BELL JAR
Score for Symphony Orchestra (2023)
Signe Lykke
BELL JAR
for Symphony Orchestra
(2023)
Duration: c. 7 mins
Commissioned by Odense Symphony Orchestra. World premiere at Odense Concert Hall, October 26th 2023. With support from KODAs Cultural Funds and The Danish Arts Council
Copyright © 2023 Edition Wilhelm Hansen A/S, Copenhagen
Music engraving in Sibelius
Edited by Frej Wedlund. Publisher’s editor: Katrine Gregersen Dal
Edition Wilhelm Hansen, A/S Copenhagen Bornholmsgade 1A 1266 København K Denmark
www.wisemusicclassical.com
INSTRUMENTATION
1 Piccolo
1 Flute
2 Oboes
1 Eb Clarinet
1 Bb Clarinet
2 Bassoons
4 Horns
2 Trumpets
2 Trombones
3 Percussion*
Strings*
* 3 Snare Drums and 3 Kalimbas
** Note that for practical reasons, there are separate Violin Ia and Violin Ib parts. When four staves are used in the score, Vln. Ia takes the upper two staves, Vln. Ib the lower two. In divisi a 3 passages, all three staves are present in both parts.
Orchestra set-up:
A heartfelt thank you to the people who helped and supported the birth of this piece.
A special shout out to four exceptional drummers and percussionists: Snorre Kirk, David Hildebrandt, Laurits Hvidtfeldt Madsen og Jonas Bonde.
Signe Lykke
PERFORMANCE NOTES
Glissando
There are two different kinds of glissandi within this piece. One is an ordinary, seamless glissandi to be performed from beginning of notated pitch with long slurs. In this case, stems with notehead serve only to clarify rhythmic information (along with a note value above the staff where necessary), and should not be articulated.
The other occurs in strings only and is a fragmented, tremolo-like glissandi where you change between and up and a down bow for every pitch (e.g. m61-63, Vln. I).
Percussion
Percussion is placed in a surround sound setting (see illustration of orchestra set-up on the previous page):
Percussion 1: RIGHT, high-pitched Snare Drum
Percussion 2: CENTER, medium-pitched Snare Drum
Percussion 3: LEFT, low-pitched Snare Drum
Tune the three Snare Drums together enabling the quasi pitch differences to stand out. Be aware when tuning the lowest drum not to tune it too low, where it would then sound more like a tom.
Furthermore, when playing on head the music moves between 3 different positions on the skin: edge - half center - center:
Mallets used: sticks, superball, knitting needles (medium sized)
Kalimbas are to be tuned according to written material.
The Kalimba is always placed on the skin of Snare Drum for Kalimba passages, enabling it to ring more. Kalimba is always played with a semi-light touch with as little attack as possible, molto legato and espressivo.
Notation legend:
Accidentals
quarter-tone higher than regular sharp
quarter-tone lower than regular sharp
quarter-tone higher than regular flat
quarter-tone lower than regular flat
PERFORMANCE NOTES, CONT.
Abbreviations & techniques
non vib. non vibrato
m. vib. or m.v.* molto vibrato
c.** center (percussion only)
h.c.** half-center (percussion only)
m.s.p. molto sul ponticello
s.p. sul ponticello
n. naturale (only used with regards to bow position)
s.t. sul tasto
m.s.t. molto sul tasto
c.l.crini col legno crini (playing with 50% wood of bow and 50% bow hair)
* The longer variant (or “molto vib.”) is normally used, with the shorter reserved for extremely cramped conditions.
* The longer variants are used where space allows.
Bowing on the tailpiece (Double Bass only) is notated with a triangular notehead, just below the staff. Note that is should create a subtle but audible low pitch unique to each instrument. It is important to keep the sound ringing with continuous bowing (with or without bow pressure).
Humming the pitch created by bowing the tailpiece is called for. This is indicated with a verbal instruction and “mm” below the notehead. Note that each players pitch will be unique.
Sticks,snareson
nonvib
BellJar
=132 & consord sp,nonvib
lightandtrembling
nnœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœOœŒ nœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ
lightandtrembling & consord sfz sp
lightandtrembling & consord sp,nonvib
lightandtrembling & consord sp,nonvib lightandtrembling & consord sp
&consorddivspnonvib
softbendsstaggerbreathingasairyaspossible likeplayingavintagedetunedharmoniumwithpedal
Withknittingneedles
buzzrollsonhead
nonvib,coldandtrembling
nonvibcoldandtrembling
arcoordmsp nonvib
coldandtrembling
arcoord,sp nonvib
coldandtrembling
arcoord,sp nonvib
coldandtrembling
arcoord,sp nonvib
coldandtrembling
arcoordsp nonvib
coldandtrembling
