The Background Analysis And Performance Suggestions

The Background Analysis And Per take a crapance SuggestionsLuciano Berios Sequenza IXa is a solve of increa gugglely gigantic signifi coffin nailce for the clarinet repertory. In the past hardly a(prenominal) years, numerous external medicament competitions, including the prestigious Geneva, Munich, and Nielsen competitions, choose included the Sequenza in the repertoire for their maiden rounds. In gain, it has become an integral p art of the unaccompanied unaccompanied standard clarinet repertoire in the twentieth century, and it provides clarinetists with a wealth of opportunities for exploring late techniques and freedom for tuneful interpretation.Upon set-back gear hearing it, the Sequenza intrigues, that ch e reallyenges the listener to accept a modern melodious lyric poem. A glance at the score immediately reveals a host of difficulties for the manageer, including a variety of metrical patterns, dynamic changes, and multiphonics, as healthful as the physica l stamina required over the length of the adult male. a itinerary from the score itself, little information is available about the history and wind of the role from scholarly sources. This limited literature can non satisfy the curiosity that the subject inspires.1Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide a more(prenominal) comprehensive serve to the study and performance of this switch, in golf club to make approaching the work more feasible and also more attractive to a wider pretension of clarinetists.My examination of the Sequenza pull up stakes begin by contextualizing the work indoors the composers spiritedness and background, including a consideration of his statements about music and about the Sequenzas in point. This pass on be fol secondaryed by analysis of Sequenza IXa investigating the diverse array of musical elements, including openhearted celestial orbits, rhythmic patterns, shift cardinalal processes, structure, and multiphonics in the s econd firearm. To conclude, I go forth seek some of the difficulties in performing the piece and offer potential solutions. trip I HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF Sequenza IXaBerio is considered the fore approximately Italian avant-garde composer of his time, and iodine of the most influential composers of the twentieth century. He is particularly well know for his modernist approach and his extensive and experimental usage of electronic instruments in art music. Born in Oneglia, Italy, he studied music with his father, an organist, before enrolling in music school in Milan.2In 1950, he married the American singer Cathy Berberian, a soprano who subsequently performed many an other(prenominal) of his works.3He travelled to the United States in 1953 to study with Dallapiccola, who he was introduced him to serialism. However, the most important thought of his trip to the United States was his exposure to electronic music. In 1952, he be the first public concert of electronic music in t he U.S. At New Yorks M consumptionum of Modern Art, the concert getd tape pieces by Otto Luening and Vladimir Ussachevsky.4 by and by returning to Italy, he co- makeed the take noted electronic music center studio di Fonologia Musicale in Milan in 1955, directing it from 1955 to 1961.5From 1965 to 1972, he taught at the Julliard School in New York City during this time, he also held a number of international t all(prenominal)ing responsibilities.6In addition, Berio served as a director of the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique Musique (IRCAM) in Paris. In 1980, he accepted an honorary Doctorate of Music pointedness from City University in London. dickens years ulterior, he became the Artistic theater director of the Orchestra Regionale Toscana and in 1984, Artistic Director of the Maggio Musical Fiorentino.7Berios musical style may be seen as engaging and an ext final examination result of European and Italian classical traditions. His many years of education and his long c atomic number 18er demonstrate this, as do the statements he has made about music and his own music in particular.Berio has described music as the constant search for an answer to something that infinitely shifts.8He has further stated that the search for a deep unity, is perhaps the most exciting, the most profoundly experimental and the to the lowest degree functional facial expression of its presence.9These descriptive words argon useful in representing what Berio has tell about the Sequenzas.The series of quartetteteen Sequenzas was a long-standing project, spanning 30 years. severally of these pieces is written for a exclusively instrument, and demonstrates extensive performance techniques. In virtually all of the Sequenzas, these techniques are int force outed to expand the boundaries of what was playable or singable on the respective instrument. The Sequenza series can be considered a manual of implemental composing in the twentieth century. The st udyity of the Sequenzas were commissioned by or composed for a certain performer, and Berio often collaborated closely with these performers to understand the particular abilities and limitations of the instrument.10For example, one of his most successful Sequenzas is Sequenza III, for female voice, written for and dedicated to Berberian, a pioneer in avant-garde vocal techniques.Sequenza IXa was commissioned and premiered by the cut clarinetist Michel Arrignon in 1980. Between 1977 and 1983 Berio worked on a piece authorise Chemins V for clarinet and real-time digital filters,11but it was never completed. Later, Berio withdrew Chemins V, and titled the extracted clarinet part Sequenza IXa.12Berio says that, All theSequenzas for solo instruments are intended to jell out and melodically develop an essentially concordant discourse and to conjure up, particularly in the eggshell of the monodic instruments, a polyphonic mode of listening13As he described further in regards to his flute SequenzaI wanted to spend a penny a way of listening so strongly conditioned as to constantly suggest a latent, implicit counterpoint. The idea was the polyphonic melodies of bach. An trackless(prenominal) ideal, naturally, because what implicitly guided polyphonic listening in a Bach air was nothing less than the history of baroque musical language, whereas in a nonlinguistic melody like my Sequenza for flute, history provided no protection, and everything had to be planned out explicitly.14In Sequenza I, various procedures project the concept of polyphony, generally based on Bachs polyphonic melodies. However, Berio soon came to realize the impossibility of achieving this goal, part because Bachs polyphony was made possible by the universal tonal language of the time. Without the use of Baroque agreeable conventions, Berio relies on another way of indicateing break counterpoint. To achieve this, he explored the idea of a single instrument producing more than one voi ce. In this way, a single-channel instrument becomes capable of implying not only a dialogue, but also the level-headeding together of more than one voice.Sequenza IXa, like the flute Sequenza, can be said to use the alike nonlinguistic type of melody. The most obvious and literal appearance of achieving more than one voice with a monophonic instrument is through with(predicate) multiphonics. Another way to simulate polyphony in a monophonic instrument is to use a type of technique Bach uses in his pieces, compound melody. Following the idea of using two higgle-class collections differently, one melody tends to appear in the same register, whereas the other traverses the regulate of the instrument in very wide stand outs and with great variety.15Berio real these two pitch-class collections experimenting with secular, dynamic, pitch, and morphological symmetrys to generates a type of polyphony. These different musical elements are recognizable through the shiftal process es, which will discuss later in the paper.In a discussion of the form of Sequenza I, Berio said, The title was meant to under melody that the piece was built from a episode of harmonic handlefrom which the other strongly characterized musical functions were derived.16In the same interview, Berio continuedThe temporal, dynamic, pitch and morphological dimensions of the piece are characterized by level best, medium and minimum takes of tension. The take of maximum tension within the temporal dimension is produced by moments of maximum speed in articulation and moments of maximum distance of blend ins, the medium level is al shipway recorded by a neutral distribution of middling long notes and fairly rapid articulations, and the minimum level entails silence, or a tendency to silence. The pitch dimension is at its maximum level when notes bulge about a wide gamut and establish the tensest intervals, or when they insist on extreme register The medium and minimum levels follow logically from this. The maximum level of the dynamic dimension is naturally produced by moments of maximum sound energy and maximum dynamic contrast. What I call the morphological dimension is placed, in certain aspects, at the service of the other three and is, as it were, their rhetorical instrument.17This statement can further be apply to Sequenza IXa for solo clarinet, as it is also an essentially harmonic discourse which is melodically developed by temporal, dynamic, pitch and morphological dimensions18in order to suggest a polyphonic mode of listening. Analysis of the piece shows that Berios statement does in circumstance apply and is of use in understanding Sequenza IXa.PART II analytical DISCUSSIONHarmonic fieldsAs Berio states, the title Sequenza was meant to under personal business concern of credit that the piece was built from a installment of harmonic fieldsfrom which the other, strongly characterized musical functions were derived.19In his Berio, David Osmond-Smit h observes that the harmonic field can be defined as a temporary emphasis on a single pitch or on a collection of pitches.20Berio uses both options to establish a harmonic field, confusable to the function of chords in tonal music. Thus, when Berio inspires from one field to another, it can be said that at that place is a shift of harmony.Andrea Cremaschi explains that Berio does not use a dodecaphonic series, but rather divides the twelve notes into two separate pitch-class collections a five-note collection and a septette-note collection. The first collection traverses the instruments range, is utilise melodically, and is characterized by wide, change leaps (see Fig. 1a). The seven-note collection, in contrast, tends to appear in the same register and generally appears with less variety (see Fig. 1b).21As the piece develops, these two distinct pitch-class collections appear in contrast, in alternation, or, in some cases, interlaced with each other. As shown in Figure1, while the two pitch-class collections are distinct, both are characterized by multiplex authorizerences of the tri noise.Figure 1. The five-note (a) and seven-note (b) collections of Sequenza IXa.22Sequenza IXa moves through a term of harmonic fields which are defined by the use of one or more of the succeeding(a) artifices among the two contrasting pitch-class collections 1) the use of the two pitch-class collections in rapid chronological sequence 2) the use of the first pitch of each collection as the starting line and ending note of a phrase and 3) the use of what Berio calls tense intervals which suggest harmonic tension and resolution.23The two different pitch collections appear at the descent of the work. The melody shown in Ex.1 is primarily based on the five-note collection, whose pitches move in the midst of three registers with relative freedom. The seven-note collection ornaments the melody, with only two notes from it, F and D, appearing. These two notes function n ot only as passing notes, but also as ornamentation, similar to the grace notes in the second and triad line.The wage hike grace notes at the beginning of line 2 occur in rapid succession. Most of the notes are still based on the five-note collection, except for three notes from the seven-note collection, still F, D, and now D. connatural grace- note departures are prevalent throughout the piece. Berio uses this blending of the two pitch-class collections to establish the harmonic field. workout 1. Sequenza IXa, foliate 1, Lines 1-3. Circles indicate pitches from the seven-note collection used as passing tones.The second device, the repetition of the first note, is illustrated in Ex. 2a, lines 4-8. The rehearsal A atom consists of cardinal melodic phrases, each phrase separated by a fermata and silence. The four-spot melodic phrases are based on the seven-note collection, with the seven notes largely fixed in the same register. Now there are only two pitches chosen from the five-note collection, G and Bb. Here, the seven-note collection previously used for ornamentation becomes the principal pitch-class collection, which indicates movement away from the previous harmonic field. The starting tending pitches of the 4 phrases compose out the 1st 4-note motive, G, F, D, A. Berio unifies the four phrases here, beginning each subsequent phrase on the bordering of the first four notes (G, F, D, A) of the first phrase. As with the G in the first phrase, the F, D, and A serve as the beginning and ending notes of the second, third and fourth phrases, respectively. moral 2a. Sequenza IXa, Page 1, Lines 4-8 Circles bluelight the repetition of pitches at the beginning and ending of phrases.In addition, the repeated use of a series of several notes drawn from both pitch-class collections in a fixed order establishes a new harmonic field. In Ex. 2b, the first phrase establishes the future(a) sequence of pitches G, F, D, A1, D1, C2, G2, C2, A1, Bb2, D. Subsequent p hrases unfold these pitches, moving the first note of the previous phrase to the end of the sequence, though not the end of the phrase. That is, the order of the pitches remains fixed, though their relative direct in the sequence changes. Thus, the repetition of this note order establishes the harmonic field. event 2b. Sequenza IXa, Page 1, Lines 4-8 Circled pitches reveal the fixed sequence, while boxes indicate discreet phrases.Berio expands the device of repetition as the basis of a harmonic field later in the piece. In instance 3 a brief sequence of pitches from the third line of the work, D1, A1, D1, C1, B1 is extracted and subsequently repeated. The appearance of this fragmentise implies the earlier harmonic field seen in Ex.1, line 3, but the addition of other pitches in addition to its repetition implies movement to a new harmonic field.Example 3. Sequenza IXa, Page 2, Lines 1-3 The circled portions show the repeated pattern from the previous harmonic field.The third way in which Berio establishes a harmonic field is by the use of tense or unharmonious intervals. As discussed previously, the piece changes harmonic fields by moving to different pitch-class groups. In Example 4, line 2, the dotted quarter-note G is the first note of substantial duration in the new harmonic field from the seven-note collection. It is preceded by a leap of a major 7th and followed by a diminished 5th, insignificant 7th, minor 2nd and minor 7th, in that order. The minor 2nd, between the eighth-note E and the quarter-note F, functions as leading-tone to tonic relationship resolving back to the five-note collection. The sense of harmonic tension and resolution created by these interval relationships and so implies the harmonic field. Each subsequent harmonic field uses the same idea of tension and resolution, thus implying harmonic shift.M7 m7 m7d5 m2Example 4. Sequenza IXa, Page 1, Lines 1-3 Use of tense or dissonant intervalsAll of the above methods define the sequen ce of harmonic fields in Sequenza IXa therefore, this piece conforms to Berios description of his Sequenzas as a sequence of harmonic fields.RhythmsIn Sequenza IXa, there are many places on the score where Berio specifies tempos. At the beginning of the work, the tempo is marked as a quarter note equals sixty. At letter A, it increases to a value of seventy-two. Berio also gives specific durations for the fermatas, placed at the ends of most phrases. Despite these specific tempo markings, the composer places the expressive marking ma sempre un poco instabile (but always a little bit unstable) at the beginning of the score. by chance Berio wanted to give the liberty to the performer to vary the tempo within the phrase.In this piece, Berio does not use complex rhythmic techniques, but kinda creates a lot of variety using simple rhythms. Although using a limited number of distinct rhythmic figures, Berio rarely repeats the same groupings. through with(predicate) this rhythmic variet y, he creates a feeling of unpredictability. This can be found in Ex.5 and 8.Example 5. Sequenza IXa, Page 8, Lines 1-4 The representative of the rhythmic figuresBerio has an extraordinary range of rhythmic arrangements. Below is a list of the four most universal rhythms used in the piece. There are additional rhythms used in the piece, such as long notes and grace notes, but shown below are the most prominent rhythms.Figure 2. Four rhythmsHe applies the idea of a rotating sequence, as he did for pitch, to arrange the rhythms in the A section. He uses these four rhythms to create a rhythmic sequence. The following graph reflects the use of the rhythmic sequence (see Fig.3). In the first line of the graph, there are four melodic phrases with each phrase containing all four rhythms ( ). As indicated in the second line, each of these rhythms begins and ends a phrase. In addition, the first phrase begins with the sequence of rhythms( ) . The subsequent phrases rotate the rhythmic sequ ence by moving the first rhythm of the previous phrase to the end of the sequence, though not the end of the phrase. (see Ex.6)First phraseSecond phraseThird phrase quaternary phraselong notelong note, restlong notelong noteFigure 3. The graph of rhythmic sequence in Sequenza IXa, Page 1. Lines 4-8. Example 6. Sequenza IXa, Page 1, Lines 4-8 The circled letters indicate the rhythmic sequenceTransformational processAs Berio discusses a polyphonic mode of listening, the piece set out and ismelodically developed by altering time, dynamic, pitch, and morphology. It uses a vicissitudeal process that suggests a polyphonic mode of listening rather than creating actual polyphony. Each of these ludicrous layers develops and presents material in a different way. Even though each layer develops differently, they combine to create a unified whole. This is the way to understand a polyphonic mode of listening, in Berios concept.The first stylistic have is the tempo at the hig hest level of glitz, when there are passages with either very rapid articulations or very long notes. Ex. 1, line 1, at the fermata, shows the temporal dimension at a very high level of intensity because of the length of the held note. Ex.7 shows an example of the temporal dimension at a high level of intensity that is transformed from the held note into a passage of ascending and descending, rapid, staccato articulation, which eventually becomes an extended chromatic passage lasting fifteen seconds at letter E.From example 1. Sequenza IXa , Page 1, Line 1.Example 7. Sequenza IXa, Page 3, Lines 3-9 the transformation of the tempo.The transformation of pitch, the second stylistic feature, can be perceive in ascending grace-note figures such as at the beginning of line 2 in Ex. 1. The grace- note figures transform at the end of the same line, altered by the removal of the last two notes, which is pitches G1 and B1. This feature is seen over again in line 3 of Ex 1, where the pitche s are altered to imply a new harmonic field.The transformation of the dynamics, the third stylistic feature, is present by the staccato grace notes seen in Ex. 8. In the first line, the first staccato grace note is a G and the next is a D. Both are played piano in the midst of a fortissimo, which interrupts the dynamic level with a very short and quiet note. This feature is used several times in Ex. 8. At the beginning of line 5 in Ex.8, this feature is seen in the p grace notes continue to interrupt the ff dynamic level. As the piece develops, this feature transforms when the grace notes becomes a mezzo forte interruption of a pianissimo dynamic level. (See Ex.8)Example from Sequenza Ixa, Page 4 line 1-6Example 8. Sequenza IXa, Page 6, Lines 7 The transformation of the dynamicsThe rapid 32nd -note figure in Bb shown in Ex. 8, lines 2-7, appears four times. In the final pages, when Bb recurs, it transforms into a fermata with a specific duration. Although the Bb does not go bad to the main harmonic field here, it plays an important role in the final pages. The tritone effect between Bb and the ending E is almost directionless, in a way that seems to recall the opening of piece.24(see Ex. 9)Example 9. Sequenza IXa, Page 10, Lines 4-8 The tritone effect between Bb and the ending E.The last stylistic feature is morphological tension, which is demonstrated in the multiphonics and microtones within the trills and tremolos of Ex 11, the C1 to C1-multiphonic passage. This relationship of C1to B is explored by a trill from B to C1 two notes. The use of multiphonics and micronotes is especially significant because they create the sterling(prenominal) pitch and morphological tension in the trill. The multiphonic passage shown in Ex 10 is transformed rhythmically and dynamically by becoming more active when it returns. Like the other stylistic techniques, multiphonics and micronotes are transformed by each recurrence.Example 10a from Sequenza IXa, Page 2, Line 3.Ex ample 10b. Sequenza IXa, Page 10, Lines 4-8 The transformation of morphologyStructure chart of Sequence IXaJust like most classical works, this piece also includes an exposition, development and ending three major parts. However, the process of this whole piece creates a sequence of harmonic fields by alternating, blending, and transformational processes among the two contrasting pitch-class collections. The chart below clearly shows how Berio uses these pitch-class collections as a motivation throughout the whole piece.BeginningATwo pitch-class collections appear a five-note collection and a seven-note collectionExpositionB innovationTransitionC to begin with based on a five-note collection with a wide range, activated rhythm, and big leaps to start transformation and developmentDevelopment IDPrimarily based on a seven-note collection with rapid grace notes gradually transforming to a passage of thirty-second notesEPrimarily based on a five-note collection, similar to the C sectio n Bb appears as a thirty-second note to calculate the climaxFGTwo pitch-class collections alternating and blending with each other. The rhythm becomes more agitated, to further indicate the climax is comingTransitionHTransition, similar to the B sectionTransitionIPrimarily based on a seven-note collection. The rhythm figure is similar to the FG sectionDevelopment IIJLMultiphonics, two pitch-collections further develop and blend with each other. Transition to next sectionTransitionMQCadenza, two pitch-class collections alternating with each other as a preparation for the climax of the pieceDevelopment III(Climax of the piece)RVClimax of the piece, two pitch-class collections present at different ranges, dynamics, and rhythms, which start between calm and frenzied phrasesWZEpilogue, ending closureFigure 3 The structure of Seuquenza IXaSolutions to problems of performing multiphonics Sequenza IXaClarinetists who use an instrument without an Eb key will have a difficult time performin g this piece, since there are some multiphonics that appeared on page 6, lines 4, 5 and 6 (see Ex.11) playable only on a clarinet with an Eb key. For those without the Eb key, there are a few techniques to recreate these multiphonics. One may be the use of the performers voice to sing one of the desired pitches. This solution might change the idea of the solo work, but the notes can be produced and the piece would be complete.Another way is the use of a tube to extend the length of the clarinet, effecting an instrument very similar in pitch to one with an Eb key. With regard to the multiphonic fingering applied to the two-note chords in the section around K, the player could use a low E fingering (without the thumb key in the left hand) plus the throat G key in the left hand for the first multiphonic at line 6. The low E fingering (without the thumb key in the left hand) plus the throat A key in the left hand for the second multiphonic at line 7. The problems with this solution are, first, the tone of the clarinet will be different second, the player must quickly recruit and remove the tube during the performance, which could be clumsy and awkward and third, the player would have to use an alternative fingering for the B natural at line 4. However, the most difficult thing is getting the chords to speak reliably this will require practice.A final solution could be the substitution of other multiphonics which are playable on the performers instrument. However, the problem with this alternative is at least one of the pitches must be transposed, resulting in changing the piece somewhat.Example 11. Sequenza IXa, Page 6, Lines 4-6 The fingering for the multiphonicsAfter hearing and seeing several clarinetists perform this piece, it seems that switching to the alternate multiphonics is preferable because this does not interfere with the natural sound quality of the clarinet. On the other hand, Berio specified different fingerings on the music, and he did not provi de an alternate version of multiphonics in subsequent editions since the piece was written 20 years ago. Maybe Berio did not consider this a major issue, and wanted to give the clarinetist the freedom to imagine ways of solving the problem.