Jexper Holmen – Medina (2011)

Jexper Holmen Medina (2011) for alto saxophone & 12 KORG monotrons Dur. 7’

SCORE

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Jexper Holmen Medina (2011) for alto saxophone & 12 KORG monotrons Dur. 7’

PERFORMANCE NOTES

OPFØRELSESNOTER

General The score for the work consists of nine phrases of multiphonics for alto saxophone. The twelve monotrons are played without any form for score and follwo te saxophone in the manner described in the section “Monotrons”. The saxophone determines tempo and phrasing.

Generelt Værkets partitur består af ni fraser af multiphonics for altsaxofon. De tolv monotroner spiller uden nogen form for partitur og følger saxofonen sådan, som det er beskrevet i afsnittet ”Monotroner”. Saxofonen styrer tempo og frasering.

Phrasing The nine phrases should be played in a slow tempo in the order they are numbered in. After phrase 5 once shoud return dacapo and repeat all the first 5 phrases. One should then continue. The form is thus as follows:

Frasering De ni fraser skal spilles i langsomt tempo i den rækkefølge, de er nummereret i. Efter frase 5 skal man gå dacapo og gentage alle de fem første fraser. Derefter skal man fortsætte. Formen bliver altså sådan her: 12345 12345 6789

12345 12345 6789 Each phrase should have a slightly suggested accelerando towards the last multiphonic in the phrase.

This should be more a inkling of forward movement than an actual physical increase in tempo. The last multiphonic in each phrase should be longer than the others.

Pauses Each phrase – with the exception of the final one – is succeeded by a pause where only the monotrons play.

The pause should be long enough to hear the oscillator pulses from the monotrons. Since the frequency of the oscillators is gradually increased during the performance the fermatas will become shorter and shorter.

Since at the same time the oscillator´s filters are closed off, it will eventually be impossible to hear the pulses. When this starts to happen the saxophonist should simply continue with shortening the fermatas a little bit each time. The final two pauses should once again be long.

After the final phrase the saxophonist discretely indicates a final pulse and the monotrons cease playing simultaneously with the saxophone.

Hver frase skal skal have et meget svagt antydet accellerando hen imod den sidste multiphonic i frasen.

Det skal mere være en fornemmelse af fremdrift, end det skal være en fysisk forøgelse af tempoet. Den sidste multiphonic i hver frase skal være længere end de andre.

Pauser Hver frase – pånær den sidste – efterfølges af en pause, hvor kun monotronerne spiller.

Pausen skal være så lang, at man når at høre oscillatornes pulsslag fra monotronerne. Da der efterhånden bliver skruet op for oscillatornes hastighed under opførelsen, vil fermaterne blive kortere og kortere. Da der samtidig bliver skruet ned for oscillatornes filtre, vil det efterhånden blive umuligt at høre pulsslagene. Når dette begynder at ske, skal saxofonisten blot fortsætte med at forkorte fermaterne en smule for hver gang.

De sidste to mellemrum skal være lange igen.

Efter den sidste frase slår saxofonisten diskret af, og monotronerne holder op med at spillle samtidig med saxofonen.

Tempo The overall duration of the entire piece is 6-7 minutes. The tempo is thus very slow. The tempo should also gradually become a little slower until just past the middle of the piece. Hereafter the tempo should gradually increase so that it ends a little faster than at the opening of the piece:

Tempo Den samlede varighed på hele stykket er 6-7 minutter. Tempoet er altså meget langsomt. Tempoet skal gradvist blive en smule langsommere indtil lidt over midten af forløbet. Herefter skal tempoet stige, så det ender med at være lidt hurtigere end i stykkets begyndelse:

Adagio – ritardanto – meno mosso – accelerando – piu mosso

Adagio – ritardanto – meno mosso – accelerando – piu mosso

The tempo fluctuations should however remain minor – about ±20%.

Men disse tempoudsving skal kun være små – omkring ±20%.

Alto saxophone I the score the saxophone’s multiphonics are notated in Eb. All multphonics make use of the fingerings from Daniel Kientzys Les sons multiples aux saxophones. The nine phrases multiphonics have these numbers:

Altsaxofon I noden er saxofonens multiphonics noteret i Es. Alle multphonics bruger greb fra Daniel Kientzys Les sons multiples aux saxophones. De ni frasers multiphonics har disse numre:

1. 4 - 54 - 103 - 40 2. 9 - 59 - 112 -11 - 17 3. 110 - 62 - 27 - 16 4. 132 - 63 - 19 - 30 5. 136 - 128 - 76 - 43 - 38 6. 118 - 52 - 20 - 5 - 18 7. 131 - 119 - 109 - 102 - 80 - 75 - 39 - 29 8. 83 - 81 - 74 - 57 - 45 9. 138 - 135 - 122 - 124 - 96 - 82 - 71 - 7 - 2 Each phrase should be bound together in a tight legato.

Dynamics have not been notated. Each multiphonic should, as a general rule, lie in the nuance where it has the richest sound. Furthermore the general dynamic level should gradually decrease a little until just over halfway through the piece. Hereafter the dynamic level should gradually increase so that it ends a little lower than at the beginning. This should however only be a suggested general tendency underlying the very changing dynamic.

1. 4 - 54 - 103 - 40 2. 9 - 59 - 112 -11 - 17 3. 110 - 62 - 27 - 16 4. 132 - 63 - 19 - 30 5. 136 - 128 - 76 - 43 - 38 6. 118 - 52 - 20 - 5 - 18 7. 131 - 119 - 109 - 102 - 80 - 75 - 39 - 29 8. 83 - 81 - 74 - 57 - 45 9. 138 - 135 - 122 - 124 - 96 - 82 - 71 - 7 - 2 Hver frase skal bindes sammen i et tæt legato.

Der er ikke noteret nogen dynamik. Hver multiphonic skal som hovedregel i ligge den nuance, hvor den har den rigeste klang. Desuden skal det generelle dynamiske niveau gradvist blive en smule lavere indtil lidt over midten af forløbet. Herefter skal niveauet stige igen, så det ender med at ligge en smule lavere end i begyndelsen. Men dette skal kun være en antydet generel tendens, der ligger nedenunder en meget vekslende dynamik.

MONOTRONS The Monotrons are 12 KORG Monotrons (small analogue synthesizers).

MONOTRONER Monotronerne er 12 KORG Monotroner (små analoge synthesizere).

Set-up The two musicians each play 6 monotrons – 3 for each hand. The Monotron should be set-up as follows:

Opstilling De to musikere spiller på 6 monotroner hver – 3 med hver hånd. Monotronerne skal opstilles sådan her:

One plays with three fingers for each hand – one finger on each Monotron. The middle finger on the middle and thumb and little finger on the outer:

During performance the hands should remain on the monotrons such that they sound continuously. Only occasionally should one let go of the monotrons with the one hand in order to alter the settings on the other hand´s monotrons.

See “Set-up of monotrons” and “During performance”.

Man spiller med en tre fingre pr. hånd – en finger på hver Monotron. Langefingeren på den midterste og tommelog lillefingeren på de yderste:

Under opførelsen skal hænderne blive på monotronerne, sådan at disse klinger hele tiden. Kun lejlighedsvis skal man slippe monotronerne med den ene hånd for at ændre instillingerne på den anden hånds monotroner. Se “Indstilling af monotronerne” og “Under opførelsen”.

SET-UP OF THE MONOTRONS

INDSTILLING AF MONOTRONERNE

Some of the monotrons settings remain constant throughout the entire piece while others should be changed during the performance.

Nogle af monotronernes indstillinger skal forblive de samme hele stykket igennem, mens andre skal ændres undervejs.

The following settings should remain the same: · vol control should be turned up completely. · standby/pitch mod/cutoff mod switch should be set to “cutoff” on all the monotrons. · VCF peak knob should be set to minimum · VCF cutoff knob should be set to maximum · VCO pitch knob shold be set so that the monotrons all lie in the same frequency region as the saxophone’s multiphonics. Within this region each monotron should be set so that some of the monotrons lie within the same region as the multiphonic’s high overtones, others in the middle of the multiphonics’ frequency region and finally some within the same region as the multiphonics’ deep overtones. Each hand should have one monotron in each of these categories.

The following settings should be changed during performance: · LFO int knob should be set to maximum at the start and gradually turned down to a minimum. · LFO rate knob should be set to almost minimum and gradually turned up to about 2/5.

Disse indstillinger skal forblive de samme: · vol control skal være skruet helt op. · standby/pitch mod/cutoff mod switch skal på alle monotronerne stå i positionen “cutoff”. · VCF peak knob skal stå på minimum · VCF cutoff knob skal stå på maximum · VCO pitch knob skal stå, så monotronerne ligger i samme frekvensområde som saxofonens multiphonics.

Indenfor dette område skal hver monotron være indstillet forskelligt, sådan at nogle af monotronerne ligger i samme område som multiphonicsenes høje deltoner, andre midt i multiphonicsenes frekvensområde og endelig nogle i samme område som multiphonicsenes dybe deltoner. Hver hånd skal have én monotron i hver af disse kategorier.

Disse indstillinger skal ændres undervejs: · LFO int knob skal fra begyndelsen stå på maximum og undervejs trinvist skrues ned på minimum. · LFO rate knob skal fra begyndelsen stå på næsten minimum og undervejs trinvist skrues op på cirka 2/5.

The LFO (low frequency oscillator) controls a filter which gradually thins out the sound and thereafter initiates it again with a small click in the attack of the sound. The higher the setting of the LFO int knob, the greater the filtering and the greater the click. The higher the setting of the LFO rate knob, the faster the filtering and therefore the shorter the distance between each click. The LFO rate knob has furthermore an inbuilt light the fades and lights up synchronously with the filter.

LFO’en (lavfrekvens-oscillatoren) styrer et filter, der gradvist udtynder lyden og derefter kobler den til igen med en lille klikansats. Jo højere indstilling af LFO int knob, des mere udtynding og større klik. Jo højere indstilling af LFO rate knob, des hurtigere udtynding; og dermed også des kortere afstand mellem hvert klik. LFO rate knob har desuden indbygget en lampe, der tynder ud og slår til synkront med filteret.

The most important thing in Medina is to avoid the distance between the individual monotron’s clicks becoming so short that one begins to perceive them as a regular pulsation. Said in another way: They should at all costs – no offence intended – not remind one of the rhythmic texture in the 3rd movement of Ligeti’s Chamber Concerto. Therefore it is important that the LFO rate knob isn’t turned up too far.

Det vigtige i Medina er at undgå, at der bliver så kort afstand mellem den enkelte monotrons klik, at man begynder at kunne opfatte dem som som en regelmæssig pulseren. Sagt på en anden måde: Det skal frem for alt – no offence – ikke minde om den rytmiske tekstur i 3. sats af Ligetis Kammerkoncert. Derfor er det vigtigt, at LFO rate knob ikke bliver skruet for højt op.

Since the LFO int knob is turned down during performance, the clicks will become both less intense and less clear, while the distance between them decreases. This counteracts the risk of perceiving a regular pulsation. At the close of the piece, at which point the LFO int knob is turned down completely so that the clicks cannot be heard at all, the LFO rate knob should be turned up to a speed at which it actually is possible to perceive a regular pulse. Since one cannot hear the clicks one only sees the twelve lamps pulsating each at its own tempo without any effect on the sound.

I kraft af at LFO int knob bliver skruet ned undervejs, vil klikkene blive mindre ud mindre tydelige, mens afstanden mellem dem bliver mindre og mindre. Dette modarbejder risikoen for denne pulseren. I slutningen af stykket, hvor LFO int knob er skruet helt ned så man slet ikke kan høre klikkene, skal LFO rate knob være nået op på en hastighed, hvor det faktisk er muligt at opfatte en regelmæssig puls. Men i kraft af, at man ikke kan høre klikkene, ser man kun de tolv lamper pulsere i hver sit tempo, uden at det har nogen indvirkning på lyden.

DURING PERFORMANCE

UNDER OPFØRELSEN

Placement of the hands on the keyboards The monotrons should blend with the sound of the saxophone as much as possible. Each time the saxophone changes to a new multiphonic, the monotrons quickly adjust pitch by moving each hand to a new position on the monotrons keyboards.

Hændernes placering på keybordsene Monotronerne skal blande så meget ind i saxofonens klang som muligt. Hver gang saxofonen skifter til en ny multiphonic, skal monotronerne hurtigt justere tonehøjden ved at flytte hver hånd til en ny position på monotronernes keyboards.

Each new position should ideally be such that it creates as much dissonance as possible in relation to the multiphonic currently being played.

Hver ny position skal ideelt set være sådan, at den dissonerer mest muligt i forhold til den aktuelle multiphonics. Virkningen skal være, at monotronerne føjer yderligere dissonantisk fylde til de i forvejen dissonerende multiphonics.

Position shifts should however primarily take place quickly; within a half and a whole second. Rather than trying numerous possibilities for each multiphonic, one should try to shift each hand to the first, the best position which gives a good dissonant effect.

Positionsskiftene skal dog først og fremmest foregå hurtigt; i løbet et halvt til et helt sekund. Frem for at prøve flere forskellige muligheder af ved hver multiphonic, skal man snarere flytte hver hånd til den første, den bedste position, der giver en god dissonerende virkning.

LFO adjustments During performance one should, 10-14 times (5-7 for each hand), briefly let go of three of the monotrons (such that they no longer sound) and adjust the LFO buttons on the other hand’s three monotrons (whilst these continue to sound). The knobs should be turned in the direction described under “Settings for the monotrons”. Thus:

LFO-justeringer Undervejs skal man cirka 10-14 gange (5-7 med hver hånd) kortvarigt slippe tre af monotronerne (så de ikke klinger) og dreje på LFO-knapperne på den anden hånds tre monotroner (mens disse stadig klinger).

Knapperne skal drejes i den retning, der er forskrevet under “Indstilling af monotronerne”. Altså:

· 2-3 times one lets go of the right hands monotrons in order to turn 1/3 - 1/2 down on LFO int knob on the left hand’s three monotrons. · 3-4 times on lets go of the right hands monotrons in order to turn 8-10% up on the LFO rate knob on the left hand’s three monotrons. · 2-3 times on lets go of the left hand’s monotrons in order to turn 1/3 - 1/2 down on LFO int knob on the right hands three monotrons. · 3-4 times one lets go of the left hand’s monotrons in order to turn 8-10% up on the LFO rate knob on the right hand’s three monotrons.

· 2-3 gange slipper man højre hånds monotroner for at skrue 1/3 - 1/2 ned på LFO int knob på venstre hånds tre monotroner. · 3-4 gange slipper man højre hånds monotroner for at skrue 8-10% op på LFO rate knob på venstre hånds tre monotroner. · 2-3 gange slipper man venstre hånds monotroner for at skrue 1/3 - 1/2 ned på LFO int knob på højre hånds tre monotroner. · 3-4 gange slipper man venstre hånds monotroner for at skrue 8-10% op på LFO rate knob på højre hånds tre monotroner.

These adjustments should be distributed evenly over the entire piece. Each adjustment should be executed as quickly as possible and take place soon after the saxophone has changed to a new multiphonic. One may not let go with both hands at the same time. As soon as one has made an adjustment the hand is moved back to ‘its’ three monotrons, so that these sound again.

Disse justeringer skal ligge jævnt fordelt stykket igennem. Hver justering skal udføres så hurtigt som muligt og foregå lige efter, at saxofonen har skiftet til en ny multiphonic. Man må ikke slippe med begge hænder samtidig. Så snart man har justeret, skal hånden vende tilbage til “sine” tre monotroner, så disse klinger igen.

AMPLIFICATION

FORSTÆRKNING

Medina was written specially for performance in the very unusual acoustic of the Emanuel Vigelands Mausolæum in Oslo. Here the work can be performed without amplification. All other venues require special amplification of the saxophone and twelve monotrons.

Medina er skrevet specielt til at blive opført i den meget usædvanlige akustik i Emanuel Vigelands Mausolæum i Oslo. Her kan værket opføres uden forstærkning. Alle andre steder kræves en særlig forstærkning af saxofonen og de tolv monotroner.

Twelve small active loudspeakers should be used (S1-S12) in addition to two large active loudspeakers (L1 & L2). The loudspeakers are spread out broadly over the stage and result in a wide stereo perspective:

Der skal bruges tolv små aktive højttalere (S1-S12) og to større aktive højttalere (L1 & L2). Højttalerne skal placeres i en bred række på scenen og resultere i et vidt stereoperspektiv:

L1 S1 S7 S2 S8 S3 S9 S4 S10 S5 S1 S6 S12 L2

L1 S1 S7 S2 S8 S3 S9 S4 S10 S5 S1 S6 S12 L2

· Each monotron should be amplified separately each through its little loudspeaker. The one monotron player’s monotrons should be routed through S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 and S6. The other monotron player’s monotrons should be routed through S7, S8, S9, S10, S11 and S12.

· Hver monotron skal forstærkes seperat gennem hver sin lille højttaler. Den ene monotronspillers monotroner skal sendes gennem S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 og S6. Den anden monotronspillers monotroner skal sendes gennem S7, S8, S9, S10, S11 og S12.

· The Saxophone should be amplified with two microphones placed at two locations in relation to the instrument, such that they capture different overtones of the various multiphonics. The one microphone’s signal is routed through L1, the other through L2.

· Saxofonen skal forstærkes med to mikrofoner placeret to forskellige steder i forhold til instrumentet, sådan de fanger forskellige af multiphonics’enes deltoner. Den ene mikrofons signal skal sendes gennem L1, den andens signal gennem L2.