The Modern Twig: Extended Techniques for Piccolo by Gillian Sheppard A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts, Music Performance Faculty of Music University of Toronto © Copyright by Gillian Sheppard 2019 ii The Modern Twig: Extended Techniques for Piccolo Gillian Sheppard Doctor of Musical Arts, Music Performance Faculty of Music University of Toronto 2018 ABSTRACT Experimentation with sounds and special effects in the twentieth century have unearthed a new voice for the piccolo, one which has taken the instrument from orchestral coloratura to contemporary virtuoso. The use of piccolo in modern music continues to increase, however the literature lacks a definitive, comprehensive resource outlining the range of extended techniques possessed by the instrument. The Modern Twig offers a brief historical analysis of the piccolo’s rise to soloist status and an extensive set of annotated fingering charts for twenty-two different techniques. Additionally, performance guides for four pieces of contemporary repertoire – Lachrymose by Derek Charke, Diffraction by James Dillon, Nidi by Franco Donatoni and Superscriptio by Brian Ferneyhough – offer piccolo players the practical advice needed to more readily bring these works to life. The piccolo offers composers and performances a dramatic palette of colors and sounds suitable for use in contemporary music. The Modern Twig will serve as an authoritative resource for anyone wishing to write or perform new music for piccolo. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writing of this dissertation has been a journey of immense scope, experimentation and introspection. I would like to thank some individuals who have been instrumental in the completion of this document: First, I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Gillian MacKay, for her guidance as well as her insightful (and witty!) commentary throughout the writing process over the past years. Thank you for helping me stay grounded, sending me down all the rabbit holes and helping me regain my focus over the course of this journey! Thank you also to committee member Dr. Sarah Gutsche-Miller for helping me navigate the waters of academic writing and continually pushing me toward a higher standard. This dissertation would not have been possible without the love and encouragement of my teacher, mentor and friend Camille Watts, who has been incredibly supportive of this project since the beginning. Thank you for always believing in me! I would not have been able to complete this project without you. I am fortunate to have a committee with such breadth and depth of expertise and knowledge. Thank you to Daniel Mehdizadeh for his patience and expertise in completing the engraving of this dissertation; and to Tristan Durie of Whirlwind Press for providing the flute fingering font. I would also like to acknowledge my friend and colleague Carla Rees, who inspired this project several years prior to my time at the University of Toronto. You are an inspiration to me – thank you for your mentorship! To the many other friends and colleagues who have supported this project, thank you! Finally, I would like to acknowledge and thank my parents, Bill and Marilyn Sheppard, and my partner, Daniel Morrissey, to whom I am extremely grateful for their continued support for my musical endeavors. Thank you for encouraging me and believing in me through every step of my journey. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................................................. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................... iv TABLE OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................................... viii INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................ 1 GOALS OF THE PROJECT ............................................................................................................................... 3 RESEARCH METHOD: OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................. 5 LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................................................... 9 THE CREATION OF A MODERN FLUTE: INFLUENCES OF THE EIGHTEENTH- AND NINETEENTH-CENTURIES .................................................................................................................................................................... 28 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................................. 36 CHAPTER ONE, TECHNICOLOR DREAM FLUTE ........................................................................................... 38 A WOODWIND REVOLUTION ..................................................................................................................... 38 THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONTEMPORARY REPERTOIRE FOR FLUTE ......................................................... 41 A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO NEW MUSIC FOR PICCOLO ................................................................ 47 A NEW IDENTITY FOR THE PICCOLO .......................................................................................................... 55 INNOVATIONS AND ADVANCEMENTS ....................................................................................................... 66 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................................. 69 CHAPTER TWO, THE MODERN TWIG ......................................................................................................... 70 PITCH ........................................................................................................................................................... 73 Range .................................................................................................................................................. 73 Limitations .......................................................................................................................................... 74 Microtones ............................................................................................................................................. 75 Notation of Microtones ...................................................................................................................... 75 Fingering Chart ................................................................................................................................... 76 Microtonal Trills and Tremolos .............................................................................................................. 97 Notation of Microtonal Trills and Tremolos ...................................................................................... 97 Fingering Chart ................................................................................................................................... 98 Bisbigliando .......................................................................................................................................... 105 Notation of Bisbigliando .................................................................................................................. 105 Fingering Chart ................................................................................................................................. 106 v Pitch Bend and Glissando ..................................................................................................................... 116 Pitch Bend ......................................................................................................................................... 116 Glissandi ............................................................................................................................................ 116 Notation of Pitch Bends and Glissandi ............................................................................................ 117 TIMBRE ..................................................................................................................................................... 118 Alternate fingerings .............................................................................................................................. 118 Fingering Chart ................................................................................................................................. 119 Whistle Tones ....................................................................................................................................... 120 Notation of Whistle Tones ............................................................................................................... 120 Fingering Chart ................................................................................................................................. 121 Aeolian (Wind) Sounds ........................................................................................................................