Ghost

ghost

for marimba and piano with windup toys and electronics

Julie Herndon 2020

-iiDuration: 3 minutes

Commissioned by the National Sawdust Digital Discovery Festival, developed with Ian Rosenbaum and workshopped with Stephen Gosling, with help from Tony Gennaro.

Preparation • 2 wind-up toys, turtles or similar, that are able to mechanically strike marimba keys and piano strings percussively and rhythmically • Laptop running Max/MSP • Ghost Looper Max patch • 2-channel interface • 2 dynamic microphones (as pictured below) o one at the top of the piano o one at the top of the marimba pointed at turtles • 2 weighted piano mutes (rice bag tubes or equivalent). Links for reference: o Construction: https://vimeo.com/311333731 o Application: https://vimeo.com/311333353

Staging & Setup

Laptop may be on piano music stand or table within reach of the performer(s) who will be cuing.

Volume of playback should be roughly equivalent to volume of acoustic turtles.

-iiiPiano

Placement: turtle, headless turtle, and mic

Marimba

Turtle: highest CDE Headless turtle in secondhighest soundboard section

Headless turtle: highest FGA

Bass Midrange section

Turtle and Headless Turtle are pictured as they should be placed in the piece. Note that the headless turtle is placed upside-down on its shoulders and that the turtle with a head is placed on its belly. Microphones should be placed so that they are within reach of performers while winding up gears and also close enough to marimba/piano to amplify turtle motion.

Piano Mutes thread mutes under metal braces so that they rest evenly on strings. Mutes are named after the section (space between braces inside piano) that they cover • Midrange Mute: m.18, 26 place over midrange strings quickly in m.18, adjust as needed to cover midrange section inside piano at m.26-30 (do not place mute in section with turtle). • Bass Mute: prepare before piece place over bass section before piece begins.

Performance notes Turtles: Scale dynamics throughout so that mp = volume of turtles and turtle playback.

= action to be performed with turtle

= action to be performed with headless turtle

When winding up turtles, hold arms so that they do not spin. Release arms when you place turtle onto instrument.

-ivMarimba: Soft, medium, and hard mallets are required. Hard mallets should sound similar to the turtle arms’ percussive quality.

Tremolos are notated so that slow = s, fast = f. Vary speed between, ad lib.

Piano: Bass Mute should be prepared on bass strings before piece begins (as in Piano Mutes image above). Midrange Mute should be placed so that it can easily be applied to strings at m. 18 and adjusted as needed in 26.

Electronics: Either player (or both) may cue the electronics. Cues should occur right before turtle windup.

1 and 2 = press number key on laptop to start looper.

Esc clears looper for restart (in general, the electronics build sequentially and need about 14 seconds between cuing and restarting).

“An old legend tells of an earnest youth who went to a holy man seeking the meaning of life. In response to the disciple’s questions about the world and its foundations, the guru explained that the earth sits on the back of a huge tiger, which stands on the flanks of an enormous elephant, and so on. When the cosmological series reached a giant turtle, the sage paused. His enraptured pupil—believing he had arrived finally at ultimate truth—exclaimed, ‘So the universe rests on that turtle!’ ‘Oh, no,’ replied his mentor. ‘From there, it’s turtles all the way down.’”

—Susan McClary, “Turtles All the Way Down (On the “Purely Musical”) in Conventional Wisdom: The Content of Musical Form (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2000), p. 1.

Score

ghost Julie Herndon

straighforward, non-theatrical Measure duration 16"

·

X

Piano

·

hold turtle to mic, gently WIND 8 half turns counterclockwise accentuating gear grind, resistance

X

Marimba

4"

2"

X

Mrb.

4

soft mallets trem. slow (s) in time with turtle

47 47

4

Elec.

7

Mrb.

7

Pno.

Elec.

P

ú

ú

s

fast (f)

Ï Ï )

47

adjust turtle as needed to maintain motion

47

·

·

ú.

o

ú.

7 4

f

PLACE headless turtle on highest FGA marimba keys

&

·

(texture builds)

·

(s)

î

o

hold headless turtle to mic, gently WIND 6 half turns counterclockwise accentuating gear grind, resistance

&ú ú ú ú ú ú Ï p &

ú.

ú.

(f)

?

7

w

& 47 w o

Pno.

Ï

1. press key to start looper

gently mechanical, warm (q = 60)

4

&

Ï

approximate audible pitches

·

pianist: facing marimba Electronics

PLACE turtle on highest CDE marimba keys

(Ï

Ï

ú ú ú ú ú ú ÏÏ F Ï Ï Ï (Ï Ï ) adjust turtle as needed to maintain motion

P ú ú î o

wait for pianist to return to piano if necessary (s) f

( U) ú. ú.

s

·

¹

(U) ·

return to piano

Ï ú . ú . Ï ú ú Ï Ï 44 Ï Ï ú F p (f)

s

ú ÏÏ ÏÏú ú ÏÏ P (f)

f

44 ä 4 j Ï5 Ï Ï Ï Ï

gently stretching between consecutive fingers

. Ï ú Ï ú P as resonant jas possible Ï ú Ï Ï j Ï ú .

2

2

3

3

ped. ad lib.

4

3

3

4

· © Julie Herndon 2020

4 Ï 4 4

4 4

2

ú

Ï

5

2

·

ú . let ring 5

F

ú.

1

Ï Ï

1

5

·

-2-

Mrb.

3 3 r Å & Ï ú ú Ï Ï Ï Ï ú ú Ï Ï Å Ï Ï # Ï Ï Ï ä ä Ï ÅÅ r ä Ï ä 43 ä Ïr Å Å r ä Ïr äÅ Å r ä Î Î ? 44 Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï p

12

Pno.

trem. winding down

Ï

12

&

?

12

ú 4

ú.

3

1

ú P ú

ú

Ï Ï 1

3

ú

Ï

ú

Ï

4

1

ú.

1

4

very slow, particulating

4

ú

Ï

Ï

F

Ï

Ï Ï

ú.

? 44

Ï

Mrb.

& 44

18

Pno.

? 44

18

Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Å äÏ Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï

¹ cresc. poco a poco ·

Mrb.

22

·

ä j Å jä bÏ Ï Ï Ï ¹ cresc. poco a poco

Ï Ï ÏÏÏÏ Ï ÏÅ Ï (F)

Pno.

& Ï Ï Ï ?Å

22

P) Ï

(

Ï ä

Ï Ï

Ï

PLACE Midrange Mute on strings inside piano

? ÅÏ

p

( )

accel. poco a poco

22

Ï

accel. poco a poco 3

Ï

Ï Ï

Ï

Ï.

Ï

4 4

Ï. ¹ ú

Ï

43

(tapping fades)

hard mallets

18

Ï

3 4 ú

Elec.

Animating, sprightly, disjointed (q = 96)

Ï

3 Ï 4

4 4 44

·

o

Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Å J Å Ïj ä ä Å Å Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï (P) ÏÏ

Ï

ÅÅ

Ï ÏÏ Ï p

Ï

Ï

( )

Å

Ï Ï

Ï Ï

Ï Ï

Ï Ï

3

Ï Ï

Ï Ï Ï

Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï ÏÏÏ Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï 3 3 ( f) Ä

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï ä Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï

Ï Ï Ï Ï

F)

(

f

( )

Ä

-3-

U

straighforward

spinning out, a little manic (q = 112) free trem. (LH), reach to headless turtle (RH)

w

?

25

Mrb.

25

Pno.

&

? w

U

w

U

w

25

·

X

·

ADJUST Midrange Mute as needed to evenly cover strings

X

o

quickly pick up turtles one after the other, RELEASE ARMS to spin

o

marimbist: turn to piano place turtle aside

U

·

U

·

X

·

non-theatrical Measure duration 16"

Mrb.

hold headless turtle to mic, gently WIND 6 half turns counterclockwise accentuating gear grind, resistance

X 28

Pno.

·

X 28

Elec.

X

(Ï Ï # Ï # Ï Ï Ï) approximate audible pitches

marimbist: at piano 28

4"

2"

·

Mrb.

Pno.

Elec.

46

·

46

2.

carefree, interlocking, enjoying something of a mechanistic quality (q = 92)

& 46 · .

medium soft/hard mallets

Å Ï # Ï Ï ÏÅ Ï Ï Ï #Ï Ï F dim. poco a poco RH sempre staccato, LH legato 5 4 31 ä 1. 3. j ä ä 1. . jä ä 1. j . jä ä . . . j ä Å . . . j ä 6 & 4 ÏjÏ # Ï ÏjÏ Ï Ï .Ï # Ï Ï Ï # Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï #Ï Ï Ï.

J Ï Ï J# Ï .

J 1 3 1 4 2 5 dim. poco a poco P 31 6 ped. ad lib.

4 31

Å

46

PLACE headless turtle upright on piano strings & in second-highest soundboard segment adjust turtle as needed to maintain motion

Ï

#Ï

Ï Ï Ï# Ï Ï Ï Ï# Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï

#Ï

ÏÏ Ï Ï

.j .j .j . . . . . . Å Î ä j# Ï ä ä j Ï ä ä j Ï ä # Ï Ï Ï #Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï . Ï # ÏJ# Ï .

J Ï.

J

#Ï Ï Ï Ï & Å #Ï Å #Ï .

34 Å . . # Ïj ä Å . Ï. & Ï Ï # Ï Ï #Ï # Ï Ï Ï 34 (P) 34

Mrb.

Pno.

Elec.

& Å #Ï

36

Mrb.

Ï Ï

#Ï

Ï.

Pno.

36

Elec.

#Ï Ï Å

Ï .j Ï Ï

#Ï Ï

j Å Ï #Ï Ï ä Å Ï Ï & Ï Ï #Ï Ï Ï #Ï. not staccato, but still a bit detached

36

-4-

Ï Ï #Ï Ï #Ï #Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï #Ï (P) .j . .j . tender . j ä ÅÏ ÏÏ ä ä Ï Ï ä ä Ï ÏÏ #Ï #Ï ÏÏÏ Ï.

J . Ï ÏÏ

Ï Ï ÏÏ Ï j j Å Ï Å Å Ï Ï #Ï ä Î Ï ÏÏ Ï Ï ÏÏ Ï ( p)

Pno.

#Ï Ï Ï

38

Ï Ï .j .j Ï Ï ä Ï J

ÏÏÏ

ÏÅÏ ÏÏ Ï .j .j ä #Ï #Ï ä Ï Ï.

J

Ï Ï Ï. Ï

ÏÏ #Ï

j j j Ï j Ï # Ï ä Ï ä ä Ï ä #Ï Ï Ï. Ï Ï #Ï. #Ï.

J J

#Ï Ï Ï #Ï #Ï Ï ÏÏÏ ÏÏÏ Ï Ï # Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï #Ï Å ÅÏ Å &Å ( p) Ã #Ï 38 Ï ÏÏ Ï ÏJ # Ï Ï Åä J ä ä J Å Î Î &ä J ÏÏ #Ï Ï #Ï Ï Ï Ï #Ï Ï Ï Ï ?Î Î 38

Mrb.

Ï #Ï Ï

ÏÏÏ

Ï ÅÏ Ï ÏÅJ Å

#Ï

Ï Ï #Ï Ï

ÏÏÏ Ï #Ï #Ï J ä ä J ä Å Ï Ï #Ï. Ï.

J J

Elec.

Ï #Ï Ï Ï ÏÏ Ï Ï Ï #Ï Ï Ï #Ï ÏÏ Å .. .. ä 42 Î · & Å Ï ¹ Ï Ï Ï Ï #Ï Ï Ï Ï #Ï Ï Ï Ï #Ï Ï Ï Ï 40 Ï J Å J Åä J .. .. ä & 42 #Ï Ï #Ï Ï ¹ Ï. Ï Ï Ï #Ï ÏÏ Ï Ï Ï ?

J .. .. · 42 40

Mrb.

Pno.

40

Elec.

#Ï #Ï

42

· repeat and fade out with electronics

·

o o