Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Petals for Solo Cello and Optional Electronics by Saariaho…
Petals for Solo Cello and Optional Electronics by Saariaho
Instrumentation
Petals can be performed either as a solo piece for cello or with electronic amplification and signal processing. In either case, the
range of timbres
created by the cello alone suggests the use of electronics even when they are not there
Timbre
is elevated to a structural principle equivalent perhaps to that of tonality in earlier musical styles. Composers have been exploring extended instrumental and vocal techniques for some years - Berio and Heap
Concerned with the contrast between
'clean'
and
'noisy'
sounds from the clearest high harmonic to the rich stretching produced by the heaviest bow pressures near the bridge. In the electronic version, the
harmoniser exaggerates this further by detuning the pitches of the cello
'Clean'
and '
noisy'
are seen as a
replacement
for
consonance and dissonance
Instrumental techniques:
pizz
sul pont
sul tasto
tremolo
flautando
heavy bow pressure
glissandi
harmonics
trills and mordents
double stopping
miro intervals
Electronics:
Amplification
- a close microphone brings out details in quieter sounds
Reverberation
- makes some of the slowest music easier to sustain
Harmonizer
- detunes the input pitch by adding pitches a quarter tone above and below simultaneously
Structure/form
Concerned with the tension between fragile colouristically passages alternating with more energetic events with clear rhythmic and melodic character
7 sections:
1(A): 1-3 - free tempo, single notes, gliss, trills, tremolo, bow noise
2(B): 4-7 - rapid demisemiquaver figures, quarter tones
3(A): 8-9 - free tempo, slow two part texture over pedal D
4(B): 10-13 - more conventional melodic an rhythmic ideas
5(A): 13-16 - free tempo, slow two part texture with high artificial harmonics
6(B): 17-27 - many variations on diet heart at start of 17
7(A): 28-30 - free tempo, concussing section similar to section 3, bow noise
Tonality
Atonal
However, there are some frequently sounded notes (17-27)
Harmony
Conventional ideas of harmony are
absent
However,
'harmony' is embedded within the timbral mix
Spectral analysis
of cello sounds was used in the creation of pitch material meaning that the harmonics normally experienced simultaneously are heard successively as as
melodic entities
Texture
Textures are not easily described by examples of:
Monophonic: staves 1-3; 4-7
2 -part textures: staves 3, 5 and 7
Pedal/drone textures: staves 3 and 5
Melody
Micro-intervals - quarter tones
(divides octave in 24 rather than 12
Staves 4-7 use chromatic scale-like phrases and
glissandi
Stave 10 develops material
sequentially
Rhythm
Sections with noted tempo are slow and around 54-66 bpm
Tempi are varied using
accelerandi
and
ritenuti
Lento
sections are essentially
pulseless
and should last at least 20 seconds
The electronic version adds to the sense of free timelessness with the use of reverberation
Large rhythm gestures - rapid sextuplets (4-7_; agitated rhythms of 10-13 with
syncopations
and septuplets; passages where the notes are as fast as possible (21-22)