Thorvaldsdottir SHADES OF SILENCE

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Thorvaldsdottir, Anna Shades of Silence

Score for sale (North America): https://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.action?itemid=255632 Score for sale (UK, Europe and other territories): https://www.musicroom.com/product-detail/product1132162/variant1132162/ Information about the work and materials for hire: http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/work/57460

Chester Music Limited Part of the Music Sales Group

Written for Nordic Affect. The first performance was given on 2 February 2013 at KaldalĂłn Hall, Harpa Centre, Reykjavik, Iceland.

Duration: c. 8 minutes

Performance Notes It might be suggested – but naturally depending on the performance space – that the instruments be amplified during performance. The subtle sound nuances might be better projected with amplification. In the case of amplification a microphone should be placed close to the fingerboards of the string instruments (and perhaps additionally around the bowing area), in order to capture the subtle nuances of the percussive playing with fingers on fingerboard, and ethereal bowing effects. For the harpsichord, a microphone should be placed inside the instrument to capture the subtle nuances of performance on the inside of the instrument.

A subtle reverb would be suggested.

At selected moments in the piece inspirational words are written (in bold italics) as atmospheric indications.

Notation Abbreviations l.b.pr. light bow pressure for an airy effect m.b.pr. much bow pressure for a scratching sound (see notehead below) s.p. sul ponticello f.t. fingertips s.b. superball w.br. wirebrush ord. takes back all special effects/performing techniques applied, including (but not limited to) sul pont., light bow pressure etc.

General When pitches are sustained/slurred through an extended period of time, breathe/bow as necessary, not synchronised.

No vibrato unless otherwise indicated.

Former effect/sound/technique/indication gradually becomes the following one.

All glissandos should be played/sung throughout the duration of the note value it is written by. For example, , slow glissando that at the beginning of the note and glissandos throughout the four beats of the note value. Similar with + faster glissando (depending on the destination of the following pitch).

B I D Â

,

Quarter tone flat Quarter tone flat above Quarter tone sharp Quarter tone sharp above E

Strings Place left hand (not only one finger) lightly on indicated string, around given pitch area, not on harmonic. Fingers are not to be placed on exact pitches. This produces an un-pitched airy sound. The lower small note head indicates the open string to be performed on, the upper note head indicates the approximate position of the hand. When the note head is indicated with a glissando, move hand up or down the string as indicated (this will produce various harmonic colors to the airy sound as hand glissandos over the string/s), for example: When these note heads are indicated with ord., it refers to playing ordinary on the written effect and merely serves to take back indication of otherwise performing such as with sul pont., much bow pressure etc.

Three tremolo lines refer to playing quick tremolo notes but not to rhythmic 32nd notes.

Hit string with bow hairs.

Hit with fingers on the strings for percussive effect without playing with the bow on the strings, and without pizzicato.

This is a very subtle effect that needs to be dramatically articulated in order to project. Dynamics associated to this effect are relative to the entire texture, and should be dramatized for projection as needed. This produces a subtle percussive effect of the fingers hitting the fingerboard.

Performed not on a pitch (as indicated by the notehead) but as a subtle percussive attack. Short notes with much bow pressure should ideally be performed close to the frog for a percussive effect.

Notes without noteheads indicate a continuation of the previous technique, e.g. means continue playing on air, with left hand covering strings without pitch (as indicated with the initial notehead of the phrase), moving the hand (and bow) as indicated by the written rhythmic patterns.

Harpsichord Staff systems Multiple staff lines: indicates the range of the instrument. Material written on the designated multiple line staff should be performed over an arbitrary range of the instrument as the multiple lines roughly represent the area of the strings. Top lines indicate highest register, middle lines indicate mid range, lower lines indicate lowest register. It is, however, clear that the number of staff lines are not equal to the number of strings, so the exact register is somewhat arbitrary.

Ordinary staff: conventional notation on the keyboard.

Tools Superball mallet: when suberball mallet is written with sustain the mallet should be dragged over the indicated string throughout the entire duration of the written note-value for a sustained sound. This produces a “ghostly� type of sustained sound. When written to a note value of shorter duration (and without indication to sustain) the mallet should be used to hit the string/wood as indicated.

Wirebrush mallet: when wirebrush (w.br.) is written with sustain with a tremolo notehead the mallet should be swiped back and forth for a sustained scratchy airy sound effect. Otherwise the mallet is written with an indication of circular strokes (DDDD).

Bow hairs: wrapped around a designated string for performing sustained sound with a bowing effect.

Guitar pick Inside the harpsichord It is important to search for the best instrument settings with regards to sound projection when performing on the inside of the instrument. The best suitable setting, for the quality and projection of the sound should be selected and used for the parts that are performed on the inside of the instrument. However, it is suggested to have the lute stop on when the keyboard is played, whenever possible to make the change in settings. When not possible to make a change in settings between playing on the inside of the instrument and the keyboard, it is suggested to keep the setting required for performing on the inside of the instrument. It might be optimal to keep all registers open for a good projection of the sound on the inside of the instrument, if this is the case and a simultaneous performing on the keyboard is required, it is all right that the resulting notes on the keyboard sound louder than written (given that the dynamics should always be rather subtle when performing on the keyboard – or ).

Material that is to be performed inside the harpsichord is mostly arbitrary with regards to register and refers to subtle nuances, so actual pitches are mostly not set – however, as the performer practices the piece she might identify certain pitch areas and refine the practice so that the performance of the nuances remain consistent in sounds and pitches throughout practice and performance.

When specific Performer needs to identify the following 3 pitches inside the harpsichord for performance: pitches are to be played inside the harpsichord the notes are indicated with note names above: C, F or A , and always written on the lowest line of the multiple line staff. The notes are played with sustaining superball mallet on string or with bow hairs.

The above notes refer to pitches – performer should choose strings (one for each pitch) inside the harpsichord that produces the best quality sounding pitch with the sustained superball mallet. The sound quality should be rather dark and produce a good amount of resonance.

Techniques Perform on string(s) in designated position inside the instrument as indicated. Notes are accompanied with indication of fingertip (f.t.) or other designated tool or mallet, as well as indication to pizz. (pluck) or sustain on string(s) as applicable. When there is no indication other than f.t. or s.b. it refers to tapping/hitting strings with fingertips or superball respectively.

Glissando over strings as indicated. Accompanied with indication of fingertip or other tool/mallet.

Move across the strings as indicated. A glissando of sorts, but written with the indication of simultaneously moving in circular strokes.

Slow tremolo over indicated area. Accompanied with a tool, fingertips or mallet to perform with.

When notehead is written above or below the multiple-lines staff it is an indication to play on the wood of the instrument. When written as a single attack it is accompanied with either knock, which means to knock on the wood with hand/fingers, or with s.b., referring to a superball mallet.

Three tremolo lines refer to playing quick tremolo notes but not to rhythmic 32nd notes.

Two tremolo lines (as above) refer to playing slower tremolo, but not to rhythmic 16th notes.

Shades of Silence Hljóða hvarf Anna Thorvaldsdottir

- calm -

q = 40 Violin

4 4

Ethereally - light bow and finger pressure - airy sound no vibrato

gliss. pp

Viola

4 4

Ethereally - light bow and finger pressure - airy sound no vibrato

gliss. pp

Violoncello

4 4

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gliss.

pp fingertip mp

Superball - calm sustain (Ab) Inside Harpsichord

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Copyright © 2017 Chester Music Limited

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