rf score complete

J o h n A r r i g o - N e l s o n

recitativo frammenti2013

for flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello,piano, percussion, and guitar

I wrote recitativo frammenti (“recitative fragments”) as a work to accompany the 2014 tour of

Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon’s stunning cantata Comala. It is scored for the same ensemble as the

centerpiece of the program, but without voice. This led me to consider a kind of music that

is not immediately “vocal”, but that uses certain vocal technique and style as more of a poetic

starting point. Recitative – with its typically constrained pitch and flexible rhythm – was the

primary idea that kept coming back to me, and its typical features are abstracted and exhibited

as isolated elements in this work. Harmonically, brief sections centering on a single pitch emerge

from, and disappear back into diffuse, noise-based textures (white noise, percussive effects, quick

harmonic glissandi). Flexible, less predictable rhythms are crosscut with moments of rhythmic

regularity (repeating tambora chords in the guitar, pulsing articulations in the percussion),

presenting a fractured whole. One of the voice’s many expressive mechanisms – portamento –

finds its place in this piece in the string glissandi and in the guitar solo’s tuning portamenti

(detuning a pitch while it is still ringing). Throughout, the flute hints at a kind of vocality, with

hissing sounds and syllabic articulation (articulating a pitch on a specified plosive and vowel).

This suggestion reaches its fruition in the closing moments of the work, as the flutist sings a

descending glissando against her sustained pitch.

recitativo frammenti(2013)

recitativo frammenti

Instrumentation:

Flute

Clarinet in Bb (doubling Bass Clarinet)

Violin

Violoncello

Guitar

Piano

Percussion I guiro, castanets (one pair, mounted), two toms (low, and mid), sandpaper blocks, wood chimes, low woodblock, brake drum

Percussion II guiro, claves, high woodblock, 2 bongos, suspended cymbal, vibraphone, crotales: G4, A4, Bb 4, D5, Eb5, F5

Score in C Guitar - notated on a sub-octave treble clef - sounds one octave lower than written. Crotales sound two octaves higher than written.

Duration: ca. 5'30"

Tongue Ram

FLUTE/CLARINET

(TR)

Syllabic articulation: Articulate the indicated pitch using the syllable in brackets (unvoiced).

[sa]

Air sounds: The default notation for air sounds is a square notehead on the bottom of the staff. If a normal pitched tone turns immediately into an air sound, the square notehead will be placed in the same position on the staff as the pitched tone.

(air)(pitch) (air)

A beam extending to the right indicates that the figure should be continued.

key clicks (presto possibile)

Jet Whistle

Whistle ToneWT

recitativo frammentiPerformance Notes

Performance notes are included throughout the score, where the item in question occurs, but a complete list is also included here for reference.

Highest note on indicated string.

VIOLIN/CELLO

I

Blocked Strings (square notehead): Use left hand to cover strings to prevent anyspecific pitch from sounding. Used in combination with ordinary bowing, on-bridge bowing, and pizzicato.

pizz.arco

On-bridge bowing (open arch placed on stem): If used with open strings or traditional stopped notes, some pitch will still come through. If used with blocked strings, only an airy white noise should result.

Parenthetical diamond noteheads indicate that the starting point of a natural harmonic glissando does not need to be precise. The notehead serves simply as a guide as to the approximate starting point of the glissando.

II

I( )

Harmonic gliss trill: slide finger, using harmonic pressure, between indicated notes.

( )

gliss

Brushing. Quickly slide bow along string (on the plane parallel to string, not perpendicular), at the tip, back and forth between sul pont and sul tasto.

punta d'arco

s.t.s.p.

s.p. = sul pont

s.t. = sul tasto

Non-Node Harmonics (NNH): The same technique and pressure used for traditional natural harmonics are applied to the specified non-nodal point on the string, resulting in a pitch-obscured sound that is somewhere between ord. and harmonic. No specific pitch is desired, and any resulting pitch may vary from one performance to another.

= Underpressure: Very light bow; lighter than flautando.

= Cancellation of underpressure; return to ordinary bow pressure.

NNH

Indeterminate high notes (triangle noteheads): Push left hand fingers into 1st, 2nd, 3rd strings between end of fingerboard and bridge, applying enough pressure to place the strings in contact with the end of the fingerboard. Circled L, M, and H symbols indicate the relative horizontal position (low, middle, high). Diagonal lines between chords indicate that the fingers should be pushed into the strings such that some of the finger nail is also in contact, creating an audible glissando from one chord to the next.

GUITAR

LM

H H

An upward vertical arrow before a chord indicates that the chord should be arpeggiated as fast as possible (as opposed to ). Use back of i nail to quickly strum through the strings.

Blocked Strings (square notehead): Use left hand to cover strings to prevent any specific pitch from sounding.

Manual tremolo: Rub right hand palm/fingers quickly and continuously over the indicated strings (blocking strings with LH).

Descending Harmonic Strum (DHS): While the left hand fingers the indciated chord, lay the right hand i finger across all strings. Using a technique similar to artificial harmonics, the a finger nail is applied to the first string (to the right of the extedned i finger). The hand is then pulled back, dragging the a nail across the strings (from 1 to 6) behind the extended i finger. Relative position of the right hand is indicated with H, M, or L (high, mid, low) in a diamond encolsure above the chord. "H" indicates a position closer to the bridge; "L" indicates a position closer to the finger board (even over the last couple of frets). The resulting sound should be a mixture of aleatoric harmonics, the percussive attack of non-resonating strings, andthe occasional open string.

DHS

L M H

Harmonics: Bottom notehead indicates key to be played. Diamond notehead indicates node to be touched on the corresponding string. Parenthetical notehead indicates sounding pitch. The player is free to use any other string/node combination to produce the indicated sounding pitch, should it be easier to do so.

PIANO

( )

Pluck indicated string inside piano.

Depress indicated key with one hand. With other hand, push fingers into corresponding string. Maintaining pressure, slide fingers along string briefly (grace note), before removing fingers and allowing string to resonate.

GENERAL

The dynamic mark "f " indicates that the particular gesture to which it is applied should be played with the effort and intensity of a forte marking, but that the audible result will not actually be loud.

Flute

Clarinet

Violin

Violoncello

Percussion 1

Percussion 2

Guitar

Piano

(sounding)

1

= 80

= 80

( )( )6

53

n

s.p.

n

flaut.n

s.p.

2

*

3

(TR)

LM

H H

(tongue ram)

5:4

3 3

4

HM

MH

( )

I

pizz.

pizz.

square notehead = blocked strings. LH covers strings to prevent anyspecific pitch from sounding

triangle notehead = highest pitchpossible on indicated string

recitativo frammentiJohn Arrigo-Nelson (2013)

score in C

Push left hand fingers into 1st, 2nd, 3rd strings between end of fingerboard and bridge, applying enough pressure to place the strings in contact with the end ofthe fingerboard. Circled L, M, and H symbols indicate the relative horizontal position (low, middle, high). Diagonal lines between chords indicate that the fingers should be pushed into the strings such that some of the finger nail is also in contact, creating an audible glissando from one chord to the next.

*)

©2013 John Arrigo-Nelson - all rights reserved

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

3

3 3

5

Ipizz.

guiro

guiro

H

13 2

2L

MH

L

H

triangle notehead = highest pitchpossible on indicated string

( )

3

3 5:4

3

*

6

L

3 2 1 2

H

3

7

L

8

recitativo frammenti score in C

2

*) Indicates that the chord should be arpeggiated as fast as possible (as opposed to ). Use back of i nail to quickly strum through the strings.

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

Harmonics: Bottom notehead indicates key to be played. Diamond notehead indicates node to be touched on the corresponding string. Parenthetical notehead indicates sounding pitch. The player is free to use any other string/node combination to produce the indicatedpitch, should it be easier to do so.

9

( )

L.V.

arco

arco

loco

A

A

I

10

(guiro)

(guiro)

3

(sounding)

11

( )( )6

53

s.p.

pizz.

IV

I

II

[sa]

( )

Articulate indicated pitch using the syllable in brackets(unvoiced).

12

5:4

()

n


3

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

*

13

(TR)

s.t.

""

(strings blocked with LH)

pizz.

( ) s.p.

654

""

**

5:4

14

castanets

(air)(ord)

("")

""

arcos.t.


***

3

15

pizz.

Ipizz.

3 2 12

3 2 1

H L

B

B

3

****

16

(air) (air)

""

( )

claves


4

*) "manual tremolo": Rub right hand palm/fingers quickly and continuously over the indicated strings (blocking strings with LH).

****) An open arch placed on a stem indicates on-bridge bowing. If used with open strings or traditional stopped notes, some pitch will still come through. If used with blocked strings, only an airy white noise should result.

**) Air sounds. The default notation for air sounds in the flute and clarinet is a square notehead on the bottom of the staff. However, if a normal pitched tone turns immediately into an air sound, the square notehead will be placed in the same position on the staff as the pitched tone.

The dynamic mark "f " indicates that the particular gesture to which it is applied should be played with the effort and intensity of a forte marking, but that the audible result will not actually be loud.

***)

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

3

17

( )

( )

M

low tomyarn

6

18

H

pizz.

pizz.

[sa]

""

ord.

ord.

claves

3 3

19

low and mid tom

*

*

20

s.p.

s.p.

arco

arco

(pitch)


5

*) Underpressure: Very light bow; lighter than flautando.

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

3 3

21

""

(air)

(low and mid tom)

(claves)

22

[su] (air)

Do not apply pedal. Hold each key down through duration of phrase.

23

tamboras.p.

""

""

( )( )

subito meno mosso = 63

subito meno mosso = 63

(on bridge)

(blocked strings, tremolo on bridge)

C

C

24

s.h.

( )


6

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

3

*

3

3

**

25

( )

I II

( )( )

gliss

( )III

s.p.

IV III II

n

""

(air)(ord)

HM L

Descending Harmonic Strum (DHS)

harmonic gliss trill:slide finger, using harmonic pressure, between indicated notes

agitato

agitato

(= 63)

(= 63)

5 5

(non-s.p.)

3

26

(air)

IVIII II Is.p.

""

jeté

ord.

LH

5 5

3

27

( )

s.p.I

(air)

""

""

(air)

H


7

**) Descending Harmonic Strum. While the left hand fingers the indciated chord, lay the right hand i finger across allstrings. Using a technique similar to artificial harmonics, the a finger nail is applied to the first string (to the right of the extedned i finger). The hand is then pulled back, dragging the a nail across the strings (from 1 to 6) behind the extended i finger. Relative position of the right hand is indicated with H, M, or L (high, mid, low) in a diamond encolsure above the chord. "H" indicates a position closer to the bridge; "L" indicates a position closer to the fingerboard (even over the last couple of frets). The resulting sound should be a mixture of aleatoric harmonics, the percussive attack of non-resonating strings, and the occasional open string.

*) Parenthetical diamond noteheads indicate that the starting point of a natural harmonic glissando does not need to be precise. The notehead serves simply as a guide as to the approximate starting point of the glissando.

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

3:2

28

( ) ( )

gliss

[sa]jet whistle

DHS

L M H

harmonic gliss trill:slide finger, using harmonic pressure, between indicated notes

29

D

D

(pluck string inside piano)

(ord)

3

30

(non-cresc.)

vibraphone

(ord)

31


8

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

32

432

s.t.

una corda

3

3 3 3

3

3 3 3

33

4

3 2 3 4

s.t.

s.t.



""

""

( )

(ord)

3

3 3 3

3

3 3 3

3

3 3 3

3

34

(air)

cantabile

cantabile


9

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

35

( )

gradually lift finger to harmonic pressure

36

""

sandpaper blocks

""

s.p.(ord)

n

""

(air)

[to bongos]

manual tremolo

E

E

37

(s.p.)

n

n

WT

(whistle tone)

38

( )


10

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

3 3


39

[to castanets]

( )(ord)

place mute

( ) ( )

ord.

[sa][sss]

( )(s.p.)

3

40

ord.

( )

( )

s.t.con sord.

castanets

2 bongos

( )

2

hands

3


5

41

3:2

5

(air)

""

(non-tr)(ord)

[sa]

key clicks

(air)

(presto possibile)

wood chimes

pizz.

secco, staccatissimo

tre corda


11

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

42

[to toms]

*

*

fast

43

punta d'arco

s.t.s.p.

DHStambora

s.p. s.h. L H

rub bongo heads with hands in continuous circular pattern (speed of pattern is indicated above symbol)

punta d'arco

s.t.s.p.

arco

F

F

44

L H L H M L

3

3

45

**

L H

w/finger

vibraphone

[sa][tu]

"" ""


12

Brushing. Quickly slide bow along string (on the plane parallel to string, not perpendicular), at the tip, back and forth between sul pont and sul tasto.


**)*)

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

*

46

key clicks (presto possibile)

( )

n

s.p.

s.p.

M

mid tomfingertips

loco

( )

by rim

3 33

47

pizz.

sus cymbal

scrape

L.V.

(blocked stringsnap pizz)

**

48

3

3

3 3

(ord)NNH

full bow

arcojeté to ord.

vibraphoneyarn



13

*) With one hand muting the drum head (square notehead), the other hand taps finger tips on head continuously and steadily. Sound should be very dry, with no resonance, the tapping blending with the flute key clicks.

Non-Node Harmonics are indicated NNH. The same technique and pressure used for traditional natural harmonics are applied to the specified non-nodal point on the string, resulting in a pitch-obscured sound that is somewhere between ord. and harmonic. No specific pitch is desired, and any resulting pitch may vary from one performance to another.

**)

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

3

49

n

(air)

( )

low tomdrum sticks

rim shotby rim

remove mute

[to crotales (bow)]

3

3

50

subito

""

(air)

III(IV)

( )

2

s.p.

[to wood chimes]

51

3

3

3 3

3

3 3 3


pizz.

ord.


14

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

52

loco

crotales

arco

(sounding 15ma)

( )

53

tamboras.h.

‰=Œ

‰=Œ

= 126

= 126

G

G

54

(finger and bow tremolo)

[to bass]

ben ritmico

ben ritmico

55


[to woodblock]


15

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

3

3FC

CA

FD

*

56

(both hands) (both hands)

L

s.p.

3 3

FD

CA

57

MH

high woodblock

wood chimeschoke

ord.

3

58

pizz.I


16

*) Chromatic cluster, using indicated pitches as outer extremes.

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

slow harmonic gliss *

59

H

L

( )

""

(air)[sa]

(pizz.)

tenebroso

tenebroso

(= 126)

(= 126)

(woodblock)

(woodchimes)

H

H

60

( )

61

( )

sandpaper blocks

[to vibraphone]

[sss]


17

*) Slow, continuous harmonic gliss on IV. The fp articulations need not occur on any particular pitch, but should, however, occur where rhythmically indicated. The glissando should end on the G4 indicated in measure 62.

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

62

[sa]

(sandpaper)

63

arcos.p.

[to Bb]

64

slow harmonic gliss *

65

vibraphonew/finger


18

*) Slow, continuous harmonic glissando. The fp articulations need not occur on any particular pitch, but should, however, occur where rhythmically indicated. The glissando should end on the G-natural indicated in measure 67.

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

66

( )( )

( . )

( )


67

allarg.

allarg.

68

( )

( )

(= 100)

6 54 3

2 3

13

[guitar harmonics sounding pitches]

solo

(= 100)

espressivo

I

I

[to crotales (bow)]

69

13

detune 1

= 56

= 56


19

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

70

adjust tuning; match piano

71

low and mid tom

medium

72

(= 56)

(= 56)

a tempo, ma liberamente

a tempo, ma liberamente

3 217th

rub drum heads with hands in continuous circular pattern (speed of pattern is indicated above symbol)

WT

3

73

4 32

s.p.s.t.

punta d'arco


20

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

74

2 15th

s.t.s.p.( )

( )

(low and mid tom)(rubbing with hands)

75

14th

2 215th

rit.

rit.

crotales(sounding 15ma)

arco

n

Bb clar

[to sandpaper blocks]

J

J

76

4 32

a tempo

a tempo

77

42 detune

4

L.V.


21

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

( )

78

44th


79

3

80

a tempo

a tempo

44th

3 2

n

s.t.

s.t.

K

K

3

3

81

15th

35

45th

3

arco

[to bass]


22

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

3*

82

44th

3

65

47th

L.V. [to vibraphone]

83

(keyboard)ord.

flaut.

pizz.

6 5 47th

84

detune 5


85

6 5 47th

a tempo

a tempo

sandpaper blocks

bass(air)

s.p.

s.p.arco


23

Having tuned the the 4th string's 5th partial -- which is ordinarily slightly flat -- to an in-tune unison with the piano, this string is now slightly sharp (as are the 7th fret harmonics).

*)

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

3

86

*

655th

7th4 3 5

3rd

44th

6

(s.p.)

(s.p.)

(sandpaper)

87

88

end solo

(= 112)

(= 112)

2

( )

brake drum

‰=Œ

‰=Œ

L.V.

ord.

ord.

L

L

vibraphone

89


24


*)

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

90

[to guiro]

[to woodblock]

91

[sss]

92

[sa]

low woodblock

93

[to brake]


25

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

94

guiro

*

95

[to sus cymbal (bow)]

brake drum

[to wood chimes]

1st

1st

000

0

DHS

19th

M

M

96

97

19thM

arcosus cymbal

wood chimeschoke

key clicks

s.p.

s.p.

[to sandpaper blocks]

(air)

(presto possibile)


26

*) Descending Harmonic Strum at the 19th fret.

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

98

L.V.

(on bridge)

(on bridge)

(key clicks)

(air)

key clicks(presto possibile)

sempre

sempre

(sus cymbal)

99

s.p.

s.p.(on bridge)

slow down key clicks

crotalesarco

n

100

(on bridge)

slow down key clicks

L.V.

sandpaper blocks

101

s.p.

s.p.

sus cymbal

arco

manual tremolo


27

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

102

(s.p.) (on bridge)

(on bridge)

[to Bb]

(key clicks)

(sandpaper)

(sus cymbal)

( )

( )

( )

103

s.p.

L.V.

104

With sustain pedal depressed, use one hand to block any string within the piano's lowest fifth. Strike the corresponding keyand allow piano strings to resonate. The attack should be purely percussive, with no actual pitch.

crotalesarco

n

N

N

105

(s.p.)

L.V.

L.V.


28

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

106

(s.p.)

( )

pizz.


107

108

( )

arco

gradually to standard pressure

109

s.p.

(play)O

O


gradually to standard pressure

110

( )

sing

(vocal gliss)

111

( )

( )


29

Fl.

Cl.

Vln.

Vc.

Perc. 1

Perc. 2

Gtr.

Pno.

112

( )

6

(voice)

(flute)

( )

( )

(s.p.)

(s.p.)

( )

( )

113

( )

n

Bb clar

*

114

n

2 3 41

Vn

n

arco(crotales)

presto possibile

115

n

116

n

n


30

*) Harmonic pressure, but keep finger on strings throughout passage. Repeat pitches in order. Regular, periodic pattern.

rf score complete

Documents

indicated pitch

sustained pitch

anyspecific pitch

constrained pitch

single pitch

flute clarinet

c guitar

open strings