Issuu

Hannah Kendall shouting forever into the receiver

Commissioned by Donaueschinger Musiktage for Ensemble Modern and Vimbayi Kaziboni, ﬁrst performed at the festival on Sunday 16 October 2022.

CopyrightbyG.Ricordi&Co./Forperusalonly

Instrumentation

1 Flute (doubling Alto Flute and Harmonicas in D & E)

1 Oboe (doubling Harmonicas in D & E, two oboe reeds* and Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman /Twinkle Twinkle Music Box)

1 Clarinet in B ﬂat (doubling Harmonicas in C & D and Für Elise Music Box)

1 Bassoon (doubling Harmonicas in C & D and Blue Danube Music Box)

1 Horn in F (doubling Ratchet and Blue Danube Music Box)

1 Trumpet in B ﬂat (doubling Harmonicas in B b & C)

1 Trombone (doubling Harmonicas in B b & C and Ode to Joy Music Box)

Percussion (2 players)

1 Walkie-talkie set (2 radios)*

2 Ratchets

6 Harmonicas: two in B b , two in C and two in D

1 Guiro (medium)

2 Pianos

several metres of magnetic audio or video tape*

2 thick plastic marker pen caps*

4 Jewellery test magnets Für Elise Music Box (Piano 1)

2 Violins (Violin 2 with cuﬀed* A & D strings)

1 Viola (with cuﬀed* D & G strings)

2 Cellos (Cello 1 doubling Ode to Joy Music Box, Cello 2 doubling Blue Danube Music Box)

1 Bass

*see Performance Directions

Duration c . 14’

SCORE IN C

Composer’s Note

“shouting forever into the receiver” is a line from Ocean Vuong’s novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous , describing a tiny green plastic toy soldier perpetually fixed in this action. When I first read this phrase, it reminded me of the shouts and cries, not only of the Plantations, but those of the Plantation Machine, its ongoing feedback loop system, despite the passing of time. Creolised sites of connectivity are the Machine’s output. Indeed, as Édouard Glissant says in Poetics of Relation: “this was the cry of the Plantation, transfigured into the speech of the world.”

In the piece, spoken extracts from the Book of Revelation are passed back and forth between two walkie-talkie radios: “the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.” An expansive central harmonica chorale section shifts the sound world into a new meditative, prayerful place and space through the simple repetitio n of breathing into, and drawing breath from an instrument associated with Afro-diasporic sorrow. Throughout, pre-programmed music boxes playing Beethoven’s Ode to Joy and Für Elise, Mozart’s Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman , and Strauss’s The Blue Danube tirelessly repeat, truncated tinkling versions of the originals linking the present back to the time when these well-known works were ﬁrst written: during the establishment of the Plantations.

Performance Directions

The two percussion players should be positioned at opposite ends of the ensemble. Enharmonic unisons found within and between the string parts (indicated by accidentals inflected with arrows) should produce the effect of a rough buzzing timbre; players should hold the pitch very slightly sharper or flatter than the stated intonation.

= indicates that notes should be overblown, ie employ more air pressure than usual to distort the pitch Dreadlock cuﬀs, the pre-programmed wind-up music boxes, suitable harmonicas, walkie-talkie radios, audio or video cassettes, marker pen caps, and je wellery test magnets can be sourced from online platforms.

CopyrightbyG.Ricordi&Co./Forperusalonly

Cuﬀed Strings

The Violin 2 and Viola players should prepare their instruments in advance by binding together the middle two strings of their instruments with a small malleable metallic dreadlock cuff, placed at the end of the fingerboard as shown below, and folded around the underside of the strings. A second cuff should then be wrapped around the first for additional stability.

Pianos

Pedalling should be used throughout. The particulars are at the discretion of the players, except when speciﬁcally indicated.

Having removed the magnetic tape from the audio or video cassettes (the latter is preferable), the Piano 2 player should prepare the A2 and d 2 strings in advance by ﬁrmly tying one end of an approximately 50cm length of tape around the piano strings at a point easily accessible for rubbing while simultaneously depressing the sustaining pedal.

Ensure that the plastic marker pen caps have a thick edge to produce the utmost resistance against the coils of the strings, when present. A plectrum does not suﬃce as an alternative.

Percussion

= quick, whole turn of ratchet. Also applicable to the Horn player when playing the ratchet.

The walkie-talkies should be set to the same radio channel in advance. It should be ensured that the set used make a ‘bleep’ sound when the ‘push-to-talk’ buttons are released.

The walkie-talkie not being spoken into should rest securely on a table at the respective percussion player’s station, ensuring that it does not cause feedback with the other radio. Its speaker should face the audience.

Players may recite the stated biblical passages in their native language if it is not English, except for the text between rehearsal E and G.

Oboe Reeds

Two oboe reeds should be placed in the mouth together, and played simultaneously. There is no need to match timbral qualities of the reeds, or the 'neutral pitch' of approximately c. Indeed, it is preferred if both these aspects are divergent. + denotes cupped hands around the reeds to ‘muﬄe’ the sound. o denotes un-cupped hands. +o+o+o etc. denotes opening and closing of one hand against a cupped hand around the reeds to produce a ‘wah-wah’ sound, at a speed as instructed.

Music boxes

Music boxes are to be placed on low tables beside the players who wind them up, or on the ground if suitable tables are unavailable. The lids should remain closed throughout.

Harmonicas

Music for the harmonicas is notated at sounding pitch. They are likely to be tuned to A=440. If the ensemble tunes to a diﬀerent frequency, please do not adjust to accommodate the harmonicas.

If a breath is required when playing the harmonicas, diminuendo to silence before doing so, and re-enter with a crescendo from silence afterwards. Breaths should be staggered between the harmonica players.

shouting forever into the receiver

Walkie-talkie*

* rhythmic notation shows when, and for how long, the ‘push-to-talk’ button on the walkie-talkie is depressed

spoken, using a natural speaking voice

I watched as the Lamb opened the ﬁrst of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked, …

(aim to have ﬁnished speaking text by the time the button is released)

…and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror on conquest.

When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second…

*complete the ﬁnal inhale/exhale in the following rests if necessary

…living creature say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a ﬁery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword. Revelation 6:5-6 ] When the Lamb opened…

…the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "Two

/ …say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

* slowly and ﬁrmly rub the tape between the thumb and index ﬁnger gradually away from the string towards the end of the tape. Transfer smoothly from hand to hand to avoid a break in sound.

When he opened the ﬁfth seal, I saw under the alter the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until…

(music box ends approximately here)

Harmonica in C

…you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood? Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

* very slowly and ﬁrmly scrape the open end of a thick marker pen cap between each groove/coil of the string towards the keyboard to make a crank-like sound. There should be resistence in this action.

poco s. pont.

* use just enough air pressure to produce the indicated approximate pitches at the quietest possible dynamic.

Walkie-talkie* [ Revelation 6:12-14 ] spoken, using a natural speaking voice

/ * rhythmic notation shows when, and for how long, the ‘push-to-talk’ button on the walkie-talkie is depressed

I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell…

/ …to earth, as ﬁgs drop from a ﬁg tree when shaken by a strong wind. The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

Music Box

(very slow scrape)

(allow box to play)

turn crank rhythmically as indicated; hold during rests so box does not play

…the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?"

sudden fast scrape

(stay in tempo until pause)

From the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,

…tribe of Levi 12,000,

From the tribe of Benjamin 12,000,

move to new notes repeat until cue from trumpet

Harmonicas in C and D

repeat until bar 83

Harmonicas in B

...Then he led me back to the bank of the river. When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. He said to me,

Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The ﬁsh will be of many kinds, …

…like the ﬁsh of the Mediterranean Sea. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they…

…will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary ﬂows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing."

Together with Pf. 2, stop scraping two beats after the Ode to Joy music box ends, and lift the pedal three beats after that.

Together with Pf. 1, stop scraping two beats after the Ode to Joy music box ends, and lift the pedal three beats after that.

End with pianos, two beats after the Ode to Joy music box ends.