Hexactinellida Chelsea Komschlies for Alarm Will Sound 2019
Hexactinellida: a class of ancient, unusual deep sea sponges whose skeletons are composed of a
complex lattice of six-pointed spicules made of silica, earning them the name “glass sponges.” Lacking an epidermis like other sponges, hexactinellids are wrapped in a covering of multinucleate cytoplasm which can send electrical impulses through their glass skeletons better than any fiber optics humans have created. In contrast to this lightening-fast reaction time is their extreme longevity; one currently living specimen is estimated to be 15,000 years old. The music evokes glass sponges’ structure: hard, densely-packed, buzzing lattices lit up by pulses of electricity; their texture, crunchy and spiky rather than smooth and crystalline; and their bodily shapes, which simultaneously resemble ultra-futuristic algorithmic architecture and Dr. Seussian plants.
Duration: approx. 8:00 Instrumentation (one per part): C Flute Oboe B♭Clarinet 1 doubling bass (lowest bass pitch written D1)
B♭Clarinet 2 Bassoon Horn in F (stop mute) Trumpet in B♭ (harmon mute, stem in) Trombone (lowest pitch C1; buzz mute or alternative) Percussion 1: vibraslap, rainstick, thunder sheet, flexatone, drum set (kick drum, 3 toms, snare, ride and crash cymbals, hi-hat, anvil and brake drum or two other differently-pitched metallic objects)
Percussion 2: tubular bells, bass drum (hard beaters), whip, ratchet
Piano Violin 1 Violin 2 Viola Cello Electric Bass
Cover designs by Chelsea Komschlies, photos: NOAA and NBII, public domain
Performance Notes: Section headers in bold are more to show how I was thinking about formal sections and extramusical associations than they are performance instructions, though please let them guide you as such if intuition- and metaphor-based descriptors do speak to you in this way. Quarter tones are used throughout the piece. Players may produce them by any means they prefer Glissandi occur for the entire duration they are listed. If they occur in a tie chain, they don’t begin until that particular moment in the tie chain. Bass guitar is welcome to experiment with a variety of timbral variations. From m. 136 onward I would recommend something with a decent amount of distortion/overdrive. Regarding the hairpins throughout the part, I will leave this open-ended; the player may produce them with a pedal or knob, the audio engineer can produce them, or the player may simply follow the dynamics listed and disregard the hairpins that don’t have attacks in the midst of them. Last 3 bars: the ending is meant to be a humorous distorted caricature of improvised jazz/big band tag chords. Several players are given the open-ended instruction to improvise. Some options might be bends, glisses, shakes, growl, singing and playing, etc.The three players that are given a complete blank there (percussionists and piano) can go especially wild. The rallentando can be really pronounced, but don’t add an extra extended fermata for the improv.
Symbols: Extra wide, stylized vibrato or shake
Highest possible
In clarinet: slap tongue
Cover designs by Chelsea Komschlies, photos: NOAA and NBII, public domain
Score in C
Hexactinellida for Alarm Will Sound Ch elsea Komsch lies
Alert, Brilliant
= 152
3 + 2 + 2
Flute
1fca
3 + 2 + 2 Oboe
3 + 2 + 2 Clarinet in B♭ 1
Clarinet in B♭ 2
1cxv;,dsjkl
Bassoon
L. Ross #1B6
French Horn in F
Trumpet in B♭
Tenor Trombone
Vibraslap
Tubular Bells
3 + 2 + 2
Piano
Alert, Brilliant
= 152
Violin 1
Violin 2
Viola
continue the same ngering pattern (approx.) while glissing everything downward
D
D
Violoncello
Bass Guitar
2
3
4
5
2
10 z. Fl. 1fjt
1sdjk[l 1skl;x
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
D
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
V.slap
Tub. Bells
Pno
10
Vln 1
Vln 2
sul G Vla
sul G Vc.
B. Gtr
6
7
8
9
10
11
3
14 Fl.
1fjt
1ffs
1ffda
1ffdskla;
1ffdklz
D
Ob.
D
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
V.slap
To Wh. Tub. Bells
Pno
14 Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
12
13
14
15
4
(roll in)
19
Fl.
1ffdsk 1fdsjklz'v
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
1sdfm
1sdfjm'
D
1flbn 1sfjkl'a
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
V.slap
Wh.
Pno
19 Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
16
17
18
19
20
5 roll in, then change ngering in 22
D
Fl.
D
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
D
D
1flbn
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
V.slap
Wh.
Pno
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
21
22
23
24
25
26
6
33
28 Fl.
1ffsdjk;zvo 1ffdskla;
D
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
V.slap
Wh.
Pno
28
33
Vln 1
Vln 2
(gliss top pitch) Vla
(gliss top pitch) Vc.
B. Gtr
cresc.
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
7
Fl.
1ffsdvjk'
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
V.slap
Wh. Wh.
Pno
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
34
35
36
37
8
38 rit Fl. 1fca
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
1cxv;,dsjkl
Bsn
L. Ross #1B6
F. Hn in F
D
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
V.slap
To Tub. Bells Tub. Bells
Pno
38
rit
Vln 1
Vln 2
sul G Vla
continue the same ngering pattern (approx.) while glissing everything downward
D
D
sul G
Vc.
B. Gtr
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
9
46
Clunky
= 86
Fl.
1fdsjk[
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
(sing any pitch)
(sim)
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
V.slap
Tub. Bells Tub. Bells
Pno
46
Clunky
= 86
Vln 1
D
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
45
46
47
48
49
10
51 D
Fl.
D
D
D
D
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
D
D
D
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Anvil Hi-hat Brake Drum Ride Cymbal Tom-tom 1 Floor tom Kick Drum
Drum Set
V.slap
(pedal hi-hat how you normally would)
To B. Dr. Tub. Bells
Pno
51 Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
50
51
52
53
54
11
55 Fl.
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
B. Dr.
Pno
55 Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
55
56
57
12
Brilliant
3 + 2
D
= 108
61
Fl.
1fca
3 + 2 Ob.
3 + 2 Cl. in B♭ 1
3 + 2 Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
D
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
(choke) Drum Set
B. Dr. hard beaters: like thunder, cut through ensemble B. Dr.
Pno
61 Brilliant = 108 Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
58
59
60
61
13
Fl.
1ffdva
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
To Rain. Rain.
B. Dr.
Pno
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
62
63
64
65
14
Fl.
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Rain.
B. Dr.
Pno
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
66
67
68
69
15
72 Demure = 86 Fl.
1ffs
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
1sdfjkl;[.a
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Rain.
To Rat. B. Dr.
Pno
wide vib
72 Demure = 86 Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
70
71
72
73
74
16
79 Crispy Fl.
Ob.
To B. Cl. Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
1sdfm
1sdfjm'
D
D
D
Bsn
stop mute F. Hn in F
harmon mute stem in Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Rain. Rain.
Rat. Rat.
Pno
79 Crispy Vln 1
(wide vib) Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
75
76
77
78
79
17
83 Fl.
1vfsdjklx
Ob.
B. Cl.
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
buzz mute
Rain.
Rat.
Pno
83 Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
80
81
82
83
84
85
18
Spiny
87
91
Fl. (with embouchure, nger G)
Ob.
B. Cl. B. Cl.
D
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
mute out
senza sord.
F. Hn in F
solo:
mute out
D
Tpt in B♭
senza sord.
D
T. Tbn
Drum Set Ride cymbal: crisp attacks but full bodied sound
To Drum Set Drum Set
Rat.
Pno
87
91 Spiny
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
86
87
88
89
90
91
19
96 Fl.
Ob.
To Cl. in B♭ Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F decresc.
Tpt in B♭ decresc.
D
T. Tbn
(approx. pitches)
Drum Set
Rat.
Pno
96 Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
92
93
94
95
96
97
20
100 Retro (think Star Trek TOS score) Fl.
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
z. Tpt in B♭
mute out T. Tbn
To Flex.
V.slap
To V.slap Drum Set
Rat.
Pno
100 Retro Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
98
99
100
101
102
21
105
107
Fl.
blend into ute
1vsdfkl;
1vfdas
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
1sdfkl
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
To V.slap Flex.
Rat.
Pno
105
107
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
103
104
105
106
107
22
Fl.
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
To Thunder Thunder
To Tub. Bells Tub. Bells
Pno
D Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
108
109
110
111
23
rall
112 Fl.
1sdj
Ob.
D
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
1flbn 1sdfkl 1sfjkl'a
Bsn
Solo: F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Thunder
Tub. Bells
Pno
112 overly expressive, like a 40s lm score Solo:
rall port.
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
112
113
114
115
24
116 a tempo Fl.
1sdva;
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Thunder Thunder
Tub. Bells
Pno
116 a tempo Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
116
117
118
119
120
121
25
Fl.
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
To Drum Set Thunder
Tub. Bells Tub. Bells
Pno
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
122
123
124
125
126
127
26
129 Languid, A little slower = 72 Fl.
1vsdfkl;
Ob.
D
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
romantic (think Scriabin tone poem climax) F. Hn in F
D
Solo: Tpt in B♭
wide, fast shake, soft growl
T. Tbn
Drum Set romantic (think Scriabin tone poem climax) Drum Set
Tub. Bells
Pno
129 Languid, A little slower = 72 Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
128
129
130
131
132
133
27
134 Fl.
(with embouchure alone)
D
1ffda
Ob.
1sfjv/
Cl. in B♭ 1
G Oakes 77 Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
Tub. Bells
Pno
134 Vln 1
Vln 2
D
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
134
135
136
28
139
137 Trash = 86
D
Fl.
D 1fdsjk[
Ob. wide vib. /shake
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
1dsjklbra
D
1sdfjkl;[.a
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
sim. (no growl)
T. Tbn
Anvil Hi-hat Brake Drum Ride Cymbal Tom-tom 1 Floor tom Kick Drum
Drum Set
Tub. Bells
Pno
137 Trash = 86
139
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
gradual slide B. Gtr
137
138
139
140
29
Fl.
D
D
D
D
Ob.
To B. Cl. B. Cl.
Cl. in B♭ 2
D
Bsn
D
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
(high as poss.) T. Tbn
Drum Set
Tub. Bells
Pno
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
141
142
143
144
145
30
(wide vib)
146
149 D
Fl.
D
D
Ob.
B. Cl. B. Cl.
Cl. in B♭ 2
D
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
(high as poss.)
T. Tbn
Drum Set
Tub. Bells
Pno
146
(muted strings)
149
Vln 1 (tr. a m2 all the way through gliss) (highest poss.) Vln 2
Vla
(muted strings) (highest poss.) Vc.
(tr. a m2 all the way through gliss) (highest poss.)
Solo:
B. Gtr
146
147
148
149
31
D
Fl.
152
D
Ob.
harm. glisses
harm. glisses
B. Cl. sing along (your mid/low octave)
sing along (your higher octave)
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
D
D
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
To B. Dr. Tub. Bells
Pno
(highest poss.)
152 Vln 1
(highest poss.)
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
150
151
152
153
32
Fl.
Ob.
B. Cl.
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
solo w/ violin Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
B. Dr.
Pno
solo w/ tpt Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
154
155
156
157
158
33
gradual fall (roll in)
161 Ever More Intense = 86
Fl. 1sdk;zo 1sdj
Ob.
harmonic glissandi suggested rhythm/contour but feel free to improvise (keep strong 6/8 feeling for now)
Solo: B. Cl.
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
B. Dr. B. Dr.
Pno
out of tune is great; fall faster toward the end
161 Ever More Intense = 86
Vln 1
out of tune is great; fall faster toward the end
Vln 2
out of tune is great; fall faster toward the end
Vla
out of tune is great; fall faster toward the end
Vc.
B. Gtr
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
34
167
173
167
173
Fl.
Ob.
B. Cl.
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
B. Dr.
Pno
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
35
179 harmonic sweep
Fl.
1sfjl'c
Ob.
B. Cl.
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
Solo: F. Hn in F
Solo: Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
B. Dr.
Pno
179 Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
36
185 Fl.
D
D
191
D
1skl;x
Ob.
D
1fjt
D
D
D
D
D
B. Cl.
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
B. Dr.
(2- ngered black/ white gliss each time)
Pno
185
191
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
37
197 Fl.
1vfdas
D
1ffdva
1fca
D
Ob.
feel free to improv/sing/make it crazier!
B. Cl.
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
B. Dr.
Pno
lowest notes cluster
197 Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
38
203
209 gradual bend
To Picc.
Fl.
1sfjl'c
D Ob.
ad lib B. Cl.
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
B. Dr.
Pno
209
203 Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
39
215 Picc.
Ob.
B. Cl.
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
B. Dr.
Pno
215 Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
40
227 Picc.
221 Picc.
(with emb)
1fdsjk[
(with emb)
1skl;x
Ob.
B. Cl.
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
B. Dr.
Pno
227 221 t. por
Vln 1
Vln 2
t. por
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
41
230 236 Picc.
Ob.
Solo:
To Cl. in B♭
B. Cl.
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
B. Dr.
Pno
230
236
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
42
Picc.
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
B. Dr.
Pno
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
43
248
=
Picc.
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
B. Dr.
glissed chromatic palm clusters to as far as you can reach
Pno
alternatively you may do two- ngered glissandi or something similar
248
=
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
246
247
248
249
250
251
44
254 Picc.
Ob.
Cl. in B♭ 1
Cl. in B♭ 2
Bsn
rip F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
T. Tbn
Drum Set
To Wh. B. Dr.
Pno
254 Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
Vc.
B. Gtr
252
253
254
255
45
Subito
257
= c. 116
molto rall to end
(this should feel like a very strange, distorted tag; rhythms need not be exact. Everyone should end at the same time, but imprecisely)
Picc.
1ffsdvjk'
1fdsjklz'v
1sdfvk
Ob.
optional improv
Cl. in B♭ 1
optional improv
Cl. in B♭ 2
optional improv Bsn
rip F. Hn in F
Tpt in B♭
optional improv
T. Tbn
tag improv - have fun and make it weird! Drum Set
tag improv - have fun and make it weird! (use whatever's around you)
Wh. Wh.
tag improv - anything goes!
Pno
257 Subito = c. 116
molto rall to end
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla
optional improv Vc.
optional improv B. Gtr
256
257
258
259