VIOLA VOLTAGE: ELECTROACOUSTIC MUSIC FOR SOLO VIOLA
by
CHRISTOPHER C. WILLIAMS
(Under the Direction of Maggie Snyder)
ABSTRACT
This document is an essay written to accompany a full-length recorded album of selected music for viola and electronic media. The purpose of this capstone project is to produce new recordings of electroacoustic music for solo viola while promoting the genre to teachers and advancing student musicians. I intend to publish my album to one or more popular digital music services such as Spotify and iTunes, which will greatly improve access to listeners. The bulk of this essay is a descriptive list of the works on my album, including general information about the track, brief biographies of the composers, and information for prospective performers crafted from my experience performing and recording the music. I have also included a brief overview of electroacoustic music and relevant file formats for reference purposes.
INDEX WORDS: Nicolas Scherzinger, Missy Mazzoli, Kenji Bunch, Douglas Walter Scott,
Pierre Agut, Kirsten Volness, Chris Mandra, Ben Robichaux, viola,
electroacoustic music, electronic music, tape music, aleatoric music, live
electronics, amplified viola, scordatura, Calico Dances, Tooth and Nail,
Desangramiento, Electronic Etude, To Peel a Fruit, XXX, Duo in Field,
The 3 Gs
VIOLA VOLTAGE: ELECTROACOUSTIC MUSIC FOR SOLO VIOLA
by
CHRISTOPHER C. WILLIAMS
B.M., Tennessee Technological University, 2011
M.M., University of Georgia, 2014
A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS
ATHENS, GEORGIA
2018
© 2018
Christopher C. Williams
All Rights Reserved
VIOLA VOLTAGE: ELECTROACOUSTIC MUSIC FOR SOLO VIOLA
by
CHRISTOPHER C. WILLIAMS
Major Professor: Maggie Snyder Committee: Michael Heald Emily Gertsch
Electronic Version Approved:
Suzanne Barbour Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2018 iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Foremost, I must thank my teacher, Professor Maggie Snyder, who is responsible for my initial interest in electroacoustic music, years of viola lessons, and mentoring when I needed encouragement. I happily give credit to my past teachers: Idalynn “DeeDee” Besser, Seanad
Dunnigan Chang, and Rebecca Bull for the knowledge they shared with me. Special thanks go out to my undergraduate advisor, conductor, mentor, and friend, Professor Daniel Allcott, who saw something in me that others could not. Thank you, Emily, for helping me piece together this complicated document, listening to my recordings, feeding my cat when I could not, and being a welcome distraction from the daily grind. A big “thank you” to my recording engineers, Chris
Gurtcheff and Annie Leeth for their time and skill. I thank my friend and colleague, Ben
Robichaux, for coming through for me with a fantastic composition. Last, but certainly not least,
I thank my ever-supportive family: my mom, dad, and brother for attending recitals, listening to me practice, and for their emotional support through my years of schooling.
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... iv
LIST OF FIGURES ...... vii
CHAPTER
1 INTRODUCTION ...... 1
Need for Study ...... 1
Delimitations ...... 2
Difficulty Scale ...... 2
Relevant File Formats ...... 3
A Brief Overview of Electroacoustic Music ...... 4
Link to Online Album (SoundCloud) ...... 4
2 MUSICAL CONTENT (in album order) ...... 5
Calico Dances (2002)- Nicolas Scherzinger...... 5
Tooth and Nail (2010)- Missy Mazzoli ...... 10
Desangramiento (2016)- Kirsten Volness ...... 14
Electronic Etude No. 2- Swing Reflections (2018)- Ben Robichaux ...... 17
To Peel a Fruit (2014)- Pierre Agut ...... 20
30 “XXX” (1996)- Chris Mandra ...... 24
Duo in Field (2015)- Douglas Walter Scott ...... 27
The 3 Gs (2005)- Kenji Bunch ...... 30 vi
REFERENCES ...... 34 vii
LIST OF FIGURES
Page
Figure 1: Nicolas Scherzinger, Calico Dances, m. 8 ...... 7
Figure 2: Nicolas Scherzinger, Calico Dances, mm. 103-104 ...... 9
Figure 3: Missy Mazzoli, Tooth and Nail, mm. 1-3 (click-track representation) ...... 12
Figure 4: Kirsten Volness, Desangramiento, mm. 117-120...... 17
Figure 5: Ben Robichaux, Electronic Etude No. 2, Pg. 1, first line ...... 19
Figure 6: Ben Robichaux, Electronic Etude No. 2, Pg. 1, third line ...... 19
Figure 7: Pierre Agut, To Peel a Fruit, Pg. 2, third and fourth lines ...... 23 1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Need for Study
The genre of electroacoustic music goes largely unnoticed by the classical music community. This project serves to promote electroacoustic music to new performers, pedagogues, and audiences by creating eight accessible, professional quality recordings of various electroacoustic compositions. I will explain my experience of finding the music and learning how to perform each piece in the descriptions of my tracks.
The process of locating music of this variety was a multi-pronged effort. I was able to compile the final list with pieces that were recommended to me by my peers and professors, while others I found by scouring online databases and the UGA library. Many of my efforts ended with being unable to acquire the necessary materials or having no successful method of contacting the composer. Despite these challenges, I was able to find more than enough material for this project.
This project has been a valuable learning experience for me, as it was my first time working with this media format. This was also my first large-scale recording project. This album will be an indispensable tool when applying for professional teaching and performance opportunities. As previously mentioned, I intend to feature these recordings on my personal website and large digital music services.
2
Delimitations
This project is not meant to represent an “evolution” of electroacoustic music featuring the viola. I understand that all composers use different methods to produce their work, therefore my essay is not particularly critical of the works mentioned. I will discuss the information that the composer has provided for the performer, and the information they chose to omit. I did not choose my compositions based on the popularity of their composers. I have found that certain works in this category are favored by several performers (such as Vent Nocturne by Kaija
Saariaho), but this was not a decisive factor in my selection process. My selection process was based on the compositions’ diversity and appeal to me as a performer, especially if a professional recording of that piece was not readily available, as I want to increase the exposure of these pieces.
Difficulty Scale
Because these pieces are not standard graded repertoire, I have provided my own difficulty rating based on my experiences practicing, learning, performing, and recording them.
These ratings will help prospective performers and/or teachers with their repertoire selections.
Advanced: College Junior/Senior level repertoire. This music is not virtuosic and should require little practice from an advanced violist.
Difficult: College Senior/Graduate level repertoire. Music in this category requires significant rehearsal of uncommon and/or virtuosic techniques.
Professional: Graduate/Professional difficulty repertoire. This music is best approached with several hours of slow practice. High degrees of virtuosity, accuracy, and precision are a prerequisite for this music. 3
Variable: Aleatoric music. Basic techniques and knowledge of the instrument are required, but the overall difficulty is relevant to decisions made by the performer.
Relevant File Formats
WAV/.wav- Waveform Audio File Format- A large and uncompressed audio file. This is the preferred file format for listening because of it uncompromised quality.1 Developed by
Microsoft, this format also stores information about the file’s number of tracks, bit depth, and sample rate.2
AIFF/.aif- Audio Interchange File Format- Also a large and uncompressed file format, but due to its uncompressed pulse-code modulation is a superior file for use in editing.3 This format was developed by Apple and contains the same information as a WAV file with the addition of application specific data areas.4
1 Margaret Rouse, “Wave file,” TechTarget (2005) accessed February 15, 2018,
4
A Brief Overview of Electroacoustic Music
The term “electroacoustic music” defines a large genre of pieces that incorporate electronic media, all composed with the use of loudspeakers in mind.5 These include, but are not limited to, tape music and electronic music. Electronic music is defined as “music that requires knowledge or use of electronic devices to produce or manipulate sound during its composition and performance.”6 The term ‘tape music’ can be given to any composition that features the use of any pre-recorded audio for the performance. These samples are often manipulated in various ways by the composer to achieve a desired effect.7 All of the pieces recorded for my project,
Viola Voltage, utilize electronic media in some way, and therefore all can be classified as electroacoustic music.
Link to Online Album (SoundCloud) https://soundcloud.com/chris-c-dub-williams/sets/viola-voltage-electroacoustic-music-for-solo- viola
5 Ludger Brümmer, “Why Is Good Electroacoustic Music so Good? Why Is Bad Electroacoustic Music so Bad?” Computer Music Journal 18.4 (1994): 7–8, Accessed November 30, 2015,
CHAPTER 2
MUSICAL CONTENT (in album order)
Calico Dances (2002)- Nicolas Scherzinger
Publisher: ScherziMusic Press, Syracuse, New York
Composer Website: http://www.ScherziMusic.com
Instrumentation: for solo viola with electronic sounds (CD playback)
Duration: 8 min
Difficulty: Professional
Dedication: Calico Dances is dedicated to my good friend John Graham. — Nicolas Scherzinger
First Performance: February 2002, by John Graham in Rochester, NY
Notes from the Composer: Calico Dances is a “dance” for solo viola and electronic sounds
(CD playback). Rather than being a suite of separate dance movements, this piece is presented as a continuous work in which the viola “dances” in juxtaposition to the electronic sounds. There are two basic musical ideas that get thrown back and forth throughout the piece, but rather than being a linear development of the ideas, the piece is much more of a musical patchwork. Calico
Dances is also a very physical piece for the viola, with a great deal of bow motion throughout the work, and as result, the violist is presented as both musician and dancer.
Calico Dances was written for John Graham and the work is dedicated to him with thanks and admiration. — Nicolas Scherzinger 6
Brief Composer Biography: Nicolas Scherzinger
Nicolas Scherzinger has an active teaching career in New York, serving as professor of composition at the Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University and a composition faculty member of Mannes Prep, the New School for Music. He also works in Vermont at the Kinhaven
Music School as composer-in-residence. Scherzinger’s compositions have been performed and premiered at noteworthy events like the Aspen Music Festival, the International Viola
Conference, and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.1
Study: Calico Dances
This piece was a recommendation from my instructor, Professor Maggie Snyder. John
Graham has a recording of the piece posted on YouTube. Nicolas Sherzinger has made the materials for performance available at no cost to interested musicians. Because of the volume of information per page, I recommend printing the large format score on 11x17 paper. This will also allow the performer to see the music more easily from a comfortable distance from the stands. Multiple stands must be available for performances as this large score was not created with convenient page turns in mind.
Scherzinger suggests that the violist use the electronics part without the click-track when performing the piece. In the end, I decided to use the click-track in order to create a more accurate recording of the piece. Similar tracks on my project with pre-recorded electronics abided the use of the click-track, and I agree that this is a more accurate and secure method of performance. Although there are ample cues of the electronics part in the performance score, the
1 Nicolas Scherzinger, "Extended Bio," ScherziMusic, accessed February 3, 2018,
7 electronics can still become quite difficult to hear in certain places. The practice click-track
Scherzinger provides must be adjusted for synchronicity with the backing track if this is to be used for a live performance. The tracks have a slightly different amount of silence before the start of the electronic track. It is unclear if this was an intentional deterrent by the composer from using the click-track for a live performance.
Technical challenges in this piece are abundant, including fast and dramatic dynamic contrasts, copious amounts of ricochet bowings, rapid chromatic passages interwoven with various other intervals, constantly changing meter, and very difficult upper register passages. As
Scherzinger mentioned in the program note, the piece is divided into two sections. The first dance is comprised of dissonant and brash phrases of double-stops which are instructed as “very aggressive, biting.” These begin in the third measure, after a dramatic entrance by the electronics part. Scherzinger indicates specific individual articulation for each of these double-stops. Most of these are marked with staccato dots or karats, while a few of the lower pairs marked with tenuto dashes are to be held slightly longer. The volume of information in these first few measures can be difficult to grasp. I highly recommend learning this and the rest of the piece starting around half tempo (88 bpm to the eighth note). I also recommend retaking the bow after every sforzando accent, which helps with articulation and eases the effort of counting the varying meters.
Measure 8 contains the first ricochet figure, as seen in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1. Nicolas Scherzinger, Calico Dances, m. 8
These are interesting gestures that indicate a fast pair of downbow strokes followed by a quick upbow. The three notes in these figures are always an ascending or descending group of
8 chromatic pitches. These are most accurately fingered with different digits for each pitch (i.e. 1-
2-3 not 1-1-2). Measure 8 also contains the first snap pizzicato gesture. These lively gestures are quick and must be well rehearsed for coordination. One of my most common mistakes was plucking another string in my haste. The snap pizzicato notes are also always followed by a glissando to another note (usually a 4th or 5th in either direction). The timing of the glissando should depend on the duration of the initial note (i.e. the glissando over a quarter note should be slower than an eighth of the same distance). These are also written with a sforzando initiation to encourage the performer to bring out the snapping sound. These ideas are alternated and joined by more new material in m. 20, where Scherzinger introduces the “pointed” pizzicato sections.
The performer can achieve this effect by plucking slightly closer to the bridge with quick motions. The last unique addition to the first dance begins in m. 62, where pizzicato sections are interwoven with ponticello staccato and ricochet figures. Awareness of the bow’s contact point is key when executing these quick sections so close to the bridge. The performer will find that the optimal contact point can slightly vary when changing strings and adjusting dynamics.
The second dance of Calico Dances begins in measure 103. A shift in the electronics part cues the performer into large passages of staccato and ricochet. The indicated dynamic through this first section is pianissimo. Clear articulation of each note at this suppressed volume requires precise mapping of the bow. When practicing these measures at a slower tempo, the performer should treat the ricochet figures as slurs, as this technique is not viable until the tempo has reached a certain speed. The circled numbers above the bracketed sections denote repetitions of material in Figure 2. 9
Figure 2. Nicolas Scherzinger, Calico Dances, mm. 103-104
There are six unique sections that are repeated several times each within a steadily rising dynamic range. Generally, the higher the number of the section, the larger the melodic range of that section will be. Bowings will need to be added throughout this section to accommodate the ricochet figures, including retakes and double-up bows. Scherzinger interjects pieces of the first dance with the “very aggressive, biting” double stops coming back in m. 127. This is marked with the text “interuption!” (composer’s spelling) and is meant to be a jolting experience for the listener. The interruptions increase in duration as the piece continues.
Section 6 elides into new melodic territory in m. 158, climbing high into the range of the viola. A G6, the highest note of the piece, is first played in this measure. This note is part of another ricochet figure found in the ninth position on the A string (when starting the G6 with the third finger), where the use of three different fingers for each note is no longer viable option.
After much experimentation, I found that my most accurate option here was to use the same finger for all three pitches. This is done by sliding the finger downward like that of a glissando at an adequate rate to hit the pitches within the ricochet figure.
The dynamic climax of the piece is reached on the last page. The section beginning at m.
162 is arguably the most difficult of the entire work. The left hand must climb once again into the stratosphere of the A-string while the bow is responsible for fortissimo staccato and ricochet in the character of “screaming.” I ultimately decided that this was most accurately depicted with
10 a wide brushing staccato stroke, deliberately overplaying the string. As this section winds down, the “very biting, violent” double stops return with gusto in m. 171. The dynamic remains fortissimo from the previous section, and there are plentiful fortissimo sforzando accents. This is further augmented with the addition of the ricochet bowing, but not with any chromatic alteration to the chords. While this is an exhausting passage to execute, the piece has one final closing section, bringing back the numbered brackets starting from pianississimo and climbing to a fortississimo finish with a glissando reminiscent of the first dance. The performer must take care not to use too much effort before this last section during a live performance. Executing a precise ricochet stroke in such a treacherous dynamic context with an exhausted bow arm could prove to be unnecessarily difficult.
Tooth and Nail (2010)- Missy Mazzoli
Publisher: G. Schirmer Inc.
Composer Website: www.missymazzoli.com
Instrumentation: amplified viola and pre-recorded electronics
Duration: 9 min 30 sec
Difficulty: Difficult
Dedication: Linda and Stuart Nelson
First Performance: March 9, 2011, by Nadia Sirota at the Ecstatic Music Festival
Notes from the Composer: Tooth and Nail was inspired by the extraordinary musical traditions of Uzbekistan, where jaw harp (also called Jew's harp or mouth harp) plays a prominent role.
The jaw harp player consistently plucks the instrument, creating overtones and melodies by changing the shape of his or her mouth, and the central Asian style takes this technique to wild
11 and beautiful extremes. I have created my own version of this music, based on my memories of hearing Uzbek jaw harp players. The electronic part is made up almost entirely of viola samples, allowing the live viola to play in counterpoint with itself. — Missy Mazzoli2
Brief Composer Biography: Missy Mazzoli
Missy Mazzoli studied composition at Yale School of Music, the Royal Conservatory of
The Hague, and Boston University. She was also on the composition faculty at Yale University in 2006. Mazzoli plays piano and keyboard for her band Victoire, which she founded in 2008 to play her own compositions. Mazzoli’s work is extensive, diverse, award-winning, and quite popular.3
Study: Tooth and Nail
I decided to add this piece to my album after listening to Nadia Sirota’s recording on her album Baroque.4 While my interpretation differs, I found it helpful to have her recording for reference. This is one of two pieces written by Missy Mazzoli for viola and electronics, the other is A Thousand Tongues.5
After purchasing this piece, I received the physical score and performance part as well as a few supplemental materials that were sent to me via email. These materials included the electronics for performance, three different click-tracks for the performer, and a text document
2 Missy Mazzoli, “Tooth and Nail” for amplified viola and pre-recorded electronics, (New York: G. Schirmer), 2010. 3 Missy Mazzoli, “About Missy,” Missy Mazzoli: Composer and Performer, accessed February 20, 2018,
Tooth and Nail begins with two measures of electronics to establish the pulse before the viola enters in measure 3. This is quite like the opening of Calico Dances. Synchronizing this entrance with the click-track (the preferred multi-track output version) requires some acclimation. The performer will hear three measures of subdivided 3/4 meter, immediately followed by one eighth note of click, then a full measure of 4/4, which is the second measure of the piece. This may be easier to grasp by studying the visual representation I crafted below. Note that downbeat clicks are represented with a karat C (^):
Figure 3. Missy Mazzoli, Tooth and Nail, mm. 1-3 (click-track representation) 13
The other click-tracks provided for the single channel setup start the click-track in the first two measures of the piece, beating out a clear two measures in 4/4 time. No explanation is given by the composer as to why the tracks are orientated in this manner. As shown in the score, the electronics part will play a pizzicato note when the viola starts the E♭ sixteenth notes, and this should be used as a preliminary confirmation of synchronicity before the performance is continued.
Mazzoli’s composition is made up of a complex collection of changing meters, which is another similarity this piece shares with Calico Dances. The first motive in measure three consists of two open string double-stops followed by more sixteenth notes designated to be played “a little violent.” This figure and several variations construct most of the material in the viola part up through rehearsal C. The new section at C employs heavy usage of bariolage bowing technique. I altered the bowings in nearly every measure of this section to allow a more comfortable and accurate playing experience. The character at letter F is “solo, almost out of control,” and I found that using a larger amount of bow per gesture here executed this effect nicely. The hand shapes and fingerings required to play the three measures before rehearsal G are awkward and slightly uncomfortable. Nadia Sirota changes these few measures both rhythmically and melodically in her recording, and her version sounds more idiomatic. 6
The most difficult part of the section between J-N is measuring out the glissando gestures. The performer should base the speed of the glissando on the rhythmic value of the initiating note and the intervallic distance to the following note. The climax of the piece happens between letters N and P. This begins with an “Exuberant” passage of rapid melodic figures at rehearsal N. Mazzoli instructs the performer to “Let loose! Wild!!!!” at rehearsal O, which is
6 Nadia Sirota, Baroque.
14 reminiscent of the section at D except that it uses double stops over bariolage. The performer should focus on a powerful and full sound here while taking care to not overplay the viola and lose melodic content. From rehearsal Q to the end of the piece the music is quite calm and similar to previous material heard from G to K. Excerpts from this piece’s technically challenging passages would be practical additions to pedagogical tools such as technique packets, which are comprised of a variety of unique approaches to technical problems and appropriate excerpts to test the methods.
Desangramiento (2016)- Kirsten Volness
Publisher: Self-published
Composer Website: www.kirstenvolness.com
Instrumentation: for viola and stereo sound
Duration: 8 min
Difficulty: Advanced
Dedication: written for Sam Kelder
First Performance: 2016, by Sam Kelder at the Third Practice Electroacoustic Festival
Notes from the Composer: Desangramiento was commissioned by the Third Practice
Electroacoustic Music Festival and inspired by the tragic feeling one has when receiving horrible news, as though all the blood has suddenly left one’s body and an immense implosion of emptiness has taken its place. This image came to mind after reading that 65 million people have been displaced by violence, primarily in the Middle East and Africa (2016 UNHCR report) and
15 another 45.8 million are enslaved around the world (Global Slavery Index 2016). The suffering we cause one another is astounding. — Kirsten Volness7
Brief Composer Biography: Kirsten Volness
Kirsten Volness earned composition degrees from the University of Michigan (D.M.A. and M.M.) and the University of Minnesota (B.A.). She is actively involved in the electroacoustic music scene, and her compositions have been performed at numerous events such as SEAMUS (Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States) and Third Practice.
Volness is also a pianist, music educator, and nature enthusiast.8
Study: Desangramiento
UGA composition faculty member Dr. Peter Van Zandt Lane recommended this piece and composer to me. Volness’s dedication recipient, Sam Kelder, has recorded Desangramiento.
An exclusive audio track has not yet been produced for an online digital music service, so that is my goal with this piece.
The emotional markings throughout the score let the performer know exactly what should be felt/portrayed during each section. The beginning of the piece is one example of this, as the indicated character is “Heavy and dark, with rubato like a jazz singer.” The rhythms on the first page of music are slow and difficult to count accurately. The practice method I found most helpful for learning the rhythm of this sections was just singing along with the click-track. Once a grasp of the pulse is established, the performer can begin to experiment with rubato and agogic
7 Kirsten Volness, “Desangramiento” for viola and stereo sound, (Self-published), 2016. 8 Kirsten Volness, “desangramiento,” accessed February 23, 2018,
16 emphasis in different places. There are no bowing indications in the sheet music, and this would be a good pedagogical opportunity for the performer to insert their own bowings based on the phrases and dynamic contours they preferred. This process could also be undertaken with instructor supervision should the performer be inexperienced with creating their own bowings.
The marking “dirty” at rehearsal E applies to a glissando from an open C up to an E. I encourage experimentation with a contact point closer to the bridge (almost ponticello) and more arm weight into the bow to get this character. There are numerous double stops from rehearsal F to H, including 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, and 6ths. One double stop, a dissonant minor 2nd in m. 62, stands out in the otherwise tame melodic texture. The accent indicated on this chord is the composer’s wish to showcase the beautiful side of ugly, and the performer should embrace this dissonance.
A new, faster tempo is introduced at the arrival of rehearsal H. The double stops here are marked “trashy (don’t sweat tuning imperfections),” which is a free pass to the performer to dig in and play these gestures unapologetically with reckless abandon. The melody and articulation of the following section is primitive and percussive until arriving at rehearsal I. Similar music continues, but the instruction here is to shift the focus more toward resonance and pitch. The glissando section a J should be approached in a methodical way. Rhythm is the focus, and subtle shifts in the repetitions can be difficult to execute without some practice. After this is established, the left hand’s accuracy need only be fixed on the starting and ending pitches of the gestures for the sake of consistency. 17
Figure 4. Kirsten Volness, Desangramiento, mm. 117-120
The rest of the piece is straightforward, and Volness provides clear instructions for the closing. Airing on the less technically difficult side, this piece would make an excellent addition to a college junior or senior’s viola recital.
Electronic Etude No. 2- Swing Reflections (2018)- Ben Robichaux
Publisher: Not yet published- Robichaux’s music is published by Noteworthy Sheet Music,
LLC
Composer Website: http://www.benrobichaux.com/
Instrumentation: for viola and live electronics
Duration: ~5 min 30 sec
Difficulty: Advanced
Dedication: Christopher C. Williams
First Performance: N/A
Notes from the Composer: Electronic Etude No. 2 – Swing Reflections is a piece that explores the subtleties of live delay and panning manipulations. These manipulations are coupled with harmonies and rhythms that can be associated with jazz and/or blues. The resulting aesthetic is one of interpersonal conflict. The harmonies imply a sense of relaxation and comfort, but the trajectory of the electronics coupled with the trajectory of the development of the musical materials conveys panic. The dissonance between the harmony and the development in the piece,
18 both acoustic and electronic, creates a reflective, almost dream-like environment. Whether or not the dream in question is good or bad is entirely up to the listener.
Electronic Etude No. 2 is the second in a series of pieces for solo instrument and live electronics aimed at exploring certain, often basic, electronic manipulations. This work was commissioned by my friend Christopher C. Williams. — Ben Robichaux9
Brief Composer Biography- Ben Robichaux
Ben Robichaux earned his Master’s Degree in Music Composition at the University of
Georgia. His compositions have been featured at festivals such as the SEAMUS 2018 National
Conference and the 2017 Atlantic Music Festival. Robichaux’s recent work will be premiered at the 2018 Alba International Music Festival in Italy.10
Study- Electronic Etude No. 2- Swing Reflections
I approached Robichaux with the idea for this piece in late 2017. He and I had attended several of the same classes together at UGA, and I was aware that he had composed electroacoustic pieces. My request for him was a short piece for viola and live electronics. I also asked if he could incorporate some of my interests in music outside the classical spectrum, such as swing, jazz, or bluegrass. Beyond that, I take no credit for his composition, Electronic Etude
No. 2- Swing Reflections.
9 Ben Robichaux, “Electronic Etude No. 2- Swing Reflections,” score, 2018. 10 Ben Robichaux, “Biography,” Ben Robichaux: Composer, accessed on February 10, 2018,
Robichaux includes instructions to the performer in the preface of the score concerning the overall tempo of the piece and some markings that need context to interpret. He explains that the piece requires the use of the Max7 program and a specific patch for operation. This patch must be purchased from the composer via an email request. He also explains the interface setup for the computer, stereo speaker system, and performer microphone. The 12 cues that control the different live electronics in the piece are listed in detail at the end of the performance notes.11
The music does not include suggested bowings, which gives performer the freedom of creating their own. Groups of notes are beamed with converging or diverging durational lines to indicate speeding up or slowing down.
Figure 5. Ben Robichaux, Electronic Etude No. 2, Pg. 1, first line
One of the more difficult aspects of this piece is managing the bow with so much tremolo.
Ideally, tremolo is executed in the upper half of the bow towards the tip, but the performer will find it easier to play gestures following tremolo (like the example shown below) if the tremolo is ended around the middle of the bow.
Figure 6. Ben Robichaux, Electronic Etude No. 2, Pg. 1, third line
11 Ben Robichaux, “Electronic Etude No. 2- Swing Reflections,” score, 2018.
20
The section through Cue 9 features tricky alternations of accelerated and decelerated figures coupled with sharp dynamic gestures. Each Cue has a unique effect on the sound of the performer, some of which can be quite distracting. These Cues will also need to be initiated by an audio technician. Alternatively, a pedal or other trigger can be set up for the performer to change the Cues for themselves. If the performer uses headphones during a live performance, the volume in the headphones will need to be calibrated so that it is still possible to hear the acoustic viola amid the effects created by the live electronics.
To Peel a Fruit (2014)- Pierre Agut
Publisher: Polymnie (audio recording only- the score is available from the composer)
Composer Website: www.pierreagut.com
Instrumentation: for solo amplified viola
Duration: ~8 min
Difficulty: Difficult
Dedication: None
First Performance: 2014, by Sylvain Durantel
Notes from the Composer: (translation) For solo viola and amplification device, To Peel a Fruit
(2014) explores the nature and propagation of a sound. The fingerboard of the violist on the strings, usually producing a little audible sound, is amplified and broadcast behind the public.
From this noisy material emerges and imposes a melodic dimension played arco. Finally fully revealed, this musical flesh disappears at the end of the piece: the pulp of the vanished fruit, remains only a few zests… — Pierre Agut12
12 Pierre Agut, “Composers,” La Cuisine à l’alto, accessed on February 22, 2018,
Brief Composer Biography: Pierre Agut
Pierre Agut was born in 1983. His musical career began with piano studies, but he quickly chose to pursue composition. He received a Master’s Degree in Specialized Art
Education from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Dance de Paris
(CNSMDP). Agut’s compositional motivations include sound research for professional musicians and educational research for student musicians and pedagogues.13
Study: To Peel a Fruit
This quirky piece was recommended to me via a Facebook group called “Violas on the
Verge,” which is a collection on violists and composers who share a common interest in electroacoustic viola music. Pierre Agut features this piece on an album centered around new music for the viola, La Cuisine à l’alto. This recording is performed by violist Sylvain Durantel.
Agut instructs the performer to amplify the viola with a microphone placed underneath the fingerboard. This is done to capture the subtle sounds produced when striking the strings and fingerboard with the left-hand fingers in a percussive manner, a technique used throughout the piece.14 These pitches will ultimately have a varying quality of sound because of the unpredictability of this technique, which is the desired effect. While this version contains no bow direction markings, Agut is quite specific with contact points, extended techniques, dynamics, and tempi.
13 Pierre Agut, “Biography,” Pierre AGUT, accessed on February 22, 2018,
One of the first things the performer will notice about this piece is its lack of meter and bar lines. Two tempos are given in the piece, Tempo I and Tempo II. Although these are marked with precise numbers (69 and 52 to the quarter notes respectively), the goal of the performer should be make these two easy to distinguish by their audience. There are a few instructions on the first page of music that concern the direction the performer should face. Their back should be turned to the audience during the first line, slowly turning around as the second line progresses, and be facing the audience by the third. I simulated this effect in my recording with a simple panning of the track from left to center. The entire first line consists of clusters of indicated finger strikes in a specific order. Similar figures continue in the second line, adding a bowed F. A snapped pizzicato open C marks the beginning of the third line. These gestures are especially potent with the addition of the microphone underneath the fingerboard. The following groups of notes are riddled with accidentals and contain seemingly random amounts of notes. After listening to Sylvain Durantel’s recording on YouTube, it became clear that Agut is more concerned with shapes and gestures rather than precision when playing these passages.15 That being said, I attempted to play these figures as accurately as possible. I found that aiming to clearly articulate the first, highest, lowest, and last notes produced the most convincing interpretation at an appropriate tempo. I also emphasized the fingerboard-stricken notes within these groupings because of their use throughout the piece.
Agut continues these ideas, playing with dynamics, contact points, and different plucked notes. The first use of what I have named the “convergence” figure is found just before rehearsal
B on the second page. The name comes from Agut’s instruction to play two notes a major second
15 “To peel a Fruit,” Sylvain Durantel - Topic’s YouTube Channel, published December 14, 2018, YouTube— Broadcast Yourself, accessed November 10, 2017,
Figure 7. Pierre Agut, To Peel a Fruit, Pg. 2, 3rd and 4th lines
Rehearsal B begins in the slower Tempo II. This section focuses on colors and shapes as the performer plays the same pitch on different strings. An interesting variation of the convergence idea is seen before rehearsal D. The median note here is articulated with a staccato, accelerating into a ricochet downbow while dropping in dynamic to another installment of
Tempo II material. One of the more obvious contrasts of bowed to finger-stricken notes is found on the fifth page of music, or between rehearsal D and E. Here, Agut uses repeating figures that are executed with both mediums. This becomes more blurred towards the bottom of the page, as the rhythmic deceleration showcases alternated bowed and stricken notes in the same group. Fast alternations of these two articulations will require some practice, and I recommend exaggerating the finger-strikes to become acclimated with the feeling.
Rehearsal F is another Tempo II section focused on shapes and colors. A false harmonic
D♯ is the used exclusively here as the performer must raise and lower dynamics while making 24 bow changes reflective of the rhythms indicated. The performer will benefit from keeping their contact point in close observation here. The D♯ is swapped for a regular stopped note at the end of a large crescendo, and the melodic line finally travels downward as a result. The last page is a recollection of the past ideas in rapid variations. Each of the snap pizzicato open C’s will be easiest to execute when coming off the preceding trilled sections with an upbow, thus positioning the right hand closer to the C-string. The highest register of the piece is reached by the very last note as the piece dies away in conclusion. Because of the rhythmic deceleration, the last few groups of notes will sound quite exposed, and therefore should be played more precisely than the previous material.
30 “XXX” (1996)- Chris Mandra
Publisher: Not Published
Composer Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-mandra-5121165/
Instrumentation: for viola and electronics
Duration: 10 min 45 sec
Difficulty: Advanced
Dedication: N/A
First Performance: N/A
Notes from the Composer: N/A
Brief Composer Biography: Chris Mandra
Chris Mandra completed the bulk of his musical study at The Peabody Institute of The
John Hopkins University. He earned two Master’s Degrees; one in Composition and another in 25
Computer Music. He also completed his coursework for his Doctorate in Composition before deciding to pursue a different career path. Mandra was awarded a STEIM (Studio for Electro-
Instrumental Music) fellowship in 2004 for the study of composition with interactive electronics.
Study: 30 “XXX”
A suggestion from my viola professor Maggie Snyder, this piece has a variety of unique features and options. For a live performance, the violist is instructed to record this piece six times, using only a clock or timer as a reference. They then play along with all six recordings and electronic backing track to create the final product. Because I did not prepare this as a live performance, I simply recorded seven takes of the piece. There are no bar lines or note durations, only hints at when which notes should sound at certain times. Mandra writes on the score, “To be played very freely, with much rubato. The notation has been made vague to necessitate decision making by the performer.”16
The original version of this piece was written in 1990 for one viola and electronics.
Mandra added the version for seven violas in 1996 (one live and six pre-recorded), and the third variant that I will be recording, which combines all of the ideas into one track. The compact disc given to me came with three tracks; the electronic backing track, a fully realized version of the piece, and the same full version without the backing track. The score provided to me is a photocopy of the original, handwritten manuscript. This piece requires that the performer be aware of the time progression of the electronic backing track. Time stamps in the score denote where the performer should be in the scope of the piece. There is a limited amount of bar lines that serve to separate melodic ideas from one other. Concerning dynamics, Mandra writes,
16 Chris Mandra, 30 “XXX,” Original manuscript, 1996.
26
“Dynamics are relative to the electronic part.”17 Double stops are notated with brackets as a visual aid to the performer, and arrows following these notes roughly indicate when notes should be added or changed. The performer should familiarize themselves with the location of each timestamp. I recommend highlighting or circling and small versions or those too close to other information. The next step is to be aware of how much time is passing between these timestamps so that the length of the sections can be more accurately gauged. I wrote several helpful indications to myself such as “Very Slow” and “GO!” so that I could focus on the music and not small math problems. Once these steps are established, the piece becomes much less difficult.
The performer should briefly familiarize themselves with the material in the piece, then proceed to record.
I do not recommend extensively practicing the material here, as stacking recordings that have less in common with one another produces a more interesting auditory effect. During my recording process, I did not listen to my previous takes while creating new ones. I made mental notes to emphasize different notes and make new choices in each separate take. My inspiration for the “Gypsy technique” sections was Stephane Grappelli’s recordings of gypsy swing music.
Spoken word can be heard in the electronic backing track throughout most of the piece. One part of this text is written out on the score, but even when listening to the isolated backing track the rest of these words are difficult to understand. This concept of indecipherable words fits the character of the piece when adding the seven viola layers.
At the closing section of the piece, Mandra instructs the performer to “play the following passage in order, then in any order repeating until the end of the tape, fading out with the tape.”18
17 Ibid. 18 Ibid.
27
I found it useful to write out the available notes underneath the notated music here. When the full version of the piece is realized, this aleatoric section should yield a kaleidoscope of sound.
Duo in Field (2015)- Douglas Walter Scott
Publisher: Self-published
Composer Website: N/A, score is available from imslp.org
Instrumentation: solo viola (or violin or cello) and electronic media
Duration: 9 min 8 sec
Difficulty: Variable
Dedication: N/A
First Performance: N/A
Notes from the Composer: Nothing dominates, everything exerts. Force. (Flow, Resist, Wait,
Move) The geometric field within which the instrument moves is an admixture of the forces its own body, of the player’s impulses, the electronic media, the written score. (fill, filia, filius, philia) — Douglas Walter Scott
Brief Composer Biography: Douglas Walter Scott
“Douglas Walter Scott is a composer, performer and theorist currently working on a
Ph.D. through the Odeion School of Music, University of the Free State, South Africa. He has served as treasurer for NewMusicSA, the local chapter of the International Society for
Contemporary Music, since 2013, and curated the 2015 NewMusicSA Indaba festival in
Bloemfontein.”19
19 Douglas Walter Scott, “Author: Douglas Walter Scott,” Constructivist Community (2017) accessed February 8, 2018,
Study: Duo in Field
I discovered this piece as a result of a simple online search. The Petrucci Music Library at imslp.org contained just one work for viola and tape, Duo in Field. This piece features an almost entirely aleatoric compositional style, meaning that the piece was written to be performed with elements of chance or improvisation within certain parameters.20 Very little instruction is included, other than which notes are to be added to the random mix at certain times, a few dynamic suggestions, and some pizzicato additions. I acquired the score and electronics file from the imslp.org database in the online Petrucci Music Library. A professional recording of the piece is not available yet, so I will be premiering this work.
The first thing I recommend doing with this piece is listening to the electronic media by itself. This will give the performer an idea for what kind of moods they might want to portray.
The score is just a single page with numerous boxes. These boxes contain a timestamp and an indication of what notes to add/subtract to the available pool, as well as any special technical instructions for that section. There are also a few illustrations for inspirational purposes. I found it useful to also write out the available notes below each box. A device with a visible timer is necessary for accuracy. I recommend using a cellular phone (in airplane mode) with the screen set to stay on at least 10 minutes without needing to be reset or unlocked again. Everything beyond this is up to the mind of the performer. Based on the program notes, I chose to create my improvisations based on my reactions to the electronic media.
The piece begins restricted to just a few notes. I took the liberty of assuming all octaves of these pitches were available for use. More and more pitches are added about every 30 seconds
20 Michael Kennedy and Joyce Bourne Kennedy, "aleatory music," Oxford Music Online (2012) accessed February 26, 2018,
29 as the piece progresses. When the performer is instructed to stop playing at 2:41, the mood of the electronics shifts dramatically. The next entrance in 2:57 instructs the performer that all 12 pitches are available for use and is accompanied by an illustration of smeared ink blots in cream- colored rectangle. These blots appear to be aligned to some sort of grid, but the interpretation of this is up to the performer. There is another tacet section before sul ponticello, tremolo, and ferocious bow strokes are indicated in the 4:17 box, which is the climax of the piece. The border around this box is much thicker than the others, which I interpreted as an indication of intensity.
In the next box, Scott instructs the performer to add altissimo pizzicato notes to the mix. The performer dies away as the borders around the boxes become smaller before another small moment of rest. The 6:10 box is marked “Solo,” and the electronics become sparse here to give the performer total melodic freedom, save for three notes that have been subtracted from the possible twelve. Fewer and fewer pitches become available as the piece advances (removed in retrograde order of introduction.) The last box contains the same pitches that were found in the first, but this time the performer must articulate them with a col legno stroke. The use of this stroke produces a much less audible sound, coinciding with the diminishing dynamics of the closing.21
21 David D. Boyden, “Col Legno- Term in string playing meaning to sound the strings of the instrument with the wood of the bow rather than with the hair. Col legno gives a dry effect, the sound being relatively small…” The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments: Oxford University Press (2014) accessed February 26, 2018,
30
The 3 Gs (2005)- Kenji Bunch
Publisher: Bill Holab Music
Composer Website: http://www2.kenjibunch.net/
Instrumentation: for solo viola, scordatura
Duration: ~4 min 30 sec
Difficulty: Difficult
Dedication: N/A
First Performance: July 2005, by Kenji Bunch in San Diego, CA
Notes from the Composer: N/A
Brief Composer Biography: Kenji Bunch
Kenji Bunch is a graduate of the Juilliard School with degrees in both composition and viola performance. He is known for his compositions featuring influences from various
American musical genres. Bunch continues an active career in viola performance and composition as well as teaching at Reed College and Portland State University.22
Study: The 3 Gs
The name of The 3 Gs comes from scordatura tuning of the viola required to play the piece. The C-string should be tuned down to a G2, which is a perfect fourth lower than usual.
The A string is tuned down to a G4, a much smaller adjustment of a major second. The resulting open strings sound G2- G3- D4- G4 compared the standard C3- G3- D4- A4, and these three different G’s are the namesake of the piece. The major problem with scordatura tuning is the
22 Kenji Bunch, “About,” Kenji Bunch, Accessed on February 10, 2018,
After the initial tuning, the performer should play their instrument for about thirty seconds, then check the intonation of their strings again before attempting to perform the piece. The more the tuning can be checked before performing, the better. This hindrance can make this piece an awkward addition to a recital with otherwise standard tuning pieces. Ideally, this work would be best suited for an encore piece but programming it either first or last on a recital would at least eliminate one retuning.
The score is notated as if the viola were in standard tuning, meaning there is no transposition required on the part of the performer. This tuning will have a different effect on different violas. The large adjustment of the C-string dramatically changes the tension on the string, making it more difficult to articulate. I recommend adapting some warm-ups to this new tuning such as long tones and other bow exercises when first learning this work.
Although this piece is not scored for viola and any sort of electronics, I ended up performing it with amplification for my recital. There are numerous performance videos of this piece on YouTube, most of them featuring amplified viola. One of the crucial benefits of amplification is the clarity of the opening pizzicato section. As previously mentioned, the scordatura tuning causes a loss of tension in the C-string, making it more difficult to project notes on this string. Added amplification counters this issue, as well as creating new possibilities for dynamic contrast without risking playing too softly.
Bunch indicates specific pizzicato patterns involving multiple fingers of left hand pizzicato at the beginning of the piece. The harmony of this section is controlled by the 32 chromatically descending chords using all four strings. The inner notes of these chords are the ones with chromatic motion, while the outer notes drone open strings, thus wrapping each chord with two G’s. The following section is marked “(quasi guitar strum),” and Bunch reuses the same chromatic pattern of quadruple-stops to be articulated with a pattern of strum directions and left-hand pizzicato. When strumming upwards/left, the fingernail will most likely become involved in the sound. While this is not a desirable effect in classical music,23 the percussive effect from the nail tapping against the strings is fitting for this piece and should be embraced.
The tuned C-string may also vibrate against the fingerboard during this opening section, but this simply a side effect of the loss of C-string tension and should be ignored. The bow is first used in measure 24, but the composer is not clear about the meaning of the percussive notes now in a different position (from the left-hand fingerboard slap). After listening to the composer’s recording and watching the YouTube video,24 I determined that this was an indication for a chop with the bow. These chops come on down and up bows in the score and may be executed by lightly muting the strings with the left hand while flicking the bow with the wrist and fingers towards the strings, letting the weight of the hand and bow cause the bow to stop on the strings and create a percussive popping sound. These four measures and their fortissimo counterpart comprise the connective tissue of the piece.
I adopted Bunch’s repetition of measure 82 from his recording on the Unleashed! album,25 as well as a few other rhythmic embellishments that seemed to be missing from my score. The sixty-fourth note flourishes that begin in measure 87 are extremely fast in the
23 Lionel Tertis, “In playing pizzicato, do not allow the fingernail to contact the string, and/or the string to rebound on the fingerboard with the resultant clatter,” My Viola and I: A Complete Autobiography, 152. 24 “Kenji Bunch- The 3 G’s,” Kenji Bunch – Peter Slansky’s YouTube Channel, published June 25, 2010, YouTube—Broadcast Yourself, accessed December 10, 2017,
33 recommended tempo. I decided to slightly slow down this section to more accurately articulate the melodic lines and allow the harmonics to resonate slightly longer. The bariolage harmonics in measure 94 should be practiced with the aid of a mirror. The horizontal rolling of the left hand required for this passage is not a common physical action in typical viola repertoire and should be monitored visually to ensure success during performance. Like Calico Dances, this piece has delicate soft section just after a very loud and virtuosic passage. The performer should take care not to exhaust their bow arm before reaching the end of the piece.
Because of the improvisational quality of the music, performers may find that their interpretation differs from others, and I feel that this is an important characteristic of this music.
My agogic accents differed heavily from the recordings I researched. I also changed a few bowings to accommodate my pace and phrasing. I recommend performers experiment with their own embellishments and unique phrasing to create a more personal experience with the music. 34
REFERENCES
Agut, Pierre. “Biography.” Pierre AGUT. Accessed on February 22, 2018.
———. “Composers.” Pierre Agut La Cuisine à l’alto. Accessed on February 22, 2018.
———. “To peel a fruit- for a solo viola.” Pierre Agut. Score, 2014.
Austin, William W. Music in the 20th Century. New York, NY: Norton, 1966.
Boyden, David D. "Col legno." Grove Music Online/Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. Accessed February 7, 2018.
Bunch, Kenji. “About.” Kenji Bunch. Accessed on February 10, 2018.
———. “Kenji Bunch- The 3 G’s,” Kenji Bunch. Video, uploaded by Peter Slansky, June 25, 2010. YouTube—Broadcast Yourself. Accessed December 10, 2017.
———. “The 3 Gs,” for solo viola. Kenji Bunch. San Diego: Bill Holab Music, 2005.
———. “The 3 Gs,” On Unleashed!, Kenji Bunch. Released May 1, 2011. Bulging Disc Records.
Brümmer, Ludger. “Why Is Good Electroacoustic Music So Good? Why Is Bad Electroacoustic Music So Bad?” Computer Music Journal 18.4 (1994): 7–8. Accessed November 30, 2015.
Durantel, Sylvain. “To peel a Fruit.” Video, uploaded by Sylvain Durantel, December 14, 2016. YouTube—Broadcast Yourself. Accessed November 10, 2017.
Funk & Wagnalls. "Electronic Music." Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia (2017): 1p. 1. Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, EBSCOhost (accessed February 25, 2018). 35
Kennedy, Michael, and Joyce Bourne Kennedy. "Aleatory music." The Oxford Dictionary of Music. Ed. Rutherford-Johnson, Tim: Oxford University Press, 2012. Oxford Reference. 2013. Date Accessed 26 Feb. 2018
Mandra, Chris. 30 “XXX.” Original manuscript. 1996.
Mazzoli, Missy. “About Missy.” Missy Mazzoli: Composer and Performer. Accessed February 20, 2018,
———. “A Thousand Tongues” for amplified viola, voice, and pre-recorded electronics. Missy Mazzoli. New York: G. Schirmer, 2009.
———. “Tooth and Nail,” for amplified viola and pre-recorded electronics. Missy Mazzoli. New York: G. Schirmer, 2010.
Robichaux, Ben. “Biography.” Ben Robichaux: Composer. Accessed on February 10, 2018.
———. “Electronic Etude No. 2- Swing Reflections.” Ben Robichaux. Score, 2018.
Rouse, Margaret. “Wave file,” TechTarget (2005) Accessed February 15, 2018.
Scherzinger, Nicolas. “Calico Dances” for solo viola with electronic sounds. New York: ScherziMusic Press, 2002.
———. "Extended Bio." Nicolas Scherzinger. ScherziMusic, Accessed February 3, 2018.
Scott, Douglas Walter. “Author: Douglas Walter Scott.” Constructivist Community. 2017 Accessed February 8, 2018.
Sirota, Nadia. “Tooth and Nail.” On Baroque. Released March 18, 2013. Bedroom Community Records.
Tertis, Lionel. My Viola and I: A Complete Autobiography. Kahn & Averill, 1991.
Volness, Kirsten. “Desangramiento.” Accessed May 01, 2017.
———. “Desangramiento,” for viola and stereo sound. Kirsten Volness. Score, 2016.