wire attached to thin frame;

unstill water
[2015]

Jeremy Corren

wire attached to thin frame;

unstill water
written for New Music On the Point

Notes
Microtonal Notation

Standard quarter-tone notation applies:

Raise by 1/4th of a tone

Raise by 3/4ths of a tone
Lower by 1/4th of a tone

Beating is achieved throughout the piece in two ways:

Static Beat Frequencies

The first: two instruments voice pitches a quarter-tone apart this produces
a rapid form of beating known as roughness. Try to tune stopped quartertone pitches as precisely as possible in order to maintain consistent
roughness when asked for.

Time-space Notation and Changing Beat Frequencies

At rehearsal letters E through F, the second kind of beating is achieved in the following scenario:
Rehearsal letter E
(a) Violin: Starting on a unison A (open string II and stopped A on I), the violin slides slowly from the unison towards a quarter-tone (A and G-3/4
sharp). The glissando should produce a gradually increasing beat frequency. Simultaneously, move the bow seamlessly from sul tasto towards
ordinario position.
(b) Soprano: The saxophone repeats a roughly 10-second module in which it: gradually crescendos into the same pitch as the violins A over the
course of 8 seconds and breathes for 2 seconds. Timing should be fairly precise. Over the course of the 30 seconds, the peaks of the
crescendi become gradually louder, from ppp to mp. During the crescendi, the saxophones tone should accentuate the beating effects active
in the violin.
(c) Piano: The piano repeats a 5- to 7-second module in which it softly plays the A pitch in groups of two. Unlike the saxophone module, which is
fairly precise in its periodicity, the pianist may vary the duration and attack of its module slightly, to give a sensation of aperiodicity. Each
piano attack will produce additional disturbances with respect to the violin beating. Over the course of the 30 seconds, the module should
gradually increase in volume, but only very slightly (from pp to mp)
(d) Viola: For the first 30 seconds, the violist plays exclusively on the bridge, producing a pitchless air-sound. Horizontal bowing helps avoid
slipping onto the string, which produces unwanted pitches. The violist should vary the pressure and speed of the bow over the bridge to
produce aperiodic discontinuities within the sound, so long as it remains pitchless.
Rehearsal letter F
(a) Violin: The violin performs the glissando of letter E in reverse, moving back towards the unison. As a result, the beat frequency gradually
decreases to nothing, arriving ultimately at psychoacoustic smoothness. Simultaneously, the violinist should move back towards sul tasto.
(b) Soprano: The saxophone begins a crescendo to the multiphonic on A-Bb for 6 seconds, and then reverts to the 10-second module described
in the notes to letter E. This time, the peaks of the crescendi should get softer and softer.
(c) Piano: During the first ~5 seconds piano begins by touching the 11th partial-node of a low Eb while striking the key to produce a harmonic at
the pitch A, lowered by a quarter-tone. By playing a normal A directly after the harmonic, beats within the piano are produced. Following this,
the piano should revert to the module described in the notes to letter E. The module, this time, should decrease in volume from p to pppp
(ultimately silence).
(d) Viola: The violist performs two actions. First: starting at molto sul ponticello, they should gradually bow away from the bridge and towards the
end of the fingerboard. Second: the violist should gradually increase duration of bow-lengths from long sustain towards very rapid tremolo.

Saxophone
air: produce a pitchless air sound
bright air: use a syllable like [sss] to produce a brighter timbre
dark air: use a syllable like [hro] to produce a darker timbre
air to tone: attempt to seamlessly transition from air sound to tone; when impossible, transition from niente
Multiphonic: #57 in Netti and Weisss Technique of Saxophone Playing.

The small dyad multiphonic is very soft, so dynamic indications mp and p are descriptions of effort
relative to the maximum dynamic possible (in absolute terms, around a p).
The squiggly line conveys the resultant beating timbre that results from the two component
frequencies of the multiphonic, which are quite close together, and produce roughness.

Piano
Harmonics

The piece asks for a single piano harmonic, shown in the graphic. Strive for a sound that resembles most closely the
isolated partial, and as devoid of the fundamental as possible (though not completely). Let ring with the assistance of
sustain pedal. In this case, the pianist plays the equal-tempered version (A) of the harmonic (A 1/4-flat) the
combination of the two should produce audible beating.

Strings
Timbres

sul pont, indicated by s.p., should produce a mixed sonority of a pitchs fundamental and upper partials.
molto sul pont, indicated by m.s.p., should produce a sonority that is predominantly the upper partials of a pitch.
sul tasto, indicated by s.t., asks for bowing towards the fingerboard to mute higher partials.
molto sul tasto, indicated by m.s.t., asks for bowing high up on the fingerboard to produce a hollow sound.
on the bridge, indicated by o.b., should produce an audible but pitchless sonority similar to white noise.
flautando, indicated by flaut., asks for a light, fast bow-stroke often coupled with sul tasto

Techniques
with pizz. asks for a fingernail pizzicato

harmonic trill: in this case, the violin bows the open E string and quickly depresses and lifts the octave harmonic

i. wire attached to thin frame

Jeremy Corren

q = 67

A
air

4
4

b6

Soprano Sax.

tone

5
4

4
4 bw

bright air

n)

3
4

4
4
)

&
o

bw

w
w

&
pp
Piano
catch resonance of the ensemble

bb

&

Ped

o.b.
Violin

&

beats slightly with piano

)
~
w

pp
p

indiscernable pitch

~w

O
b O

Viola

&
o

o
p

4
4

cross-fade from violin

air

tone
dark air

&
o

2
4)

4
4
o

mp

>
#w

n>.

mp

&

w
w

w
w

w
w

w
w

~
w

pp
mp
mf
[l.h.]

&
3:2

Ped

flaut.
s.t.

ord
m.s.t.
beats with viola

&

I
II

>j
bb O

3:2

o sub p

ord

>
## ~w
B
p

>O

pitch becomes indiscernable

m.s.p.

beats with violin

ord

O
J
o

~w

O
o

mp

B
12

4
4

3
4

&

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

o
mp

4
4

pp

faint echo

lightly

~~~~~~~

n
o p o

&
p

w
w

w
w

pp

mp
mf

#w
#w

w
w

>.
Ped

flaut.

stop bow
beats slightly with piano

&

b O

O O.

BBO

O O

~w

pp

o
p

crossfade from soprano

m.s.t.

I
II

w
w

w
w

&

o
p

hold stable intonation: beats against violin

18

4
4

6
4

air
sharp cutoff

>6

4
4
w

&
pp
mf
mp

in a sudden movement

#>.

lift immediately

&

:;
#>

3:2

w
w

mf
3:2

mp
sub pp
sffz

3:2

>

Ped

flaut.
s.t.

o.b.

s.t.

ord

slow gliss from unison:

produces audible beating

stop bow

&

III
IV

>6

I
II

ww

3:2

mp
pp
p
f
in a sudden movement
arco
ricochet

pizz

#>.

>
## O

nb

~w

&
6:4

p
mp
3:2

sfz

mp

C
4x
22

4
4

sharp cutoff

6
4

4
4
b

&
o

6
4 w

4
4
o

>.

b
b

&

w
w

b
b

w
w

w
w

w
w

w
w

mp
p
pp

pp

w
w

Ped

flaut.
s.t.

m.s.t.

flaut.
s.t.

m.s.t.

stop bow

&

b
port.

ord

o o p

pitch becomes indiscernable

m.s.p.

>
<#><#> ~w

~w

sub p

beats with soprano

ord

s.t.

BO O
p

mp

~
w

ord

s.t.

o o

BO O

~
w

~
w
o

mp

D
29

4
4

2
4

5
4

4
4

&

>

~~~~~~~~~~~~

o
o
mf

#
#

#
5:4

very lightly:
accelerate tremolo over crescendo

5:4

~~~~~~~~~~~

5
4

o
mp

lightly

#
&

6
4

5:4

#
#

5:4

mf

mp
mf

#

o

o
mp

pp
p
p

&

b .
>

Ped

beats with viola

m.s.t.

flaut.
s.t.
s.t.

#
I #
& II

I
II
o sub mp

III

I
II

IV #

pp
7:4

mf

accelerate tremolo
over crescendo
beats with violin

>O

ord

3:2

3:2

#O
#

O O O

s.p.

ord

~w

ppp

mf
mp

mf

35

5
4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3
4

4
4

&

b
o

3
4

p
mp

o
mf
mp

:;
>.

mp

&

pp

beats with soprano

ppp
pp
mf
[l.h.]
near-imperceptible
attack
ppp

&

w
w

Ped
Ped

(m.s.t.)

ord

flaut.
s.t.

~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
#

I #

II
&
o f
mf
p

m.s.t.

s.p.

ord
crossfade with viola:
match timbre

~
I

w


o
o

w
w

pp

mf
p

pitch becomes indiscernable

m.s.p.
ord
ord

>
## O

III
IV

oo
n

oo

oo
w
w

I
II
III

j w
w

o
pp

o
mp

attaca

3x
42

3
4

4
4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

&

6
4

5
4

1
4

o
mp

pp
in a sudden movement

#>.

echo
lightly

~~~~~

o p o

&
p

w
w

w
w

w
w

p
1x: pp
2x: ppp
3x: pppp

3:2

sffz
mp
mf

#w
#w

w
w

3:2

>

>.
Ped

ord

O
beats slightly with piano

&

BBO

~w

O O ~w

~w

O
o

1x: p
2x: pp
3x: ppp

in a sudden movement
pizz
crossfade from soprano

#>.

m.s.t.
flaut. stop bow

b O O O.

pp

I
II

n
o

w
w

w
w

&
3:2

sfz

ii. unstill water

E
10

30"
10"
8"

2"

49

&

repeat
breathe

ppp
(mp)

5-7"

6"

repeat ad. lib.: give the feeling of aperiodicity

& n
sub p

pp

(mp)

Ped

50 difference:
12 bps
slow gliss: should produce audible beats at increasing frequency

&

II
III

s.t.

ord

pp

arco
o.b.
aperiodically vary bow speed/pressure

)
mp

F
11

30"
10"

6"
8"

2"

4
4

57

,
b
o o
o
mp

&

repeat

o
pppp

(mp)

5-7"

5"
11th partial of Eb

Bo

&

repeat ad. lib.: give the feeling of aperiodicity

beats with harmonic

p

pppp

mf

b ~>
Ped
prepare for
harmonic
s.t.

slow gliss: beat frequency decreases to nothing

ord

&

mf

gradually move contact position of bow from the bridge towards the fingerboard
bow position: m.s.p.

s.p.

ord

s.t.

flaut.
m.s.t.

gradually increase duration of bow lengths from long and sustained towards a very rapid tremolo
bow speed: long

I
B
II
sub ppp
ff

12
q = 67

G
62

4
4

air

bright air

&
o

mp

&

~
w

~
w

~
w

~
w

~
w

O
o

beats with violin

O
B

o
mp

April - May 2016

New York - Boston