Juliana Hodkinson: (something in capitals) (2017)

Juliana Hodkinson (something in capitals) (2017)

for 6 or 12 amplified voices – each with an electric/electronic music gadget (amplified), and small bells and any number of instrumentalists

Dur. c. 15′

Version for 12 voices – with gadgets and bells – and instrumentalists (2018)

SCORE

Edition·S publications are supported by the Danish Arts Foundation / Edition·S udgivelser er støttet af Statens Kunstfond

Juliana Hodkinson (something in capitals) (2017)

for 6 or 12 amplified voices – each with an electric/electronic music gadget (amplified), and small bells and any number of instrumentalists

Dur. c. 15′

(something in capitals) was commissioned by Solistensemble Phønix16, with support from Hauptstadtkulturfonds, Berlin, for first performance by Phønix16 and S.A.F.T. at Columbia Theatre, Berlin, on 30th December 2017. This revised and expanded version was created for Phønix16’s Erschrecken kannste morgen concert at Heimathafen, Berlin, on 31st October 2018, with improv duo NoiserKroiser.

Instrumentation

• 6 or 12 amplified voices of any range/type.

• 6 or 12 amplified electric/electronic music gadgets – e.g. multi-band analogue radios, mini analogue synths (e.g. Korg Monotron, Critter & Guattari Pocket Piano), tablet or smartphone synth apps – all these instruments must be able to be turned on and off quickly, create a variety of noises, and if possible glissandi and/or timbral/ waveform filters.

• Also, for each vocalist, 2 small or very small bells (cat-collar/eel-fishing type).

• 4 + instrumentalists

Staging

The instrumentalists may sit or stand together – on stage, or at centre of audience – or be dispersed. The singers should be dispersed around the audience (round the edge if audience is sitting, or optionally amongst if audience is standing), each with a small table for gadgets and bells, music-stand, microphone, and mono speaker in front/ above. Any voice types may be used, but the singers should distribute their numbers (see below) so that voice-types are well mixed.

PERFORMANCE NOTES

General principle: each line or section is to be sung/said/played on one breath/one bow/ attack, and glissando is the steady pitch state – apart from in ॐ sections (see below).

✭I, II, III, etc. = instrumental sections

✩-, ✩—, etc. = sections with gadgets (played by singers)

Vocal parts and colours

All singers

Voice I, VII

Voice II, VIII

Voice III, IX

Voice IV, X

Voice V, XI

Voice VI, XII

Voice I, III, V, VI, IX, XI

Voice II, IV, VI, VIII, X, XII

Voice III, IV, IX, X

Voice V, VI, VII, VIII

Voice I, II, XI, XII

In the above groupings, either several singers articulate the same text in a given colour (if there is only one in the given colour), or (if words/phrases are separated by / ), each part takes a different text.

If, for example, Juliana is Voice I, then Juliana sings everything in these colours, except when the text is written staggered, overlapping (‘before the retreat of the caliphate’, ‘after the retreat of the caliphate’) and the chaotically spaced section ‘What, what?’ to ‘Thank you!’

Generally, words/phrases in different colours separated by ‘/’ are to be spoken mroe or less simultaneously (even if spread over more than one line). Where the text is staggered on the page, an intuitive staggering of entries is intended – generally, with entries following in quite quick succession, but with some flexibility.

Vocalists’ part (including gadgets and bells)

The notation allows a lot of room for interpretation – this may be quite heterogenous throughout the group – i.e. it is not necessary to find a homogenous style on all points. The transitions between spoken and sung articulation may also be quite individually shaped. But on the extended vowels, there is a certain collusion of musical approach (ensemble expression).

italic spoken bold sung bold underlined extend/explore common vowel/syllable

small break (inhale, corresponding to breath needed)

. . medium break, c. 5 – 8 sec. longer break (10″ +, a significant pause)

✩- brief gadget moment (up to 3″) ✩– with gadgets, up to 30″ ✩ long gadget section, up to 1′

ॐ phrase has the approx. shape of an ‘omm’/‘aum’ intonation: glissando up at beginning; during the sustain, maintain a relatively stable pitch (i.e. in this case, an incremental glissando); at the end, expend all breath and optionally glissando down a little or crush the end of the sung pitch.

? small pitch-rise at end of word (pitch-rise for not more than 1″) (q) must be cued by a singer or instrumentalist (all other beginnings are relatively uncoordinated) If one singer generally ‘leads’, it should not be singer I or XII.

p. 3 The bells should be held muted one in each hand, and carried silently to within 5 cm of a listeners’s ears; then, carefully opening the hand, each bell should be rolled slowly from side to side (not shaken!) in close proximity of the listener’s ear. Each vocalist may do this to one or several listeners, before returning to singing position.

p. 4 The gadgets should be taken among the listener in the same spirit as the bells, but not at such close proximity. Nevertheless, pause at one or more listeners’ heads and tilt the gadget between the listener’s ears (e.g. behind their head).

Instrumental symbols

Always relatively sustained sound. For sounds where a re-articulation is necessary (e.g. to breathe, bow change etc.), do these as required but aim for as continuous a sound as possible. Progressions such as cresc/dim or glissandi may be (mainly) irregular or (occasionally) curved.

The pitch component is notated as below; noise component is entirely ad lib. but should not dominate (over pitch) for more than half the duration of any given section.

Dynamics indicate the beginning and end-point of each section. Begin each entry on any pitch; sometimes a general register is indicated – this is relative to both the instrument and the ensemble.

! begin with accent !! or !!! extended accented gesture (maybe consisting of an irregular, rough or extended instability at the start)

phrase has the approx. shape of an ‘omm’ or ‘aum’ intonation – i.e. after possibly an upward glide at the beginning (A-), which may be croaky, establish a resonant vibration (U-), which may become more nasal or richer in overtones, before finally closing the resonant chamber (-M) and allowing the vibration to pass through and beyond the resonant body

In this section, instrumentalists can choose individually to play one or two of the following symbols (i.e. sounds). It’s not necessary for the musicians to coordinate who plays what, but the order must stay intact (even if there are gaps). The section may begin uncoordinated, and build up from piano to mezzoforte once the ensemble has found the common groove.

low/bass sound, tenuto

white-noise sound, or middle-register complex sound/ cluster/chord ● similar to low/bass sound above, but half the length

similar to white-noise/middle-register sound above, but half the length . very brief silence

end this phrase with an ornamental

repeat this motif until indicated

✭I (q) (30 – 60″) ∂ø !! / sustain / fast gliss. +/- 10 Hz or 100 Hz, or stay on same pitch / ॐ π A lot of people ask us Lots of ideas are A lot of those ideas were A lot of close peers are A lot of freedoms give Lots of reasons are just . ø stupid questions / rude questions Cupid’s suggestions / stupid directions . ✩ — 10″ (static, just radios) (5 – 8″) ✭II (q) ✩ — 15″ ∂ø !! (high-register) / + 4 – 16 Hz irreg. over 12″ / final gliss. up or down with closing dim. (10″) .. π A lot of people think / A lot of people reckon / Lots of people really think / Lots of people stink / Hollow steeple / Many people link ✩ __ (30″) ∆ why we do / what we do / what we say / why we say / we knew we knew / what we are / when we say / we know we knew / we knew we know / why we stay / we know what to do / we know we do ✭III ✩ (30″) ∆ wavering +/- 8 Hz irreg., or steady gliss. upwards from start to finish 10″ … ✩ __ (30″) ∑ ✭IV (q) (30″) ∑ – ∆!!! individually chaotic or hesitant ∆ that we actually do / that we really live . in real life / like that .. Or you are / Or you can’t ✩ — 10″ ∂ ang ry / stand me / han dle me ✭V(q) ✩ — ✩10″ ; ✭30″ sfz – ƒ !!! / any kind of bend or gliss., fast or slow – if more than 20 Hz range, then only in one direction (10″) ✭VI ✩ 20 – 30″ π (high) +/- 8 Hz (whistle) uh-huh? ∆ Well ∆ – ∑ if you believe that ∆ then we’ll

VIIa ✩ - 1″ ƒ ∑ you . ∆ You know why? . ø – ∑ Cause we’re ✭VIIb ✩ - 1″ ƒ π (something in capitals) ✭VIIc ✩ - 1″ ƒ π (something in capitals) ✩ - 1″ ƒ ∆ So, right ∆ We’re ✭VIId ✩ - 2″ ƒ ø (concept from romanticism) / (concept from activism) / (concept from altriusm) (concept from animism) / (concept from naturalism) / (concept from classicism) ✩ __ 60″ π staggered solo entries, but plenty of overlap – optional use of voice in relation to gadget sounds ✭VIII 25 – 30″ π ॐ (high-range) rich / snitch / kitsch / thitch / ditch / glitch / stitch / flitch / pitch / which / fitch / nitsch .. ✩ 3 – 5″ π ø ? Plea sure? / Lei sure? / Trea sure? / Fea ther? / Wea ther? / Ne ver? . ∆ In the next / in the neck / in mixed 2 – 3″ π frame / claim / maim / flame / blame / game / shame / name / lame / same / fame 4 – 5″ ∆ the ma chine / pools of ben zene / running on caf feine / in bet ween / we’re six teen / same routine (add overtones) (q) 5 – 6″ ∑ freezing drops (-ss) theatre props (-ss) ✩ (radios only; fade in on white noise, at -ss) through the copse (-ss) three workshops (-ss) triceratops (-ss) then she stops (-ss) ✩ 30″+ (radios remain on at end of these 30″, on stations, until joined by other gadgets just before IXa) 10″ … then the ∑ audio / although

We need more com- passion / fashion / rations

from the / for a(n) 15″

(voc.: overtone explor.) audi torium / crematorium / sensorium / emporium / pretorium / moratorium

gadgets fade in during ‘-oriium’ on sine-wave sonority; radios fade out)

(q)

10

IXb 30

(high) +/- 3 Hz (whistle)

(continue whistling, walk holding bells v close to listeners’ ears)

What’s wrong with / What’s not / What’s your / What is a /What’s wrong with / When’s the

(pitch rise on ‘?’) redistribution? / this institution? / organic evolution? / my contribution? / noise pollution? / constitution? / mental institution? / prostitution? / joint resolution? / revolution? / devolution? . ∆ before the retreat of the caliphate before the neat elephant before the elite elevate before we decontaminate for the meat advocate sure, ask the cheat candidate for the meat advocate before you delete navigate before the seat patinate before the sweet granulate before we recalculate

waver +/- 8 Hz before the complete advert

ning / nang / nong / bing / bang / bong / sing / sang / song / shing / shang / shong

together or at different times / fair weather for distant climbs / whatever the weather sometimes / untethering disparate rhymes / bellwether with the chimes / white heather, thisps and limes

(instruments establish this figure, and repeat it until ‘boom/pow/chouww!’)

What-what?! Get out the way Don’t kill anybody this time! What’s going on here?

Stand back

Can I help you?

Oh my god, don’t kill me! Get out of the car Just some kids Don’t move

I’m not gonna kill you

Stop looking around (q) µ BOOM!! / POW!!/ CHOUWW! (individual noise effects) 5″ π (whistle, absolutley stable, until interrupted by ‘Thank you’) π Thank you! . ✭XI (q) ✩ ∑ – ¬ ! waver +/- 6 Hz (walk with gadgets to listeners’ ears)

π after the retreat of the caliphate after the neat elephant after the elite elevate after we decontaminate after the ethyl acetate after the complete advert after we recalculate after the sweet granulate after the seat patinate after you delete navigate ask the meat advocate ask the cheat candidate ppp wishy washy (×3) splishy sploshy (× 2) sishy soshy (×2) fishy washy (×2) dishy doshy moshi moshi? ø In this picture you are π not looking just cooking still hooking rooking rebooking so goodlooking

π waver +/- 2 Hz

Oh So Don’t

π why cry fly sigh die my .

free .. 60″ π ॐ down brown (instrumentalists quietly fade in subtones, one by one) drown frown clown town