Tangle

Lukas Ligeti

Tangle for Trumpet and Percussion (2006/08) Commissioned by Colin Currie, Håkan Hardenberger and the Borletti-Buitoni Trust

2

TANGLE for Trumpet and Percussion --- Notes for Performance & Legend of Notation Duration: 15 min.

Instrumentation: TRUMPET in C (a Harmon mute is used occasionally; when "con sord." is indicated this always means Harmon mute, stick inside.)

PERCUSSION (1 player): vibraphone, melodica (32-key model with flex tube), hi-hat, snare drum, floor tom, 2 bongos, 2 temple blocks, xiaoluo (small Chinese opera tamtam).

Sticks and mallets: 2 pairs of vibraphone mallets (medium hardness), 1 pair of drumsticks.

Recommended setup of percussion instruments:

Notation for Percussion: The percussion is notated on one or two systems, using mainly the treble clef and occasionally the bass clef. When there are two systems, the top system is to be played by one hand (normally the r.h.), and the bottom system by the other hand.

Normal noteheads indicate notes to be played on an instrument of definite pitch - mostly the vibraphone; occasionally the melodica.

The instruments of indefinite pitch are often played simultanously and/or mixed in with those of definite pitch, and are notated in the same system(s), but are written with non-conventional noteheads, mostly x-shaped. They are notated as follows:

Further notational symbols: Trumpet: ...to air; ...to pitch: go from a normally-played pitch to just the sound of air passing through the trumpet; go from air sound to pitch.

TRUMPET

Insert hand slightly into bell of trumpet

Remove inserted hand to open bell

Indicates pitch material with which a certain thing (specified in score) is done repeatedly until end of arrow

Indicates a pitch which is used repeatedly throughout a passage and used as specified in the score; the specifications change while the pitch is being played.

Sing and play the same note; both notes are held over to the next note and interrupted only when breathing is necessary.

PERCUSSION

(Vibraphone): Initial note is held via pedal and then ended by playing a deadstroke and simultaneously releasing pedal.

One-handed "buzz" roll with an undefined number of rebounds, over the rhythmic duration of the note

Indicates part of a "closed roll" with an undefined number of rebounds per hand. The difference between this and the buzz roll is that there the entire buzz roll is carried out by one hand, letting the stick rebound for a certain duration, while in the closed roll is determined by a rhythmic succession of hands giving initial impulses and is spread out over a longer period of time. This rhythmization can be in eighth notes (above) or sixteenth notes (below).

Over the duration covered by the arrow, "drag" sticks freely around the percussion setup, producing sounds on the way. Since the instruments are not really struck, but are rather just touched in passing, no strong attack sounds will be heard; rather, one will hear a mixed assortment of timbres in fast succession.

Drag sticks freely around, and when the drag is finished, arrive at the indicated instrument and play a one-handed buzz roll.

(Xiaoluo): Muffle instrument by playing a deadstroke with one hand on the front of the instrument while choking off the sound with the other hand on the back.

Tangle q = 100

 

Trumpet in C



pp



f

 

Vibraphone,

q = 100 motor on (medium speed)

Percussion

    mf

6

Tpt.



   



 Perc.   

p

f

Tpt.



 f

 Perc.      f



 

mf

 

  f mf      

mf





 

       

f

mf

5

         p

 

5





p

             3 6 f

 



f

f

   

mf

 

  

3

mf

mf

  pp 5

 

mf

p



mf



 



f

p

pp

mf





mf

   

p

           

 



5







pp

p

 



3

f

ff

 

 

5



pp

     

     

mf

f

p

ff

  Perc.      16



   

   



mf

mp



11

Tpt.

 





Lukas Ligeti

5

5

 











 



 

p



 mp



mf

        6

6

mf

2

   

21

Tpt.

 3

mp

p

mf

7

     



            Perc.     p

25

Tpt.

  

6

7

6



mf

Perc.



   3

Perc.

Perc.

f

       

3

    3

5

cresc.

      non legato

 

f

  mf

  

f



mf

 

ff

ff



  f mf legato

   mf 5 f

mf

f

 

 mf

f

mf







   mf

3

 3 3     

f

 

   3



mf

f

5

3

    3 mf 3

mf

pp

non legato

mp

mf senza sordino, non legato



 p

 

 

    p

   

p

f



6

6

f



  

     mf



     mf f 



Trumpet poco rubato ad lib., slower than indicated tempo; vibraphone as notated. Coordination is maintained

5

5

    via sord.

mf

f

p

p

    

legato

 

fff

pp

    

              3

   



mf

  

con sordino

p

3

6 5          

f



mettere sord.

motor off

mf

   

     mf



p

3

pp

pp

       

       cresc.





f

            

mf

mf

p

3

34

Tpt.

 

f

30

Tpt.



7

pp





mf mp5

 mp 5



mf

 mp

3 38

Tpt.

Perc.

   mf mp

 42

Tpt.

5







mf

mp 5

          5

sempre p Perc.



    p3 

  



5

     5

      



5



    

gradually use more pedal for blurrier sound

 sempre p

                                                      

legato

meno legato

5

non legato sempre

5

5

                     more pedal - blurrier

very blurry, except accents

 

omit notes as necessary to breathe

dim.

5

dim. al pp 5

  5

5

5

sempre p

5

  



5

 

5

 5

                                 return to legato

5

legato

mf 5

      Perc.   less burry

5

5

50

Tpt.

    

legato



p

5

46

Tpt.

Trumpet in strict time again

non legato                          5  5

    

 

...to air

5





sf



5

5

           clear

5

5

sempre p



5

5

 



5

5

5

      getting blurrier

5

          5



 less blurry                                Perc.    5



sf

p

5



...to air



5

very blurry

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

4 54

Tpt.









  mf

3

3





3



3

3

 nearly clear          getting blurry   6 6                             Perc.               3 5 3 5 5 6 6 3

3

mp

sub. clear - very little pedal

58

Tpt.

 

 3

Perc.



 3

3





  

dim.

3

        

       





3

      

                                              3

3

3

3

3

3

3

62

Tpt.





  3





 3

3

3



...to air

3

3

3

3

Finger these pitches, legato, back & forth very quickly, but only air sound



 

mf

                    Perc.                               3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

5 66

Tpt.

legato



          

...to pitch

poco f

 

3 

3 3    3                                     Perc.                                3  3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

3

3

3

3

70

Tpt.

              cresc.









f, quasi solo, espr.





3       3  3                                       Perc.                              

 

74

Tpt.

  

3

3

3











3

3

3

        



 











  





 3       3  3 3  3     3                                                      Perc.                                           f, quasi solo, espr.    3 3  3 3

6

q = q. ma poco meno mosso

79

Tpt.

Perc.

       

 83

Tpt.

4 4 4 4 4  4 4                                



mf

q = q. ma poco meno mosso

                       4

 

 4

4

vary amount of pedal used

                             

mf

4 4 4     4   4  4     4                                 4

4

4

4

4

4

4

blurrier

Perc.

                                                        87

Tpt.



 4

 

4  



 

4

4

     4      4     4         4

4

4

4



4

4



4

   4



4

blurrier

less blurry

                     Perc.             91

Tpt.



  4

4



  4

less blurry

Perc.

4

4                4

4

        

very little pedal

      

                                                           

7 95

Tpt.

Perc.





     

  

       

poco ritardando

 

poco ritardando

 

            5

        Perc.     103

Tpt.

      

                                                  99

Tpt.

     

 

          5

5

       



5

5

5

4

4

          q. = q                   5 5 3 3 3

q. = q 4 lower keys of vibraphone                            Perc.              let ring (hold pedal until all sound gone)

Tpt.

Perc.

     



 

 

  

Melodica

fp

poco f

4

113

     

            

5

4

5

4

5

                                             

                  5

  

      





q. = q

q. = q



put down l.h. mallets; put Melodica on





                                          vibraphone (motor slow) p

 

   

   

 

8



118



Perc.





          

put down r.h. mallets ’

                  

slower

Melodica

    

 

p

  

               



123

3

3

3

3

rit. ad lib 3

3

                                                      

Perc.

      



128

                 

    

a tempo 6

6

      

Perc.





132

sempre mf



  

      6

   6

 

6

  

     

                  

6

 







p

   

p

   

ff



fff

   

            

mf

p

        p

3   3                               

f

                  

l.h.: take mallets (rit. if necessary)

                     

p

r.h.: take stick

     

                 

                  

 

Perc.

6

                        mf

mf

       

  

9 138

Tpt.

  



 



                                         

p

                       

Perc.







           

     



 

mettere sord.

con sord.

 

 

 



 

 

    



   

rit. ad lib Tempo primo q=100



p

 

   

   





                        





   



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 













   

 





rit. ad lib Tempo primo q=100



          

via sord.

        

149

Perc.

 

mp

 

Perc.

 



put down Melodica  l.h.: mallets                                                    

143

Tpt.

p (do not overpower Melodica)







 

vibraphone (motor medium speed)

 









both hands p use 2nd l.h. mallet to bend take mallets pitch of f.t. upward slightly after each hit



 





 





q =q

  



  

 

 

  

10 154

Tpt.





 

Perc.



 

157

Tpt.

   





Perc.











  

 

 



  

  







mp

 

 



 

H O H



 





  

  

O



 

HO H

 O H

 





  









  





 

  

  



vibraphone

 

  

 



O

  H



O HO



 

H O H

 O

 





O H





  



HO H



 

   



O

 



not too loud (perc. dominates, but should not drown out trumpet)

     



  



bend pitch slightly upward using lip

cresc. poco a poco

 

 



   

 H



  

 

OHO H O H

                        p

 

Perc.



 

160 H O

Tpt.



  

 

senza sord.

 



mf

cresc.





 













f

cresc.



 



dim.





    

sempre cresc.

 





  







 

















mf



p



   



 

  

11

            



 



163

Tpt.

Perc.



O

HOH

O

pp





   



Tpt.

Perc.





 



add a little pedal for blurriness







 

        

     

 

f

(the magnitude of the movements around percussion setup will make f dynamic necessary)

   



  

  

5 5 5 5 5 5 3                                                

      

     







 5

  5

6

           

   6



6

less blurry

 

6

6

  

      dry

  







  





  



(accents weaker and weaker until they gradually disappear)

        

  

     

accelerate the same rhythmic figure with double-tonguing, evening out rhythm to very fast notes of equal length, as non-legato as possible

                               

Perc.



3  3  3       

169

Tpt.

3 3  3 3        



f (in dynamic equilibrium w/perc.)

 



166



                        



      

       

12 172 double-tonguing as fast and as non-legato as possible

Tpt.



poco a poco legato

 



175

Tpt.

 



  



f

                       

some pedal

 



  



   

 

(pause to breathe as necessary)



legato



            

Perc.

repeat this phrase as fast as possible and as legato as possible with no tongue articulation

blurry

       

  

  

 

very fast very legato double-tonguing

introduce tongue artic., but molto legato

ppp

 



mf

mf

                                    

Perc.

less pedal

             

 











  

Perc.





  



poco a poco meno legato double-tonguing

178

Tpt.







 

 

  

 

 





 



 



 

 











 





dry





 





 











 

gradually slow down tonguing





 

   

 



 



 

 



13 slow down tonguing to merge organically into eighth-notes

180

Tpt.

 



                    

   f

3

meno f

                                        

Perc.



183

Tpt.

Perc.





          











 



                          3

3

3

3

3

3

3 ppp

3

   

 



3







 







        mf, leggiero









 

   











 









 





   























 





 

                                    

                              

Perc.





                                         

186

Tpt.





      

    



    



   

    





  

14

                                              

189

Tpt.





Perc.







 





           

 



 











Perc.



 



   



 



 



 

 

   





 

  



 

    



Perc.





 





 

   



                  

 

   



 



 

 

 

 



  

  

                                                                                   fast q = 140

195

Tpt.



              

                      





   

192

Tpt.





ff

                 

ff

  

f, solo

                            

fast q = 140 take drumsticks (both hands)





accel.             

200

Tpt.

Perc.

accel.



 freely

207

Tpt.

Perc.



 5

freely







 

5

mf

5

5





5

poco meno f

q = 150



  



 

q =150

freely between p and mf

   3

  

                

15

3

5







                                           5

mf

  







5

   

5 5 5 5     3                                                          

214

Tpt.

 Perc.      220

Tpt.

 

      poco f

  

Tempo primo q = 100



  

  

  

 5                      5

   

                                                                  accents f, other notes p

omit notes as necessary to breathe

                                                Perc.                                                 Tempo primo q = 100

accents f, other notes p

16

                                                

225

Tpt.

                                                Perc.                                      

                                       

228

Tpt.

                                                Perc.                                 continuous buzz (closed) roll

231

Tpt.

accelerando

molto accelerando

      Choice of accents is free; play many accents and unpredictably. Coordination with trumpet is gradually lost; accelerando should not be totally in sync. While the trumpet accelerates, the percussion can momentarily even play a ritardando so as accelerando to destroy the feeling of meter in the accents. molto accelerando

Perc.

                                                                           

17 Accelerate, losing control of rhythm; the melody just becomes a succession of these pitches, fingered as fast as possible. Phrasing is messed up. This bar, senza misura, can be terminated early, or can be repeated ad lib. Trumpet and percussion play their parts independently; the "16th notes", unsteady themselves, go out of sync. Eye contact must be maintained, so that the trumpeter can stop instantly when interrupted by the percussionist. Trumpeter can briefly interrupt melody to breathe.

               Ø                                     

234

Tpt.

Continue playing until interrupted by percussion (xiaoluo). Then pause; resume playing when percussionist again muffles xiaoluo.

ff While the tendency is an accelerando, the percussion rolls can become faster and slower very freely; choice of accents is free and should be irregular. Play out of sync with trumpet but maintain eye contact so trumpeter is prepared when percussionist cuts off the section.

Perc.

                                   Ø                   ff

q = 90

237

Tpt.

  p

   





q = 90

put down xiaoluo

          Perc.       p

242

Tpt.



6

      

f

   

3

6

6

5

   6

6

f



6

   3

3

        

ff

ff

6

 



               



5

3

3

          Perc.       6 6



Interrupt trumpet by striking xiaoluo. Then muffle it with the bare hand as a sign for trumpet to resume.

The scenario occurs 3 times. When tpt. resumes playing for the first time, pick up xiaoluo and keep holding it until finished, for better resonance.

         

3



                                  3    

      



6

         







 







  

  

                       3

6

18

246

Tpt.

Perc.

 

251

Tpt.





 

   



     

 

ff



     

      

mf 6

6

6

6

6

6

 3

fff

3



3 3                                           3



mf

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

fff

senza tempo (6-15 sec. per bar) play note and sing in near-unison, producing "beating" phenomena breathe only at ends of bars, and then only if necessary





p





senza tempo (6-15 sec. per bar) vibraphone (motor slow) take 2 bows use 1 or 2 bows as necessary if trumpet breathes, proceed to next bar; otherwise proceed freely to next bar

Perc.

              

 

 p

 

256

Tpt.

Perc.

      

 hold as long as breath allows

 

 

  

 end with trumpet



  