Mette Nielsen Rules for Playing (2024) for 8 – 20 musicians – any instruments, no conductor Dur. 20′
Commissioned by Århus Sinfonietta
TREBLE CLEF in C VIOLIN
WINDS in C PERCUSSION
PIANO
ACCORDION
HARP
GUITAR
ETC.
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Mette Nielsen
Rules for playing (2024)
for 8 – 20 musicians – any instruments, no conductor
Dur. 20′
RULES FOR PLAYING
The piece consists of a number of ACTIONS and REACTIONS. An ACTION can be begun at any time, unless otherwise specified. A REACTION always follows someone else’s ACTION. Certain ACTIONs may trump others, so that the other musicians must react to them, no matter what else is going on. Some REACTIONs are mandatory, others are voluntary.
The musicians are divided in three ‘types’: A, B and C. Type A has a lot of actions, type B has some actions and type C has just one action. Musicians should divide these parts among themselves at the first rehearsal. Everyone should know all three types.
The piece begins when one of the type A musicians starts an action. It ends when everyone has either left the stage or is standing up and humming. The five phases of the piece are described on the next page.
A lot of the music in this piece is improvisatory in nature. Listen to each other, imitate, exaggerate, interrupt each other. This is a conversation and a power dynamic. If you are a person of power (type A), use your power.
Set-up
The musicians can be on a stage or placed around the audience. The most important thing is, that the musicians are visible for the audience.
The musicians should either wear a t-shirt with their type letter (A/B/C) printed on (in large writing), or have a sign with the letter (in large writing) placed in front of them/ hanging from their note stands.
Instrumentation
The piece is written for any instruments to play. Versions exist for transposing instruments in Bb, Eb and F. Versions in C exist in treble, bass and alto clefs. Piano, guitar, accordion, percussion et al. should use the version in C, treble clef.
Percussionists should choose one instrument with pitches and one without. They should be able to play the melodic instrument both while sitting down and while standing up, the unpitched instrument only while sitting down. The “favourite phrase” should be chosen for the melodic instrument. “Noise sounds” are played on the unpitched percussion.
Instruments which can play more than one note at a time (e.g. the piano) can choose to play in octaves when appropriate (e.g. when playing fortissimo), and in the “Stand up music”-reaction they can choose to play one or more of the notes written.
Division of Musicians into Types
The most musicians should be Type C, the fewest Type A. Use the following division as a starting point and adjust if needed:
8 – 10 musicians: 2 × Type A, 3 × Type B, the rest: Type C
11 – 14 musicians: 3 × Type A, 4 × Type B, the rest: Type C
15 – 17 musicians: 4 × Type A, 5 × Type B, the rest: Type C
18 – 20 musicians: 5 × Type A, 6 × Type B, the rest: Type C
Vocabulary
Favourite phrase: Pick a phrase that you like and enjoy playing. It should be short, maximum one breath (either literally or figuratively). Play the phrase in your own tempo. You should only use one phrase during the entire piece, however you can switch between playing the entire phrase and smaller excerpts of the phrase.
Noise: Play a noise sound with no pitch on your instrument. Pick one that you can play in different dynamics or choose a couple of sounds in different dynamics that go well together.
Play any pitch: Play any pitch you choose. It can be a different pitch each time.
Power pose: A confident pose, as if you are about to play a forte solo part.
Get more comfortable: Adjust the position of your note stand/chair, stretch a body part or adjust something on your instrument.
Stand up music: Stand up and play. If you are the only one standing up, play the “stand up solo” music. If more people are standing up, play the “stand up tutti”-music. If one or more people have left the stage, you have to hum the music instead of playing it, when you stand up.
Unless otherwise specified, play the articulation of the notes in the way you feel like.
Phase 1: you can only play ACTIONs 1+2 of the playing board. A Type A musician begins the piece by doing one of these ACTIONs.
Phase 2: you can play ACTIONs 1–4.
A Type A musician unlocks this phase by starting ACTION 3 (“Noise sounds”). You may only do this after playing ACTION 1 (“Power pose”) three times.
Phase 3: The full playing board is in use.
A Type A musician unlocks this phase by starting ACTION 6 (“Hero signal”). You may only do this after playing ACTION 4 (“Favourite phrase”) three times.
Phase 4: From now on, everyone must hum in ACTION 7 (“Stand up music”). A Type C musician unlocks this phase by leaving the stage. From now on, everyone must hum the “Stand up music”
Phase 5: ACTIONs 4+5 cannot be used any more. This phase is unlocked when 3 Type C musicians have left the stage.
End of the piece: only possible in Phase 5. When everyone left on stage is standing up and humming, find a last note together (not necessarily the same pitch, but at the same time), hold it for a few seconds and stop together. Leave the stage.
1 Phase 1 – 5
2 Phase 1 – 5
3 Phase 2 – 5
Power pose
Play 3 times to unlock phase 2
Get more comfortable
Play noise sounds
4 ^ Phase 2 – 4
5 ^ Phase 3 – 4
^Play your favourite phrase pp – mp
Dynamic, tempo and timing as it fits what else is going on.
Play 3 times to unlock phase 3
^Play any pitch, loudly
6 * Phase 3 – 5
Hero signal
REACTIONS
Imitate power pose when you see one
When a person next to you gets comfortable, get more comfortable
When a person next to you plays noise sounds, play noise sounds
When a person next to you is playing a melodic phrase, play your favourite phrase pp – mp Dynamic, tempo and timing as it fits what else is going on.
When you hear a single, loud pitch, Play any pitch, loudly (The notes wander around the ensemble randomly)
*When you hear the hero signal:
Play:
Keep playing longer and softer notes for as long as you like or until the next REACTION/ACTION
7 Phase 3 – 5
Stand up music Solo: mf – f
Stand up music
Tutti: Play any part of the below. Repeat ad lib.
Phase 4-5: only humming
* REACTION is mandatory
Phase 4–5: only humming
^ This ACTION disappears when 3 Type C musicians have left the stage
1 Phase 1 – 5
2 Phase 1 – 5
3 Phase 2 – 5
Power pose
Play 3 times to unlock phase 2
Get more comfortable
Play noise sounds
4 ^ Phase 2 – 4
5 ^ Phase 3 – 4
^Play your favourite phrase pp – mp
Dynamic, tempo and timing as it fits what else is going on.
Play 3 times to unlock phase 3
^Play any pitch, loudly
6 * Phase 3 – 5
7 Phase 3 – 5
* REACTION is mandatory
REACTIONS
Imitate power pose when you see one
When a person next to you gets comfortable, get more comfortable
When a person next to you plays noise sounds, play noise sounds
When a person next to you is playing a melodic phrase, play your favourite phrase pp – mp Dynamic, tempo and timing as it fits what else is going on.
When you hear a single, loud pitch, Play any pitch, loudly (The notes wander around the ensemble randomly)
*When you hear the hero signal:
Play:
Keep playing longer and softer notes for as long as you like or until the next REACTION/ACTION
Stand up music
Tutti: Play any part of the below. Repeat ad lib.
Phase 4–5: only humming
^ This ACTION disappears when 3 Type C musicians have left the stage
1 Phase 1 – 5
2 Phase 1 – 5
3 Phase 2 – 5
4 ^ Phase 2 – 4
5 ^ Phase 3 – 4
6
* Phase 3 – 5
7 Phase 3 – 5 Leave the stage You can only perform this action after having performed all of your reactions a minimum of one time each.
Once you leave the stage, you cannot come back again.
* REACTION is mandatory
REACTIONS
Imitate power pose when you see one
When a person next to you gets comfortable, get more comfortable
When a person next to you plays noise sounds, play noise sounds
When a person next to you is playing a melodic phrase, play your favourite phrase pp – mp Dynamic, tempo and timing as it fits what else is going on.
When you hear a single, loud pitch, Play any pitch, loudly (The notes wander around the ensemble randomly)
*When you hear the hero signal:
Play:
Keep playing longer and softer notes for as long as you like or until the next REACTION/ACTION
Stand up music
Tutti: Play any part of the below. Repeat ad lib.
Phase 4–5: only humming
^ This ACTION disappears when 3 Type C musicians have left the stage