they block the strings- an arm away.
Symbols:
1)
- Hover the Balls on the strings, with loose hands, just to keep the “borders” around the balls- creating a shape like holding a glass, from its rim.****
2)
- The same, with more circular hand movement.**** ****General remark for this technique: one Ball play as written, the second ball a bit lower and a bit delayed. playing like it is lazy and heavy, awkward.****
3)
- Scorch vertically one string at a time, creating a pink noise sound. Create “a
scale” and play the strings arbitrary in long phrases, but with a logic of a cantus firmus. The other arm is far and blocks the strings horizontally.
Guitar, Viola and Cello:
Preset: Metallic, meter long, thin, elastic, ribbed pipe. Also used for plumbing. Setup: Guitar- Lay the instrument next to you, block strings with kleenex paper. Viola and Cello- use four teeth practice mute Viola- Play like Viola de Gamba/ Cello position, on your lap (= Viola).
All: Range is between F bellow the staves (in a treble key) to highest note possible (Except for hovering (use all fingerboard)
- Friction technique: on maximum 2 strings together, use pipe vertically in order to vibrate the strings. Same idea as producing notes with tapping with fingers, but only with two hands, holding between them a pipe that acts like a saw, fractioning the strings. - Hovering technique: pipe slides horizontally down and up the strings, creating closeto-none friction, only white noise. Circular- presents “bow” movement, pipe goes through the whole instrument with medium pressure. Rectangle- “bow” movement, pipe goes in a rectangle movement on the whole instrument’s body. should should like short friction-hovering——short friction——hovering.
Guitar- overpressure technique- press the pipe agains the strings, creating a spontaneous plucking. should sound abrupt, like pitches’ explode. Follow the suggested tone height.
General Remarks:
- Don’t emphasize beat - Play laid back - Big Paper Ball should be hanged from the ceiling. - Clarinet player positioned like an Arabian singer with an orchestra.
Score comes with dropbox folder: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8n2l521fy8p3183/ AADQuFFQQ6q-70_4ciDM-IfSa?dl=0