balancing on air (2016)
For solo violoncello
Duration variable (at least 10')
Recording available on In the Chinks of the World Machine (Various Artists, Hundred Years Gallery 2020)
Download
Score
Duration variable (at least 10')
Recording available on In the Chinks of the World Machine (Various Artists, Hundred Years Gallery 2020)
Download
Score
balancing on air is related to my ensemble piece tightrope walker (2016), in which spatial positioning of the players is as important as temporal events in the structure of the work. The present piece emerged from free improvisation on the underlying chord of tightrope walker, a just-tuned chord on G representing the harmonic series 2-4-6-7-8-9. (G- G- D- F7 G- A in Johnston notation). This score therefore is less a prescription than a suggestion – as repeated experience of playing the piece embeds the intention, a strict adherence to the precise notated order of pitches becomes less necessary.
All durations are entirely at the discretion of the performer, although in general longer is better. The first couple of sounds should be held a very long time to allow and player audience to adjust their listening focus and for the overtones of the strings to start to become present. Although a cellist by nature generally stays in the same place while playing, the aim in this piece is still spatial: the aim is less to present a sequence of temporal events in the form of chords than to activate the sonic character of the room in which one is playing.
Most of my performances of this piece to date have been in the region of 10-15’. There is no reason why it could not last much longer if the mood takes you.
All durations are entirely at the discretion of the performer, although in general longer is better. The first couple of sounds should be held a very long time to allow and player audience to adjust their listening focus and for the overtones of the strings to start to become present. Although a cellist by nature generally stays in the same place while playing, the aim in this piece is still spatial: the aim is less to present a sequence of temporal events in the form of chords than to activate the sonic character of the room in which one is playing.
Most of my performances of this piece to date have been in the region of 10-15’. There is no reason why it could not last much longer if the mood takes you.