Anne Lockwood Neikirk

LUNG TA
for Solo Percussion
and Electronic Sounds

I. Earth
II. Water
III. Fire
IV. Wind
V. Sky

2016
 LUNG TA
Performance Instructions:
The score is notated at mm. 120, so that each measure of the score represents two seconds in duration.
The notation of the electronics correctly correlates with these durations in the audio file.

When seen above prayer bowls, activate the instrument by moving the stick around the bowl to
create its characteristic singing sound.

Opening gesture in the prayer bowls should be played with prayer bowls sitting on timpani, so that
moving the timp pedal creates a gliss in the prayer bowl decay.

Instrumentation:
2 Tibetan prayer bowls, pitched at approximately E and A
1 Timpani
2 Toms (low and high)
Chopstick or other thin stick, like an incense stick
Ocean Drum
Vibraphone
Small Plastic beads, coins
Suspended Cymbal
Bow
Triangle (mounted)

Program Notes:

When Thomas approached me about writing this work, we discussed which percussive sounds he was
most drawn to, and what sort of work he had in mind for the commission. He is drawn to music from
different parts of the world, and mentioned Tibetan prayer bowls (also known as singing bowls) as a
timbre he enjoyed. This became the germinal concept of this work, which features prayer bowls and is
structured around the symbolism behind Tibetan prayer flags, known as Lung Ta.

Lung Ta is a Tibetan word that literally translates to Wind Horse, and is a type of prayer flag that is
strung horizontally. Lung ta prayer flags are of square or rectangular shape, and are connected along their
top edges to a long string or thread. They are commonly hung on a diagonal line from high to low between
two objects (e.g., a rock and the top of a pole) in high places such as the tops of temples, monasteries, and
mountain passes. Traditionally, prayer flags come in sets of five: one in each of five colors. The five colors
are yellow, green, red, white, and blue. The five colors represent the five elements. Blue symbolizes the sky
and space, white symbolizes the air and wind, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water, and yellow
symbolizes earth. This musical homage to the prayer flags uses electronic sounds to evoke each of these
elements, and pairs percussion instruments with the various recordings as a way to musically augment the
experience. You will hear deep, low drum sounds for the Earth, real recordings of both Water and Fire for
the middle movements, and the whoosh of the Wind followed by pure, quiet and crystalline sounds of the
Sky. Each movement is punctuated by the sound of the prayer bowls. Traditionally, prayer flags are used
to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras will be
blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space. Therefore, prayer
flags are thought to bring benefit to all.
 Lung Ta
Commissioned by Thomas Kolakowski
Anne Neikirk
I. Earth (Yellow)

q = 120
(Feathered tremolo until tape enters)
On Timpani:
4
Prayer Bowls &4 w w w w
f pp f pp
Timp Pedal Gliss:
? 4 ~~~ ~ ~~
~~~~
~
4 ~~~ ~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~~~
~~~
Timpani
ca. 0:14

0:00 Reverse Decay.......

4
Tape /4
ppp
10
3
Tom-t. /
f
0:28
0:25

Tape /
f

16 3 3 5
3 r
Tom-t. /

Tape /
Head of Drum
21 3 (Side of drum) 3 accel poco a poco to tremolo
Tom-t. /
3
0:50
Rolled timp gliss...
Tape /
ppp

28 3
rit. poco a poco
Tom-t. / w w
pp ff
1:06

Tape /
(timpani roll)

2016 ANNE L NEIKIRK

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
2

37
Push tip of thin stick around drum
head at varying pressure/speed Prayer Bowls:
Tom-t. /
1:20 1:28

Tape /

1:32 1:48
47

Pr. B. & w w w w
w w
f
1:40
w
Tape / & #w w w w / & w
(shimmering sounds)

II. Water (Green)

57 On Timpani:


Pr. B. & w
w
f
Timp Pedal Gliss:
? ~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
Timp.
~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~ ~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~
w 2:00

Tape & w w
w

65 2:13 Hold Drum upright, strike canvas side:

Ocean Drum
r
O.D. /

3
p mp

2:09 Vibraphone delay line in tape (approx rhythms):

r
Tape &

mf whooshing noise and decay continue
whooshing noise underneath

Hold upright and rotate (like a steering wheel ) Hold upright, but strike plastic side:
70

O.D. / w
mp
p f p
2:21
r b b
Tape &
b b b b
mf whooshing noise underneath - changing to more metallic sound
 3
move slowly from upright to horizontal position Strike Canvas
75

O.D. / 3 w w
mf
mf
2:33

Tape & b R
mf
metallic whooshing noise underneath continues

while holding horizontally Rotate slowly while turning from canvas side to plastic side
80

O.D. / w w w
3
f
p

2:45

Tape &
b
r b b b
b
distorted synthetic sounds emerge
b
b b
mp

86 Strike plastic side, hold horizontally

O.D. / w w w w
mf
f p

2:56

Tape & r w
b
mp

Rotate slowly once more To Vibes

92
j
O.D. / w w w w
3
f p f p

3:05

Tape & r
b

mp
4

98 Vibraphone
r
O.D. / & b w w
mp
3:14
r w
Tape b n
&
w
mp

103
b b
& w
w b bb n bb bb
Vib.
b R J Jb
mf 3:26 f

b bb nbb bb bb b bbw
w
Tape & b R
mp

107
n
Vib. & bw
bw n b b n n b
J J
mp mf
3:37

r b n
Tape & bb nb n
mf

j
111
b w
w bw
w j
Vib. & n

f 3
3:49
b
Tape & b


p

w
116
b nn
w
w
& R J w
Vib.
J
3
p
r
Tape & /

 5

III. Fire (Red):

121 On Timpani:

Pr. B. &

Timp Pedal Gliss:

? ~~ ~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~ ~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~ ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Timp.
~~~~ ~ ~~ ~~~~ ~~ ~~~~~~ ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ ~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~ ~ ~~~~
4:00

Tape /

125 Drop beads/pennies into bowl at various rates, imitating re, ca 20"

Pr. B. &
4:09
Fireplace sounds emerge-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tape /

131 swirl objects around in bowl ad libitum, ca. 20"

Pr. B. &

ca 4:30
ca 4:20

Tape /
Fireplace sounds con't

141

Pr. B. &

4:44
ca 4:40 ca 4:50

Tape /
re sounds turning metallic in timbre
>
6
Sus cym:
148 scrape with coin: with stick:
j
Cym. &
3
f pp mf

4:56
ca 5:00

Tape /
timbre continues to mutate
>

157 with soft mallet, ca. 20" (slow cresc and dim)
arco
Cym. & w w w w w w w w
f lv pp f

ca 5:12 ca 5:24

Tape /

168

Cym. & w w w w w
pp

ca 5:42

Tape /

175 play dampened with soft mallet

+ + + + 3+ + + + + + + + + + + + + 3+ + + + +
Cym. &
p f pp ca 5:56
ca 5:48
Tape /
>
 7
IV. Wind (White):
181 On Timpani:

Pr. B. &
Timp Pedal Gliss:
? ~~~ ~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~

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

~~~
Timp.
~~~
6:00

Tape /

190 Vibraphone arco, motor on ca. 10'

6:26
Vib. & & w
> w w w
f gradually increase vibr. on motor
6:20 6:27


Tape / &
w w w w
o
6:40
ca. 10'
199
arco
Vib. & w w w w
>
f gradually decrease vibr on motor
6:41
Tape & w w w
o
6:56
ca. 12'
209
arco
Vib. & w
> w w w w
f >
ad. lib speed of motor
6:57
Tape & w w w
o

7:12
217 (with mallet) ad lib. in this octave
arco
Vib. & b
bw
> w w w
f 7:13
Tape &
b w w w
o
8
(continue ad lib, shifting register upward every 2-3 bars)
7:30
226 (with mallet or arco)
b b
arco 5 A A
Vib. & b 5
w
7:40
7:31
Tape & w w
w w w w o
o

233
b 7:54
5 A
Vib. &
b

7:50 f
Tape & w w w w
w w w
>
o

239 b
j j j
& b J b
Vib.
b

8:03

Tape & b w w w
> w w w

246

Vib. & j
j
bb b
b
8:14

Tape & w
w
> ww ww

251
b b w w
Vib. & b b bw
w w bw
w w
pp f pp

8:26

Tape & ww
ww w w w w
w w w w
 9

258 To Tri. 8:46

V. Sky (Blue) Wait until tape decays to silence
Triangle >
Vib. & / w
mp
8:36

Tape & w
w (Tape wind sounds from last movement still decaying)

265 8:54

Pr. B. &
mf
Tri. / w
p

9:10
272 9:02
Pr. B. &
w w w w w
p

Tri. / w
9:24
281

Pr. B. & w w w w w
f p f
Tape & /

288 arco
Pr. B. & w w w
f
9:36

Tape /
Prayer Bowl hits on Timp

294 arco

Pr. B. & w
w w
f
Tape /
Reverse Decay.......