Portfolio of Compositions Cheong Li PhD Thesis Music September 2013 PORTFOLIO OF COMPOSITIONS i Abstract This portfolio includes pieces for ensemble, solo instrument, voice and choir as well as electroacoustic music, which are products of research into various aspects and degrees of freedom and control within a composition. Through collaboration with performers from different backgrounds, the pieces explore elements of improvisation by means of a variety of methods: graphic and conventional notation, written and verbal instructions, choice of materials within a given framework, or freedom of structure with given materials. Music from different cultural backgrounds is discussed in this commentary, outlining how these influences may hint at different ways of approaching freedom and control in music. ii PORTFOLIO OF COMPOSITIONS Table of Contents Abstract....................................................................................................................................i Table of Contents...................................................................................................................ii List of Submitted Pieces........................................................................................................iv List of Submitted Audio Visual Contents..............................................................................v Audio CD ..............................................................................................................................v DVD.....................................................................................................................................vi Data CD ...............................................................................................................................vi Illustration Index ..................................................................................................................vii Index of Tables ....................................................................................................................viii Acknowledgements...............................................................................................................ix Author’s Declaration..............................................................................................................x Introduction: Between Freedom and Control..................................................................... 1 1 Folk, Jazz and New Music’s approaches to Freedom and Control ............................... 5 1.1 Tablature and Prescriptive Notation..............................................................................5 1.2 Embellishment of a Melody...........................................................................................7 1.3 Onomatopoeia As Notation...........................................................................................9 1.4 Jazz and Indian Raga – Improvisation On a Scale and Beyond ......................................11 1.5 Four Pieces in the Appendix ........................................................................................12 1.5.1 Five Bagatelles for String Quartet..........................................................................12 1.5.2 Responses for dizi duet and Chinese ensemble......................................................14 1.5.3 Schönbop for the Threads Orchestra .....................................................................16 1.5.4 Nothing Left is Right for the Julian Argüelles Octet................................................16 2 On notation and verbal instructions............................................................................... 19 2.1 Ripples for classical guitar ............................................................................................19 2.2 Senza Misura for xylosynth, percussion and live electronics .........................................21 2.3 Impromptus .................................................................................................................22 2.3.1 Impromptu I for piano...........................................................................................22 2.3.2 Impromptu II for alto flute and live electronics......................................................23 2.3.3 Impromptu III for woodwinds and keyboards ........................................................26 2.3.4 Impromptu IV for large ensemble..........................................................................27 PORTFOLIO OF COMPOSITIONS iii 2.4 Impermanence ............................................................................................................ 28 I. ‘Ivit, ivit’...................................................................................................................... 28 II. ‘Village Song’ ............................................................................................................. 29 III. ‘Impermanence’........................................................................................................ 30 Chapter 3 Verbal exchanges: Collaboration with Performers..........................................32 3.1 Shadows in the Water II for voice and live electronics.................................................. 32 3.2 Alone with the Moon and the Shadow......................................................................... 34 Chapter 4 Movement and Music........................................................................................36 4.1 Two dance pieces ........................................................................................................ 36 4.1.1 When the Structure Softens.................................................................................. 36 4.1.2 I’m Going to Play a Game..................................................................................... 39 4.2 Playground.................................................................................................................. 42 Final Thoughts......................................................................................................................45 Resource List........................................................................................................................46 Books................................................................................................................................. 46 Articles .............................................................................................................................. 47 Scores................................................................................................................................ 47 Web resources................................................................................................................... 48 iv PORTFOLIO OF COMPOSITIONS List of Submitted Pieces Vol. Title (year) Instrumentation 1. Portfolio of Compositions (Commentary) 2. Ripples (2010) guitar 3. Senza Misura (2010) xylosynth, percussion and live electronics 4. Impromptu I (2010) piano 5. Impromptu II (2011) alto flute and live electronics 6. Impromptu III (2011) woodwinds and keyboards 7. Impromptu IV (2013) chamber ensemble 8. Alone With the Moon andthe Shadow vocal trio (2012) 9. Impermanence (2012-13) vocal ensemble i. Ivit, Ivit ii. Village Song iii. Impermanence 10. Playground (2011-12) electroacoustic sound installation (DVD) Shadows in the Water II (2012) voice and live electronics (DVD) Two Dance Pieces i. When the Structure Softens (2009) erhu ii. I’m Going to Play a Game (2012) voice, body sounds and live electronics Appendix 11. A. Five Bagatelles (2009-10) string quartet 12. B. Responses (2011) dizi duet and Chinese ensemble . strings and jazz ensemble 13. C. Schönbop (2011) jazz ensemble 14. D. Nothing Left is Right (2013) PORTFOLIO OF COMPOSITIONS v List of Submitted Audio Visual Contents Audio CD Track Title Duration 1 Ripples 6:03 Stefan Östersjö, classical guitar 2 Senza Misura 5:56 Joby Burgess, xylosynth and percussion; Cheong Li, live electronics 3 Impromptu I 7:25 Cheong Li, piano 4 Impromptu II 5:21 Christian Färnqvist, alto flute; Cheong Li, live electronics 5 Impromptu III 2:54 Sarah Morpurgo, flute; Emily Worthington, clarinet; Azlee Babar, vibraphone; Stephanie Conner, piano 6 Impermance – i. ‘Ivit, Ivit’ 5:12 The 24 7 Shadows in the Water II 9:07 James Cave, voice; Cheong Li, live electronics (this version is performed in Chimera Summer Concert, June 2012; a studio-recorded version can be found on DVD) 8 Alone With the Moon andthe Shadow 4:04 Juice (Anna Snow, Sarah Dacey and Kerry Andrew) (recorded in final rehearsal; the video of the workshop is on the DVD) 9 Five Bagatelles for String Quartet 9:28 Kreutzer Quartet 10 Responses 6:15 Chan Chi-Chun, Chan Chi-Yuk (dizi duet) and their ensemble 11 Schönbop 4:22 Threads Orchestra 12 Nothing Left is Right 5:37 Julian Argüelles Octet vi PORTFOLIO OF COMPOSITIONS DVD Chapter Title Duration 1 Shadows in the Water II 9:07 James Cave, voice; Cheong Li, live electronics (music video) 2 Alone With the Moon andthe Shadow 3:50 Juice (Anna Snow, Sarah Dacey, Kerry Andrew) (video recording of the workshop) 3 Playground 3:04 demonstration and video excerpts from the exhibition of the sound installation 5 When the Structure Softens 5:24 Rachel Birch, Alex Barber and Debora Renzi, dancers; Anthony Middleton, choreographer; Cheong Li, erhu and tape 6 I’m Going to Play a Game 3:12 Kinga Jaczewski, dancer; Gemma Harrison, choreographer; Cheong Li, live electronics Data CD PDF files of the commentary