For Seven Musicians
Extract showing continuo group during Block 2.
This ‘block composition’ means that an enterprising ensemble can re-order the music to explore the material from different perspectives. And this is not all. The music has been written to allow for realisations by ensembles of differing instrumentation, as long as an ensemble represents a mix of diverse timbres: this is not a work to be played by seven solo strings! For example, a possible alternative ensemble might be: trumpet, bassoon, viola, harp, electric guitar, electric organ and double bass. Although the version presented here is the composer’s ‘best fit’ ensemble, and parts are available for it, musicians can request a pair of part books in C: one for the quartet, the other for the continuo trio, from which to build their own versions. Midifiles are also available to enable performers to create their own parts within the standard scorewriting applications ( Finale, Sibelius etc)
Click
here to launch it in a seperate window (may take a short time to load).
Director’s view of the full ensemble (note repeats)
View of the score for player in the Continuo group
The network realisation of Self Portrait is part of continuing research into Active Notation and the use of digital score displays, which relates to the approaches to performance practice currently being investigated through the Instrumentarium Novum project. Future additions to the system will include footswitch control for solo or undirected players. It is also expected that a piece will be developed that uses computer networks along with dynamic scoring as seen in Continuum with Blues. For more detailed information concerning Self Portrait for networked musicians, the system’s user manual is available to download below.
The software was developed to work on a TCP/IP protocol network of Windows machines (although a Mac version is a future possibility).
All that is required is a laptop for each player and for the musical director and a network hub with enough connections for each computer. Performers interested in using this software should contact Tonality Systems.
Downloads
Study score for ‘best fit’ ensemble [pdf]
Annotated Symbolic Composer code [pdf]
Reference Recording [mp3]
Arrangement Tool for PC or Mac [zip]
Manual for Self Portrait for Networked Musicians [pdf]
Re-conceptualizing Performance with ‘Active’ Notation, a paper from the 2007 ICCMR conference [pdf]