[Σ], for female voice & trio (2020)

MATEO SERVIÁN SFORZA

[Σ] For female voice, tenor saxophone, electric guitar and violoncello (2020)

Duration: 10’30’’ ca.

PERFORMANCE NOTES VOICE Sound produced using the “chest” register and a “operatic” vocal tract configuration (lowered tongue and jaw, raised soft palate and slightly lowered larynx, obtaining great resonance)

Controlled rise of the diaphragm through the technique of the “support” (through the conscious use of the intercostal and abdominal muscles), so as to reduce the subglottal pressure

Sound produced using the “chest” register and a “pop” vocal tract configuration (tongue and jaw in natural position, lowered soft palate and larynx in natural position, obtaining a not very resonant sound)

“Non-supported” and hence non-controlled rise of the diaphragm, causing a higher subglottal pressure; the resonance of these sounds is therefore weakened since the air does not reach the resonators in optimal fashion

Sound produced using the “mixed” register and a “operatic” vocal tract configuration

Inhaled “vocal fry” on the lowest possible sound (no precise pitch is perceived)

Sound produced using the “mixed” register and a “pop” vocal tract configuration

Spoken sound (“parlato”) with the pharynx strongly contracted, on the lowest possible sound (no precise pitch is perceived)

Sound produced using the “head” register and a “operatic” vocal tract configuration Sound produced using the “head” register and a “pop” vocal tract configuration

SAXOPHONE (tenor) For the given pitch, choose a fingering that yields a “dark” timbre with the following characteristics: • Resonance of the fundamental: strong • Resonance of the higher part of the spectrum: poor

“Subtone”

Produce a very resonant tone

For the given pitch, use the same fingering as the “red” fingering; however: produce a not so resonant tone

For the given pitch, choose a fingering that yields a “mediumbright” timbre with the following characteristics: • Resonance of the fundamental: medium • Resonance of the higher part of the spectrum: strong Produce a very resonant tone For the given pitch, use the same fingering as the “dark-green” fingering; however: produce a not so resonant tone For the given pitch, choose a fingering that yields the a “bright” timbre with the following characteristics: • Resonance of the fundamental: poor • Resonance of the higher part of the spectrum: strong Produce a very resonant tone For the given pitch, use the same fingering as the “dark-blue” fingering; however: produce a not so resonant tone Allow the given sound to resonate fully Restrain the resonance of the given sound

Sing inside the instrument in order to produce “beats”; the sung part is written using the same transposition of the tenor saxophone (the resulting pitch is a lower major 9th) “Bisbigliando” or “timbral trill” between the specified fingering colors

ELECTRIC GUITAR Scordatura:

The score is transposed (pitches are written as if no scordatura were applied)

A guitar equipped with a “whammy-bar” (vibrato arm) and two humbucker pickups is needed, playing throughout the piece with both pickups activated through the pickup selector switch. The guitar is used throughout the piece with a “synthesizer” effect Through the process of writing the piece, the composer used an Ibanez JS11 guitar (HH pickups) equipped with a Boss GT-10 multi-effect pedalboard, running a synthesizer patch with the following “effects”:

The player must use the bottom of a glass bottle of approximately 7cm wide, with indentations on its lower surface, cut at around 2cm height, eventually covering the edge with silicone or any similar material.

Alternatively, a glass jar of the indicated width can be used, as long as the base has indentations.

or

Compressor Type Compressor Sustain 100 Attack 50 Tone 0 Level 50

FX 1: Wave Synth Wave Cutoff Resonance FLT. sensitivity FLT. decay FLT. depth Synth lev DirectLev

Reverb Saw 40 30 40 100 50 25 40

Type Rev Time

Plate 10.0s

Pre Delay Low Cut

3ms 110Hz

High Cut

4.00kHz

Density EffectLev

8 40

DirectLev

100

However, different pedals or pedalboards shall be used by the guitarist, trying to achieve a result as similar as possible to the original; if needed, sound samples can be requested to the composer via mail to mateoservian@gmail.com

Nails

Fingertips

Bottle bottom (or glass jar)

Actions made using the indentations of the glass on the strings, on the segment of the strings above the fretboard.

The approximate positions are indicated each time: • • • •

N: above the neck pickup M: midway between the two pickups B: above the bridge pickup X: extremely close to the bridge (no precise pitch)

Palm of the hand Pluck the string with a single indentation of the glass Pluck the string

“Tap” the string against the fretboard

Mute strings

Pluck the string with a single indentation; after the attack of the sound, continue to press the string with the glass for the whole duration of the light-blue line, allowing the overtone to resonate.

The desired pitch is notated above the note.

Unmute strings “Tremolo”: fast up/down movement perpendicularly to the string, staying in the indicated position

Arpeggiate all strings with the glass on the indicated position, upwards or downwards

The “wave synth” effect of the pedalboard is activated at different degrees that depend on the string length and on the strength with which the string is set in motion, resulting in different degrees of resonance of the synth sound:

Find the given pitch on a high position (i.e. using a short string segment) in order to obtain a timbre with a strong fundamental and weak upper partials, plucking (or tapping) the string as to produce a very resonant tone Use the same string length as the “red” position, yet pluck the string so as to produce a not so resonant tone Find the given pitch on a mid-position (i.e. using a string segment of medium length) in order to obtain a timbre with a balanced richness of the fundamental and of the upper partials, plucking (or tapping) the string so as to produce a very resonant tone Use the same string length as the “dark-green” position, yet pluck the string so as to produce a not so resonant tone Find the given pitch on a low position (i.e. using a long string segment) in order to obtain a timbre with a not so strong fundamental and strong upper partials, plucking (or tapping) the string so as to produce a very resonant tone Use the same string length as the “dark-blue” position, yet pluck the string so as to produce a not so resonant tone

Bend the indicated string so as to produce beats with the open string.

N.B.: in this example, due to the scordatura both strings produce the same pitch (Do).

Hit the outer part of the rim of the guitar (near the strap lock) with the palm of the hand, indirectly setting the strings in vibration

Tap all strings very delicately with the left hand (almost “half-harmonic pressure”) and release quickly so as to let the strings vibrate

Use of the whammy-bar: the numbers written above the note values indicate the number of semitones lowered pressing the whammy-bar.

For example, 0 represents the whammy-bar unpressed, and the number 10♭ stands for the whammy-bar pressed down so as to lower the sound in 10 semitones (a minor 7th)

Use of the volume pedal: 0= no sound; 10= maximum volume

VIOLONCELLO Scordatura:

The score is transposed (pitches are written as if no scordatura were applied)

Find the given pitch on a high position (i.e. using a short string segment) in order to obtain a timbre with a strong fundamental and weak upper partials, managing the bow so as to produce a very resonant tone

Allow the given sound to resonate fully

Use the same string length as the “red” position, yet manage the bow so as to produce a not so resonant tone

Restrain the resonance of the given sound

Find the given pitch on a mid-position (i.e. using a string segment of medium length) in order to obtain a timbre with a balanced richness of the fundamental and of the upper partials, managing the bow so as to produce a very resonant tone Use the same string length as the “dark-green” position, yet manage the bow so as to produce a not so resonant tone Find the given pitch on a low position (i.e. using a long string segment) in order to obtain a timbre with a not so strong fundamental and strong upper partials, managing the bow so as to produce a very resonant tone Use the same string length as the “dark-blue” position, yet manage the bow so as to produce a not so resonant tone Unstable/irregular vibration of the string produced by bowing very close to the bridge, with a pressure strong enough so as to produce a “distorted” tone where the fundamental is weak (yet present) and the upper partials are extremely strong

SPOKEN PARTS (sax, guitar, cello)

With no expression or emphasis of any kind, speaking with a low (chest) voice.

The dynamic level should be that of a piano, soft yet present.

All text is in french, written in IPA transcription.

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