Spectral colours for Ensemble and
Stereo Tape (1997)
Genre: Instrument and Tape
Duration: ca. 11:30 minutes
Description of the work:
The piece is conceived only
with the materials of 3 notes (C, D, and B natural in the very low register),
with their first 13 overtones. These overtones were transported to a scale from
the lowest up to the highest and the work begins almost in the middle of it.
The intervals of this scale (taking the semitone as unit) give the following
numbers: 11 (major 7th), 1 (minor second), 0.8 (a bit lower as a minor second)
etc. The proportions ruling the whole work (form, rhythms, etc) are taken also
from the relationship of the tones of the scale themselves.
The number 14 has also an
important meaning for the whole: 14 overtones, 14 instruments, when the first
14 notes of the scale appeared, there are always 14 tones for each chord. The
proportions that rule the whole work (form, rhythms, etc) are taken also from
the relationship of the overtones themselves.
The tape was made also with
the 3 notes mentioned above (but not in the very low register, naturally)
played and recorded "sul ponticello" on a viola. These 3 notes were
transposed and were treated with several filter chains and hall (mostly with
Csound), so that the "overtone quality" of the "sul
ponticello" notes could be maintained and increased also for the lower
transpositions.
Because the instrumentation
changes the whole time, new "colours" come constantly from the
Ensemble, which plays the anew always different, spectral results, always
different "spectral colours".
Technical data:
Ensemble with 14
instruments: flute, oboe, clarinet in b, Bass- clarinet in b (with low b),
trumpet in c, horn, trombone, 1 percussion (see details on the score), piano, 2
violins, viola, cello, double-bass.
Stereo tape (DAT or
CD). Quadraphonic projection (see Score for details).
One microphone for the
percussion.
Time Code (or DAT or
CD time) visible to the conductor.