SAUNDERS
Blue and Gray for two double basses with five strings
ISSUU Version
For perusal only
ISSUU Version
REBECCA SAUNDERS
For perusal only
Blue and Gray
(2005)
for two double basses with five strings
Explanatory Notes
ISSUU Version
For two double basses with five strings. For scordatura tuning please see bar 1.
For perusal only
s.t. Sul tasto.
s.p. Sul pont: a. at pp / ppp hear overtones - written tone inaudible; b. p - f distortion and noise content grow; c. at ff complete “noise“.
½-s.p. SP-colouring, but at all dynamics written tone remains audible and noise/overtone content is heard but not dominant.
Microtonal adjustment always by a quarter-tone - a timbral and expressive function which need not be exact.
– , Bow stop onto next beat.
s.p. st. Gradual and constant change of timbre.
flaut Flautando – very fast and light bow stroke.
Crescendo from silence, or decrescendo to silence.
A wide and clearly rhythmic vibrato at sul pont. Hear rhythmically moving overtones.
Vibrato pulse at start of note, like an expressive accent, then subito non vibrato.
Vertical motion back and forwards between fingerboard and bridge – complete distortion. , ,
Heavy bow, without decrescendo, flat left hand finger fast glissando. Near sul pont and very loud for complete distortion.
”Noise” attack, marcato extreme accent, deep in the string, and then subito ordinary, unless otherwise indicated.
Double stops: on long notes bring out interference beats between the two tones by controlling speed of bow and allowing open string to ring.
Glissando to highest pitch.
Gradually to tremolo of maximum speed.
ISSUU Version For perusal only
Barrée glissando to top of strings bringing out distortion and overtones.
General
Natural harmonic at sounding pitch on given string.
Tempi
A clear break. Let the open strings ring.
This is a melody!
The quarter-tones have a timbral and expressive function and need not be microtonally exact. Imagine the quarter-tones make up a reduced melodic line. Within this very reduced palette of sounds, the extremes of articulation are very important - absolute contrast of timbre, attack and intent.
Take every opportunity to explore soft, expressive and warm sounds.
Change bows freely and often on long notes. Many bowing are given, but adapt and change as necessary.
Silence is the canvas - despite choleric nature of sound material, all sounds surface out of and disappear into silence.
= 69 is more passionate and driven than basic = 60 on the edge.
“slower” and “much slower”: take your time to draw out the expressive and warm melodic line, responding to acoustic and resonance.
Duration ca. 8´30 minutes.
RS
Blue and Gray (2005) for two double basses
ISSUU Version For perusal only
The title is taken from a Mark Rothko painting entitled Blue and Gray from 1962. The following quotations serve to illustrate these shades:
Grey is void of resonance, an inconsolable immobility.
.... As it deepens towards black... (blue) becomes like an infinite self-absorption which has no end.
Kandinsky, On the Spiritual in Art, 1911-12.
The achromatic grey scale shunts from black to white, the greys measured in the light they reflect.
.... Shadow, said Augustine, is the Queen of colour. Colour sings in the grey.
Blue is darkness made visible.
... The darkness comes in with the tide.
Derek Jarman, from Into the Blue in Chroma – A book of Colour, Vintage, 1995
„We love to contemplate blue, not because it advances to us, but because it draws us after it.”
Geothe, Farbenlehre.
Der Titel bezieht sich auf das Bild Blue and Gray (1962) von Mark Rothko. Die folgenden Zitate sollen dazu dienen, das Blau und das Grau zu beleuchten:
Grau ist Resonanz, eine untröstliche Unbeweglichkeit....
As it deepens towards black... (blue) becomes like an infinite self-absorption which has no end.“
Kandinsky, On the Spiritual in Art, 1911-12.
Die achromatische Grauskala schiebt sich von Schwarz nach Weiss, die Graus in dem Licht gemessen, dass sie reflektieren.
Der Schatten, sagt Augustinus, ist die Königin der Farben.
... Blau ist unsichtbar gemachte Dunkelheit.
... Die Dunkelheit kommt mit der Flut.
Derek Jarman, from Into the Blue in Chroma – A book of Colour, Vintage, 1995
Wie wir einen angenehmen Gegenstand, der vor uns flieht, gern verfolgen, so sehen wir das Blaue gerne an, nicht weil es auf uns dringt, sondern weil es uns nach sich zieht.
Geothe, Farbenlehre.
ISSUU Version For perusal only
s.p. flaut
ISSUU Version For perusal only
For perusal only
For perusal only
ISSUU Version
For perusal only
Rebecca Saunders
ISSUU Version For perusal only
Rebecca Saunders studied with Wolfgang Rihm at the Musikhochschule in Karlsruhe, Germany, and for a PhD in Composition with Nigel Osborne at Edinburgh University. She lives in Berlin. Saunders’ composition prizes include the 1996 Ernst von Siemens Komponisten-Förderpreis and the 2008 Royal Philharmonic Society Composition Award for Chamber Music. Her works have been performed at festivals including the Huddersfield Festival, the Berlin Biennale and the Darmstadt Ferienkurse. In 2009 she became a member of the Berlin Academy of Arts. Saunders’ works include chroma, for chamber groups distributed throughout the performance space, albescere, written for Ensemble Modern and the Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, and a double concerto for trumpet, percussion and orchestra.
Rebecca Saunders studierte Komposition bei Wolfgang Rihm an der Musikhochschule Karlsruhe und promovierte an der Universität Edinburgh bei Nigel Osborne. Sie lebt in Berlin. Saunders erhielt unter anderem den Komponisten-Förderpreis 1996 der Ernst-vonSiemens-Musikstiftung sowie den Royal Philharmonic Society Composition Award 2008 in der Kategorie Kammermusik. Ihre Werke erklangen bei zahlreichen Festivals wie dem Huddersfield Festival, der Berlin-Biennale und den Darmstädter Ferienkursen. 2009 wurde sie zum Mitglied der Berliner Akademie der Künste ernannt. Zu ihren Werken zählen chroma für im Raum verteilte Kammergruppen, albescere (entstanden für das Ensemble Modern und die Neuen Vocalsolisten Stuttgart) sowie ein Doppelkonzert für Trompete, Schlagzeug und Orchester.
Photo
© Astrid Ackermann