Extended Techniques and Electronic Enhancements: a Study of Works by Ian Clarke Christopher Leigh Davis University of Southern Mississippi
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The University of Southern Mississippi The Aquila Digital Community Dissertations Fall 12-1-2012 Extended Techniques and Electronic Enhancements: A Study of Works by Ian Clarke Christopher Leigh Davis University of Southern Mississippi Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations Recommended Citation Davis, Christopher Leigh, "Extended Techniques and Electronic Enhancements: A Study of Works by Ian Clarke" (2012). Dissertations. 634. https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/634 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The University of Southern Mississippi EXTENDED TECHNIQUES AND ELECTRONIC ENHANCEMENTS: A STUDY OF WORKS BY IAN CLARKE by Christopher Leigh Davis Abstract of a Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School of The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Musical Arts December 2012 ABSTRACT EXTENDED TECHNIQUES AND ELECTRONIC ENHANCEMENTS: A STUDY OF WORKS BY IAN CLARKE by Christopher Leigh Davis December 2012 British flutist Ian Clarke is a leading performer and composer in the flute world. His works have been performed internationally and have been used in competitions given by the National Flute Association and the British Flute Society. Clarke’s compositions are also referenced in the Peters Edition of the Edexcel GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) Anthology of Music as examples of extended techniques. The significance of Clarke’s works lies in his unique compositional style. His music features sounds and styles that one would not expect to hear from a flute and have elements that appeal to performers and broader audiences alike. Clarke is helping to usher in a new era in flute literature by creating works for the more advanced performer which employ extended techniques, pop, blues and electronics to create a distinct sound. Meanwhile, his well-defined notational style and clear melodies appeal to relatively inexperienced players who find the works more accessible and entertaining to play. This document will propose a new approach to performance practice using “Electronic Enhancements” to add to and alter the sound of the flute to create distinct and unusual effects. Included in this discussion will be the use of guitar and vocal pedal effects. Although Clarke does not use these electronic effects, he encourages such experimentation. I will further discuss other aspects of playing with electronics, including different types of microphones that could be used with these types of effects, ii monitors, amplifiers, and mixers and how these components function in an entire set up, and how they may be applied to Clarke’s music. iii COPYRIGHT BY CHRISTOPHER LEIGH DAVIS 2012 The University of Southern Mississippi EXTENDED TECHNIQUES AND ELECTRONIC ENHANCEMENTS: A STUDY OF WORKS BY IAN CLARKE by Christopher Leigh Davis A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School of The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Musical Arts Approved: Danilo Mezzadri Director Edward Hafer Joseph Brumbeloe Kim Woolly Jonathan Holden Susan A. Siltanen Dean of the Graduate School December 2012 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I owe a great amount of thanks to Dr. Danilo Mezzadri for his constant support and guidance through my doctoral program. He has allowed me to explore my own musical ideas, and without his dedication and patience, I would not have completed this degree. I would also like to thank the members of my graduate committee, Dr. Edward Hafer, Dr. Jonathan Holden, Dr. Joseph Brumbeloe, and Dr. Kimberly Woolly for taking the time to read this document and offer positive criticism. I wish to extend a special thank you to Ian Clarke for taking the time to sit and talk with me, supporting my ideas and lending his music for this project, and for his overall encouragement. He has truly been an inspiration to me. I am also greatly indebted to Brandon Alanis, one of the most talented musicians I know, for his help in not only writing the last chapter of this document, but for helping to make a lifelong dream a reality. He has broadened my musical horizons farther than I thought possible and for that I am truly grateful. I would especially like to thank my family for their constant support and encouragement, chiefly my mother for her tireless efforts scanning, reading and editing this document. I do not think I would have gotten through this without her. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ........................................................................................... viii LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES .................................................................................... ix LIST OF DIAGRAMS ..................................................................................................... xiv CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................1 Biography of Ian Clarke II. EXTENDED TECHNIQUES AND NOTATION .......................................6 Extended Techniques Notational Considerations III. WITHIN... ...................................................................................................18 Overview Analysis Extended Techniques IV. HATCHING ALIENS .................................................................................47 Overview Analysis Extended Techniques V. ELECTRONIC ENHANCEMENT ...........................................................99 Electroacoustic Music Notation and Electroacoustic Music Limitations of Electroacoustic Music Beyond Amplified Flute Creating an Electronic Setup for Use in Performance Other Types of Effects Pedals Cost-Effective Alternatives v Applying Effects to Works by Ian Clarke Further Reading VI. CONCLUSION ........................................................................................131 APPENDIXES .................................................................................................................132 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................154 vi LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Analysis, Within… .....................................................................................................20 2. Recommended Flute Choir Seating for Within… ......................................................34 3. Range of Pitch Bends .................................................................................................42 4. Analysis, Hatching Aliens, I ......................................................................................48 5. Analysis, Hatching Aliens, II .....................................................................................57 6. Analysis, Hatching Aliens, III ....................................................................................65 7. Vocoder Functions ...................................................................................................116 vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1. Barcus Berry 6100 Electret Mic ...............................................................................111 2. Pickup inserted in head joint ....................................................................................111 3. Cable connecting pickup to preamp .........................................................................111 4. Pedal effects board ...................................................................................................119 viii LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES Example 1a. Higdon, Rapid Fire, Overblown notes ......................................................................10 1b. Higdon, Rapid Fire, Overblown notes ......................................................................10 1c. Clarke, Hatching Aliens, mm. 104-105, Overblown notes .......................................11 1d. Clarke and Higdon notation .....................................................................................11 2a. Ferneyhough, Unity Capsule, Singing While Playing .............................................12 2b. Dick, Lookout, mm. 41-44, Singing While Playing .................................................13 2c. Clarke, Hatching Aliens, mm. 188-207, Singing While Playing .............................14 3a. Clarke, Hatching Aliens, mm. 129-134, Whistling ..................................................16 3b. Holliger, Sonate (in)solit(air)e, XI, Whistling.........................................................16 4. Clarke, Within…, mm. 1-9, opening flute solo, motive 1 ........................................20 5. Clarke, Within…, mm. 10-13, tertian harmonies .....................................................21 6. Clarke, Within…, mm. 4-9, solo accompaniment (breath noises) ...........................22 7. Clarke, Within…, mm. 25-29, motive 3 (percussive effect) ....................................24 8. Clarke, Within…, mm. 30-32, motive 4 (flicks and trills) .......................................25