Zack Merritt. A Thesis

Transcription

1 OSCILLATIONS OF THE UNADORNED LIGHT UL Zack Merritt A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of owling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF MUSIC August 2014 Committee: Christopher Dietz, Advisor Elainie Lillios

2 ASTRACT ii Christopher Dietz, Advisor Oscillations of the unadorned light bulb is a twenty-eight minute work scored for flute, violin, viola, cello, four-channel audio, three-channel video projection, and the composer as a performance artist. This work is divided into three sections, AA, with each A section lasting seven minutes and the section lasting fourteen. The duration of each section is directly proportional to the moon s change of phase. For example, the section equates to the moon s transformation from the new phase to the full phase. The pitch material utilized in this work is appropriated from my string quartet, (division). In that piece I used four matrices formed by different combinations of z-related hexachords and then developed a process using fractals to generate an organized system of rhythms and pitches. I employ this material in the section of oscillation while the A section employs pitch indeterminacy. The instrumental notation combines indeterminacy and standard notation, taking inspiration from the work of the Fluxus school. The performers are given indications such as Play Fast or Longer Tones along with pitch boxes that indicate pitch classes to play over a specified duration. The material used in the four-channel audio derives from throat singing, crickets, and natural recordings that are processed using DSP techniques. The video projections include recordings of the moon, sky, and a live feed of the audience during the performance. All of the audio and video is processed or subverted in some manner. The performance artist serves as a bridge between the physical concert space and the created world of the multimedia. This individual makes slow and gradual motions between eight

3 different poses and gestures. The gestures and poses are influenced by the different yoga poses of the moon salutations but are not direct references to those positions. iii

4 iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I want to thank Dr. Christopher Dietz for his constant help and support in preparing this document. I also want to thank my second committee member, Dr. Elainie Lillios for her continued support and help during this process. Without their guidance this work would be just an idea floating around in my head. I want to also thank Heather Elliott-Famularo for her insight into the role of the performance artist for this work as well as her advice about the conceptual nature.

5 Instrumentation: v Flute Violin Viola Cello Performance Artist Performance Notes: Pitch boxes show what pitches the instrumentalist can use until a new box is shown. b b b becoming static Performers may play pitches in any octave. # b b Text indications give performers an idea as to what type of music to improvise. A new text indication means a direct shift to that type of music or indication. b b A gray bar indicates to gradually shift to the next type of indication. b eamed pitch material means to play the given pattern (in the given octave) as continuous runs as fast as possible until a new pitch indication is given. b b follow someone # b

6 Technical Requirements: vi 4 Computers 3 Projectors Audio Interface (4 channel out) Mixer Quad Speaker Arrangement 4 Microphones (if necessary) Each computer is running a separate Max patch created using Cycling 74 s Max/MSP/Jitter (available from composer). One computer is the control computer and runs all audio for piece. This computer is networked to the other three via a network switch (switching hub). If necessary the performers can be amplified for the piece, they should be mixed equally to the four-channel audio and diffused at the board (The Max patch is not programmed to amplify the instruments). Setup: Projectors are positioned from above and cast downward onto the ground. Instrumentalist are (ideally) positioned above the audience in a catwalk/balcony with one in each corner as shown. Performance artist is stationed in the projection one area. Projection areas are estimated and may be larger then shown. The orientation and positioning of the projectors is the most important consideration. There is an additional art installation which may be utilized for this piece. The materials are available from the composer if installation is wanted.

7 vii To projector 1 To projector 2 To projector 3 Computer 1 (Max patch - SMvideo1) Computer 2 (Max patch - SMvideo2) Computer 3 (Max patch - SMvideo3) Network Switch Control Computer (Max patch - SMaudio) Audio Interface Optional instrument microphones Mixer (Inputs 1-4 routed to outputs 1-4) (Inputs 5-8 routed to outputs 1-4) To loudspeaker 1 To loudspeaker 2 To loudspeaker 3 To loudspeaker 4 Diagram 1

8 viii Viola loudspeaker 1 Cello loudspeaker 4 projection 3 projection 1 loudspeaker 2 projection 2 Flute loudspeaker 3 Diagram 2 Violin

9 Performance Artist: ix The performance artist holds eight different poses that correlate to the different phases located in the score. As soon as the performer reaches a new phase they will shift gradually to the next phase. This will be quite difficult as the phases change every 3.5 minutes. The performer strives to make as smooth a motion as possible. Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Phase 6 Phase 7 Phase 8 The performer should wear a light wrapping of white tulle fabric around legs and between arms. During certain poses the tulle fabric will become stretched and pick up the light from the projectors. May 2 nd Premiere: (with additional art installation)

10 1 Phase 1 crickets violin viola cello

11 2 violin viola cello

12 3

13 4

14 5 Phase 2

15 6

16 7

17 8

18 9

19 10 Phase 3 Drone/Noise violin viola b b b # b b # # # b b n cello?# b # # # b b?

20 11 # F b F b b b F # # #? F b

21 12 p violin p viola # # cello

22 13 b b b p? b b p? b

23 14 # # violin b b b b n f viola # f # # # cello #

24 15 b b # b f b b b b b # # # n b n b b # #? b f? b b

25 16 b b violin b viola cello? b b b b b b

26 17 Phase 4 Ï Ï b b # Ï # b b Ï? b? b

27 18 violin b b b # pointillistic. viola b cello pointillistic.

28 19 b b pointillistic. pointillistic # #.? b b b? # #

29 20 P b b b violin b n b b viola # P cello

30 21 b b # b b b P b? b b b P?? b? b? #

31 22 b F b ƒ violin viola cello # b b # F F F # ƒ ƒ ƒ

32 23 f b f b f b f? # #? #

33 24 Phase 5 violin # ƒ ƒ viola ƒ cello f ƒ

34 25 # b b? b b?

35 26 violin #. viola b # #. cello? b. b b.

36 27 b b # # # # b b b b # # b b b? #? # #

37 28 # violin b F b viola b b cello b b b

38 29 F F? # F? b

39 30 b # # # # violin b b b b # b viola cello b b b b f

40 31 Phase 6 f # # # b b f? b? b b # b f

41 32 b b violin b b viola b b # cello? # #

42 33 # b b b b b b b b b? b b b

43 34 violin viola Ï cello? # b Ï

44 35 # # # Ï b # b b Ï b

45 36 violin viola cello

46 37 Ï Ï Ï Ï

47 38 Phase 7

48 39

49 40

50 41 Phase 8

51 42

52 43

53 44