Program Notes
Boiling Point is written for three octave toy piano (F3-F6), with the option of open instrumentation. The piece is entirely conceptualized with the number 100 in mind. The title being a reference to the “Boiling Point” of water in degrees celsius (100). There are 100 notes total in the piece, as well as 100 seconds of designated rest. Boiling Point is structured in cells, each with a predetermined number of notes. The order of which are based on a pyramid of numbers adding to 100, whereby larger rows of the pyramid have a smaller number of notes in the cells.
The order of cells follows the pattern above, starting with the top left cell and ending on the top right cell. Pitch material is carefully determined and assigned by row of the pyramid utilizing many properties of a three octave range. Boiling Point is not to be performed with the intention of being strict and arithmetic, but rather with the prospect of finding music within non-musical contexts. Those who perform this piece are encouraged to explore the possibilities of musicality and beauty provided by the systematic approach to composition. The piece is written for toy piano or open instrumentation, however the performer may choose to perform the piece amplified and/or in tandem with another piece of music. The performer may also choose to alter the chords in the 23 note cell so that it may be playable by a non-chordal instrument.
Explanation of Markings
The piece is written graphically, whereby notes are to be played closer or farther from each other according to their proximity on the page. Time between cells are marked above each dotted bar line and refer to a specific duration of seconds. Bar lines marked with an X only appear after one note cells and indicate that the performer should wait until the note in that cell has completely dissipated before proceeding. Chords are to be arpeggiated in the direction of the arrow. Indicates that the cell continues into the next system. Notes/chords with slurs attached are to be held/let ring for as long as they can before the resonance dissipates or it is necessary to stop, either for another chord/note, endurance of the player, or to proceed to the next cell. Notes encompassed in a dotted slur are to be connected, whereby one note stops as soon as another is struck. Notes that are not connected by, or attached to, any slur or dotted slur should be struck and left without being held by the performer, staccato.
Boiling Point
Ê † Ê † Ê † Ê
f
P
œ
œ F
X
w
œ
5"
bœ bœ bœ œ bœ bœ
X
f œ
œ f
# œ# œ
œ
# œ# œ
ww
œ
œ œ
œ
œ
œ
f
3"
p
œ
F
5"
F œ ww w
2"
10"
π
œ
œ œ
œ œ
w
P © Ancel Neeley 2019
ƒ
œ
œ œ œ œ
ƒ
œ
p
œ œ
œ
œ#œ
6"
3"
œ
w f w w
ww 3"
f
œ
b œœœ
œ
ww
5"
4"
bœ
p
œ
œ
œ
œ
œœ œ
6"
w
4"
œ
X
P w
œ
œ
6"
ƒ
œ U
œ
4"
cresc.
œ #œ œ œ
F
œ
X
6"
œœ
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ê
p
œ
œ
5"
œ
p b b œœ bœ
w
π
subito
Ê
6"
2"
†
†
œ
w
w
œ
f
6"
~~~~~~~~~~
P
œœ
X
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
†
X
~~~~~~~~~~
A piacere
Ancel Neeley
œ œ
4"
œ F
œ
œ
5"