A Contextual Analysis of Solo Bass Clarinet Music by Irish ...

Technological University Dublin Technological University Dublin

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Research Theses Conservatory of Music and Drama

2017-09-20

A Contextual Analysis of Solo Bass Clarinet Music by Irish A Contextual Analysis of Solo Bass Clarinet Music by Irish

Composers Composers

Marcella Barz [email protected]

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Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Barz, M. (2017) A Contextual Analysis of Solo Bass Clarinet Music by Irish Composers, Research Thesis, Technological University Dublin.

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AContextualAnalysisofSoloBassClarinet

MusicbyIrishComposers

Submittedinpartialfulfilmentoftherequirementsforthe

MasterofMusicdegree

DublinInstituteofTechnology

ConservatoryofMusicandDrama

Supervisor:DrPaulMcNulty

September2017

MarcellaBarz

ii

DECLARATION

Iherebycertifythatthismaterial,whichInowsubmitforassessmentontheprogramme

ofstudyleadingtotheawardof

Master’sDegree(MMus)

is entirelymyownwork andhas not been submitted for assessment for any academic

purposeotherthaninpartialfulfilmentforthatstatedabove.

Signed:

(Candidate)

Date:

20 September 2017

iii

TABLEOFCONTENTS

LISTOFMUSICALEXAMPLES ___________________________________________vi

LISTOFFIGURES____________________________________________________ vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS_______________________________________________viii

ABSTRACT__________________________________________________________ix

INTRODUCTION______________________________________________________x

CHAPTERONE:HISTORICALOVERVIEWOFTHEBASSCLARINET ______________1

1.1 AnIntroductiontotheBassClarinet ____________________________1

1.2 ABriefOverviewoftheStructuralDesignoftheBassClarinet________1

1.2.1EarlyBassClarinetDesigns ____________________________2

1.2.2ModernBassClarinets________________________________5

1.3SoloBassClarinetPerformancesandPerformers(1794–1955) _______5

1.4InfluentialBassClarinetSoloists(From1955)_____________________9

1.4.1JosefHorák _______________________________________10

1.4.2HarrySparnaay ____________________________________12

1.4.3HenriBok_________________________________________14

1.4.4EricDolphy________________________________________15

1.5Conclusion________________________________________________16

CHAPTERTWO:STYLISTICINFLUENCESANDCHARACTERISTICSOFSOLOBASS

CLARINETMUSIC ___________________________________________________17

2.1Introduction ______________________________________________17

2.1.1AleatoricMusic ____________________________________18

2.1.2Minimalism _______________________________________22

2.1.3ElectronicMusic____________________________________25

2.1.4JazzMusic ________________________________________29

2.2ExtendedTechniques_______________________________________30

2.2.1SlapTonguing______________________________________31

2.2.2FlutterTonguing ___________________________________32

2.2.3MultiphonicTechniques _____________________________33

iv

2.2.4ColourFingerings,QuarterTones,andTimbralTrills_______35

2.2.5GlissandiandVibrato________________________________36

2.2.6BreathSoundsandKeySlaps _________________________37

2.3Conclusion________________________________________________38

CHAPTERTHREE:THEEMERGENCEOFSOLOBASSCLARINETSPECIALIZATIONIN

IRELAND__________________________________________________________39

3.1TheBassClarinetinIrishChamberMusic _______________________39

3.2Concorde,HarrySparnaay,andPaulRoe________________________41

3.2.1PaulRoeandContemporaryMusic:NewDirections _______41

3.2.2HarrySparnaayinIreland ____________________________43

3.2.3PaulRoeandConcorde______________________________44

3.3Conclusion_______________________________________________45

CHAPTERFOUR:SOLOBASSCLARINETMUSICINIRELAND__________________46

4.1OverviewofIrishSoloBassClarinetMusic ______________________46

4.2PaulRoe’sApproachtoContemporaryMusic____________________47

4.2.1Collaboration______________________________________47

4.2.2StylisticApproach __________________________________48

4.3ACross-surveyofWorkswithMusicallyExplorativeElements_______49

4.3.1OBreath__________________________________________50

4.3.2Continuum________________________________________52

4.3.3Monster__________________________________________53

4.3.4Composure________________________________________57

4.3.5Periastron_________________________________________60

4.4DetailedAnalyses__________________________________________62

4.4.1Rattle____________________________________________62

4.4.2Stung____________________________________________68

4.5Conclusion_______________________________________________75

CONCLUSION _____________________________________________________77

v

BIBLIOGRAPHY_____________________________________________________79

Books_______________________________________________________79

Dissertations_________________________________________________79

JournalArticles_______________________________________________80

MusicalScores _______________________________________________81

OnlineArticles_______________________________________________82

NewspaperArticles____________________________________________82

Recordings __________________________________________________82

Websites ___________________________________________________82

APPENDICES _____________________________________________________84

AppendixA:EmailInterviewwithPaulRoe,2January2017____________85

AppendixB:InterviewwithPaulRoe,3August2017 _________________90

AppendixC:EmailInterviewwithPaulRoe,23August2017 __________109

AppendixD:EmailInterviewwithFrankLyons,28August2017________112

AppendixE:ListofSoloBassClarinetCompositionsbyIrishComposers_113

vi

LISTOFMUSICALEXAMPLES

CHAPTERTWO

Example2.1:Feldman,Projection1 ______________________________20

Example2.2:Cardew,Treatise,page66___________________________21

Example2.3:Brun,PerpetualFlowing_____________________________21

Example2.4:Logothetis,Fusion _________________________________22

Example2.5:Young,DeathChant________________________________24

Example2.6:Glass,1+1________________________________________24

Example2.7:Siegel,Jackdaw,28–49 _____________________________25

Example2.8:Bruynèl,Intra,1’15”–1’45” __________________________28

Example2.9:Grainger,InDahomey,16–17 ________________________29

Example2.10:Hobbs,WhyNot?,page1,line1_____________________30

Example2.11:Hobbs,WhyNot?,page3,lines3–4 __________________30

Example2.12:Lange,PressRelease,16–22 ________________________32

Example2.13:Raxach,Chimaera,8’15”___________________________34

Example2.14:Melläs,Riflessioni,55–60___________________________35

Example2.15:Yun,Monolog____________________________________36

Example2.16:Kucera,Duodramma ______________________________36

Example2.17:Kagel,Schattenklänge_____________________________37

CHAPTERFOUR

Example4.1:Holohan,OBreath _________________________________51

Example4.2:Holohan,OBreath,inscriptionatthebottomofthescore _51

Example4.3:Holohan,OBreath,multiphonics,page2_______________52

Example4.4:Canning,Continuum,5’24” __________________________53

Example4.5:Bennett,Monster,4’30” ____________________________54



Example4.8:Bremner,Composure_______________________________59

Example4.9:Mulvey,Periastron,0’21” ___________________________60

vii

Example4.10:Mulvey,Periastron,2’03” __________________________61

Example4.11:Mulvey,Periastron,2’54” __________________________61

Example4.12:Feery,Rattle,1–2_________________________________63

Example4.13:Feery,Rattle,5–6_________________________________64

Example4.14:Feery,Rattle,15–16_______________________________64





Example4.19:Feery,Rattle,111–113_____________________________68

Example4.20:Feery,Rattle,131–135_____________________________68

Example4.21:Lyons,Stung,Coda,line3 __________________________70

Example4.22:Lyons,Stung,line1 _______________________________71

Example4.23:Lyons,Stung,Introduction,line6–7 __________________72

Example4.24:Lyons,Stung,SectionII ____________________________72

Example4.25:Lyons,Stung,SectionV ____________________________73

Example4.26:Lyons,Stung,‘A’Section,line3–4____________________74

Example4.27:Lyons,Stung,‘D’Section,line4–5____________________75

LISTOFFIGURES

CHAPTERONE

Figure1.1:Glicibarifono_________________________________________4

Figure1.2:TheFirstWorldBassClarinetConventionFlyer ____________15

CHAPTERTWO

Figure2.1:ElectronicSet-upforIntra,TonBruynèl__________________27

viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thankyoutomysupervisor,DrPaulMcNulty,forsteeringmyresearchintheright

directionwhenIwasunsurewhichwayitshouldgo,andforprovidinginsightful

commentsandsuggestionsthathelpedrefinemywork.

ThankyoutoDrPaulRoeforansweringallofmyquestions(interviewand

otherwise)withthoughtfulnessandanopenmind.Hissupportforthisresearchwas

unfetteredandIamgratefultohavebeenabletoborrowbooksformyresearchfor

aperiodoftimemuchlongerthananylibrarywouldhaveallowed.

IwouldliketoacknowledgeSusanBrodiganattheContemporaryMusicCentre

Irelandforhelpingmetofindscoresandrecordingstostudy.

Iwouldliketoextendmygratitudetomyparentsforproofreadinglargesectionsof

mydissertationandprovidingmewiththeencouragementneededtocompleteit.

AfinalthankyouisnecessaryfortheSmith/Doylefamilyforprovidingmewitha

homeawayfromhomewhereIwasabletowritemydissertationinpeace.

ix

ABSTRACT

TheinvestigationoftheemergenceofsolobassclarinetmusicinIrelandevolvedoutofmyexperiencelearningIrishcontemporarybassclarinetmusicwithDrPaulRoe.TheintentionwastodiscoverwhytherehadnotbeenanysolobassclarinetmusicinIrelandpriorto2000,aswellastodeterminewhicheventsinfluencedthecreationoftherepertoire.DatafrominterviewswasvitaltounderstandinghowthebassclarinetrepertoireinIrelandhassteadilygrownsince2000andasearchthroughTheIrishTimesarchivesprovidedinformationaboutbassclarinetactivityinIreland.AlistofsolobassclarinetrepertoirebyIrishcomposerswascompiledusingtheContemporaryMusicCentre’sonlinedatabase,composers’websites,andRoe’spersonalcollectionofmusic.ItwasrevealedthatasignificantamountofcompositionswerewrittenfororpremieredbyRoe.Eventsinhiscareeraffectedhisinterestinbassclarinetspecialization,includinghisinvolvementwithConcordeandcollaborationswithHarrySparnaay.TheimportanceofcombiningsoloandchambermusicperformanceismirroredinthecareersofJosefHorák,Sparnaay,andHenriBok.FivepieceswerechosenfromtherepertoiretodemonstratethediversityandexplorativenatureofmanycompositionsbyIrishcomposers.ThesepiecesareContinuumbyRobCanning,OBreathbyMichaelHolohan,MonsterbyEdBennett,ComposurebyDavidBremner,andPeriastronbyGráinneMulvey.Twomorepieces,RattlebyAmandaFeeryandStungbyFrankLyons,wereexaminedindetail.Allofthecompositionswereanalysedfromaperformer’sperspective.ComposerswereinfluencedbyRoe’sopen-mindedandcreativeapproachtobassclarinetperformance,andtherepertoirereflectsthis.

x

INTRODUCTION

Thepurposeofthisdissertationistotracesolobassclarinetperformancefromthe

veryfirstperformerstoitscurrentstateinIreland.Thepremiseistoprovide

informationonthegenesisofsolobassclarinetmusicinIrelandaswellasto

analysesolobassclarinetmusicbyIrishcomposers.

ChapterOneseekstoprovideahistoricaloverviewofthedesignofthebass

clarinet,itsperformersandmusic.

ChapterTwopresentsasketchoftwentiethcenturymusicthatshapedtheoverall

solobassclarinetrepertoire,withexamplesofbassclarinetmusicfromthistime

period.Theendofthechapteroffersinformationonavarietyoftechniquesand

effectsthatexistinthebassclarinetrepertoire.Allofthisprovidescontextforthe

Irishbassclarinetrepertoire.Eventhoughthefirstsolobassclarinetmusicwritten

byIrishcomposersdidnotappearuntil2000,therepertoireisjustasadvancedand

diverseasmusicwritteninothercountrieswheresolobassclarinetmusichasbeen

thrivingformuchlonger.

ChapterThreeuncoversinformationaboutcontemporarymusicallifeinIrelandand

howtheIrishbassclarinetrepertoirewascreated.Asthemajorityofsolobass

clarinetmusicwaswrittenforandpremieredbyDrPaulRoe,Ihavedecidedto

focusontheemergenceofworkswrittenparticularlyforhim;however,Sarah

WattsandDeirdreO’Learyaretwobassclarinettistswhohavealsopremiered

severalsoloworksbyIrishcomposers.Afulllistofrepertoirewithdetailson

premiereperformerscanbefoundinAppendixE.

ChapterFourcontainsfiveshortandtwodetailedanalysesofsolobassclarinet

worksfromtheperspectiveofaperformer.AmandaFeery’sRattle(2010)andFrank

Lyons’sStung(2010)aretwoworksthatIstudiedwithDrPaulRoe,whichhas

allowedmetohavedeeperinsightintotheprocessinwhichthesepieceswere

xi

created.Thesetwopiecesareofexcellentqualityandmyhopeisthattheanalysis

ofthesepieceswillmakedisseminationeasierforothersinthefuture.

1

CHAPTERONE

HISTORICALOVERVIEWOFTHEBASSCLARINET

1.1 AnIntroductiontotheBassClarinet

Thebassclarinetofthetwenty-firstcenturyisaversatileinstrumentwithanextensive

rangeandmanypossibilities.Overthecourseofitshistory,itunderwentmany

structuraldevelopmentsinthehandsofvariousinstrumentmakers.Inventorsinspired

musicianswiththeirdesigns,andthosemusicians—andsometimestheinventors

themselves—inspiredcomposerstowritefortheinstrument.Theinventorsof

primitivebassclarinetdesignsdealtwithtuningissues,keymechanismdifficulties,and

problemsarisingfromthelargesizeoftheinstrument.Eventuallythebassclarinet’s

structuraldesignwasimprovedsothatperformersbegantospecializeinthe

instrumentandstartedtoseekoutcomposerstowritesolobassclarinetmusic.The

pioneeringeffortsofthesemusiciansbuiltauniqueandnon-standardrepertoirefor

bassclarinettiststoday.Thischapterseekstoprovidecontextforsolobassclarinet

performanceinIrelandbyoutliningmajoreventsinthehistoryofbassclarinetdesign,

composition,andperformance.

1.2 ABriefOverviewoftheStructuralDesignoftheBassClarinet

Theinventionofthebassclarinetisspeculatedtobecirca1730–1750.Thestructural

designofthebassclarinethasalreadybeendiscussedindetailbymanyauthors

includingAlbertRice(2009),JohnHenryvanderMeer(1987),DavidLewisKalina

(1972),andCharlesAlbertRoeckle(1966);therefore,thischapterwillonlycontaina

briefoverview,focusingoninstrumentsconnectedwithsoloperformances.

2

Bassclarinetsaresimilartosopranoclarinetsinthattheyhaveacylindricalbore,which

givestheinstrumenttheabilitytooverblowatwelfth;however,bassclarinetsare

pitchedanoctavelowerthansopranoclarinets.Earlyattemptstobuildbassclarinets

resultedinavarietyofdifferentshapes,withvaryingnumbersofkeysandkey

mechanisms.

1.2.1 EarlyBassClarinetDesigns

Theearliestextantbassclarinetdesignswerelimitedbypoorintonationandrange.1

Theearliestsurvivingbassclarinetwasconstructedcirca1750andonlyhasthreekeys.

HarrySparnaaywritesabouttheexperienceofbeingabletoholdthisinstrumentand

commentsthatitisnotclearhowtheinstrumentwouldhavebeenplayed.2This

suggeststhatinadditiontointonationproblemsandalimitedrange,earlybass

clarinetswereawkwardtohandle.Theseissueswouldhavedetractedmusiciansfrom

takinguptheinstrument.Otherearlyextantexamplesindicatethatavarietyofdesigns

werepresentintheeighteenthcentury.Designswere,atthispoint,purely

experimentalanditisnotknownwhoplayedtheseinstruments.

Lateintheeighteenthcentury,amoresophisticatedbassclarinetwasinventedby

HeinrichGrenser(1764–1813)ofDresdenin1793.Thisinstrumentwasperformedin

theearliestdocumentedrecitalfeaturingthebassclarinet(seesection1.3).3Grenser’s

bassclarinetrepresentsashiftfromexperimentaldesignstothosethatwerecapable

ofbeingusedinperformance.Fromthispointonwards,designswereincreasingly

sophisticated.

1Rice,AlbertR.:FromtheClarinetd’AmourtotheContraBass(Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,2009),249.2Sparnaay,Harry:TheBassClarinet:Apersonalstory(Barcelona:Periferia,2010),31–32.3Rice,AlbertR.:‘TheEarliestBassClarinetMusic(1794)andtheBassClarinetsbyHeinrichandAugustGrenser’,TheClarinet,38/3(2011),54–57.

3

JohannHeinrichGottliebStreitwolf(1779–1837)ofGöttingendesignedbassclarinets

datingfrom1828.4Ricenotesthat‘incomparisonwithpreviousbassclarinets,

Streitwolf’sinstrumentsareofthehighestquality,carefullydesignedandexpertly

constructed’.5EightofStreitwolf’sbassclarinetshavesurvived,suggestingthatitwas

usedmoreoftenthanpreviousbassclarinetdesigns.Theseextantbassclarinetshave

seventeentonineteenkeys—quiteacontrastfromtheearliestthree-keyedbass

clarinet—andweredeclaredbyStreitwolftobe‘pureinintonationonalloccasions’

andexcelling‘asbothabassandasoloinstrument’.6Unprecedenteduntilthispoint,

Streitwolfevenpublishedafive-pagemanualforplayinghisbassclarinets,includinga

fingeringchartforhisinstruments.7

CatterinoCatterini(fl.1833–1853)wasamusicianandinventorfromMonselice,near

Padua.Heisknownforhisinventionofabassclarinetcalledtheglicibarifono(see

Figure2.1).8CatteriniplayedtheglicibarifonointhepremiereofGiocomoMeyerbeer’s

opera,EmmadiAntiochia(1834),thefirstpieceofbassclarinetmusicthatstillexists

today.9

4Roeckle,CharlesAlbert:‘TheBassClarinet:AnHistoricalOverview’(MMus,TheUniversityofTexas,1966),82.5Rice,FromtheClarinet,271.6Kalina,DavidLewis:‘TheStructuralDevelopmentoftheBassClarinet’(Ed.D.,ColumbiaUniversity,1972),100,citedinRice,FromtheClarinet,268–69.7Rice,FromtheClarinet,272–273.8Ibid.,275–277.9Ibid.,342.

4

Figure2.1:GlicibarifonobyPaoloMaino,Muséedesinstrumentsdemusique,Brussels.10

AntoineJoseph(Adolphe)Sax(1814–1894)wasanimportantfigureindevelopingthe

bassclarinetdesign.Sax’sBelgianpatentforatwenty-onekeyedbassclarinetwas

approvedon1July1838.HisearlybassclarinetsweremadeinBrusselsbeforehe

movedtoParistotryandsellhisinstrumentsthere.11Unfortunately,Saxmetsome

resistanceinPariswhenhetriedtopromotehisinstrumentsthereinthe1840s.

Despitethis,severalcomposerssuchasMeyerbeer,Berlioz,andRossiniwere

impressedwiththeimproveddesignofhisbassclarinet;allthreeofthesecomposers

composedorchestralpartsforthebassclarinet.12Sax’simprovementstothebass

clarinetincludedthecorrectplacementoftoneholes,anenlargedbore,andabetter

designedregisterkeythatimprovedhighnotes.13

10DellaSeta,Fabrizio:‘FromtheGlicibarifonototheBassClarinet:AChapterintheHistoryofOrchestrationinItaly’,TheOperaOrchestrainthe18thand19thCenturyEurope,ed.NielsMJensenandFrancoPiperno(Berlin:BerlinerWissenschafts-Verlag,2008),336.11Rice,FromtheClarinet,291–293.12Hoeprich,Eric:TheClarinet,(NewHaven;London:YaleUniversityPress,2008),266.13Rice,FromtheClarinet,304;Hoeprich,265.

5

1.2.2 ModernBassClarinets

Althoughmanyinstrumentmakersmadebassclarinetsinthenineteenthand

twentiethcenturies,onlyafewmaincompanieshavesuccessfullyspecializedinmaking

professionalbassclarinetsintothetwenty-firstcentury.Professionalbassclarinettists

todayusuallyplayeitheraSelmeroraBuffet-Cramponbassclarinetwitharangetoa

lowC(concertB�),althoughYamahaandF.ArthurUebelalsomanufacture

professionalbassclarinetmodels.TheBoehmkeysystemisusedpredominately

aroundtheworld;however,theOehlersystemisstillusedinGermany.

ThenewestadditiontothemodernbassclarinetdesignistheSensorAugmentedBass

ClarinetResearch(SABRe)technology.Anyacousticbassclarinetcanbeequippedwith

SABResensorsthatconnectwirelesslytoacomputerusingBluetoothtechnology.

MatthiasMuellerisoneoftheprojectcoordinatorsandisthemainbassclarinettist

associatedwiththeresearch.Thefirstprototypewascreatedin2011,withtwomore

prototypesfollowingin2013and2014.Atthetimethisthesisisbeingwritten,

researchintofurtherdevelopingSABRetechnologycontinues,includingextendingthe

productforusewithalltypesofclarinetsandsaxophones.Researchisbeing

undertakenattheInstituteofComputerMusicandSoundTechnologyoftheZurich

UniversityoftheArtswithfinancialsupportfromtheSwissNationalScience

Foundation.14

1.3 SoloBassClarinetPerformancesandPerformers(1794–1955)

Thehistoryofthebassclarinetasasoloinstrumentisnotextensive;however,thereis

evidenceofbassclarinetperformancesbetween1794and1955,mostlybyestablished

clarinettistswhodoubledonclarinet-familyinstrumentsorbytheinventors

themselves.

14http://matthias-mueller.ch/instrument-sensor-augmented-bass-clarinet-sabre/;https://www.sabre-mt.com/.

6

Theearliestdocumentedrecitalfeaturingthebassclarinetsoloisticallytookplacein

Swedenin1794.JohannIgnazStranensky,aclarinettistinStockholm’scourttheatre

orchestra,performedthreebassclarinetworkson16February1794.Ofthese,

RomancewithaRondoalaPolonaiseforClarinetteFagotteandQuintetwithtwo

flutes,twohorns,andClarinette-FagottewerepossiblywrittenbyStranensky.Thethird

workwasanarrangementfortwohornsandClarinetteFagottefromAndréGrétry's

operaZemireetAzor(1772).Noneoftheseworkshavebeenlocated.15

Thereareaccountsofbassclarinetperformerswithoutanydetailedinformationabout

themusictheyperformedorhowitsounded.Ahl(theyounger),amemberofthe

Mannheimorchestra,ismentionedintheAllgemeinemusikalischeZeitungin1815as

the‘darlingofthepublic’whoplaysclarinetandbassclarinet.16Therearenorecords

ofanyofhisbassclarinetperformances.In1832,clarinetvirtuosoandcomposerIsaac

DacostaperformedarecitalinParisthatincludedatleastonebassclarinet

performance.Therepertoireperformedwasnotdocumentedanditisnotknownif

Dacostaonlyperformedonbassclarinetoralsoincludedperformancesonclarinet.17

AmoredetailedreportisgivenonWilhelmDeichertwhoperformedtwobass

clarinetpieceson14January1830inKassel.DeichertplayedAdagiomitVariationen,

aswellastheduetVolksliedfürBass-undContrabass-Klarinettewithcontra-bass

clarinettistJ.C.Bänder.18Bothcompositionshaveyettobelocated.

ThereareseveralreportsoftheinventorCatterini(seeSection1.2.1)performingonhis

instrumentinItalyinthe1830sand1840s.Heperformedanunspecifiedconcertoon

15Rice,‘TheEarliestBassClarinetMusic’,54–55.16AllgemeinemusikalischeZeitung,Volume17(Leipzig:BreitkopfundHärtel,1815),331,translatedinRice,FromtheClarinet,340.17Aber,‘AHistory’,75–76.18Ibid.,72.

7

theglicibarifonoon6April1835,19andasetofVariazioniobbligatealglicibarifonoata

benefitconcerton15June1835.Catterinimayhaveperformedagainonhis

instrumentatagalaconcertattheTeatroDucaledeParmain1837,althoughno

detailsaredisclosed.20Ataconcerton12February1838,Catteriniperformed

Variazioniconl’EcoonthemesbyBelliniandanAriafromDonizetti’soperaAnna

Bolena(1830),bothsolosfortheglicibarifono.21ThelastmentionofCatterini

performingisattheTeatroNuovoinTriesteon18May1847.22

TheEnglishmanThomasLindsayWillmanmostlyperformedasasoloistonclarinetand

occasionallythebasset-horn;however,thereisalsoarecordofWillmanperformingon

thebassclarinet.HeperformedSigismundvonNeukomm’s‘Makehaste,OGod’with

contraltoMrsAlfredShawandastringorchestraon6April1836inLondon.23Thiswork

isstillinexistencetoday,unliketheprecedingexamplesofbassclarinetworks.

BerliozshowedhissupportofAdolpheSax’sinstrumentsbyre-writingChantsacréfor

sixofSax’sinstruments(includingclarinetandbassclarinet)andorchestral

accompaniment.ThepiecewasperformedinFebruary1844andthebassclarinetpart

wasplayedbyEdouardDuprez,whoplayedtheinstrumentintheParisOpera

Orchestrafrom1839to1855.24

PossiblytheearliestchambermusicperformancefeaturingthebassclarinetinIreland

wasgivenbyJohnHenryMaycockinDublinin1849.Maycockperformedan

arrangementfromMeyerbeer’sLesHuguenots(1836)withanoboistandanophicleide

19DellaSeta,338.20Ibid.,336.21Rice,FromtheClarinet,345.22DellaSeta,336.23WestonPamela:ClarinetVirtuosiofthePast(Kent:Novello&Co.Ltd.,1971),109;Hoeprich,272.24Rice,FromtheClarinet,355.

8

player.25InaninterviewinTheMusicalHerald,Maycockrecountshowhecametoplay

thebassclarinet:

Iwaswalking on the boulevards in Paris. Imet [MichaelWilliam] Balfe, and heembracedmeinhiswarmmanner.HewaswritingTheDaughterofSt.Markatthetime[1844].Hesaid‘IfyouwillgetabassclarinetIwillwriteasoloforyou.’Iwentto Sax, themaker in Paris. He was a great broad-chestedman, and played theinstrumentinawaythatimpressedme.IthoughtIshouldplaylikethatatonce.Ibought the instrument. A friend said, ‘You will never be able to play that biginstrument; itwillkillyouinalmostnotime.Iwilltakeyoutosomeonewhohasmadeaninstrumentthatyouwillbeabletomanagenicely.’[…]Ireceivedtheotherinstrument[notSax’s],andmanagedtoplayfairlywellonitbythetimewhenBalfeoughttohavebeenreadyforme.26

MaycockgoesontorecountthestoryofreceivingthesoloforTheDaughterofSt.

Markonthedayofthepremiereperformance.Hedidnotplayitinthefirst

performance,muchtoBalfe’sdismay,becausethepartwasdifficult.Aquarrelensued

andMaycockwastoldtostayupallnighttolearnthepartforthenextperformanceor

Balfe’soperawouldberuined.Maycockalsodescribesthesolopartandhisnewbass

clarinet:

Itwascertainlyadifficultsolo;itoccurredinsoloformintheoverture,andalsointroducedatenorairintheopera.Theinstrumentwasanewinvention.ThecompassextendedfromFin[altissimo]todoubleBbbelowthestaff,andIhaveplayedfouroctaves.[…]IintroducedthisinstrumentinEnglandfiftyyearsago,andIdonotthinkithadbeenusedherebefore.27

MaycockmustnothavebeenawareofWillman’sperformanceinEnglandin1836,or

GeorgeF.Wood,aninstrumentmakerwhodesignedabassclarinetinLondonaround

1833.28

ThesparsityofknownsolobassclarinetperformancescontinueswithHenriWuille’s

performanceontheinstrumentatarecitalinLondonin1852.Wuilleperformedworks

25Rice,FromtheClarinet,352.26‘Mr.J.H.Maycock’,TheMusicalHerald,(London:J.Curwen&Sons,1Dec1900).27Ibid..28Rice,FromtheClarinet,274.

9

onsaxophone,clarinet,andbassclarinet.‘TheLastFarewell’,composedbyFrankMori,

wasforvoiceandbassclarinetobbligato,buttheworknolongerexists.29

A.PierreSt.MariewasabassclarinettistinParisattheendofthenineteenthcentury

whopublishedthefirsteducationalmethodforthebassclarinet,entitledMèthode

pourlaClarinette-basse,ál’UsagedesArtistesClarinettistes,avecl’indicationdes

doigtéspratiqués(1898).Hemusthavebeenanactiveperformerbecauseafewpieces

werewrittenforhimandpublishedbyEvetteetSchaefferfrom1897to1902.30

Oftencitedasoneofthegreatestearlyworkswrittenforthebassclarinet,Othmar

Schoeck’sBassClarinetSonata,Op.41(1928),wasdedicatedtoWernerReinhart,a

Swissmusicianandmusicalphilanthropistwhoplayedmanydifferentclarinets

includingthebassclarinetandbassethorn.Itshouldbenotedthough,thatWerner

Reinhartdidnotpremierethebassclarinetsonatahimself;thesonatawaspremiered

byWilhelmArnoldon22April1928.31

1.4 InfluentialBassClarinetSoloists(From1955)

Itwasnotuntilthemid-twentiethcenturythatthebassclarinetbecameaspecialist

instrument.BetweenJosefHorák,HarrySparnaay,andHenriBok,overonethousand

workshavebeenwrittenforbassclarinetspecialists!Thisisahugeachievement,and

onethatwasattainedwithinashorttimeperiod.Additionally,manyotherbass

clarinettistsallovertheworldhavecommissionedcompositionsorhavewrittenforthe

instrumentthemselves.

29Aber,‘AHistory’,83–84.30Aber,Thomas:‘TheFirstPublishedMethodfortheBassClarinet–A.P.Sainte-Marie’sMèthodepourlaClarinette-basse…of1898–andaBriefSurveyofSubsequentDidacticWorksfortheBassClarinet’,TheClarinet,42/3(2015),76.31Weston,Pamela:‘WernerReinhart:PhilanthropistExtraordinaire’,TheClarinet,28/3(2001),64.

10

1.4.1 JosefHorák

TheCzechbassclarinettist,JosefHorák(1931–2005),iscreditedforgivingthefirst

recitalentirelyfeaturingthebassclarinetasasoloinstrument.Theeventsleadingup

toHorák’sfirstrecitalwereadventitious.HehadbeenplayingclarinetintheBrno

RadioSymphonyOrchestrasince1951,butinearly1955,thebassclarinettistinthe

orchestrawasnotwellenoughtotakepartinarecordingsohebecamethe

replacement.Horákwrotethathe‘immediatelyfellinlovewiththebassclarinet’and

thathe‘regrettedthatthisbeautifulinstrumentwasusedtosuchalimitedextent’.He

sensedthattheinstrumenthadgreatpotentialbywayof‘extensiveandvariable

rangesofexpression’.32

Shortlyaftertakingupthebassclarinet,Horákperformedabassclarinetrecitalon

March241955,joinedbythepianist,P.Kosatko.Theonlytwocompositionsonthe

programmeoriginallywrittenforbassclarinetincludedSchoeck’sBassClarinetSonata,

Op.21andSketchesbytheCzechcomposerJosefMašta.Therestoftheprogramme

featuredtranscriptionsforthebassclarinet.33Afterthisrecital,Horákdedicatedthe

restofhislifetobuildingrepertoireforthebassclarinetasasoloinstrument.Overfive

hundredworkswerewrittenforHorák.34

ChambermusicplayedanimportantroleinHorák’sdevelopmentasabassclarinet

performer.HefrequentlyperformedLeosJanáček’sMládí(1924)withtheMoravian

WindQuintetandtheyevenperformeditatDarmstadtin1960.35AttendingDarmstadt

greatlyinfluencedHorákandafterwardshecreatedacontemporarymusicensemble,

32Horák,Joseph:‘TheCourseoftheBassClarinettoaSoloInstrumentandtheProblemsConnectedWithIt’,TheClarinet,4/2(1977),25.33Simmons,MelissaSunshine:‘TheBassClarinetRecital:TheimpactofJosefHorákonrecitalrepertoireforbassclarinetandpianoandalistoforiginalworksforthatinstrumentation’(DMus,NorthwesternUniversity,2009),2–3.34Rehfeldt,Phillip:NewDirectionsforClarinet,2ndedn.(Oxford:ScarecrowPress,1994),158.35Simmons,4.

11

MusicaNovaBrno,consistingofflute,bassclarinet,pianoorharpsichord,and

percussion.Horákwrotethat

thetimespentinthisensemblewasparticularlyimportantforthedevelopmentofthebassclarinetasasoloinstrument.Inconfrontationwiththeotherinstruments,Ihaveexperimentedwiththepossibilitiesandshadesintechniqueandexpression.Atthattimemanycomposersofvariedtrendswerewritingforus,andthebassclarinet,alreadyinthefirstphaseofitssolocareer,wasallotted[sic]majortasks.36

TogetherwithEmmaKovárnová,Horákformedthebassclarinetandpianochamber

musicduo‘DueBoemidiPraga’in1963.Thisbecamealong-lastingcollaboration

betweenthetwomusicians,resultinginmanyperformancesandrecordings.Václav

Kučera’sInvariant(1969)forbassclarinet,pianoandstereotaperecorderwas

recordedbyDueBoemidiPragain1973,37andtomyknowledge,thisistheearliest

soloisticpiecewrittenforbassclarinetandelectronics.

ComposerswrotechallengingmusicforHorákthatpushedhimtofindsolutionsand

extendhisabilitiesasabassclarinettist.Forinstance,henoteshow‘composers…

employedleapsandboundsoverthewholerangeofregisterasifitwereanormal

clarinet’.38Thisinspiredhimtofindwaysofsmoothingoutregistralchanges.In

another(morehumorous)situation,ayoungCzechcomposeraskedforalowB,which

isasemi-tonelowerthanthebottomnoteofthebassclarinet.Atfirst,Horáktoldthe

composerthatitwasbeyondthepossiblerangeoftheinstrument,butthenhe

‘rememberedbassoonistswho,intheoperettaPolenblut[OskarNedbal,1913],stuck

rolledupscoresintotheirinstrumentstogetlowernotes’.Usingthistechnique,Horák

wasevenabletogetalowAinadifferentpiece.39Kovárnovánotedthat‘experienced

musiciansdidnotseemtoshowanyconfidenceinthepotentialoftheinstrument,but

36Horák,27.37Simmons,44.38Horák,25.39Ibid.,27.

12

youngcomposerswereimpressedbythenewcolorinthemusicspectrumandusedit

intheircompositionalexperiments’.40

Horákwantedtoensurethatthenextgenerationofbassclarinettistswouldfurtherhis

workasasoloist.HetaughtbassclarinetatthePragueConservatoryforseveralyears

startingin1974andhegavemasterclassesandworkshopsalloverEurope,aswellasin

theUnitedStatesofAmericaandinCuba.41Hepresentedlecturesandarecitalatthe

InternationalClarinetAssociationconferenceinDenver,Coloradoin1976,and

returnedtoperformatthe1982and1984conferences.42MarvinLivingoodreported

onthe1976conferenceandwrotethat‘Horakexhibitedarangeof4½octavesanda

varietyofsoundsfrompureclarinettonestogrowlyandshriekingnoises,allona

tremendousdynamicrange’.HisrecitalfeaturedCzechcomposersprominentlyand

Frescobaldi’sCanzoniperBassoSolo.43Theseeventswouldhavebeeninfluentialfor

anyonewhoattendedashisbassclarinetplayingwasunprecedentedatthetime.

Horák’seffortstogainacceptanceforthebassclarinetasasoloinstrumentwere

joinedbyHarrySparnaayinthe1970s.

1.4.2 HarrySparnaay

Inhisearlyyears,theDutchmusicianHarrySparnaay(b.1944)playedtheaccordion,

butitwasthetenorsaxophonethatmotivatedhimtopursuemusic.Hewasinfluenced

earlyonbysaxophoneplayerssuchasJohnColtrane,StanGetz,andEricDolphy.He

auditionedattheAmsterdamConservatoireontenorsaxophone,butwasonly

acceptedbyRuOttoundertheconditionthathestudyclarinet.Aftertryingabass

clarinetinoneofhislessons,Sparnaaydecidedthatitwastheinstrumenthereally

40Kovárnová,Emma:‘JosefHorák–PioneeroftheBassClarinet’,TheClarinet,41/4(2014),44.41Rehfeldt,158.42Weston,Pamela:ClarinetViruosiofToday(Hertfordshire:EgonPublishers,1989),135.43Livingood,MarvinD.:‘InternationalClarinetClinic,1976’,TheClarinet,4/1(1976):30.

13

wantedtoplay.ThiswasshortlybeforegraduatingfromtheConservatoireandhe

becamecommittedtothebassclarinetfromthismomenton.44

WhenSparnaaywaslisteningtotheradioin1968heheardapieceforbassclarinet

andpianothatcaughthisattention.ItwasaworkcomposedbyAnestisLogothetis

(1921–1994)andplayedbyJosefHorák.Thisrecordinginspiredhimtoobtainthe

music,whichendedupbeingagraphicscore.ThiswasSparnaay’sintroductiontoa

newkindofnotationandlateronLogothetiscomposedmorebassclarinetmusic,this

timeforSparnaay.45

In1972,hewonTheGaudeamusCompetitionassolobassclarinettist.Threemonths

later,LucianoBeriowroteCheminsIIcforbassclarinetandorchestra.46Sparnaay

premieredtheworkwiththeRotterdamPhilharmonicOrchestraandsincethen,over

sixhundredandfiftyworkshavebeenwrittenforSparnaay.

Hisinfluenceextendsbeyondcompositions.Asaneducator,Sparnaaywasthe

ProfessorofBassClarinetandContemporaryMusicattheConservatoryofAmsterdam

wherehetaughtstudentsfromallovertheworld.HewasalsoProfessorofBass

ClarinetattheCataloniaCollegeofMusicfrom2005to2010.47Manyofhisstudents

arenowprominentbassclarinettistsallovertheworld.

ChambermusicalsoformedanintegralpartofSparnaay’smusicallifeandmanyofhis

travelswerewiththeseensembles.FusionModernewasaduoconsistingofbass

clarinetandpiano,playedbyPolodeHaas.FusionModerneplayedtogetheruntil

2006.48Startinginthe1980s,SparnaaywasalsoamemberofHetTrio,alongwith

44Sparnaay,13–18.45Ibid.,50–51.46Ibid.,17–18.47Ibid.,248–249.48Sparnaay,Harry:‘FusionModerne’,accessedAugust202017,http://www.harrysparnaay.info/fusion_engels.htm.

14

flautistHarrieStarreveldandpianistRenéEckhardt.HarpsichordistAnneliedeMan

andSparnaayformedtheduoDoubleActionin1989andhecreatedDuoLeventwith

hiswifeSilviaCastilloin1997.HealsoplayedintheAsko/SchönbergEnsemble.49

Playinginalloftheseensemblescomplementedhisworkasasolobassclarinettistby

introducingtheinstrumenttoextendedaudiences,aswellasbyprovidingadditional

opportunitiesfortravel,networking,recording,andperformingontheinstrument.

Sparnaayspentalargeportionofhiscareertravellingtoothercountriestosharehis

musicandworkwithothermusicians.AsasoloistandalsowithDuoLeventandDouble

Action,hemadeseveraltripstoIrelandfrom1995to2008whichwillbediscussed

furtherinChapterThree.

1.4.3 HenriBok

InspiredbyEricDolphy,HenriBok(b.1950)isanotherDutchmanwhodedicatedhislife

tospecializinginthebassclarinet.Inhisbook,Boknotesthathundredsof

compositionshavebeenwrittenforanddedicatedtohimandthathehasrecorded

over20CDs.50HenriBokisbestknownforhisspecializationinchambermusic

performance.HehasbeenapartofmanyduosincludingDuoContemporain,Bass

Instincts,DuoNovair,DuoHeRo,DuoClarones,andDuoHevans.HewastheProfessor

ofBassClarinetattheRotterdamConservatoryformanyyearsandeducatedanew

generationofbassclarinettists.

In2005,BokorganizedTheFirstWorldBassClarinetConventioninRotterdam.The

conventiontookplacefrom21to23Octoberandwastocommemoratethefiftieth

anniversaryofthefirsteverbassclarinetrecitalthatwasperformedbyHorák(seeFig.

1.2).Theconventionfeaturedbassclarinettistsfromeverycontinentandcomprisedof

49Sparnaay,21–29.50Bok,Henri:NewTechniquesfortheBassClarinet,specialedition(Rotterdam:Self-published,1989/2005),76.

15

masterclasses,recitals,lectures,competitions,andconcerts.Themainperformers

featuredwereHorák,Bok,andSparnaay.Thiswasahugeachievementforthebass

clarinetcommunityasitcelebratedthebassclarinetasaninstrumentinitsownright,

insteadofmerelybeingalowerclarinet.

Figure1.2:FrontandbackofaflyerforTheFirstWorldBassClarinetConvention,courtesyofDrPaulRoe.

1.4.4 EricDolphy

AlthoughHorák,Sparnaay,andBokwereimportantfiguresintheclassicalmusicworld,

theAmericanjazzmusicianEricDolphy(1928–1964)was—andcontinuestobe—oneof

themostinfluentialbassclarinettistsofalltime.Dolphywasamulti-instrumentalist,

performingonbassclarinet,flute,andaltosaxophone.Inparticular,hissolobass

clarinetimprovisationsonBillieHoliday’sGodBlesstheChildhavebeeninspirational

enoughtocreatetranscriptionsthatarefrequentlyperformedtoday.

16

1.5 Conclusion

Ittookmanyyearsforthebassclarinettogainenoughmomentumtobecomeasolo

instrumentduetoissueswiththedesignandalackofinterestfromcomposersand

performers.Asthestructureofthebassclarinetbecamemoresophisticated,itslowly

gainedtheinterestofahandfulofclarinettistsandcomposers.Eventually,musicians

suchasHorákandSparnaayfellinlovewiththeinstrumentanddedicatedalarge

portionoftheirlivestodevelopingthesolorepertoire.Thetwentiethcenturysaw

unprecedentedinterestinthebassclarinetandtheresultingmusicfortheinstrument

isdiverse,experimental,andworthyoffurtherexamination.

17

CHAPTERTWO

STYLISTICINFLUENCESANDCHARACTERISTICSOFSOLOBASSCLARINETMUSIC

2.1Introduction

Thebassclarinetrepertoirethatexiststodayisconsiderablyvariedandlittleofitcan

beconsideredstandardortraditional.Influencesstemfromvariousdifferent

twentieth-centurystyleswhereincomposershavetestedthelimitsofrange,the

possibilitiesoftimbre,andthetechnicalfacilityoftheinstrument.Since1955,music

forthebassclarinethasbeeninfluencedbymanytwentieth-centurystylesincluding

aleatoricmusic,minimalism,electronicmusic,andjazzmusic,tohighlightonlyafew.

Thefirsthalfofthischaptersetsouttoprovidecontextforthebassclarinetrepertoire

inIrelandbydescribingeachofthestyleslistedabove,andbyshowingexamplesof

bassclarinetcompositionsfromthetwentiethcenturythatareinfluencedbythese

styles.Themusicalexcerptschosenareonlyaselectionofthehundredsofworks

writtenforthebassclarinet.

Thesecondhalfofthechapterpresentsanassortmentoftechniquesthatarepossible

onthebassclarinetandhowcomposershaveincorporatedthemintotheirworks.

Compositionsforthebassclarinetoftenrequirevariousextendedtechniquesand

specialeffects,arangespanningfourormoreoctaves,andelectronicset-ups.The

focusofthissectionisonlyoneffectsrelatingtothemusicthatwillbediscussedin

furtherchapters,notoneverybassclarinettechniquepossible.

18

2.1.1AleatoricMusic

Thewordaleatorydescribesmusic‘involvingelementsofrandomchoice(sometimes

usingstatisticalorcomputertechniques)duringtheircomposition,production,or

performance’.1Aleatoricmusicdevelopedinthesecondhalfofthetwentiethcentury

asasub-genreofexperimentalismandencompassedideassuchaselementsofchance,

openformcomposition,indeterminatenotation,improvisatoryelements,andgraphic

notation.

HenryCowell(1897–1965)wasoneofthefirstcomposerstoexplorethecompositional

techniquesthatledtoaleatoricmusic.Hecoinedtheterm‘elastic’torefertothe

rearrangementofhiscompositions,inlengthorinorder.MosaicQuartetforstrings

containedpre-determinednotationthatcouldbere-orderedbytheperformers.2He

soughttogivetheperformermorefreedomwithoutbeing‘sofreelyimprovisedasto

bevagueandpurposeless,wanderingformlessly’.3Thissentimentwaswellexpressed

byCowellinalettertoPercyGraingerin1937:

Latelyitwouldseemthatmodernmusichasgoneinthedirectionofmoreandmoreexactwriting down of notated details,making the performermore than ever areproducer of eachminute factor as directed by the composer. I seem to reactstronglyagainstthis,andwishtocomposeworkssoflexable[sic]informthatafineperformercanlegitimatelycontractorexpandtheform.[...]Theadvantageisinnotfreezingtheworkintoasetfigure,andingivingtheperformerascreativeajobastheoriginator(botharecomposers).4

JohnCage(1912–1992)developedhisownaleatoricmethodswhichresultedinchance

music.CageemployedchanceproceduresduringthecompositionalprocessofMusicof

Changes(1951).Hecreatedchartscontainingmusicalideasandthentossedcoinsto

1OxfordDictionaryofEnglish,‘Aleatory’(OxfordUniversityPress,2013).2Griffiths,Paul:ModernMusic:AConciseHistory(Malta:WorldofArt,1978/1994),107.3Cowell,Henry:‘RelatingMusicandConcertDance’,DanceObserver,4/1(1937),7–8,citedinMiller,LetaE.:‘HenryCowellandJohnCage:IntersectionsandInfluences,1933–1941’,JournaloftheAmericanMusicologicalSociety,59/1(2006),64.4Cowell,Henry:‘LettertoGrainger’,3December1937,(NYPLCowellCollection,box97),citedinMiller,64–65.

19

determinewhichideaswouldbeincludedinthecomposition.Thiswashisattemptto

liberatehimselffrom‘individualtasteandmemory(psychology)andalsoofthe

literatureand“traditions”oftheart’.5

Somecomposersleftelementsofchancetotheperformersinsteadofusingitasa

compositionaldevice.Openformcompositionsleavetheorderofmusicaleventsor

sectionstobedecidedbytheperformer,likeCowell’sMosaicQuartet.JohnP.Welsh

notesthatthesecanalsobecalledmobiles.Theyaredefinedascompositionswhere

‘thecomposertypicallynotatesmusicalelementsoreventswhichareassembled,

ordered,andcombinedbytheplayersorconductorsduringtheperformance’.6

Composerscancreateflexibleorcontrolledopenformcompositions.

ThethirdmovementofPierreBoulez’sThirdPianoSonata(1956–57)isanineteen-

pageopenformmovemententitled‘Constellation-miroir’.Theperformer’schoice(the

chanceelement)islimitedtodecidingontheorderofsegmentswithineachofthe

movement’ssectionsandtherearenotverymanyoptions.7EarleBrown(1926–2002)

createdseveralopenform.TwentyfivePages(1953)isatwenty-five-pagescore

whereinBrownhasinstructedtheperformerthatthepages‘maybeplayedinany

sequence’,‘beperformedeithersideup’,and‘eventswithineach2linesystemmaybe

readaseithertrebleorbassclef’.8Similarly,KarlheinzStockhausen’sPianoPieceXIhas

nineteensectionsthattheperformercanplayinanyorder.

MortonFeldman(1926–1987)iscreditedforhavingproducedthefirstscoreusinga

graphwithsymbolsasnotationinsteadoftraditionalmusicalnotation.Projection1for

5Auner,Joseph:MusicintheTwentiethandTwenty-firstCenturies(NewYorkandLondon:W.W.Norton&Co.,2013),203.6Welsh,JohnP.:‘OpenFormandEarleBrown'sModulesIandII(1967)’,PerspectivesofNewMusic,32/1(1994),256.7Trenkamp,Anne:‘TheConceptof'Alea'inBoulez's'Constellation-Miroir',Music&Letters,57/1(1976),5–7and9–10.8Lesser,David:‘Score,IdentityandExperienceinEarleBrown'sTwentyfivePages’,ContemporaryMusicReview,26/3–4(2007),478.

20

solocello(1950)allowstheperformertochoosepitcheswithinadefinedrangebased

onsmallerboxesdrawnandplacedinrelationtolargerboxes(seeEx.2.1).Although

thepitchesmayhavebeenindeterminate,Feldmanindicateswhichnotesshouldbe

bowedorplucked,andwhenharmonicsshouldbeplayed.Anotherindeterminate

elementwithinthepieceisthespatialplacementofrhythms.9

Example2.1:Feldman,Projection1(1950).10

Incontrast,CorneliusCardew’sTreatise(1960–1963),explorednotationwherethe

symbolsdidnotrepresentanypre-conceivedideas;the193-pagegraphicscorewas

publishedwithoutinstructions.Thisallowedperformerstocreatetheirownmusical

languagebasedonwhattheysawinthegraphicscore.11

9Johnson,Steven:‘Feldman,Morton’,GroveMusicOnline(OxfordUniversityPress),accessed11June2017.10Boutwell,Brett:‘MortonFeldman’sGraphicNotation:ProjectionsandTrajectories’,JournaloftheSocietyofAmericanMusic,6/4(2012),460.11Anderson,Virginia:‘“Well,it’saVerterbrate...”:PerformerChoiceinCardew’sTreatise’,JournalofMusicologicalResearch,25(2006),291-292.

21

Example2.2:Cardew,Treatise,page66.12

Severalgraphicscoreshavebeencreatedforbassclarinettists.DueBoemidiPraga(see

Section1.4.1)performedafewoftheseworksincludingRichardBrun’sPerpetual

Flowing(seeEx.2.3),AnestisLogothetis’sDesmotropieII,andRudolfRužička’s

Contaminationi.13AfterlearningoneofLogothetis’sgraphicscores(seeSection1.4.2),

Sparnaaylatercorrespondedwiththecomposerandseveralworkswerewrittenfor

him,includinganothergraphicscoreentitledFusion(seeEx.2.4).14

Example2.3:Brun,PerpetualFlowing.15

12Cardew,Cornelius:Treatise,(PetersEdition,editionno.EP7560),citedinAnderson,307.13Simmons,30-31.14Sparnaay,50-51.15Simmons,30.

22

Example2.4:Logothetis,Fusion.16

Theseworkschallengeperformerstoapproachpracticeandperformanceinnewways

byidentifyingwiththemusiconamorepersonallevelandfindingsolutionstothe

undefinedaspectsofeachcomposition.

2.1.2Minimalism

Thetermminimalismoriginatedfromthevisualartsandeventuallybecameappliedto

anarrayofmusicalcompositionsandcomposersstartinginthe1960s.MichaelNyman

explainedthatminimalismwasperhapstheinevitableresponsetoindeterminate

music,wherecomposersdecided‘toreducetheirfocusofattentiontosingularity’

ratherthanmultiplicity.Nymandescribesthemostcommonfeaturesofminimalist

musicashavingaminimumofmusicalmaterials(mainlytonal)thatwereselected

extremelycarefullyandputthroughproceduresthatarehighlyrepetitiveand

disciplined.17

16Sparnaay,51.17Nyman,Michael:ExperimentalMusic:CageandBeyond(Edinburgh;NewYork:CambridgeUniversityPress,1999),139.

23

Minimalismrenewedvisionsoftonalityandrhythm,focusingonsteadypulsesand

musicalprocesses.Theseprocesseswereoftenhighlightedbyrepetitiveideasthat

changedveryslowlyoveralongperiodoftime.Oneofthemostprominent

minimalists,SteveReich,wrotethat‘amusicalprocessshouldhappenextremely

gradually…soslowlythatlisteningtoitresembleswatchingtheminutehandona

watch–youcanperceiveitmovingafteryoustaywithitalittlewhile’.18Asidefrom

Reich,othercomposersassociatedwithminimalismincludeLaMonteYoung,Philip

Glass,andTerryRiley.

Young(b.1935)isoftencitedasoneoftheforerunnersofminimalism.Inmanycases,

hiscompositionsarecomprisedofsustainedlongnotes,lastingforextendedperiodsof

time.19Forexample,thecompositionForBrass(1957)isentirelymadeupoflong

dronesandtheonlychangesthatoccurwithinthepiecearewhenanotherlongtoneis

addedorwithdrawn.20

InDeathChant(1961),writtenforachild’sfuneral,Youngutilizedacompositional

techniquecoinedadditiveprocesses.DeathChantbeginswithasimpletwo-note

motiveandwitheachrepetition,anewnoteisaddedattheendofthemotive(seeEx.

2.5).21PhilipGlass’s1+1(1968)isderivedfromtworhythmicideasthatcanbe

combinedusingtheadditiveprocesstechnique(seeEx.2.6).Repetition,sequences,

andpermutationsallplaymajorrolesinGlass’compositions.

18Schwarz,K.Robert:Minimalists(London;NewYork:PhaidonPress,2008),11.19Nyman,140.20Ibid.,141.21Obendorf,Hartmut:Minimalism:DesigningSimplicity(Hamburg:Springer,2009),45.

24

Example2.5:Young,DeathChant.22

Example2.6:Glass,1+1.23

TerryRiley’sInC(1964)wasinfluentialforreintroducingtonalitytothetwentieth

centuryclassicalmainstream.Thescoreiscomprisedoffifty-threecellsandcanbe

performedbyanynumberofmusicianswithanykindofinstrument.Allperformers

initiallystartwiththesamecell,butarefreetoenteratdifferenttimes.Each

performerwillrepeatwhichevercelltheyareonuntiltheydecidetomoveontothe

nextcell.Asteadypulse,createdbytwoCsinthehighregisterofakeyboard

instrument,ismaintainedthroughouttheentirework.24

22Obendorf,45.23Nyman,148.24Schwarz,44–45.

25

WayneSiegel’sJackdaw(1995rev.2000)forbassclarinetandelectronicsisinfluenced

byminimalistideas.Whenperformedwell,theaudienceismesmerizedbythe

constantpulseandtheseamlessinteractionbetweenthebassclarinetpartandthe

electronics.Themusicalmaterialisrepetitivewithineachsection,yetconstantly

evolving.Anexampleofanadditiveprocess(likeYoung’sDeathChant)canbeseenat

bar28(seeEx.2.7).Aone-notemotiveisrepeatedseveraltimesbeforeitbeginsto

evolve;witheachrepetition,morenotesareaddedtothemotive.

Example2.7:Siegel,Jackdaw,28–49.25

2.2.3ElectronicMusic

Thecreationanddevelopmentofelectronicmusicgreatlyaffectedmusicinthe

twentiethandtwenty-firstcenturies.Notonlywerenewelectronicinstrumentslike

thethereminandtheelectricguitarcreated,newrecordingtechnologiesbecame

25Siegel,Wayne:Jackdaw(OnlineSheetMusic:WayneSiegel,1995rev.2000),2.

26

available(suchasthemagnetictaperecorder),providingcomposerswithnew

mediumsforcompositionalexperiments.Newtechnologyenabledcomposerstowork

withanewpaletteofsounds.Recordedsoundscouldnowbemanipulatedinwaysthat

werenotpreviouslypossibleandanewrangeofelectronicallycreatedsoundsbecame

possible.

EarlyelectronicmusicinEuropeisoftendividedintotwostrands:musiqueconcrètein

FranceandelektronischemusikinGermany.Thepioneersofmusiqueconcrète,Pierre

SchaefferandPierreHenry,constructedmusic‘usingsoundrecordingtools,natural

sounds,electronicsignals,andinstrumentalsounds’.26Generallyspeaking,musique

concrètereferstorecordedsoundsthatarethenmanipulated.Anexampleofmusique

concrèteisSchaeffer’sétudeauxcheminsdefer(1948)whichwascomposedfrom

recordedtrainsounds;audibletrainsoundsincludetrainwhistles,thetrainleavingthe

station,wheelsonthetracks,andsteam-likesounds.

ElektronischemusikwasfirstdevelopedbyHerbertEimertinCologne.Incontrastto

Schaeffer’seffortsinParis,activityinColognerevolvedaroundelectronicallycreated

sounds.AdemonstrationofelectronicmusicwaspresentedatDarmstadtinthe

summerof1952.Musicasuduedimensioni(MusicinTwoDimensions)wasa

collaborationbetweenDrWernerMeyer-EpplerandtheItaliancomposerBruno

Maderna.Thecompositionwasforflute,cymbals,andtape,andaflautistperformed

alongwiththeelectronicmusicforthepresentation.27Theinteractionbetween

acousticinstrumentsandrecordedelectronicmusicisstillfrequentlyexplored.

Stockhausencomposedanelectroniccomposition,GesangderJünglinge(1955–1956),

thatdrewontechniquesdevelopedatboththeFrenchandGermanelectronicmusic

studios.Hisattemptstocomposewithbothacousticandelectronicelements,without

26Holmes,Thom:ElectronicandExperimentalMusic:Technology,Music,andCulture(NewYork:Routledge,2012),49.27Auner,61and63.

27

emphasizingonemorethantheother,setanewlevelofsophisticationforelectronic

compositions.28

HarrySparnaay’sfirstopportunitytocombinebassclarinetwithelectronicscamein

1971.TonBruynèl,thefirstDutchcomposertosetuphisownelectronicstudio,wrote

Intra(1971rev.1989)forbassclarinet,soundtracks(tape),andringmodulator.29Inthe

wordsofBruynèl,‘Intraisajourneythroughthetubeofabassclarinet,travelling

throughholesandaroundkeys’.30Theset-upforIntraisanexampleofwhatwas

requiredtoplaywithelectronicsinthe1970s(seeFig.2.1).31Themodulatorprovides

theperformerwiththemeanstomanipulatethetimbreofthebassclarinet,andasa

result,Intracontainselementsofliveelectronicperformance.

Figure3.1:Electronicset-upforIntra,TonBruynèl.32

28Holmes,73–74.29AdigitalversionforbassclarinetandlaptopwascreatedbybassclarinettistMarijvanGorkomandJessicaAslan.ThiswasinformationwaspostedonGorkom’sblog:http://sonicspaces.tumblr.com/post/16170125756/intra.30Informationtakenfromthecomposer’swebsite:http://www.tonbruynel.nl/notes/intra.htm.Moreofthecomposer’sinformationisonthedemoofthescorefoundonDonemus’swebsite:https://webshop.donemus.nl/action/front/sheetmusic/1747.31Sparnaay,107.32Ibid..

28

Intheperformancenotes,Bruynèlwritesthatthe‘wayofplaying[Intra]isfree;[the]

repetitionoftoneswithintheindicatedtime[s]arepermitted’.33Mostofthepieceis

verydrone-like,withlonglowtonesemanatingfromboththesoundtrackandthebass

clarinetparts(seeExample2.8).Sporadicburstsofenergyfromthebassclarinetpierce

throughtheelectronicpartsinupwardssweepingmotions.Towardstheendofthe

composition,thebassclarinetmultiphonicsblendeffectivelywiththesoundtracksto

createanetherealeffect.

Example2.8:Bruynèl,Intra,1’15–1’45.34

Manyothercompositionscombiningbassclarinetandelectronicsemergedbeforethe

turnofthecentury.Forexample,RolfGelhaar’sPolymorph(1977)wascreatedforbass

clarinetandtapedelay,requiringtwotaperecorders.35Today,performerscanperform

fixedelectronicpieceswithonlytheirsmartphoneandasetofspeakers.The

combinationofbassclarinetandelectronicsdidnotsubsidewiththeendofthe

twentiethcentury;anincreasingnumberofcompositionsforbassclarinet,electronics,

andotherformsofmediacontinuetobecomposedallovertheworld.

33Bruynèl,Ton:Intra,SamplePages,(Amsterdam:Donemus,1971rev.1989),accessed10September2017,https://webshop.donemus.nl/action/front/sheetmusic/1747,4.34Bruynèl,5.Fromtoptobottom,thescoreshowstiming,notesonthetapepart,bassclarinetnotation,andcontrolsignals.35Sparnaay,108.

29

2.2.4JazzMusic

Withthedevelopmentofrecordingtechnologies,manytwentiethcenturycomposers

grewuplisteningtorecordingsofjazzmusic.Composersdrewinspirationfromthe

rhythms,harmonies,forms,andinstrumentationofjazzmusictobringfreshsourcesof

inspirationandcolourtotheircompositions.

Inspiredbyragtime,composersbegantousesyncopationintheircompositions.For

example,PercyGraingermadeextensiveuseofthecakewalkrhythminhispianopiece,

InDahomey(1903–9).InExample2.9,Graingerhascomposedthecakewalkfigureinto

therighthandofthepianopart,repeatingiteverytwobeats.

Example2.9:Grainger,InDahomey,16–17.36

DariusMilhaud’sLacréationdumonde(1923)wasinfluencedbytherhythmic

syncopationsofjazzmusicandbythebluesscale;Milhaudused‘blue’notessuchas

minorthirds,augmentedfourths,andminorseventhstoevokejazzsounds.37

ChristopherHobbscomposedasolobassclarinetpieceforIanMitchellentitledWhy

Not?(1994).Themarking‘withaswing’atthebeginningofthepiececlearlyindicates

36Grainger,PercyAldridge:InDahomey(“CakewalkSmasher”),(NewYork:C.F.Peters,1987).37Miller,R.Ward:‘DefiningJazzElementsInDariusMilhaud'sLaCréationduMonde’,JournalofBand

Research,50/1(2014),7–8.

30

thatWhyNot?ismeanttobeplayedwithjazzinflections(seeEx.2.10).Hobbshasnot

usedbarlinesortimesignatures,leavingphrasingtotheperformer’sintuition.

Example2.10:Hobbs,WhyNot?,page1,line1.

Syncopationsareaprominentfeatureinthispiece,aswellasthejuxtapositionof

impliedsimpleandcompoundtimes(seeEx.2.11).

Example2.11:Hobbs,WhyNot?,page3,lines3–4.

2.2ExtendedTechniques

Composersinthetwentiethcenturybeganemployingextendedtechniquestocreate

newsoundsandeffectsintheircompositions.Forexample,Cowellfeltthatold

instrumentswerenotcapableofnewtonecolours;therefore,hissolutionwasto

exploretheinsideofthepiano,treatingitlikeanewinstrumentwhichhecalledthe

‘stringpiano’.38SomeofCowell’scompositionssuchasTheAeolianHarp(1924),The

38Cizmic,Maria:‘EmbodiedExperimentalismandHenryCowell'sTheBanshee’,AmericanMusic,28/4(2010),438.

31

Banshee(1925),andSinisterResonance(1930)makeuseofthepianoinnon-traditional

ways.

Severalexpressivesoundscanbemadeonthebassclarinet.Manyoftheseeffectsare

consideredtobeextendedtechniquesbecausetheyextendthesonoritiesofthe

instrumentbeyondwhatitwasdesignedfor;however,manyextendedtechniquesare

nowconsideredstandardforbassclarinettistssinceitcanbedifficulttofindrepertoire

withoutatleastoneofthesetechniques.

2.2.1SlapTonguing

Slaptonguingisanextendedtechniqueusedbyreedplayersthatischaracterizedbya

percussivepoppingsound.Toexecutethistechnique,theperformerpullsthereed

backwiththeirtongueandcreatesavacuumsealbetweenthetongueandthereed;

whentheperformerquicklypullstheirtonguebackandreleasesthereed,itsnapsback

andcreatesthedistinctivepoppingsound.Avarietyofslaptonguesoundscanbe

madefromdelicatetoaggressivedependingonseveralfactorsincludinghowstrong

thesealis,iftheperformerblowsairintotheinstrumentwhilethereedissnapping

back,andthequantityofairtheperformeruses.

Slaptonguingisparticularlyeffectivewhenemployedinthelowregisterofthebass

clarinet.Itcanbeusedrhythmicallytocreateabasslineorasecondvoice,oritcanbe

usedasaspecialpercussiveeffect.DavidLang’sPressRelease,recordedbyEvan

Ziporyn,isagreatexampleofarhythmicslaptonguingeffect(seeEx.2.12).

32

Example2.12:Lang,PressRelease,16–22.39

Althoughslaptonguingisnotindicatedinthescore,Ziporynusedslaptonguingforthe

lowermelodiclineinhisrecordingofPressRelease.40Sincethecompositionwas

writtenforZiporyn,itseemslikelythatLangapprovedorpossiblyevensuggestedslap

tonguing.Lang’srequestinthescorefora‘grittyandhard’basslineisachievedwell

withslaptonguing.Asaresult,otherperformerswhohavepostedvideosof

themselvesperformingLang’sworkhavealsousedslaptonguing.41Slaptonguingreally

helpsdrivethefunkbasslineandwithoutthis,thecontrastbetweentheupperand

lowerlinesisnotasstrong;however,someperformersmaychoosenottoslaptongue

asitcanbecometiringafteranextendedperiodoftime.PressReleasecanbe

convincinglyperformedwithoutslaptonguing;theAmericanbassclarinettistMichael

Lowenstern,wellknownforhiseducationalvideosonYouTube,postedavideoof

himselfperformingPressReleasewithouttheuseofslaptonguing.42

2.2.2FlutterTonguing

Fluttertonguingisacommonextendedtechniqueusedbywindplayers.Thistechnique

createsatextureintheairstreamthatcanevokedifferenteffects.Forexample,

39Lang,David:PressRelease,SampleScore(NewYork:G.Schirmer,1991),accessed7September2017,http://digital.schirmer.com/chamber/tri/sample/samples/l/press_release_basscl_30051.pdf.40Ziporyn,Evan:‘DavidLang:pressrelease’,accessedSeptember72017,https://evanziporyn.bandcamp.com/track/david-lang-press-release,fromLang,David:‘PressRelease’,ThisisNotaClarinet,EvanZiporyn,bassclarinet,CantaloupeMusicCA21002.41Liang,Jack:‘DavidLang,PressRelease’(May202015),accessedSeptember72017,https://youtu.be/v7DEMwqUyuw.42Lowenstern,Michael[EarspasmMusic]:‘PressReleasebyDavidLang.Howdoyoupracticeapiecelikethis?!’(October42016),accessedSeptember72017,https://youtu.be/486NaFl1tF4.

33

RichardStraussdepictsthebleatingofsheepinDonQuixotebyaskingforflutter

tonguinginthebrass,clarinet,andbassclarinetparts.43Fluttertonguingwasalsoused

injazzmusicinthetwentiethcentury.

2.2.3MultiphonicTechniques

Multiphonicsarecolourfulsoundsproducedbytypicallymonophonicinstruments.

SarahWattshasresearchedandwrittenextensivelyaboutbassclarinetmultiphonics,

classifyingthemintotwocategories.Herdefinitionisasfollows:

TypeOnemultiphonicsarebasedonstandardlownotefingeringsandareproducedbyaplayermanipulatingtheembouchureinsuchawaythatthefrequenciesoftheharmonic series increase inaudibilityproducinga strong setofmultiple sounds.TypeTwomultiphonicsarecreatedbytheplayerusingspecialfingeringsthatarenotthestandardfingeringsusedwhenproducingasingletone.44

TypeOnemultiphonicstypicallyproducemorecomplexsounds,whereasTypeTwo

multiphonicscanproduceanarrayofdifferentsounds,fromcleartoindistinct

soundingmultiphonics.

EricDolphyusedmultiphonicsinhisjazzbassclarinetmusicleadinguptothe1970s.

Shortlythereafter,multiphonicsincontemporarysolobassclarinetmusicemergedin

themusicthatwaswrittenforHarrySparnaay.JosefHorákalsoperformedworkswith

multiphonicsinthe1970s,SofiaGubaidulina’sDots,Lines,andZigzags(1976)being

oneexample.45

Composersgenerallynotatemultiphonicsinoneoftwoways.Thefirstmethodisto

writemultiphonicsrigidly,withparticularfingeringsandpitchesmarkedinthescore.

43Strauss,Richard:DonQuixote(Munich:Jos.AiblVerlag,1898),accessed6June2017,InternationalMusicScoreLibraryProject,http://imslp.org/wiki/Don_Quixote,_Op.35_(Strauss,_Richard).ThefluttertonguingtakesplaceinVariationTwo.44Watts,Sarah:SpectralImmersion(Ruisbroek-Puurs:MetropolisMusicPublishers,2015),1.45Simmons,26–27.

34

Anexampleofspecificpitcheswrittenintothescorewiththeiraccompanying

fingeringscanbeseeninEnriqueRaxach’sChimaera,forbassclarinetandmagnetic

tape,writtenforHarrySparnaayin1974(seeEx.2.13).Thefingeringsareindicated

abovethestaff.

Example2.13:Raxach,Chimaera,8’15”.46

Thesecondmethodofwritingmultiphonicsistogivesomefreedomtotheperformer

withgeneralguidelinesonhowthemultiphonicsshouldbeplayed,suchasgivinga

descriptionoftheirsoundqualityorpitchrange.Anexampleofthiscanbefoundin

the1987editionofArneMelläs’sRiflessioniforbassclarinetorclarinetandtape.Inthe

score,Melläsmakesadistinctionbetweenfourkindsofmultiphonicsbyusinggraphic

notationandalegend(seeEx.2.14).Hismultiphonicsarebrokenintocomplex/shrill

sounds,lesscomplex/shrillsounds,complex/mildsounds,andlesscomplex/mild

sounds.Multiphonicshavebeennotatedinmanyotherdifferentwaysdependingon

whatthecomposeristryingtoaccomplish,butMelläs’sversionofnotationgivesthe

performerthefreedomtofindmultiphonicsthatwillworkforthemandtheir

instrument.

46Watts,8.

35

Example2.14:Melläs,Riflessioni,55–60.47

MultiphonicglissandiareextendedtechniquesderivedfromTypeOnemultiphonics

wheretheperformerslidesthroughdifferentharmonicsinaglissando-likemotion

whilekeepingthefundamentalnoteunderneath.Thistechniquecanbeperformedina

controlledmanneroritcanbewildandunpredictable,andsoundlikeanelephantcall.

2.2.4ColourFingerings,QuarterTones,andTimbralTrills

ManyWesternclassicalcomposerswereinterestedinmicro-tonesinthetwentieth

century.Althoughthebassclarinetwasnotdesignedformicro-tonalpiecesorscales,

fingeringscanbemanipulatedandchangedonthebassclarinettocreatequarter-

tones.AnexampleofquartertonescanbefoundinIsangYun’sMonologforbass

clarinetsolo,writtenforHarrySparnaay(seeEx.2.15).48Composerssometimesaskfor

colourfingeringsinsteadofquartertones,indicatingthattheyaremoreinterestedina

coloureffectthanapreciselytunednote.Timbraltrillsaretrillsbetweentwonotes

thataregenerallyaquartertoneorlessapartintuning.Theseeffectsaddsubtlecolour

changestothemusic,asopposedtomanyothereffectswhicharemuchmore

noticeablesuchasslaptonguingorfluttertonguing.

47Sparnaay,137.48Ibid.,125.

36

Example2.15:Yun,Monolog.

2.2.5GlissandiandVibrato

Glissandiandvibratowereusedextensivelybyclarinettistswhoplayedinjazzgenres.

Vibratocanbecreatedbymanipulatingeitherthejaworairstreamandcanbesubtle

orexaggerated.Whenclarinettistsusevibratoinclassicalmusic,itisusuallyfrowned

upon,butitisnotthesameforbassclarinettists.Thismaybebecausethebassclarinet

repertoireismostlycontemporaryandperformancetraditionshavenotyetbecome

fixed.Contemporarycomposerswilleitheruseasymboltoshowthattheywant

vibrato(seeEx.2.16)ortheymayjustwritein‘withvibrato’.

Example2.16:Kucera,Duodramma.49

Whilecertainextendedtechniquesaremoreeffectiveonthebassclarinetthanthe

sopranoclarinet(slaptonguing,forexample)thereareothertechniquesthatwork

betteronthesopranoclarinet.Oneofthesetechniquesistheglissando.Soprano

49Sparnaay,91.

37

clarinetshaveopentoneholeswherefingerscanslowlyslideovertheholestocover

them,helpingtocreatetheglissandoeffect.Thebassclarinetisnotascapableofsuch

effectsbecausethekeysdonothaveholesinthem;iftheydid,themusician’sfingers

wouldnotbeabletocoverthesizeoftheholes!Still,composersoftenwriteglissandi

intobassclarinetworks.Theglissandoeffectcanbedonewellinthehighregisterof

thebassclarinet,anditcanbefakedinthelowerregisters.

2.2.6BreathSoundsandKeySlaps

Composershavebecomeinterestedinextendedtechniqueswheretheperformer

doesnotblowintotheinstrumentnormally.Performerscanblowairthroughthebass

clarinetwithoutvibratingthereed,resultinginawindsound.Thepitchoftheair

soundscanbeslightlyalteredbychangingfingeringswhileblowingintothe

instrument.

Pitchedkeysoundsemergewhenvigorouslypressingdowntheappropriatekeyson

thebassclarinet.Notallpitchescanbesoundedwithkeyslapssincesomenotes

requirethekeystobeopened,notclosed.Thiseffectcanalsobecombinedwith

breathsounds.AnexampleofthisisinMauricioKagel’sSchattenklänge(1995)forbass

clarinetandtape(seeEx.2.17).

Example2.17:Kagel,Schattenklänge.50

50Sparnaay,106.

38

2.3Conclusion

Havingexaminedselectmusicalstylesandspecialeffectspresentinthetwentieth

centurybassclarinetrepertoire,itisclearthattheinstrumentiswellsuitedfor

composerswishingtoexploreandexperimentwithsound.Theemergenceofbass

clarinetspecializationinIrelandhasopenedupanewareainIrishcomposition.The

nextchapterwillconsiderthefactorsthatmotivatedthecreationofsolobassclarinet

musicinIreland.

39

CHAPTERTHREE

THEEMERGENCEOFSOLOBASSCLARINETSPECIALIZATIONINIRELAND

3.1 TheBassClarinetinIrishChamberMusic

Leadinguptothetwenty-firstcentury,themainsourceofbassclarinetmusicinIreland

waseitherthroughlargeensemblessuchasorchestrasandwindbands,orthrough

chambermusic.Thebassclarinetismorelikelytobeheardinachamberensemble

thaninalargeensemble,suchastheorchestra;therefore,itisreasonabletoexamine

bassclarinetchambermusicinordertorevealtheextentofbassclarinetactivityin

Irelandbeforecomposersstartedtowritesolocompositionsfortheinstrument.

Inthe1970s,twoIrishcomposerswrotechambermusicpiecesthatincludedthebass

clarinet.1A.J.Potter’sArklowQuartet(1976–77)wasscoredasbothabrassandreed

quartet.2GerardVictory’sAdestHora(1977)–aquintetscoredforclarinetdoubling

bassclarinet,percussion,violin,celloandpiano–waspremieredin1978atTrinity

CollegeDublinbyagroupfromLondon.GeraldBarry’schamberwork'________'

(1979)hastwoclarinetpartsthatdoublewithbassclarinet,butthebassclarinetparts

treattheinstrumentlikealowclarinet.

Thereappearstohavebeensomeinterestincomposingforthebassclarinetinthe

1980s.JamesWilson,PiersHellawell,andFrankCorcoranwroteduosforthebass

clarinetandanotherinstrument.Curiously,thesethreeworkswereallwrittenin1983.

1JaneO’Leary’sQuartet(1968)istheearliestchambermusicpiecewithabassclarinetpart,butitwaswrittenbeforeshemovedtoIrelandandwaspremieredintheUSA.AlthoughlistedonCMC’swebsite,BarryGuy’sBitz(1979)waspremieredinLondonbytheCapricornEnsembleandwascomposedbeforeGuymovedtoIreland.2SincetheperformerswerefromtheArklowSilverBand,abrassband,itislikelythatthequartetwasperformedfirstasabrassquartetandlaterasareedquartet.

40

Wilson’sTwobyFourbyTwoforbassclarinetdoublingtenorsaxophone,and

vibraphonedoublingmarimbawasnotpremiereduntil1996,andCorcoran’sLinesand

ConfigurationswaspremieredinGermany,theIrishpremierehavingtakenplacein

Dublinin1995.EventhoughHellawell’sDanceParagraphsforclarinetdoublingbass

clarinetandpianowaspremieredin1984,thistookplaceinLondon.Barry’schamber

musicsextetBob(1989)wascommissionedbyLondonNewMusicandsubsequently

premieredinLondon.Wilson,GerardVictory,andJohnBuckleywrotelargerchamber

ensembleworkswithbassclarinetparts.OnlyWilson’sNighttown(1982)isknownto

havebeenpremieredinIreland;itwasfirstperformedbytheDublinSinfoniaatthe

NationalConcertHallinDublinin1983.

Althoughtherewerebassclarinetpartsinchambermusiccompositionsinthe1970s

and80s,performancesoftheseworkswerescarcelyheardinIreland.Thereareseveral

explanationsastowhymanyworkswithbassclarinetpartswereeitherpremiered

outsideofIrelandorwerenotpremieredinIrelanduntilyearsafterthecomposition

hadbeenwritten.SomeIrishcomposersmaynothavebeenlivinginIrelandduringthis

timeperiod.Forexample,Corcoran’sLinesandConfigurationswaspremieredin

Germanywhilehewaslivingthere.Inothersituations,thecomposermayhaveknown

abassclarinettistoutsideofIreland.Forinstance,theEnglishbassclarinettistRichard

HosfordcommissionedHellawelltowriteDanceParagraphs;therefore,itmakessense

thatHosfordwouldhavepremieredthepieceinEngland.Athirdreasoncouldhave

beenthelackofabassclarinetspecialistinIreland.

Thisbringsustothe1990swhenPaulRoebegantoplayregularlywiththe

contemporarymusicgroupConcorde,andincreasinglyonthebassclarinet.Itwasat

thispointthathecametorealize,byresearchinglocalarchives,3that‘there[was]very

littlemusicthat[was]writtenbyIrishcomposersforthebassclarinet’.4Roe’sinterest

3Roe,Paul:‘APhenomenologyofCollaborationinContemporaryCompositionandPerformance’(PhD,TheUniversityofYork,2007),59.4InterviewwithPaulRoe,3August2017,AppendixB:89.

41

indevelopingthebassclarinetrepertoirewasfurtherstimulatedbyhisinvolvement

withConcorde.RoecommentedonthechangewithinConcorde:

Firstofall,whenIwaswithConcordeIwasprimarilyanensembleplayerwhodidsomesolopieces,but[…]astimehasgonealongI’vedonemoreandmoresolostuffwithinConcorde.SomostconcertswedoinConcordeIwouldhavesomesolopiecesorapieceforsolobassclarinet,soloclarinet,orduos…Actually,Ithinkthatwasalsobecausemostofthestuffwedidwasforthefullensemble,fiveinstruments,sometimessix.Thenovertheyearswebegantoplayindifferentspaces,wedidmoreduos,moretrios,moresolos,andofcourseallofthatinspiredmetogetmorerepertoire.5

Roe’sinterestinbuildingthesolorepertoirebecametheturningpointintheroleof

thebassclarinetasasoloinstrumentinIreland.

3.2 Concorde,HarrySparnaay,andPaulRoe

ThecompletelackofsolobassclarinetmusicinIrelandinthetwentiethcenturywas

soonfollowedbyachangeindirectioninthetwenty-firstcentury.Theabsenceofa

bassclarinetspecialistinIrelandwouldhardlyhaveencouragedcomposerstowritefor

theinstrumentalone.Therewereafewkeydevelopmentsintheyearsleadingupto

2000(whenthefirstsolobassclarinetworkswerewrittenbyIrishcomposers)that

provideinsightintohowthebassclarinetrepertoireinIrelandemerged.Thefollowing

sectionexplorestheseheadways,includingRoe’sshiftfromplayingfulltimeinthe

NationalSymphonyOrchestra(NSO)tospecializingincontemporarymusicandthe

interconnectionsbetweenRoe,Sparnaay,andConcorde.

3.2.1 PaulRoeandContemporaryMusic:NewDirections

RoewasplayingclarinetintheNSOwhen,around1988,theconductorandclarinettist

AlanHackercametoIrelandtoguestconductaMozartOpera.WhileHackerwasin

Ireland,Roedecidedtotakesomeclarinetlessonswithhimashefeltthathe‘wanted

5InterviewwithRoe,AppendixB:92.

42

tolearnmore’andthathedidn’t‘haveenoughlearningoreducationasaclarinettist’.

Duringtheselessons,RoehadbeenplayingASetforClarinetbyDonaldMartino,and

Hacker‘openedupawholenewworldto[Roe]aboutcontemporarymusic’.Shortly

afterthisexchange,Roebeganplayingwiththecontemporarymusicensemble

ConcordeandinRoe’sownwords,‘thatreallystartedalife,acareerlongfascination

andinterestincontemporaryandnewmusic’.6

JaneO’LearyestablishedConcordein1976forthepurposeofperformingnew

compositions.7PaulRoebeganperformingwithConcordearound1990whilehewas

alsotheAssociatePrincipalClarinetoftheNSO.ForRoe,playingwithConcordeand

theNSOrepresentedtwoentirelydifferentareasofmusicperformance.Inan

interviewwithhisformerstudent,PabloManjón-CabezasGuzmán,hecommentedthat

playingintheorchestra

isreallylikebeinginthemidstofamachine,verywelloiled…butatthesametime,yourealisethatyourpartisveryspecifictotheworkingofthatmachine,butifyou’reinterestedinexploringotherpossibilities,yourthinkingistoagreaterorlesserextentinhibitedbecauseyourskillisbasedontheabilitytodeliververyeffectivelymusicthat’schosenforyoutoplayitandprescribedforhowyouplayitbyaconductor.8

PlayinginConcordegaveRoemoreopportunitiesasasoloistandasachamber

musician.Hefeltaconnectiontocontemporarymusicanditgavehimtheopportunity

to‘define[himself]asanartistmusician’.9

From1999to2000,RoetookayearofffromplayingwiththeNSOinordertocomplete

aMaster’sdegree.Thisbreakexpandedhis‘viewofpossibility,asamusician,asan

educator,[and]asanartist’.10Duringthisyear,RoeperformedthefirsttwoIrishsolo

6Manjón-CabezasGuzmán,Pablo:‘JaneO’LearyandHerApproachtoContemporaryMusicforClarinetandBassClarinet’(MMus,DublinInstituteofTechnology,2016),83–84.7Ibid.,62.8Ibid.,82.9Ibid.,85.10Ibid.,82.

43

bassclarinetworksattheContainersExhibitionwhichtookplacefrom18to30July

2000(discussedfurtherinSections4.3.1and4.3.2).ThetwopieceswereRob

Canning’sContinuum(2000)foramplifiedbassclarinetwithdigitaldelayandtape,and

MichaelHolohan’sOBreath(thesecondpartofTheLads,2000)forbassclarinetsolo.

Itwasduringthissummerthatheremembersfeeling‘agradualaccumulatingsenseof

dread’aboutreturningtoplayintheNSO.Itwasadifficultdecisionbasedonmany

factors,butultimatelyRoedecidedtoquittheorchestratofocuson‘developingasa

musician,asanartist[and]asaneducator’.11

3.2.2 HarrySparnaayinIreland

AnotherimportantoccasionwaswhenHarrySparnaaytravelledtoBelfastin1995to

performandgiveaworkshopattheSonoritiesFestivalof20thCenturyComposers.On

2May1995,hegaveaconcertfeaturingsevendifferentworksforbassclarinet,and

thenextday,3May,hegaveanimportantworkshopforcomposersandbass

clarinettists.12Sparnaay’sperformanceandworkshopinBelfastwasonlythebeginning

ofhistravelstoIreland.Forthenextthirteenyears,Sparnaaywouldbemakingtripsto

Irelandasasoloist,withtwoofhischambermusicduos(DuoLeventandDouble

Action),andtoperformwithensemblessuchasConcordeandCrashEnsemble.

Sparnaay’svisitstoIrelandweresubstantial.InaninterviewwithRoe,Iaskedhimwhat

effecthethoughtConcordehadhadonthebassclarinetrepertoire.Herepliedthatthe

connectionbetweenConcordeandthebassclarinet‘beginstoacertainextentwith

HarrySparnaay.’Sparnaay’scollaborationswithConcordeleftapermanentimpacton

allofthemembersoftheensemble.RoeparticularlygotonwithSparnaaybecause

they‘sharedalotofthesamehumour[…]andthesamepassionanddesirefornew

music’.13Inadifferentinterview,RoeremarkedthatSparnaay’sbiggestinfluenceon

11Manjón-CabezasGuzmán,81–83.12‘April29-May5’,TheIrishTimes,(Dublin:TheIrishTimesLtd.,29April1995).13InterviewwithRoe,AppendixB:92.

44

himwasdiscoveringhowimportant‘personality,[…]character,andindividuality’arein

music,ratherthanpurelybeinginfluencedbySparnaay’sstyleofplayingthebass

clarinet.14JaneO’LearyreflectedonthenumerouswaysSparnaayinfluenced

Concorde:

WelearnedhowtostandupandplayfromHarry,andinthosedaysnobodydid,ofcoursenowadayseverybodydoes.Itmadeahugedifference,Imeanitjustconnectswiththeaudiencesomuchbetter…IguessHarryintroducedustoalotofrepertoire,hewouldcomeandhewouldplaypiecesthatwereimportanttohim.They[HarrySparnaayandPaulRoe]didquitealotofduostogetherwiththesecollaborativeconcerts.Hereallytaughtuseverythingweknowaboutthebassclarinet,Ihavetosay,bothforPaulandforallofus,notonlythewindplayers.Heopeneditupandmadeusbraverandmoresensitivetocertainthingsthatyouneedtolistenforinanensemble.Heissuchastrongplayerthatwhenyou’replayingwithhim,hewouldclearlyleadtheensembleandthatwasimportanttounderstandthatyoucanhavesomebodywithinthegroupwhoisactuallyleadingit.15

SparnaayalsobroughtalotofinternationalbassclarinetrepertoiretoIrelandand

demonstratedduringseveraldifferentperformanceshowcolourfulandversatilethe

bassclarinetcanbe.ManyofhisperformancesaroundIrelandwerereviewedinThe

IrishTimesandnotoneofthemwasunfavourable.EarlyreviewsdazzledatSparnaay’s

shockingvirtuosityonthebassclarinet;however,thissoonbecameunsurprising,and

inDecember2002,reviewerMichaelDervanremarkedthatSparnaay’sperformance

displayed‘predictableflashesofgenius’.16

3.2.3 PaulRoeandConcorde

ForRoe,asidebenefitofplayinginConcordewasthechancetodiscoverwhich

composershe’dliketoworkwithandhavewriteapieceforbassclarinet.Intheearly

2000s,Roecommissionedfivecomposers,withfinancialsupportfromtheArtsCouncil,

towritesoloworksforthebassclarinetaspartofhisPhDresearchontheprocessof

14Manjón-CabezasGuzmán,90.15Ibid.,69.16Dervan,Michael:‘EnjoyingtheNorthernHighlights’,TheIrishTimes,(Dublin:TheIrishTimesLtd.,10December2002).

45

collaborationbetweencomposersandperformers.17Fourofthefiveworksemerged

andwerepremieredin2005:MonsterbyEdBennett,It’stheHolethatKillsYouNotthe

BulletbyStephenGardner,MusicforBassClarinetbyRonanGuilfoyle,andapiacereby

JaneO’Leary.O’Leary,GardnerandBennettwerethreemusiciansthatRoehadworked

withinConcordebeforeundertakinghisPhDproject.Thiswasahugestepforthebass

clarinetrepertoireinIreland.Roecommentedthat

youcanimaginefivenewpiecesthatwerecommissionedandpaidforinthespaceofacoupleofyearsreallywasabigchunk.Andthatspawnedawholelotofotherpiecesandotherinterestaroundthebassclarinetandbassclarinetsoloworks.18

3.3 Conclusion

ByexaminingtwentiethcenturybassclarinetchambermusicinIreland,itwasrevealed

thatConcorde,HarrySparnaay,andPaulRoeweremajorinfluencesintheemergence

ofsolobassclarinetrepertoireinIreland.Since2000,therepertoirehascontinuedto

expandanddiversify,creatingadistinctivespaceinIrishmusicforthebassclarinet.

17Roe,59.18InterviewwithRoe,AppendixB:92.

46

CHAPTERFOUR

SOLOBASSCLARINETMUSICINIRELAND

4.1. OverviewofIrishSoloBassClarinetMusic

AsurprisingnumberofestablishedIrishcomposershavewrittenatleastonesolobass

clarinetwork.AftersearchingthroughtheContemporaryMusicCentre’s(CMC)

database,thepersonalcollectionofbassclarinettistPaulRoe,andcomposers’

websites,Idiscoveredthattherearecurrentlyforty-twocompositionsbythirty-eight

Irishcomposersforunaccompaniedbassclarinet,orsolobassclarinetandelectronics.1

AfulllistofsoloworkscanbefoundinAppendixE.Additionally,therearesixteen

piecesforsolobassclarinetandpiano,andthirty-oneduosforbassclarinetand

anotherinstrument.Therearemanymorepiecesfeaturingthebassclarinet

soloisticallywithinchamberensemblessuchastrios,quartets,andlargerensembles.In

thischapter,Iwillbefocusingonlyonunaccompaniedbassclarinetmusic,andmusic

forbassclarinetandliveorfixedelectronics.

Oneofthethemesthatstoodoutduringmyresearchwasthatsolobassclarinetmusic

isoftenexplorativeinquality,providingtheperformerwithopportunitiestomakea

personalconnectionwiththepiece.WithintheIrishbassclarinetrepertoire,musical

characteristicsthatencourageexperimentationincludenon-standardnotation,

extendedtechniquesorotherspecialeffects,indeterminatenotation,improvisational

sections,thelackoftimesignaturesorbarlines,andgraphicnotation.Theamountof

repertoirewrittenfororpremieredbyPaulRoethatincludedtheseelementsisquite

large.Asaresult,thefocusofthischapterwillbetoexaminemusicthatwaswritten

fororpremieredbyRoe.

1Thiscountwasdoneinearly2017andtheremaybemorecompositionsthathavenotmadetheirwayintoCMC’sdatabaseyet.

47

4.2. PaulRoe’sApproachtoContemporaryMusic

AlotofmusicwrittenforthesolobassclarinetbyIrishcomposersincorporates

elementsthatpermittheperformertoexploreavarietyofdifferentsoundsand

encouragetheperformertoapproachtheirinstrumentinnewways.Realizingthis,I

decidedtoinvestigatetheconnectionbetweenRoeandtheIrishcomposerswhohave

writtensoloworksforthebassclarinet.

4.2.1. Collaboration

BothRoeandcomposersinterestedinwritingforthebassclarinethaveinitiatedthe

creationofnewworks;however,therepertoirehasbeenshapedinpartbycomposers

withwhomRoehasactivelysoughtoutforcollaboration.Whencommissioningmusic,

Roeisinterestedinworkingwithcomposerswhohave‘asharpnessofmind’,are

curious,andinterestedincollaboration.2Withexperience,helearnedthatitwasmuch

moreenjoyabletoworkwithcomposers‘whoweremuchmoreopentoit[themusic]

beingsomethingthatwasupfordiscussion’thanthosewhowere‘verydirective,anda

littlebitresistive’.3

AnotherfactorthatcouldhaveaffectedtheoutputofrepertoireisthatRoeoftenhas

composersrecordhimplayingaroundonthebassclarinet.Theideaistogivethema

paletteofsoundsthatRoecanmakeonthebassclarinetorsoundsthatheenjoys

making.ThisallowsthecomposertohavesomethingspecifictoRoe’sstyletowork

withinadditiontoanyreferencematerialtheymayusetocomposeforthe

instrument.Hedidadmitthatthiscouldleadto‘somereallyinterestingconversations

tryingtorecreatewhathadbeenplayedspontaneouslyinthemoment’.4

2InterviewwithRoe,AppendixB:100.3Manjón-CabezasGuzmán,90.4InterviewwithRoe,AppendixB:105.

48

4.2.2. StylisticApproach

TheexplorativenatureofmanyofthecompositionswrittenforRoerunsparalleltohis

approachtoperformingcontemporarymusic.ToRoe,thesolobassclarinetrepertoire

inIrelandartisticallyreflectsbothhisandthecomposers’‘colour,imagination,gesture,

dynamism,energy,[and]intensity’.5Roe’sattitudetowardscontemporarymusicis

flexibleandopen-minded.Asabassclarinettist(andclarinettist),hewieldsadiverse

setofskillscapableofovercomingthekindsofchallengesthatoftenmaterializein

contemporarymusicsuchasunfamiliarorvaguenotationandvirtuosictechnical

challenges.Asacontemporarymusicperformer,Roehasneverbeenafraidof

experimentingandtryingnewthings.Ashesaidhimself:

I’veneverbeenoneofthesemusicians,‘OhIcan’tdothat!’[…]I’veneverbeentooafraidtotryallsortsofcrazythingsontheinstrumentincludingwaterinthebellofmybassclarinet[…]andallthissortofthing.6

Roeemphasizedthecreativeapproachhebelievesisnecessarytolearning

contemporarymusic:

WithcontemporarylearninglikeM[Monster]andP[Periastron]-thesonicrangeisamplifiedtosuchanextentweneedtomoveawayfrombeinginstrumentalistsandbecomemoresoundartists.ThefocusopensuponaMacroleveltoencompassavastworldofsoundpossibilitiesnotaccessibleontheplaneofsimplybeingaclarinettist.Ofcoursetherearetechnicalchallengestoovercomebutmuchofthelearningisaboutcarvingandsculptingasoundworldthatisonlypossiblewithconstantexperimentation.Withmoretraditionalrepertoiretheparametersofthesoundworldarestronglyestablishedhoweverwithcontemporarymusicasaperformerourroleistocreatenewsoundworlds.7

ComposerswritingforRoewouldbeprimarilyinfluencedbyhispersonalandmusical

qualities.Inane-mailinterview,hedescribedsomeofthesequalities:

5E-mailInterviewwithPaulRoe,23August2017,AppendixC:110.6InterviewwithRoe,AppendixB:98.7E-mailInterviewwithPaulRoe,2January2017,AppendixA:85.

49

letmeconsidersomequalitiesofmine[that]wouldhaveinfluencedcomposers.Iamcurious,philosophical,interestedinexploration,nonjudgemental(trytobe),fun.Iameasytoworkwith-haveagenuineinterestinpeopleandcreativityandsomewhatself-effacing.Asaplayer,whichformeisofsecondaryimportancethequalitiesaremusicalimagination,flexibility,widesoundpalette,technicallysupple,dynamicallyvaried,intellectualengaged,emotionallyconnectedandsomaticallyembodythework.8

Manycomposershavehighlightedtheimportanceofknowingthemusician(s)theyare

writingfor.Iftheyknowthetendenciesoftheperformerandhowtheysound,then

theycanwritewiththeknowledgethattheperformerwillbeopentoandcapableof

performingtheirideas.Thewaythecomposer‘hears’themusiciancaninfluencethe

composer’sstylisticdecisions.Forexample,JaneO’Leary,whohasworkedwithRoein

Concordeformanyyearsandwrittenseveralpiecesforhim,spokeaboutcomposing

forConcorde,saying‘Ihearhim[Roe]playinginhisparticularstyleandIthinkthatin

itselfencouragesmetobebraveandalittlemoreexploratorythanIwouldnormally

be’.O’Learydescribedhisstyleofplayingas‘veryopen,veryexploring,pushingthe

edge,alwayssearchingforsomethingnewandenjoyingthechallenge’.9Similarly,

whenEdBennettwasworkingonMonsterwithRoe,heexplainedtoRoehowhehad

beenaffectedbyhisstyle:

Icanmakecertainassumptionsaboutwhatyou’regoingtodowiththismusicandthesoundyouproduce,whereasifIwriteforsomegreatprofessionalplayerswhomakealovelysoundbutwhodon’tputanyoftheirowninputintoitI’dbeworriedbecauseIwouldthink,ohtheycanonlyplaywhat’sonthepage.10

4.3. ACross-surveyofWorkswithMusicallyExplorativeElements

AsaresultofRoe’sopen-mindedattitude,workswrittenforhimtendtobestylistically

varied.Inthissection,arangeofsolobassclarinetworksbyIrishcomposershavebeen

selectedtodemonstratethecompositionalelementsthatencourageperformersto

8E-mailInterviewwithRoe,AppendixC:110.9Manjón-CabezasGuzmán,66–68.10Roe,156.

50

exploredifferentapproachestoperformance,aswellastoattesttohowdiversethe

repertoireis.

4.3.1. OBreath

TheLads(2000)byMichaelHolohanwascommissionedfortheContainersExhibition

atTheGalwayArtsFestivalin2000.TheContainersExhibitionfeaturedtwenty-five

artistswhodesignedanobjectbasedontheword‘container’.11JaneO’Learywasone

ofthefivecomposerswhowaspairedwithadesignerandsherecalledthattheaim

wasto‘respondtotheideaofcontainers’andto‘respondtotheworkwhichtheartists

weremaking’.12TheLadscontainstwopieces:oneforsoloclarinetandoneforsolo

bassclarinet;ChatterboxisforclarinetandOBreathisforbassclarinet.

OBreathisatributetothefifty-eightChineserefugeeswholosttheirlivesto

asphyxiationinashippingcontainerthatwasdiscoveredinDover,EnglandinJune

2000.13TheoriginalperformanceofOBreathattheContainersExhibitionwas

accompaniedbyinstructionsthatRoehadtoexecutewhileperforming.Roedescribed

thechoreographyas‘reallyquitechallenging’sinceatonepointinChatterboxhehad

toputonearmthroughoneholeintheboxandhisotherarmthroughanotherholein

theboxandplaytheclarinetinthemiddle.14

RoeexplainedthatOBreath‘representsthatbreath,thelackofbreath’.15Itis

importantfortheperformertoconsiderdifferentmodesofcommunicatingthis

11GalwayArtsFestivalProgramme2000,accessed27August2017,https://issuu.com/galwayartsfestival/docs/galway_arts_festival_2000_programme.12Manjón-CabezasGuzmán,71.13‘58DeadinPortLorry’,BBCNewsOnline,(19June2000),accessed27August2017,http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/796791.stm.14InterviewwithRoe,AppendixB:95.15Ibid.,96.

51

subject.Breathingisrepresentedinaliteralsensewherethebassclarinettistbreathes

throughtheinstrument(seeEx.4.1).

Example4.1:Holohan,OBreath.16

Inthesecondfinalbarofthepiece,theperformerisinstructedtoplaynotesina

‘breathy’way(seeEx.4.2).OBreathendsonanetherealmultiphonicatthedynamicof

pianissimo.Suchasoftanddelicatemultiphonicseemsanalogoustotheword

requiescat.

Example4.2:Holohan,OBreath,inscriptionatbottomofscoreindicatinghistributetothevictims(Requiescatmeaning‘restinpeace’inLatin).

16Holohan,Michael:TheLads(Dublin,ContemporaryMusicCentreIreland:2000).

Scan

ned

by C

amSc

anne

r

Scan

ned

by C

amSc

anne

r

52

Inthemiddlesection,thereisamultiphonicsectionthatcontributestothe

melancholicnatureofthework.InRoe’srecordingofOBreath,availableatthe

ContemporaryMusicCentre,themultiphonicssoundalmostlikesomeonecrying

softly.Multiphonicscansometimessoundgratingandharsh,buttheonesRoechose

aremoredelicate.MultiphonicsarethemostchallengingaspectofOBreathsince

therearesomanyofthemandtheyrequiredifferentfingeringsthanregularnotes(see

Ex.4.3).Althoughtherearesuggestedfingeringsinthescore,performersmightneed

tocomeupwiththeirownifthesedonotworkontheirparticularinstrument.

Example4.3:Holohan,OBreath.

4.3.2. Continuum

Continuum,composedin2000,wascuttingedgeatthetime,combiningtechnology

withanacousticinstrument.BackwhenContinuumwaswritten,Roeremembersthat

Canningwas‘doingalotofexplorationwithtechnologyanddifferentapproachesto

composing’.AsRoereflectedonContinuum,herecalledtheneedfora‘particulardelay

machine’—notjustanydelaymachine—whichmeantthatitwasunfortunatelydifficult

toperformthispieceoften.17Theperformancerequiresatapedelaymachinewitha


Scan

ned

by C

amSc

anne

r

53

delayof6500millisecondsaswellastwomicrophones:onehookeduptothedelay

machineandanotherhookeduptothereverbunit.18Thedigitaldelaygivesthe

impressionofasecondbassclarinettistplayingalongwiththeperformer.

Continuumisnotavirtuosicwork.Ithasameditativequalitytoit,elicitedbysounds

emanatingfromthetapepartsuchasTibetanprayerbowlsbeingbowedorstruck,and

alimitedrange.Thetempoisveryslow(crotchetequalsforty-five)andeveryphrase

endswithalongnote,usuallycolouredbyvibratooratrill.Thereareafew

multiphonicsectionsinterspersedthroughoutthepiecewithsuggestedfingerings(see

Ex.4.4).Thechosenmultiphonicsblendwellwiththesoundsinthetapepart.

Example4.4:Canning,Continuum,5’24”.19

4.3.3. Monster

ComposedbyEdBennettin2005,Monsterforbassclarinetandfixedelectronicswas

partofRoe’sPhDresearchonthecollaborativeprocessbetweenperformersand

composers(seeSection3.2.3).

18Canning,Rob:Continuum(Dublin,ContemporaryMusicCentreIreland:2000),performancenotes.19Ibid.,2.

54

WhileContinuumisrelaxedandcontemplative,Monsterisextravertedanddynamic.

OneofthechallengesofMonsteristokeepahighlevelofenergythroughoutthe

entirepiece.Achallengingsectiontodothisismid-waythroughthepiecewhenthere

islesspitchmaterial(seeEx.4.5).Experimentingwithdifferentintensitiesofflutter

tonguingandvibratocanhelptheperformerfindavarietyoftexturestouseduring

performance.

Example4.5:Bennett,Monster,4’30”.

WorkingwithRoeonMonstergaveBennettachancetodevise‘flexiblewaysofscoring

thatleftroomforplentyofexperimentationonthepartoftheperformer’andthat

thereis‘nocomposerlyexpectationofareadingthatisoverlyfaithfultothetext’.20

Monsterincorporatesvariouslevelsofindeterminatenotationthatallowthe

performertomakealotofcreativedecisions.Roewrotethat

20Roe,174.

55

inperformance‘Monster’hasaspontaneousquality,reflectiveoftheimprovisatorycompositionalprocess.Ihaveperformedthispiecemanytimesandeachperformancehasafreshnessorflexibilitynotoftenfoundinprescriptivenotation.21

Cellswithmotivicideascanbefoundthroughoutthepiece.Someofthemshow

pitches,whileothersonlydemonstrateashapeofagesture(seeEx.4.6).Listeningto

thetapepartinthesesectionsandreactingtotheelectronicsoundsiskeytoexploring

differentwaystoapproachingtheindeterminatenotation.


Thereisalsoanextendedsectionthatisimprovisatoryonthesecondlastpageofthe

scorethatisaboutaminuteinlength(seeEx.4.7).Despitethefacttheitsaysinthe

score‘makeafastcontinuousrhythmictextureusingthesenotes’,itisbesttonottake

thistooliterally.Sincethissectionlastsforawholeminute,onlyplayingthesenotes

wouldgetquiteboring.Itismuchmoreinterestingandmonster-liketousetheentire

rangeofthebassclarinetthanstickingtoacompassoffivenotes.Formost

performers,thisislikelytobethemostchallengingpartofthepiece.Roefoundthat

forhim:

21Roe,182.

56

Thedifficultyisnotsomuchintheimprovisationbutintheintensityrequiredtobringitoff.Thereneedstobeafeelingofthingscomingapartattheseams.Onaphysical/somaticlevelthistakesalotofenergyandwillingnesstogobeyondstability.Therequirementistobereallyunhingedandunstable-thevisualishighlyrelevantandimportantandcannotbesimulated.Youreallyhaveto'losetheplot'ontheinsidemuchlikeanactorplayingaroleofacharacterhavingamentalbreakdown.22


Ifperformersdonothavemuchexperiencewithimprovisation,itisusefultoseta

stopwatchforoneminuteandplayupanddowntherangeofthebassclarinet,without

lettingthemindgettooinvolved.Iftheperformerspendstoomuchtimethinking

aboutwhatnotesaregoingtocomenext,itwillbetoolate.Thenotesneedtoflow

continuouslywithouthavingasenseofbeingprepared,otherwisethemonsterwillnot

beveryconvincing!Theenergyandcharacterofthissectionaremuchmoreimportant

thangettingthenotes‘right’.

22E-mailInterviewwithRoe,AppendixA:86–87.

57

4.3.4. Composure

Composure(2009)isagraphicscoreforbassclarinetthatistheresultofa

collaborationbetweenthecomposerDavidBremnerandPaulRoe.Itwas

commissionedbyRoewithfundsprovidedbytheArtsCouncil.Theindeterminate

resultsofmanyextendedtechniqueswerethemotivationsforworkingwithagraphic

score,ratherthantraditionalnotation.Graphicnotationwouldnotsuitevery

performer,butRoehadexperienceworkingwithgraphicscoresandasindicated

previouslyinSection4.2.2,heisopentodifferentcompositionalideasandnotafraidto

experiment.SpeakingabouthiscollaborationwithBremner,Roeexplainedthat

weknewthatthiswasamediumbywhichwecouldworkcollaboratively.He[Bremner]wasveryinterestedintheideaofcollaborativeworkingandexploringwhathappenswhenwechangethecontext,wetearawaythetraditionalwayofnotatingmusic.23

Thepremiseofthepiece‘revolvesaroundtheideaofcontainedenergy;“keepingone’s

composure”implyingthemaintenanceofashakycool,anditsfuturebreakdownunder

pressure’.Composureisnotpitchbased,butisratheranexplorationoftimbre;‘the

mainmotifisthatofthenotewhichbreaksupintopieces’.Thisinformationisauseful

startingpointtowardsinvestigatingthegraphicnotationsince‘thescoreistotallyopen

tointerpretation’.24Thisisratherexplicitpermissionfortheperformerofthisworkto

bringtheirowncreativityandintuitiontothepiece,ratherthanfollowingsomeone

else’sinterpretation.

WhileperformingComposure,Roeadoptedmorethanoneapproachtothegraphic

notation.Heacknowledgedthisbydescribingbothaprogrammaticandnon-

programmaticcourseofaction:

23InterviewwithRoe,AppendixB:106.24Bremner,David:Composure,(Dublin,ContemporaryMusicCentreIreland:2009),programmenotes.

58

Someofthatpiece,IdidattempttodowhatIthoughttheactualimagesrepresentedintermsofhigh-low,thick-thin,loud-soft,thesesortofthings.ButthenalsoIuseditasastimulus,tojustrespondtoitinanon-literalfashion.Intheonehand,youcouldsay,Icouldhaveadoptedaprogrammaticapproachtoit.Yeah,we’veascendinglinessoIshouldgoupthereandtheninanotherwayIapproachitinanon-programmatic,anon-linearway,andinanabstractwaywhichwasjusttorespondtoitemotionally,viscerally,andnottoointellectually.Forme,Ididn’tfindittoodifficult,Ienjoyeddoingthat.25

Interestingly,hehadlittletosayatallaboutfindingthepiecechallenging,exceptfor

thefactthatthescorewasnoteasytocarryaround.ThescoreisA0sizedandwhen

Roeperformsthispieceheperformswithhisbacktotheaudiencesothattheaudience

canlookatthescore.Hecommentedthat‘thesuccessofthatpiece[…]ishowitlooks

andhowpeopleengagewithhowitlooks’,andthat‘peoplelovelookingatitand

hearingitunfolding’.26

25InterviewwithRoe,AppendixB:107.26Ibid..

59

Example4.8:Bremner,Composure.27

27Bremner,David:Composure,SamplePages,(Dublin,ContemporaryMusicCentreIreland:2009),accessed27August2017,https://www.cmc.ie/music/composure.

60

4.3.5. Periastron

PeriastronwascomposedbyGráinneMulveyin2009andisforbassclarinetandfixed

electronics.Theword‘periastron’originatesfromtheGreekwords‘star’and‘around’.

Periastronistheplacewhereanorbitingbodyisclosesttoitsstar.Mulvey’s

compositionismulti-dimensional.Notonlydoestheelectronicparthavean

otherworldlyfeeltoit,thebassclarinetpartaddsfurtherdepthwithcircularandnon-

linearmotives(seeEx.4.9).

Example4.9:Mulvey,Periastron,0’21”.28

Periastrontakesadvantageofthewiderangeofcolourfulsoundsthatcanbemadeon

thebassclarinet.Mulveyincorporatescelestial-soundingmultiphonicsintotheouter-

spacethemeofthework,aswellasmultiphonicglissandi(seeEx.4.10)andmore

percussiveeffectssuchasslaptonguing.

28Mulvey,Gráinne:Periastron(Dublin:ContemporaryMusicCentreIreland,2010).

61

Example4.10:Mulvey,Periastron,2’03”.

Theabstractnatureofthescoreencouragestheperformertobeimaginativeandto

explorearangeofdifferentsoundsthatcanaddtotheorbitalmovementofthework.

Performersworkingonthispiecemayfinditusefultospendalotoftimelisteningto

thesoundtrackandimagininghowthebassclarinetsoundscouldblendorinteract

withtheelectronics.Therearealotofambiguouselementsinthiscompositionandit

takesalotofcarefulconsiderationinordertomakeitwork(forexample,seeEx.4.11).

Example4.11:Mulvey,Periastron,2’54”.

62

4.4. DetailedAnalyses

AstherearemanyIrishbassclarinetpieces,Iwillonlyanalysetwoworksindetail:

Rattle(2010)byAmandaFeeryandStung(2010)byFrankLyons.Ihavechosenthese

piecesforanalysisforseveralreasons.Musically,theyarecontrasting;Rattleisforbass

clarinetaloneandStungincludesinteractionswithelectronics.Theybothallowan

explorativeapproachtoperformanceandarerewardingtolearnduetoseveral

challengingsections.Furthermore,theperformanceofthesecompositionsisengaging

fortheperformerandtheaudience.Morepragmatically,Ichosetoanalysethesetwo

piecesbecauseIhaveworkedonthemwithRoeandhaveperformedbothofthem,

includingaperformanceofStungwiththecomposer;therefore,Ihaveadeeper

understandingofthekindofperformanceissuesthatsurfaceduringthelearning

processandhowtheymightbeexplored.

4.4.1. Rattle

Composedin2010,RattleisarecollectionofAmandaFeery’sclarinetlessons,when

herlessonsfocusedonremovinganyperceivedflawsfromhersoundandtechnique.

Assheexplainsinherperformancenotes,thisincluded‘workonintonation,scales,

melodiousstudies,andremovingerroneousbreaksandsqueaks’.29AccordingtoRoe,

thetitleRattlerefersto‘akindofacoughthat[…]hergrannyhad.[…]Thatwascalled

arattleinthechest,[…]achestycough,arattle,orawheeze’.30

Thefirstpartofthecompositionislinearandemphasizesrhythmicmotivesthatvary

constantly.Atthebeginning,theserhythmicmotivesarepitch-less,thesounds

imitating‘theideaof[a]snaredrum’.31Thedirectionsinthescoreindicatethatthey

shouldbetongued,‘butwithoutproducingthepitch’(seeEx.4.12).Theperformer’s

29Feery,Amanda:Quinquennial(Dublin,ContemporaryMusicCentreIreland:2015),performancenotes.30InterviewwithRoe,AppendixB:102.31Ibid.,100.

63

challengeinthispassageistocomeupwithawaytocreateapitch-lesssoundthatis

presentenoughtobeheardbytheaudience.Simplytonguing,assuggestedbythe

composer,willnotpresentaloudenoughsound;therefore,theperformermust

experimentwithdifferentwaystoproduceanappropriatesound.Forexample,instead

oftonguingnormally,theperformermaychoosetoemulate‘ch’or‘tch’soundsand

coverlessofthemouthpiecewiththeirembouchure.

Ex.4.12:Feery,Rattle,1–2.32

Itisimportant,though,thattheperformerchoosesthemostpracticalsolutionfor

switchingbetweenpitch-lesssoundsandregularaccentednotesasthesebeginto

appearmoreandmorefrequentlyfrombar5(seeEx.4.13).Theperformermay

discoverthatsomeofthestrongestpitch-lesssoundsrequireaverydifferent

embouchurefromthatofnormalplaying,whichmaynotbepossibleatthequick

tempo.ThemetronomemarkingforRattleisdottedcrotchetequals130.33Thisquick

tempogivestheimpressionofatraingoingsofastthatitmightrunoffthetracks,

somethingthatwillcaptivateboththeperformerandaudience’sattention.The

intensityisfurtherheightenedbyunpredictableaccentsthatareconstantlyshiftingto

differentpartsofthebeat.

32Feery,Amanda:Quinquennial(Dublin,ContemporaryMusicCentreIreland:2015),performancenotes.33Thisismuchscaledbackfromtheoriginalversionwherethemetronomemarkingwasdottedcrotchetequals170.

64

Ex.4.13:Feery,Rattle,5–6.

Thepitch-lesssoundsareeventuallyoverrunbyrepetitiverhythmicfiguresona

pitchedD(seeEx.4.14).34


ThenextchallengeistheunpredictableadditionofB-flatsandD-flatsintheupper

register(seeEx.4.15).Switchingbetweenlowerandupperregistersonthebass

clarinetcanbedifficultbecausehighernotescantakelongertospeak;theunrelenting

tempodoesnotgivetheperformeranyextratimetoletthehighernotesspeakslowly.

Thissectioncanbeapproachedbyslowingdownthetempoandlengtheningtheupper

notes.Byworkingonthissectionslowly,theperformercandevelopakinaesthetic

awarenessoftheembouchurechangesnecessarytoexecutetheselargejumpsin

register.Theperformermayalsofindithelpfultoemployanalternativefingeringfor

theupperD�,suchasoverblowingalowerF�.

34AllnotesinthissectionwillbereferredtointhekeyofB�asthescoreistransposed.(Inreality,apitchedDisaconcertC).

65


Asthepieceprogresses,highernotesareaddedwithmoreandmorefrequencybefore

culminatingonrepeatedhighD’s(seeexample4.16).Thedirections‘screech’and

‘exaggerate’inbar48provideinsightthatthepiecehasbeenbuildinguptothispoint,

withemphasisto‘reallydragoutthesenotes’.Thedifficultyhereistoactuallymake

thehighD’sscreechy,astheyarestablenotes.Theperformercantrydifferent

fingerings,butnoneofthemresultinascreechyquality.Anotheroptionwouldbeto

playtheDanoctaveaboveortocomeupwithafakeDfingering.


Upuntilthisquasi-climaticpoint,theunpredictableaccentsandrestsprovidethe

performerwithamentalchallengetoremainfocused.Iftheperformerlosesfocus

duringthefirstforty-sevenbars,thedrivingpulsecouldeasilybelost.

Startinginbar50isafive-barsegmentthatisatthelibertyoftheperformer(seeEx.

4.17).ThisbriefsectionisfortheperformertoimprovisebasedonFeery’sdirectionsin

theperformancenotesto‘playwithquickascending-descendingpassages,buildingup

toavocal,screamingquality’likethe‘climaxofasaxsolo’.35Shedoesnotgiveany

35Feery,performancenotes.

66

indicationthatshehasaparticularsaxophoneplayerinmind.Thisimprovisedsection

atbar50andasimilarthree-barsegmentatbar91areinvitationsfortheperformerto

leaveamorepersonalmarkonthecompositionandcanbeapproachedinmorethan

oneway.


Roe’sapproachtotheimprovisedsectionwastocontextualiseitwithintheentire

composition.Heemphasizedtheimportanceofitbeing‘reflectiveoftheenergythat

hascomeoutoftherestoftheperformance’andtofitit‘intothatenergyspace’.

Whilepractising,Roeimprovisedandthenwroteouttheframeworkbecauseit‘linked

bettertowhatwascomingbefore’.Hewantedtoensurethatitstayedwithinthe

contextoftherestofthepieceduringperformance.36

Myapproachtothissectionwastolistentojazzsaxophoneplayersandtrytoimitate

themostclimaticpartsoftheirimprovisations.SimilartoRoe,Icameupwitha

frameworkthatIcoulduseinperformanceandthenmemorizeditinsteadofwritingit

out.Ialsoattemptedtolinkthestartoftheimprovisationtothebarsbeforeandafter.

Theseareonlytwoapproachesandtherearemanyotherwaysonecouldchoosetogo

abouttheimprovisation.

Themiddlesectionofthepiececontainsmultiphonicsandshortrhythmicinterjections

thatdonotresembleanyoftheopeningmaterial(seeEx.4.18).Inthescore,Feery

referstotwodifferentkindsofmultiphonics:multiphonicone(noise)andmultiphonic


67

two(dyad–upperorlower).Intheperformancedirections,noisemultiphonicsare‘a

complexmultiphonicthatsoundsalmostelectronic’anddyadmultiphonicsare‘amore

puresoundingmultiphonic,includingapitcheitherlower,orhigherthanthenotated

pitch’.37Shealsowritesthatitisacceptabletochangethemultiphonicpitchesifthere

areothersthatworkbetterthantheonesnotated.Themultiphonicsareoflong

durations(suchassemibreves)whichallowstheperformertimetogetthe

multiphonicsto‘speak’.Thisflexibleoutlookonmultiphonicsisidealforbass

clarinettistsasmultiphonicsworkindifferentwaysfordifferentplayersandcannot

alwaysbeproducedquickly.Inthissection,Feeryisgivingtheperformerthe

opportunitytoexploredifferenttypesofmultiphonics.


Thefinalsectionbeginsatbar108,withareturnoftheopeningpitch-less,rhythmic

motif.Thistimethepitch-lessfiguresareupanoctaveandtheinterspersedpitched

notesappearquicker.Bars111and112aretwoofthemostdifficultbarsintheentire

piecebecauseofthemixtureofpitchedandpitch-lessnotes(seeEx.4.19).Similarto

thebeginningsectionofthepiece,thepitch-lessnotesareoverrunbypitchednotes

andthelatterbecomepunctuatedbynotesintheupperregister.

37Feery,performancenotes.

68


Thiscontinuestodeveloplinearlyuntilbar129withthereturnofscreechyhighD’s,

muchlikebars48and49.RattleendsonahighEtimbraltrill(seeEx.4.20),thehighest

noteofthepiece,onlyusedpreviouslyinbar105.


4.4.2. Stung

PaulRoecommissionedFrankLyonstocomposeforthebassclarinet,andin2010,

LyonscompletedStungforbassclarinetandliveelectronics.Theliveelectronicscanbe

controlledbythebassclarinettistorbyanotherpersonand‘maybeusedinafreely

improvisedway’.38ThebassclarinetsoundsareprocessedelectronicallybyAbleton

LivePatch.ThetitleStungreferstoLyons’sreactionfromlisteningtoMichaelBrecker’s

saxophonesoloonthetrack‘Tumbleweed’.39

StungistheresultofacollaborationbetweenRoeandLyons.WhenRoeperformed

Stung,LyonsimprovisedtheelectronicpartusingAbletonLive.Roeexplainedthe

genesisofthepiece:

38Lyons,Frank:Stung(Dublin,ContemporaryMusicCentreIreland:2010),performancenotes.39E-mailInterviewwithLyons,August282017,AppendixD:111.

69

we’vespokenalongtimeaboutworkingtogether,doingsomepieces,andeventuallyFrankcameupwiththispiece.We’dhadmanyconversationsovertheyearsabouthowcompositionandperformancewerereallycloselyrelatedandthatwhencomposerandperformerworkcloselytogetheritworksreally,reallywell.Andhehimselfisaperformer,aguitarist,andheplayedinallsortsofbands.Hehasastrongfeelingofwhatit’sliketobeaperformerandhasagreatinterestinjazz,[…]inJohnColtrane,PatMetheny,allthesejazzmusicians.Soallofthatgoesintothemixwiththispiece.StungisdefinitelyinfluencedbyColtrane,[…]jazz,[…]technology,[…][and]improvisationalstyles.FrankknewIwasinterestedinimprovisingand[…]creativemusicmaking.Andheknewthatwewouldgetalongwell,whichiswhatyouwantwhenyou’reworkingwithpeople.40

Thebassclarinetpartcontainsanintroduction,sixnumberedsections(I-VI),five

letteredsections(A-E),andacoda.Theperformermustalwaysstartwiththe

IntroductionandendwiththeCoda.Theperformercanchoosetofollowthe

Introductionwithanyofthenumberedsectionsandthenalternatebetweenlettered

andnumberedsectionsuntiltheyhaveallbeenperformedonce.Thisflexiblelayout

allowstheperformertoeitherleavetheorderofsectionstochanceduring

performance,ordecidethroughexperimentationhowbesttoordertheminrehearsal.

Stung’sscoredoesnotincludebarlinesortimesignatures.ThetimeelementofStung

isalmostentirelycontrolledbytheperformerandeveniftheperformerchoosesto

havesomeoneelseoperatetheliveelectronics,thetechnicianreactstothe

performer’ssounds.WhileperformingpieceslikeMonsterandPeriastronthe

electronicsprovideastimulustotheperformer,buttheoppositetakesplaceinStung.

Althoughtheperformerisnotlockedintoatimesignature,Lyonshaschosentowrite

howlongcertainelementssuchasrests,trills,andothereffectsshouldlast.For

instance,Lyonshasdesignatedkeyslapstotakeplaceforsixseconds(seeEx.4.21).


70

Example4.21:Lyons,Stung,Coda,line3.41

Stung’sbassclarinetpartisimprovisatoryinstyle.Eachsectionhasadifferent

characterandincorporatesdifferentextendedtechniquesandspecialeffects.When

differenteffectslikeslaptonguingandfluttertonguingareprocessedinAbletonLive,

someveryinterestingsoundsensue.Theperformershouldexplorethepossibilitiesof

eachspecialeffectandextendedtechnique,andcarefullyconsiderhoweachversion

mightbeaffectedbytheelectronicprocessing.

TheIntroductionisanappropriatenameforthefirstsectionofthepiecebecauseit

introducesmanyoftheextendedtechniquesandspecialeffectsthatwillbeusedinthe

numberedandletteredsections.Itcontainstwocontrastingstyles.Thefirsthalfis

characterizedbyajaggedrhythmicfigureanda‘Balkantrill’(seeEx.4.22).ABalkantrill

canbeproducedbytrillingandapplyingawidevibratoatthesametime.Roefirst

heardthistermwhenhewasstudyingklezmerclarinetwithDavidKrakauerinNew

YorkandthetermwasthenpickedupbyLyons.42Thelackofbarlinesencouragesthe

performertofeelthepulseindifferentmeters,andtherestsattheendsofphrases

allowfortheelectronicstosoundandfadebeforethenextphrasebegins.

41Lyons,Frank:Stung(Dublin,ContemporaryMusicCentreIreland:2010).42InterviewwithRoe,AppendixB:104–105.

71

Example4.22:Lyons,Stung,Introduction,line1.

Thesecondhalfoftheintroductionemploysfluttertonguing,glissandi(bends),key

slaps,andslaptonguing(seeEx.4.23).Thekeyslapsshouldbeginslowandthen

accelerateasthedynamicdiminishes.Ifaperformerisworriedaboutdamagingtheir

instrumentwithkeyslaps,theymaywanttofindanothermethodofmakingasimilar

sound.Togetagoodglissandooverthebreak,theuppersidekeyscanbeused.The

challengeinthissectionistotransitionfromonespecialeffecttoanotherina

convincingmanner.Lyonsdoesnotspecifywhatkindofaslaptongueshouldbeused

sotheperformercandecidewhetheramorepercussiveorresonantslaptonguewould

bemosteffectivewhenprocessedelectronically.InExample4.23,therearealsokey

slapswiththeaddedbreath.

72

Example4.23:Lyons,Stung,Introduction,line6–7.

Thenumberedsegmentsareallextremelyshort,mostofthemlastingoneortwolines.

Manyofthemcontainelementsthatcanbefoundinotherareasofthepiece.

SectionIisshortanddynamic;itintegratesslaptonguingintotwochromaticsextuplet

gesturesandthenendsonaregulartrillthatbeginswithaslaptongue.Thesecond

numberedsegmentisalsoquiteshort,butlessenergetic.Itincludesgracenotefigures

thatresemblethosefoundintheIntroductionandlongnotesthatsubsideintobreath

sounds(seeEx.4.24).

Example4.24:Lyons,Stung,SectionII.

73

SectionIIIisbuiltonthreenotes:D,B�,andF�.Thesenotesareusedinan

arpeggiatedfashion,alternatingwithtremolos.Thetremolosaresimilartothosethat

characterizesection‘A’.Wailingbendstakeuptheentirefourthnumberedsegment.

ThesewailingbendsandtheBalkantrillsarebothclearexamplesofhowRoe’sstyleof

playingbassclarinethasinfluencedthecomposition.Thesegestureshaveconnections

toklezmermusic,somethingthathehasstudiedindetail.

SectionVcontainsmultiphonicsandkeyslaps(seeEx.4.25).Theharmonicscanbe

variedoverthefundamentalineitherafluidorjaggedmanner.Thekeyslapsare

comparabletotheonesfoundintheIntroductionandvaryinspeed.

Example4.25:Lyons,Stung,SectionV.

Thesixthnumberedsegmentiscomprisedofbends(glissandi),andalongnote

dissolvingintobreath,similartotheoneinSectionIV.Thebendsarenoteasyto

accomplishonthebassclarinet,butbymanipulatingtheembouchureatthesametime

asslowlymovingfromonenotetothenext,aquasi-glissandocanbeachieved.

The‘A’Sectionisdistinguishablebyitsfastpaceandtheinterpolationoftremolos.Itis

technicallychallengingtoplaybecausethetremolosarenoteasytoexecuteandthe

streamsofnotesarenotintuitive(seeEx.4.26).Thenotesareunpredictableandit

takestimeforthemtofeelnaturalunderthefingers.

74

Example4.26:Lyons,Stung,‘A’Section,line3–4.

ThestreamsofnotesarealsoafeatureofSection‘B’,butinsteadoftremolos,there

areslap-tonguednotes.Eachlinebeginswithapassageofnotesandendswithaslap-

tonguednote.Witheachprogressiveline,therearelessnotesatthebeginningand

addedslap-tonguednotesattheend.Forexample,thefirstphrasebeginswithaseries

ofelevennotesfollowedbyoneslap-tongueandthelastphraseonlyhasfivenotesat

thebeginning,buttheslap-tonguednoteshavegrowntoseven.

Section‘C’isquitedifferentfromalloftheothersections.Ithasajazzballadfeeltoit,

whichislikelyinfluencedbyMichaelBrecker(ashewastheinspirationbehind

Stung).43Itexploitsthelowregisterofthebassclarinetwithsmooth,slowfiguresand

withoutanyspecialeffectsorextendedtechniques.Despitethelackofbarlines,a

steadypulseisessentialtomaintainingaballad-likequality.

Section‘D’ischaracterizedbyflutter-tonguing,successionsofnotes,andrepetitive-

notegestures.Theflutter-tonguednotesareconnectedfromonetothenextbybends.

Thiscombinationoftwodifferenteffectsiscreativeandcreatesareallyinteresting

texture.Therepetitive-notegesturesbeginfastandslowdownoveraperiodoffive

seconds.

43EmailinterviewwithLyons,ApendixD:111.

75

Example4.27:Lyons,Stung,‘D’Section,line4–5.

Section‘E’isanotherfast-pacedepisode.Therhythmsarechoppedupbyfrequentand

unpredictablyplacedrestsandthefranticpaceculminatesinaBalkantrillintwo

differentplaces.BoththechoppyrhythmsandtheBalkantrillsalludetothe

Introduction.TheCodaincorporatesamixtureofthematicmaterialthathasalready

beenexpressedinseveraldifferentsections.Thereisareturnofthegracenote

gestures,bends,slaptonguing,keyslaps,breathnotes,fluttertonguingandtheBalkan

trill.

Stunghasaspontaneousqualitythatisreflectiveofanimprovisatorystyle,constantly

switchingbetweendifferentmotivesandspecialeffects.Thebassclarinettistmayfeel

thatthereisalackofcontinuitywhenpractisingalone,butoncetheelectronicsare

addedtheemptyspacesarefilled.

4.5. Conclusion

StungandRattleareexcellentcompositionstolearnandperformbecausetheyare

engaging.Thepitch-lesssnaredrumsoundsandmultiphonicsinRattlerequirethe

performertoexploredifferentapproachestocreatingsoundsonthebassclarinet.

SimilartotheimprovisedsectionsinRattle,Stungencouragestheperformertoengage

inthecreativeprocessbyconsideringhowtheorderofsectionsshouldunfold.The

76

plethoraofextendedtechniquesinStungdistinguisheachsectionfromoneanother,

buttheyalsounifythecompositionasawholebecausemosteffectscanbefoundin

morethanonesection.Theaddedinteractionwithelectronicsinfluencesthe

performertoconsiderhoweachextendedtechniqueandspecialeffectwillbeaffected

byelectronicmanipulation.BothcompositionsreflectthediversityoftheIrishsolo

bassclarinetrepertoireandencouragesolobassclarinettiststobecreativeand

experimental.

77

CONCLUSION

Thisdissertationtracedtheemergenceofsolobassclarinetrepertoirebysurveying

earlyperformersandspecialists,musicalstylesofthetwentiethcentury,andthe

compositionsinfluencedbythosestyles.Thebackgroundofbassclarinetspecialization

inIrelandwasthendiscussed.Thecompositionshighlightedinthisdissertation

representadistinctiveareainIrishcomposition.Stylistically,theywelcomediversity,

experimentation,andcollaboration.Eachpieceembodiesadifferentenergystatethat

theperformermustcommunicate.Monsterisahigh-energycompositionwithjarring

moods,whileContinuumismeditative.Composurebridgesthegapbetweenthetwo,

teeteringbetweenfeelingsofbeingincontrolandlosingit.RattleandOBreathconvey

uncomfortablestates(coughingandsuffocating),andPeriastronisamixed-energy

interactionofnon-linearsounds.Stungmixesacousticandelectronicsoundsina

reactivewaythatisnotpredictableandchangeswitheachperformance.Allofthese

worksencouragetheperformertoconnectwiththecomposers’intentionsinthe

score,andthen,usingthebassclarinetasatool,communicatethesewiththe

audience.

Eachcomposerhasapproachedtheinstrumentinadifferentway,fromintegratingits

acousticsoundswithelectronicstoexploringtherangeofitssonicpossibilitiesthrough

differentextendedtechniques.Thisisonlythebeginningofthedevelopmentofsolo

bassclarinetmusicinIreland;aslongasthereisabassclarinetspecialistlikeRoeinthe

country,moreworkswillcontinuetobewritten.Withouthim,therepertoirewouldbe

limitedinsizeandindiversity.Hehasembracedexperimentalmusicalideasand

encouragedcomposerstowritethem.Roe’swillingnesstotrynewthings(suchas

differentkindsofnotation)andactivelyseekoutnewcollaborations,continuesto

propeltherepertoireforward.Thisemergenceofsolorepertoireisvitalforthe

acceptanceandrecognitionofthebassclarinetinitsownright,ratherthansimply

beingalow-soundingextensionofthesopranoclarinet.

78

Thisstudyofsolobassclarinetrepertoirehasdemonstratedthatchambermusicplays

anintegralpartinthedevelopmentofsoloworks.BassclarinetspecialistsHorák,

Sparnaay,Bok,andRoehaveallbenefitedfromplayingtheinstrumentinsmall

chamberensembles.Futureresearchcouldexaminebassclarinetchambermusicin

Irelandwhichcouldleadtofurtherinsightsabouttheinstrument’sroleinIrishmusic.

Otherpotentialresearchareasincludestudyingtheroleofothersolowindinstruments

inIrishcontemporarymusicsuchasthesopranosaxophoneorthealtoflute,or

examiningthedevelopmentofsolobassclarinetmusicinothercountries.

79

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84

APPENDICES

APPENDIXA

EmailInterviewwithPaulRoe,2January2017

MarcellaBarz:HowdidyourapproachtolearningMonsterandPeriastrondiffer/not

differfromlearningtraditionalrepertoiresuchasBrahmsorMozart(disregardingthe

factthatyouwouldmostlikelybelearningBrahmsorMozartonclarinetratherthan

bassclarinet)?

PaulRoe:TheprocessoflearningbothMandPwas/isentirelydifferenttolearning

moretraditionalrepertoire.ThisrelatesdirectlytotheendIhaveinmindwhenplaying

musicfromdifferenterasorindeeddifferentidiomssuchasKlezmer.Withmore

traditionalrepertoireIhaveastrongsenseofthehistoricalcontextofworksthathave

beenperformedovermanyyears-insomecasessuchasMozart250+years.Withthis

thereisaconcernwiththebroaderelementsofthiscontext.Forexamplerepertoire

fromtheclassicaleraisconcernedwithsymmetryandbalance,phrase&line,unity

andcohesion.Inromanticismthereisanovertexpressivity.Mypracticereflectsthese

contextualelementswithafocusonembodyingtheseprinciples;inthecaseofclassical

worksthiswouldincludefinessingmelodiclines,establishingclearforegroundand

backgroundmaterialthroughsomestructuralanalysisandestablishingaperformative

narrativeprimarilyofsimplicityandtransparency.Inromanticmusicthemovetowards

self-expressionrequiresamorerigorouscharacterisationthatrepresentsabroader

worldview.Thereisaclearvisceralimmediacythatplacestheperformerinamore

overtlyanimativerole.Ifindthisrequiresestablishingaknowingthatseemssomehow

moreenergeticallyfluidandresponsive.WithothermusicformssuchasKlezmer,again

itisaboutemotionalandsomaticpitching-findingtheinternalmobility/movementto

directexternally.Thisisinnerworkbasedonemergingawareness.

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WithcontemporarylearninglikeMandP-thesonicrangeisamplifiedtosuchanextent

weneedtomoveawayfrombeinginstrumentalistsandbecomemoresoundartists.

ThefocusopensuponaMacroleveltoencompassavastworldofsound

possibilitiesnotaccessibleontheplaneofsimplybeingaclarinettist.Ofcoursethere

aretechnicalchallengestoovercomebutmuchofthelearningisaboutcarvingand

sculptingasoundworldthatisonlypossiblewithconstantexperimentation.With

moretraditionalrepertoiretheparametersofthesoundworldarestronglyestablished

howeverwithcontemporarymusicasaperformerourroleistocreatenewsound

worlds.

MB:HowdidyourapproachtolearningMonsterandPeriastrondiffer/notdifferfrom

learningJackdaw?

PR:Jackdawasapieceislikebeinginastraightjacket-afunjacketbutthereislittle

roomforweftandweave.

BothMonsterandP[eriastron]havesomelinearambiguityandallowforaswayingof

themusicalnarrative.Thereisanimprovisatoryfeelingtobothpieceswhereas

Jackdawisprettylockedin.EveryperformanceofMandPisquitedifferent-thereis

roomtoexpandorcontract,toshoutorwimper,toflail,tofloat,togrimace,toincite...

allcanberevealed.InJackdawtherecipeworksnicelyasisandwegetaniceresult

eachtime-aslongaswe'vespentourpracticetimewell.WithM&Ptheconcernisnot

withaniceresult-itsaboutengagement.

MB:BecauseMonsterandPeriastronwerewrittenforyou,doyoufeelthatthat

affectedthewayyoulearntthepieces?

PR:Verymuchso.Iknowbothofthesecomposerswell...Iunderstandtheiraesthetic

world,haveplayedanumberoftheirotherpieces,knowwhatsound-worldthey

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inhabit,understoodhowliteraltheywereinwhattheyhadwritten.Inlearningthese

piecesasIwasinvolvedwiththecomposerbeforetheywroteanoteIhadasenseof

creatingasoundtrackofthiscollaborativeworkingwherethenotationwasagood

guidetoabroaderprocesswhichisthenembodiedandenactedinaperformative

space.

MB:Doyoufinditeasiertolearnpiecesthatwerewrittenforyou?

PR:Notnecessarily...itreallydependsonthepiece.Somepiecesthatwerewrittenfor

mecanbelearntandperformedinlessthan20hrspracticewhereasIhaveplayed

piecesthatrequiredinexcessof100hrspractice.OntheotherhandIhaveperformed

piecesthatwerewrittenformethattook75+hrsandonesthatwerenotthattookonly

acoupleofhours.Itdependsonthework.HowevernowadaysIwouldchoosenotto

playpiecesthattookanexcessivelengthoftimeduetopracticetimeconstraintsand

toacertainextentaphilosophicalviewthatartisticlabourinthisdomainideallydoes

notfalltotheperformertobeaslavetocomplexity.

MB:WhatdidyoufindtobethemostdifficultpartoflearningMonster/Periastron?Or

ifyoucan’tdecidewhatwasthemostdifficultpart,perhapswhatdidyoufindstood

outasbeingparticularlychallengingaboutlearningMonster/Periastron?

PR:Bothrequiredsubstantialcreativeimaginationinhowtoshape,colourand

articulate.

PerhapsthemostchallengingpartofMonsteristowardstheendwherethelinein

improvised.Thedifficultyisnotsomuchintheimprovisationbutintheintensity

requiredtobringitoff.Thereneedstobeafeelingofthingscomingapartatthe

seams.Onaphysical/somaticlevelthistakesalotofenergyandwillingnesstogo

beyondstability.Therequirementistobereallyunhingedandunstable-thevisualis

highlyrelevantandimportantandcannotbesimulated.Youreallyhaveto'losethe

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plot'ontheinsidemuchlikeanactorplayingaroleofacharacterhavingamental

breakdown.

Periastronhasmajorchallengeswithhowtomaintaincontinuityasthesomeofthe

linesarereallyambiguousandrequiremuchmusicalandcreativeimaginationtocreate

asenseofunityofintegration.Withoutcarefulpacingandimaginativevariationthis

piececouldsoundquitestatic...thereisrealneedtoornament,tovarytrills,to

dramaticallyflexthetone.Therepertoireofcolourrequiredisextremeandisimplicit

andnotexplicitlyconveyed.Thisisapiecethatbenefitsfromtheatricalityanddrama.

Thatsaidverycarefulpracticeoflineswasrequired.Manyvariationsweretriedout

anddiscarded.Ialsowrotesomeoptionswithinthepiecethatareaguidetothepiece.

Thispiece,inmyopinion,isanexplorationofasonicnarrativethatcompelsthe

performertoreimagineorco-imagineaterrestrialsoundworldthatnegativesclear

notationalconvention.Theperformancepreparationinvolvesalearningprocessto

createanotherworldlysoundworldthatisfacilitatedbyallowingquarksandleptons

intothemix.Beingfixatedonpreconceivednotionsofwhatthenotes/notationshould

soundlikeisratherinhibitorytothisprocess.

MB:Canyourecallasituationwhenyoulearntapiecethatwasunlikeanythingyou

hadlearntbefore?Whateffectsdidthisexperiencehaveonyou?

PR:SomanyofthepiecesthatIhavelearntandcontinuetolearnareinmanyways

'unlikewhatI'velearntbefore'.ActuallyItrytoapproacheachpieceandindeedeach

newperformanceofapieceasstartingover.Somepiecesdostandoutfromothers,

unfortunatelyoftenbecausetheyweredeeplyunsatisfyingtoprepareandtoperform.

IammorejudiciousinwhatIchoosetoplaynowsothisdoesn'treallyhappenvery

often.OnoccasionIhavespentmanyhoursonapiecethatIthoughtattheoutset

wouldbeagoodpiecetoplayandthatIwouldwanttoplayitoftenonlytobeproven

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wrong.AlasIhaveoftenperformedpiecesonlyonce,thattookmanyhourstoprepare-

likelyinexcessofthetimetowritethem.

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APPENDIXB

InterviewwithPaulRoe,3August2017

NationalBotanicalGardensofIreland

Duration:1:00:00

MarcellaBarz:Whendidyoufirstbecomeinterestedincommissioningmusicforthe

bassclarinet?

PaulRoe:ProbablyfromwhatIcanremember,towardsthelatterpartofthenineties,

atthatstageI’dbeenplayingalotofcontemporarymusicwithConcordeforthe

previous,say,eightyearsorsomethinglikethat.AndthenIwasdoingmoreandmore

stuffonthebassclarinetandcametorealizethatactually,there’sverylittlemusic

that’swrittenbyIrishcomposersforthebassclarinet,[inaudible,0:32–0:34]growing

therepertoireabit.

MB:Doyourememberthefirstpieceyoucommissioned?

PR:WellIthinkit’simportanttomakethisdistinctionintermsofcommissioning

becausethere’sanofficialcommissioningprocesswhichis,youcouldsay,somewhat

formal.Inotherwords,youdecidetocommissionacomposerthroughthe

commissioningschemethat’srunbytheArtsCouncilofIreland.Andthere’saquite

definedprocessthereabouthowmuchperminuteandtheevidencethat’sneededto

getthatfunding,andthedocumentation.Sothat’saveryofficialprocess.Ithinkit’s

onlyonecommissioningroundayearnow–theremayhavebeentwo.Andsoyou

havethatprocess,andthat’ssomewhatlimitingbecauseofcoursetherearemany

composersandmanypiecestobewrittenformanydifferentinstrumentsandthere’s

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onlysomuchfunding.Soifyouweretogoonlyonthatsystem,ofcommissioning

composers,youmayhaveveryfewpieces.

SoItookituponmyselftojustaskcomposers:‘heyhowaboutyouwritingsome

pieces?’.Anditwasalwaysveryrelaxed:‘youknowifyoufancyitI’dreallylovetoplay

apieceyoumightwrite’.Oroftentheymightcometomeandsay—well,and

subsequentlythey’dcometomeandsay‘we’dliketowritepieces’.SoIsupposeI’ve

hadalotofpieceswrittenforme.Somewereofficialcommissions,inotherwords,

theywerefundedbytheArtsCouncilandthecomposergotpaid.Butmanyothers

weresimply—Iaskedforthemandthecomposerswereveryhappytowritethemand

theyoftenweren’tpaidforthem.Thatsaid,neitherisaperformerpaidunlessthey

managetomakethegig.WegetintothewholeareaofAosdána;somecomposersare

membersofAosdánawheretheyactuallygetfunded.Theygetanannualfeefrom

Aosdánaandthatgivesthemthelatitudetocomposepieces.There’sastipendof

17,000Europeryearthatcomposerswhoarebelongingtothisorganizationcandraw

down,providingthey’renotearningaboveacertainamountofmoney.Sothatgives

themthelatitudetotakeonworkwherethey’renotofficiallycommissioned.

Andit’skindofacontroversialoneinaway,andIsupposeweshouldn’tstrayintothis

toomuch.[…]1Ihaveafeelingthatthey’requitehappyandwillingtodo[that]because

it’spartofwhattheydoasmembersofthisorganization.Thatsaid,Ihaveaskeda

composerwhowasamemberofthisorganization,whoshallremainnameless,and

‘wouldheliketowriteapiece’,andhewasverykeen.ButIsaidtohim:‘look,you

know,thereisn’tanyofficialcommissionforthisbutifyou’dliketowe’dhappily

performithere,here,andhere’,andhekindofsaid:‘oh,couldyounotgetfunding

here,fundingthere,fundinginthisotherplace’—sointheenditdidn’thappen.

1Somepartsoftheinterviewwereinaudibleduetowindinthemicrophoneandwillbemarkedasabove.

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Sometimesthatcanbeadeterrent.Mostlycomposersareveryhappytowritemusic

whentheyfeelthereisanopportunityitwillgetperformed.

There’sbasicallyanofficialcommissioningprocessbutifyouweretosticktothatthen

therewouldn’tbeanawfullotofworkswritten.I’vejustmadeahabitof—asI

befriendcomposers,gettoknowpeople—orevenmystudents—I’llsay:‘comeon,

writeapieceforthebassclarinet’.AndIthinkthat’sareallynicewaytogoatit.Ialso

thinkthewayIgoatitisinaveryrelaxedway,it’s:‘ifyoufancy,ifyou’renottoobusy,

it’dbegreat’.Isupposeyoucouldcallitacollaborativeapproach.It’snottoostiffor

it’snottoodefinedeither.Ialwaysenterintoitwith:‘lookit,ifIcanhelpyouonthis

process—great!’.ButI’vehad—we’vehadquiteafewpiecesthathavebeen

officiallypaidforaswell.Aninterestingsidenotetosayaboutthat:ifyou

commissionedacomposeryou’resupposedtofillinallthisadministrativeform.But

there’snopartofthatwhereyou’repaid.Soyouputinallofthisworkanddothe

performancebutpotentiallyyouwouldn’tgetpaidwhereasthecomposerwould.

Whatactuallyhappensoftentimes,andthishashappenedtome,thankfully,a

composerwillsaytome:‘willyoucommissionmetowriteapiece?’AndIgo:‘sure!

Butyou’llhavetofillintheformandI’llsignit’.Andthathashappenedandthathas

beensuccessful.

Infact,recentlyacomposergotintouchwithme,samething,‘Iwanttowriteanew

pieceforvoiceandbassclarinet’.It’swithajazzmusician,ajazzsinger.Thenwe

decidedwellactuallyyouknowwhatwemightdoiswemightmakeitprojectfunding,

whichisadifferentstream.Thatway,we’llallgetpaid—potentially!Tosayalittle

furtheraboutthecommissioning…then,amajorpointwaswhenIcommissionedfive

composersallinoneround,whichwasunusual.Idon’tthinkthishadhappenedbefore

whereinonecommissioningroundbytheArtsCouncil,thatIputinasubmissionfor

fivenewworks,whichwerewhatIusedformyPhDresearchanditgotfunded.That

wasreallygreataswellbecauseitmeantthesecomposersIwasworkingcloselywith

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onmyPhDresearchwerebeingpaid.SoIdidn’tfeelquitesomuchasenseofgoingto

themcapinhand:‘oh,doyoumind’.They’rebeingpaidandtheywerehappytoalso

facilitatemyinquiryandsoforth.Soyoucanimaginefivenewpiecesthatwere

commissionedandpaidforinthespaceofacoupleofyearsreallywasabigchunk.And

thatspawnedawholelotofotherpiecesandotherinterestaroundthebassclarinet

andbassclarinetsoloworks.

MB:WhateffectdoyouthinkConcordehashadonthebassclarinetrepertoire,and

specificallysolo[repertoire]?

PR:Well,ConcordeandthebassclarinetbeginstoacertainextentwithHarry

Sparnaay.WhenIstartedplayinginConcordefirst,Ican’trememberforsure,butI

haveafairideathatIpredominantlyplayedclarinetandnotsomuchbassclarinet.We

didhaveHarryoverasaguestsoloistonanumberofoccasions.AndobviouslyHarry’s

influencecomingtovisitConcordethatIreallygotonwithhimfirstofallasaperson.

Wesharedalotofthesamehumour,Isuppose,andthesamepassionanddesirefor

newmusic.SoConcorde,bassclarinet,HarrySparnaay,inthebeginning.

Thenobviouslyfromthatpointthen,meetingcomposersasamemberofthe

ensemble.CausefirstofallwhenIwaswithConcordeIwasprimarilyanensemble

playerwhodidsomesolopieces,butIsupposeit’sfairtosaywhenIreflectbacknow,

astimehasgonealongI’vedonemoreandmoresolostuffwithinConcorde.Somost

concertswedoinConcordeIwouldhavesomesolopiecesorapieceforsolobass

clarinet,soloclarinet,orduos…Actually,Ithinkthatwasalsobecausemostofthestuff

we[Concorde]didwasforthefullensemble,fiveinstruments,sometimessix.Then

overtheyearswebegantoplayindifferentspaces,wedidmoreduos,moretrios,

moresolos,andofcourseallofthatinspiredmetogetmorerepertoire.AndthenI

supposeasIstartedgettingtoknowcomposersinthecontextofConcordeand

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chambermusic[…]composerswhohadalreadywrittenpiecesforConcorde:‘hey,how

aboutwritingapieceforthebassclarinet?’.

Bythetimeitcametoaskingagroupofcomposerstowritepiecesforme,intheearly

2000s,wheneveritwas,2002,three,Ihadalreadyknownallofthesecomposersfor

sometimeandIwasabletogo,‘oh,I’dloveifStephen[Gardner]wouldwriteapiece

forme,I’dloveifEd[Bennett]wouldwriteapieceforme,I’dloveifRonanGuilfoyle

wouldwriteapieceforme,ifJane[O’Leary]’,andsoforth.Andthatwasreallythe

backdroptoit.Ibeguntoplaymoreandmorebassclarinet,aswellasclarinet,inthe

group.AndthenIdidsomeduoswithHarry,wedidsomeworktogether.Iplayedwith

HarryattheInternationalBassClarinetFestivalinRotterdamin2005.

MB:ContinuumandTheLadswerethefirstsolobassclarinetpieceswrittenbyIrish

composers.Wasityourideatocommissionthesepieces?

PR:Youknow,bothofthosepiecestakemeback.I’msureyouhavetheyear,Idon’t

knowtheyearsactually.

MB:2000

PR:Ohokay…Thosepiecesrepresentformerelationships,toacertainextent.And

reflectingbacknowseventeenyearsontherelationshipwiththosetwootherartists,

thisisquiteinteresting.ContinuumwaswrittenbyagoodfriendofminecalledRob

Canningandatthetimethathewrotethishewasdoingalotofexplorationwith

technologyanddifferentapproachestocomposing.Rob,youknow,wasreallypushing

theenvelopeintermsoftechnologicaldevelopment.SowhenI’mtalkingaboutitnow,

I’mmindfulofwhathewentontodoandI’mmindfulofotherthingshehadmedoing,

likewalkingdownthestreetwithradioreceiversplayinginthemiddleofthenight

whenit’sraining,andpeoplelookingatme,I’mplayingatthecornerside.SoIhave

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veryhappymemoriesofhimandveryhappymemoriesofthatencounter.AndIhave

happymemoriesofgoingdowntohisstudioinWicklowwherehewasworkingatthe

time.Andstayingovernightanddrinkingbeerandsmokingcigarettesandhavingfun

andlisteningtoStockhausen,andIknowhewasveryinfluencedbyStockhausenat

thattime.Soformethemusicisinseparablefromtherelationshipandthememory

thatthatbringsforme.IsupposewhatsticksouttomeaboutContinuumis—firstof

allIwasdefinitelytremendouslyinspiredbyRob’s…Hehadallofthesewackyideas

andhewasdoingallofthesekindofquirkyreadingsofdifferentsubjects.Soweused

tohavereallyinterestingconversationsaboutallsortsofstuff.

Thatcertainlyhelpedmeintermsofmydevelopmentaswell,asanartist.AndIthinkI

wouldhavehelpedRobtootoexplorewhatitislikeworkingwithamusician,areallive

musician.Youcouldsayinaway,Robispossiblylikesomecomposerswholiketodo

thingsinhisownspace,spendsalotoftimeinhisstudiotweaking,twiddlingthe

knobs,andcreatingsounds.SoIthinkitwasareallyniceencounter,creative

encounterbetweenus.OneofthethingsIrememberwhichmadethepiecea

challenge,unfortunately,subsequentlytoplayit,andthat’swhyIhaven’tplayeditall

thatoftenisbecauseatthetimeyouhadtohaveadigitaldelaymachinetoplayit,in

ordertohavethedelay.Ithinkitwassevenseconds,Ican’tremember…Itwasalong

delay.Inorderforittoworkwiththepieceitneededtohavethisparticulardelay

machine.Andatthatstage,ofcourse,Robhadallthismachineryathisstudio,inhis

house.Itwasarealpleasure.Andalsothat’soneofveryfewpiecesthat’sactually

reallyquiteeasytoplay,whichisnice.Oftenincontemporarymusicprogrammes,as

youknowsowell,it’saprettytoughgig.That’saneasypiecetoplayanditsvery

satisfyingandIthinkit’sareallygoodpiece.Ithasitsownworld.NowI’vebeentalking

alotaboutthatonepiece.Letmemovestraightaway–bywayofcontrast,inasense,

totalkaboutTheLads.

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TheLadswaswrittenbyMichaelHolohanwhoagain,Ihaveknownforthoseyears.

Andheentirelyrepresentsawholedifferentapproachtocomposition.Youmaycallit

muchmoretraditional.Certainhismediumforwritingmusic,whichisstillhandwritten

tothisday,Ithinkhestillhandwriteshismusic.Idon’tthinkheusessoftware,Imight

bewrong.Hewroteapieceformethisyear.Iplayedapieceofhisthisyearanditwas

allhandwritten.TheLadsisaninterestingexplorationintermsofcollaborativeprocess

aswell.MichaelwasworkingwithacraftsmanonthepiececalledTheLads.Andhe

wantedtoincorporatetheclarinet,bassclarinet,intothesepiecesoffurniture.He

wrotethesetwopieces[ChatterboxforclarinetandOBreathforbassclarinet].I

learnedTheLadsanditwasverytraditional.Itdidn’tsoundremotelycontemporary,

totallytheoppositeofRob’s.Tomeitsoundedalmostlikeastudytoacertainextent.I

enjoyeditbutIthought…yeah,itcertainlywasn’tpushingtheboundariesof

composition.Butthatsaid,thechoreographicelementofitwasreallyquitechallenging

becausewiththatpieceIhadtoputmyarmsinthroughoneaperture–myrightarm

throughoneapertureandmyleftarmthroughadifferentaperture[gestures]andthen

theclarinetinbetween.Sofromachoreographicpointofviewitwasinteresting.But

musicallyIthinkIwouldsay,fromaperformer’sperspective,reallyatotallydifferent

engagementthantheRobCanningthing.AndIsupposeyoumightsaythisabout

contemporarymusicinaway,theinterestingthingaboutitistoexplorenewideas,

newthings.AndIwouldsayMichaelismuchmoreofatraditionalist,ifyoucouldputit

likethat.Sotheyrepresent,actually,reallytwogoodextremes,inaway.Onethatwas

reallycuttingedge—Rob,Icantellyounow,fortheseventeenyearssincehasgone

ontocontinuetobereallyquiteoutthere.

MB:Ithoughtyoumentionedhe[MichaelHolohan]revisedthebassclarinet

movementrecently?

PR:Yes.TheLads[Chatterbox]isverytraditional,alotofthechromaticism,alotof

chordalmovement,andyouknow,kindofstandardclarinet-typyrotechnics.Whereas

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OBreathforthebassclarinetis,Ithink,muchmorepushingtheenvelope,interestingly

enough.Irememberitwaswrittenasatributetosomepeoplewhohaddiedin

containers,whichwasverysadactually.Atthetime,IthinkitwasinLiverpoolor

somewherelikethat,anyway,theseChinesepeoplewerestowedawaytofindanew

lifeandalotoffamiliesdiedinthesecontainers.Soitwasreallyterrible,terriblysad.

Thatparticularmovementrepresentsthatbreath,thelackofbreath.Sothroughout

thebassclarinetyouhavethatsenseof[blowsair]thewheezingofthebassclarinet.It

wasveryeffective.

Buttherewasonesectioninit,pagetwo,wherehewroteaseriesofmultiphonics

withoutanyreferencetoanytechniqueintermsofresearch.IlookedatitandI

thought:‘ohmyGod,howamIgoingtodothis?’.You’vegotawholepageof

multiphonics.Andasyouknowfromplayingmultiphonics,theyhavequitecomplicated

fingeringsystems.Firstofallthefingeringsystemsarecomplicatedbutthenalsoeach

multiphonichasatotallydifferentblowingresponse.Notlikewhenwe’replayingon

theclarinetwheretheblowingresponseforeachregisterismoreorlessthesame.Yes,

wehavetoshiftsubtlydifferentthings.Multiphonics—there’shugedifferencesin

termsoftheblowingpressurerequired.Sohehadallofthesemultiphonics.Apartfrom

thetechnicalchangeinonefingeringtoanother,ifyouweretodowithmultiphonic

fingerings,thenyoualsohavetoadjustyourembouchureandyourblowingpressure

foreachone.SoI,asyoudoasacontemporaryperformer,youconnectwiththemusic

andthecomposerandtheideaandtheintentionandthemotivation,andyoudon’t

havetoadoptanoverlyliteralapproachtodoingexactlywhat’sonthepage.Because

oftencomposershaveanideaofwhatthey’dlikeittosoundlikeanditdoesn’t

necessaryhavetobetotheletter[…]toputitlikethat.

IcameupwithastrategythatIthoughtwouldworktomakethatpiecework,because

asyouknowwithmultiphonics,typicallyyou’llhearthetopnoteandyou’llhearthe

lowernoteandthenotesinbetween,ofthechord,canvaryquiteconsiderably.WhatI

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chosetodowastoplayitwithmoreorlesstraditionalfingerings,normalfingeringsfor

thehighpitch,andthenundertoneitforthelowerpitch.Irememberdistinctly—

that’swhyI’mfindingthisinterestingthatyou’reholdingthisinterviewwithme.Ican

rememberwhereIwas,IcanremembertheroomIwasin,IcanrememberMichael

beingatthepianobecauseIstartedplayingthesechords[sings].Andhebegantolook

abitdisappointed.AndIjustsoldieredon:‘it’sgrand’.Andhekindofgoes:‘oh!’.And

hestartedplayingthechordsonthepiano,andhesaid:‘oh,that’snotreallywhatI’ve

writtenhere’.Ihadtosaytohimlike,‘listen,thisisoneinstrumentandyougo[blows

air]andthenit’squiteamazingthatyoucanmakemultiplepitches,butyoucan’tdoit

likeapiano’[laughs].Sohewasalittlebitdisappointed.AndI’dputquiteabitofwork

intoitsoyoucanseehowcollaborativelythingscouldfallapartquicklyenoughifyou

weretoosensitive.HewasokaywiththecompromiseI’dcomeupwith.Youknow,

that’showIdidthepiece.Thechordsdidn’treallybearanyrelationtowhatispossible.

MB:Soisthatwastherevisionwas[about]?

PR:Idon’tknow,youknow,Ican’tremembertobeperfectlyhonestwithyou…

Maybe!There’sonefinalthing,actually,thatI’dliketosayaboutthispiece,whichI

foundverytouching.AndIthinkit’saveryimportantstory.Sometimesasperformers

wegoouttoplayandwemayfeel,‘oh,Idon’tfeellikeit,I’mnotinthehumourtoday’,

butyouhavetodoit.That’sthejob,you’reprofessional.Andyouputonabraveface

andyoudoit.Irememberplayingthosepieces,inDrogheda,andagainIrememberthe

space,IrememberhowIwasfeeling,Iwasn’tfeelingingreatformorsomething.I

cameoutandIplayedthepieces,TheLads[Chatterbox]andOBreath.Thatwasokay,I

didn’tthinkanythingofit.Thiswomancameuptomeaftertheperformanceandshe

wasimmenselytouchedbytheperformance.I’dexplainedthepiecewasabouttheloss

ofbreathofthesepeopleandtheirlivesdrainingawayinthiscontainer.Andshesaid

shehadhadababy,Idon’tknowwhetheritwasthatyear,butithaddiedofcotdeath.

AndthatwhenIwasplayingthispieceitbroughtallofthatback,thebabyandmaybe

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justrunningoutofbreath.Shewasimmenselymovedbyit.SoIsupposethemoralof

thestoryis[that]musiccommunicatesinawaythatisbeyondanysortoflogical

understanding.Ittouchespeopleinsomanywaysanditisassociativewithallofour

livesandourexperienceinourlives.Sometimesasperformerswemayforgetthat.I

thinkthere’ssomethingabouttryingtorememberthatallofthetime,toberespectful

tothatpossibility.Evenifwe’renotfeelingit,maybeit’smovingsomebody

tremendouslyintheaudience.

MB:Howdoyouthinkplayingwithelectronicshaschangedinthepastseventeen

years?

PR:I’vealwaysenjoyedit,youknow.I’vealwaysbeenintriguedbytryingthingsout.

I’veneverbeenafraid,I’veneverbeenoneofthesemusicians,‘OhIcan’tdothat!’I

thinkthat’soneofthesignsofacontemporarymusicianincontrasttosomeonewho’s

abitmoreconservative.I’veneverbeentooafraidtotryallsortsofcrazythingsonthe

instrumentincludingwaterinthebellofmybassclarinetand[…]tennisballsandall

thissortofthing.Butasregardstechnology,Ithink,wellofcoursewhat’shappenedin

technologyinallotherwaysit’sbecomemuchmoreeasytodothings.There’smuch

moreeasetodothings.IspokeaboutContinuumandhowwhatRobwasdoingthere

wasaverycomplexmanoeuveratthetimethatcanprobablybedoneverysimplynow

onaniPhoneorsomething.Butheneededaspecialdigitaldelaymachine,aspecial

one.Notjustanordinaryonebecauseheneededlengthydelayasopposedtotwo

seconds.Hewantedabigdelay.Fromatechnologypointofviewit’sbecomemuch

moreaccessibletodothesethings.Andit’sbecomemoremainstream,itusedtobea

bitofitsownthing.AndIthinkgradually,littlebylittle,it’sbeginningtobemore

nuancedinhowit’sbeingused.Ithinkinthepastcomposers—anditisatrapIthink

forcomposerstofallintothisideaofcreatingpiecesthatareacompendiumofeffects.

Justbecausethetechnologyallowssomuch—Ithinkintheearlydaysinparticular

therewasatendencytoreallyoverdoit.Therewasn’tsomuchsubtletyintheuseof

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technology.SoIthinkthat’schanged.There’smuchmorediversityintheareaof

electronicmusicaswell.

Personally,Ithinktheideaofliveinstrumentsandtechnologyisveryattractive

becauseyougetablendofnewinteraction,newsounds,newtechnology,butalso

there’sahumansidetoit.I’veneverreallybeenamajorfanofjustlaptopsorlaptop

musicmaking.Nodisrespecttothosewhodothat.Orpeoplewhostareatscreenswho

don’treallyengagewithanaudience.Itjustdoesn’treallyappealtomeanddoesn’t

seemlikeanengagedprocessreally.Watchingit’sabitnerdy.Ithinkhaving

technologyandthehumanbeingisaveryengagingthing.I’mthinkingaboutyourfinal

performancethererecentlyandhowengagingitwastowatchyouplaying,butwatch

thescreen[referringtoKatharineNorman’sPaul’sWalk],listentothemusic.It’savery

immersiveandcompellingexperience.Ithinktheinteractionofthetwoisgood.

Ithinkthemorewecanbeginto–andthey’retryingtodothis–integratethe

elementssothatthereisgreaterconnection,artisticconnection,aestheticconnection

isimportant.We’reseeingmoreandmoreofthat.AndyouwouldhaveplayedStung

byFrankLyonswhoreallybeginstointegratetechnologyintothepieceratherthan

havingtwoseparatethings.Andofcoursenow,MatthiasMuellerandhisworkwith

SABRe(SensorAugmentedBassClarinetResearch)andnowthat’sgoneonto

productionfortheregularclarinetaswell.Whatthatseemstobeallworkingtowards

ismoreintegrationandIreallythinkthat’sagoodthing.Whereasbefore,therewasa

touchofkindofabitnerdy,abitgeeky,andthenlet’sjustaddonapiece.

Actually,letmetellyouanotherstory.Aguywhoshallagainremainanonymous,who

hadreallywrittenalotofelectronicmusic.Thatwashismetier,ifyoulike.Andthenhe

wascommissionedbyConcordetowriteapieceforus.AndImethimathishousea

coupleoftimesanditreallyfeltliketheinstrumentswerekindof:‘ohI’vebetterdo

somethingwiththesepeople,I’vegotaclarinet,what’lltheydo,okay’.Or:‘I’vegota

101

flute,okay,what’llIdo’.Andhehadthemostamazingsoundsbutthenwhathe

producedfortheinstrumentalistwas—itwaslike90%technologyand10%the

instrument.Andnowit’sbecomemuchmorefifty-fifty.Actually,lastnightIwentto

seeBiophilia[concertofthealbumbyBjörk]andthat’sreallybeautifullyintegrated.

You’vegotthischoralvoicesofthesegirls’choirandyou’vegotthesoloistBjörk,and

you’vegotthetechnologyguysdoingtheirstuffandyou’vegotvideo.Ithinkthere’s

beenalotofinfluenceinelectronicmusicfromothermusicforms,whichIreallylike

too.I’mhopefuloneofthesedayswemightgetakindof,oneofthesesortofheavy

beatspiecesforbassclarinet.AlthoughSqwonkarekindofdoingthatsortofthing.

MB:WasRattleyouridea,orwasitAmanda[Feery]’sidea?

PR:RattlewasthefirsttimeIcameacrossAmanda,shefirstreallycrossedmyradarin

away.Tobehonestwithyou,Ican’treallytalkalotaboutthegenesisofthepiece

becauseIdon’treallyremember.Iknowshewasaclarinetplayer,andIwouldhave

comeacrossherfromgoinginandouttoCMCbecauseshewasworkinginCMCatthe

time.Iknewhertobequiteanengagingsortofaperson.Youknowwhenyougetto

talktopeoplethattheyhaveasharpnessofmind,oracuriosity,Isuppose,iswhat

you’dbelookingforaspeoplewhoarethinkingaboutcollaborationandthingslikethat

orpeoplethatyoumightliketowritepiecesforyou.Icertainlygotasensefrom

Amandathatshewasn’tinterestedinjust…whatyoumightcallacomposerwho

composesinamoretraditionalway.Shecertainlywantedtoexploreboundariesand

explorenewsoundsandnewwaysofdoingthingsandnewapproaches.

SowhenitcametoRattle,Ithoughtherideaswerereally,reallygood.Theideaofthe

snaredrumatthebeginningofthepiece,theelementsofimprovisationinit,andIalso

thoughtthewayshenotatedwascoolaswell.Shedidn’tgetboggeddowninfinding

thenotation.Shereallyhadasoundideaandshegotitonthepageanditmaysnotbe

exactlyeasytoliterallyplay.Butitallowsalotofexplorationfromtheperformers

102

perspectiveaswell.Evenjustinterms,asyoufoundyourself,youexploredthe

beginning:‘nowhowcanImakethatsoundthatshe’slookingfor?’Ireallylikethatsort

ofthingintheseencounterswherethere’salotofspaceforyoutoengagewiththe

materialthat’sthereasopposedtosomethingthat’sset.Ialsolikedthatshehad

playedtheclarinetandthatwhatshewasinterestedinexploringinthepiecewasnot

thenicetraditionalbeautifulclarinetsounding–shelikesthesqueaksandthe

squawks,allthethingsthatwe’retryingtoavoid.Ifoundthatverycreativeandan

interestingapproachtoit.Ialsofoundworkingwithherwasveryagreeableinthatshe

wasopentothetypeofwaysIhaddecidedtoplaytheimprovisedsections.Ijust

enteredintotheprocesstoseewhatcouldIbringtothisthatwouldfillitout,would

createandsoundwhatboththecomposerandmyselfcouldcometo.Maybethat

soundsridiculous.

Thatpiecewentontobeplayedquiteabit.IthinkJane[O’Leary]wouldhaveknown

aboutherandthenbecausewethoughtitwasverygoodandIthinkweendedup

playingthepieceafewmoretimesinthecontextofConcorde.Shealso,therewasan

elementwiththatpiece,fromwhatIgathered[…]electronicpart.Idon’tthinkthat

everhappened.Ithinkshealwaysintendedforittohaveanelectronicpartandshe

neverquitegotaroundtothat.ThenitwasrecordedbyCMCforoneoftheirCDs.And

it’sbeenplayedbyotherplayers,whichIalwaysthinkisalwaysniceaswell.Deirdre

O’Leary’splayeditandyouandmyselfhaveplayeditandIdon’tknowmaybesome

otherplayershavedonesoaswell.Ithinkit’sreallynicewhenapiecegoesontobe

playedbyotherperformersandgetsawholenewperspectiveonthingstoo.It

developsawholenewlifeaswell.

MB:Whatdoesthetitle[Rattle]referto?

PR:Itsfunnyhow,weasperformers,asartists,asmusicians,we’renaturally,Iwould

say,tunedintosound.Sorattle,youcouldthinkthat’skindofarattle-ysoundoffthe

103

pieceatthebeginning.Butthat’snotwhatitreferstoatall.Arattleisakindofa

coughthatIthinkhergrannyhad.Ithinkthat’swherethetitlecomesfrom,acough

thathergrannyhad.Thatwascalledarattleinthechest,youknow,achestycough,a

rattle,orawheezeorsomething.WouldyoujustcheckthatwithAmanda?Namesare

evocative.Icouldsaythattheycaninfluencehowweapproachplayingpieces.I

rememberalsoapiecebyStephanGardnerwhichiscalledTrane.Itsoundsquitealot

likeatrainatdifferentpointsinit–themachine,thetrain–butactuallyitwasreally

influencedbyJohnColtrane.Butpeoplewilldopunsonlanguageandthingslikethat.

Languageissoundanditinfluencespeople.

MB:Whatwasyourapproachtotheimprovisedsection[inRattle]?

PR:Myapproachtotheimprovisedsectionwas,firstofall,tocontextualisewhatIdid

inwhatcamebeforeandwhatcomesafter.Whathappensbeforetheimprovisationis

thislinearity,andthenthisostinatopatternthat’slinear.There’ssomecertainamount

ofjumpingaroundintheregisters.Andthenthiskindofimprovisedsection,andI’m

nowtalkingaboutthemultiphonicimprovisedsection.[…]Inasensethatthe

multiphonicsarequiteimprecise.Itriedtocreatethatasarealbigcontrasttowhat

hadcomebefore.Italmostrepresentsamiddlesectionofthepiece.WhenIwasdoing

itItookthatintoaccount.Icertainlywasn’ttryingtobetooliteralaboutwhatshehad

written.Iwantedittomatchfromasoundworldpointofview,howIperceiveditto

be.Thenthelatersectionwherethere’salotofscalictypeofthings…Tome,that’s

beginningtowindbackupintothenextsectionwhichisareturnofthesamemotifbut

inadifferentregister.Soitfelt,anideatohaveitmore,Isuppose,traditionalapproach

[…]thatsideofit.

Ithinkmorethananythingwhat’simportantistoconveytheenergyofthemusicitself.

Sotheimprovisationwillwanttobereflectiveoftheenergythathascomeoutofthe

restoftheperformanceaswell.Itwantstofitintothatenergyspace.IthinkwhenI’m

104

improvisinglikethat,it’savisceralexperiencethatI’mlookingtocreatefromboth

myself,butalsointermsofthesoundthat’screatedwillhaveadirectvisceral,physical

connection.Thatsaid,Ididintheendwriteoutasectionoftheimprovisationsothat

there’sanelementofmerepeatingthat.Idon’tthinkthat’snecessarily…It’soneway

ofdoingit.Ithinkyou’vecomeupwithotherways,Marcella,whichIreallylike.I’ve

trieddifferentwaysofdoingthesethings.IthinkIwroteoutsomeofthesections

becauseIfeltitlinkedbettertowhatwascomingbefore.WhereasifI’dhavejust

improviseditmaynothavestayedwithinthethreebars,orthefivebars,itmayhave

gottenlongerorshorter.Anditmayhavesoundednotreallywithinthecontextof[…].

MB:DoyouknownwhatthetitleStungrefersto?

PR:Ilovethetitle.TobehonestwithyouIcan’tremember.Ithinkhemayhavetold

me,butIdon’trememberifhedid.Hewroteapieceforbassclarinetandaccordion

andthat’salovelynameaswell[Thud].That’sequallyanice,punchyname.Isuppose

goingbacktothetitlesofpieces,likeRattle,thesinglewordrattlehasacertainenergy

aboutit.AndStungalsohasanimmediacyaboutthat.Ifinditreallyevocativeandit’s

gota[makesa‘stung’noise],Idon’tknow,itmovessomethinginmeanyway.

Again,thisistotallycrazyandIdon’tthinkI’vethoughtofthisbefore,butasting,I

don’tknowwhetheryouknowwhatastingis,butastinginmusicaltermsislikea

thirtysecondclipthatyoumighthearinanad,anadbreak.Itmaybebecausethat

pieceisaseriesofstings,inaway.

Again,whenIthinkaboutthesepiecesthathavebeenwrittenforme,Ithinkaboutthe

personandIthinkabouttheengagementthatleduptothepiece.IknewFrankalong

timebeforehewroteStung.I’dplayedsomeofhisotherpieces,hisotherchamber

pieces.Infact,Icanprobablysaythataboutmostofthesolobassclarinetpieces.

ProbablyIplayedchambermusicpiecesofallofthosecomposersbeforetheywrote

105

solopieces.Inalotofcases,anyway.Youcouldcheckthat.ThatcertainlymeantIwas

doingabitofpracticebasedresearchinadvertently,‘I’ddefinitelylikehimtowritea

clarinetpieceandIwouldn’tlikehertowriteoneorhimtowriteone’,andsoforth.

Andoftenit’sbasedontheperson.AndFrankagain,asyouknow,isveryagreeable,

verynicefella.[He’s]gotlotsofreallygreatideas,veryself-effacing,veryeasytowork

with,veryeasytohaveacollaborativeprocess.Andwe’vespokenalongtimeabout

workingtogether,doingsomepieces,andeventuallyFrankcameupwiththispiece.

We’dhadmanyconversationsovertheyearsabouthowcompositionandperformance

werereallycloselyrelatedandthatwhencomposerandperformerworkclosely

togetheritworksreally,reallywell.Andhehimselfisaperformer,aguitarist,andhe

playedinallsortsofbands.Hehasastrongfeelingofwhatit’sliketobeaperformer

andhasagreatinterestinjazz,andgreatinterestinJohnColtrane,PatMetheny,all

thesejazzmusicians.Soallofthatgoesintothemixwiththispiece.Stungisdefinitely

influencedbyColtrane,whichisinterestingaswellbecauseofStephanGardner’spiece

[It'stheholethatkillsyounotthebullet(2005)forbassclarinetandtape].SoStung–

yeah,definitelyinfluencedbyjazz,influencedbyJohnColtrane,influencedby

technology,influencedbyimprovisationalstyles.FrankknewIwasinterestedin

improvisingandIwasinterestedincreativemusicmaking.Andheknewthatwewould

getalongwell,whichiswhatyouwantwhenyou’reworkingwithpeople.That’sreally

thebackdroptoStung.Andhewroteapieceforbassclarinetandaccordionaswell

[Thud(2013)],usingsimilarideaswheretheliveelectronicsischangedeachtimethe

pieceisplayed.That’saveryattractivesidetothepiece.

MB:Wheredidtheterm‘Balkantrill’comefrom?Wasthatyourtermorwasthat

Frank’s[term]?

PR:Ah,no.Thatwasmyterm,butIcan’tclaimanyownershipofiteither.Ifirstheard

theterm‘Balkantrill’fromDavidKrakauerwhenIwasinNewYorkin2008whenI

studiedklezmer.HetoldmeaboutBalkantrillingandhedoesagreatBalkantrill.He

106

doesalotofgreatthingsactually,buthisBalkantrillisprettyimpressive.Soifyou

listentoKrakauerhedoesaprettywildBalkantrill.Balkanofcoursecomingfrom

Balkanmusic.Balkantrillissuggestiveofaparticularstyleofmusic,Balkanmusic.And

thenthetrillobviouslyistrillingwiththefingerandalsotheembouchureatthesame

time.

MB:Soyouwouldhaveshownhimthattrill?

PR:Idid.That’scorrect.Hewouldhavecometomyhouse,actually,nowthatIthinkof

it.I’veoftenhadcomposerscometomyhouseandrecordmedoingallsortsofcrazy

noisesandstuff.Theythen—theyworkwiththat.Theymighthavetheirreference

booksandstufflikethatbutthentheyhavethisaudiorecordingofthestuffthatI

particularlylikedoingorcandoandthatgivesthemapalettewithwhichtheycan

work.OneofthechallengesofworkinglikethatthenisoftenI’lldostuffandIdon’t

knowwhatI’mdoingandtheygo:‘yesIlovethat,that’sgreat!’Andtheymightcome

backandtheygo:‘doyourememberyoudidthatthing?’AndIgo:‘no’.‘Youknowthe

thingthat’slike[sings]’,andIgo,‘isitthis?’,‘no,no,it’snotthat.It’slikethat,butit’s

not…’[laughs].Thathasledtosomereallyinterestingconversationstryingtorecreate

whathadbeenplayedspontaneouslyinthemoment.Butthat’sthebeautyof

creativityreally.Ithinkifwecouldadoptthatapproachtomakingmusic,whether

we’replayingBrahms,orMozart,orcontemporarymusic,thatweactuallyinteract

withitinrealtime,now,inthisverymoment.Obviouslywithintheboundsofstylistic

considerations.Buttoadoptanapproachthat’snotpre-cooked,Ithinkworkssowell.

Obviouslyyou’vegottodothatincontemporarymusictobeconvincing.[…]Ialways

rememberedhearingSabineMeyerplayingMozartconcertoontheradioandjust

beingstunned.Itsoundedlikecontemporarymusictome.Nottheharmonies,notthe

notes,notanyofthat,butjustthefreshness,asifitwasjustcomposedyesterday.This

piecehadbeenwritten200yearsagoorsomething.Andthatwasbecauseofthe

engagementandthefreshnessandthecharismaandhergreatartistryofcourse.ButI

107

thinkthat’salwaysbeensomethingIthinkIwouldprioritize,whatevermusicyouplay.

Toactuallybealivetothemoment.Nottoadoptanattitudeoftryingtodosomething

that’samuseumpiece.Thatitshouldalwaysbeliving.Musicisliving,youknow.

MB:BeforeworkingwithDavidBremneronComposure,hadyoueverworkedwitha

graphicscorebefore?

PR:Yes,I’veworkedwithgraphicscoresquiteabitovertheyears.Theguywho

probablymostgotmeintographicscoreswasRobCanning.Hehadquitearangeof

interestinggraphicscoresfromEarleBrowntoStockhausenones,andvariousother

ones.AndRobhadexploreddifferentwaysofnotatingmusicaswell,inanincredibly

creativefashion.Imean,youshouldlookatsomeofhisscores.Rob’sscoresare

amazingtolookat.IcertainlywasawareandIknewofcourseaboutTreatise,this

famousworkbyCorneliusCardew.SoIknewaboutthisworkandwithDavidBremner

then,heknewthatIknewandIknewthatheknew,weknewthatthiswasamedium

bywhichwecouldworkcollaboratively.Hewasveryinterestedintheideaof

collaborativeworkingandexploringwhathappenswhenwechangethecontext,we

tearawaythetraditionalwayofnotatingmusic.Again,asIthinkaboutthepiece,I

thinkaboutDavid,Ithinkabouttheperson,IthinkabouttheinteractionsI’vehadwith

them.I’mnowfindingitreally,eveninthisinterview,howjoyfulitistoremember

thesethings.I’malsothinkingabouthow–Idon’tknowwhetherornotyouknowthis

–youknowElgar’sEnigmaVariations,welleachoneofthosevariationswaswritten

aboutafriend.Inaway,whenIthinkabouteachofthesepieces,Ithinkaboutthe

friendshipandIthinkabouttheartisticengagementandthefunthatcameoutof

thosethings,andthejoyofdoingthatsortofwork.Theactualresultingpieceofmusic

isonething,buttheprocessisawholeotherthing,whichisreallyinteresting.The

wholegraphicscorething…ithasgreatpossibilitiesinaway.I’mabitunsureasto

whattosayaboutgraphicscores.

108

MB:Whatwaschallengingaboutit?

PR:Whatwaschallengingaboutit,curiouslyenough,inaway,wasmoreforDavid

thanitwasformeinaway.Idon’tmindtakingrisks,Idon’tmindtryingthings,Idon’t

mindifit’snotrightwhenI’mplayingcontemporarymusic.Whatwaschallenging

aboutitwasfirstofallthesizeofthescorewasverydifficulttotransport.Soactuallyin

averypracticalwayofcourseyoucouldmanage.YoucouldplayitoffaniPadoryou

couldgetasmallerversionofit.Theoriginalversion,whichisA0orsomething,it’sa

bigversion,itlooksamazing.Thesuccessofthatpiece,actually,ishowitlooksand

howpeopleengagewithhowitlooks.WhenIplaythispiece,Iplaywithmybacktothe

audiencesotheaudiencecanseewhatI’mplaying.Ithinkanotherwayofdoingit

wouldbetohaveituponthewallorasavideoorsomethingorasaslide.Butpeople

lovelookingatitandhearingitunfolding.Ialwaysfindithighlyamusingbecause

peoplecomingupafterwillsaytome‘oh,Ilovedwhenyougottothisbit,andyougot

tothatbit,andyougottotheotherbit’.Youcouldsaytheyareverymuchinvolvedin

thecreativeprocess.They’rehearingsomethingthatI’mplayingandI’mplaying

somethingthatmayrelatetowhattheythink,butitmaynotatall.Someofthatpiece,

IdidattempttodowhatIthoughttheactualimagesrepresentedintermsofhigh-low,

thick-thin,loud-soft,thesesortofthings.ButthenalsoIuseditasastimulus,tojust

respondtoitinanon-literalfashion.Intheonehand,youcouldsay,Icouldhave

adoptedaprogrammaticapproachtoit.Yeah,we’veascendinglinessoIshouldgoup

thereandtheninanotherwayIapproachitinanon-programmatic,anon-linearway,

andinanabstractwaywhichwasjusttorespondtoitemotionally,viscerally,andnot

toointellectually.Forme,Ididn’tfindittoodifficult,Ienjoyeddoingthat.ButIthink

forDavid,whenheheardmeplayingit,Icanrememberhimgoing:‘oh,okay’.Andhe

evenstartedsaying,‘ohIcouldseeyouspendquitealotoftimeonthissection’.How

wouldheknow?DoyouknowwhatImean?AndIdidn’tsayIdidorIdidn’t,butit

quitepossiblywasn’t.ThatIfoundveryamusing.

109

APPENDIXC

EmailInterviewwithPaulRoe,23August2017

MarcellaBarz:WhatisitlikeasaperformertoperformwithConcorde?Howwould

youcontrastittoplayingintheorchestra(NSO)?

PaulRoe:ItisreallylovelytoplaywithConcorde.I'vebeenperformingwiththemfor

somethinglike25yrs.ItiscompletelydifferenttoplayingwiththeNSOinmanyways.

Concordefeelslikefamily-weareknoweachother'sfoibleswell,wearetolerantofour

idiosyncrasiesandhappyforourcolleaguestoshine.Weintuiteach

other'smovements,gesturesandfinditquiteeasytoprepareworksquickly.Thereis

nosenseofjudgement.Weenjoythecreativeexplorationtogether-thereisalwaysa

senseofthecollective.Ihaveplayedmany,manysolopiecesinConcordeconcertsbut

Ineverseemyselfasdifferent-Iamamemberevenwhenplayingsolos.It'snotabout

meshiningatall.It'saboutthegroup.Wesupporteachotherbeyondthegroup-asyou

canimagineovermanyyearstherehasbeenvariousissuesinmemberslivesandwe

endeavourtobethereforeachother.AsIsayit'slikeafamily.ReallyJane'sleadership

hascreatedacultureofcreativity,funandcuriosity.FormeplayinginConcordeina

joy...acreativefreedom.Wedon'tworrytoomuchaboutperfectionordottingeveryi

andcrossingeveryT...musicisafterallcommunicationandnotdidacticism.

OntheotherhandplayinginabigorchestrasuchastheNSOisoftenquiteanisolating

experience.Youareasmallcoginabigmachineandattimesyoursmallcoghasabig

parttoplay.Professionalorchestralplaying,likeprofessionalsportisaboutproduction.

Ofcoursewhat'sbeingproducedissometimestranscendentperformancebutoftenit

isaboutefficiencyandnotmakingmistakes,aboutplayingright,aboutrespondingto

direction,aboutfittingin.Speedisimportant-speedoflearning,deliveringand

performing.Naturallyexemplarysight-readingiscrucial.Anabilitytohandle

110

performancestress/anxietyisamust.Formeplayinginanorchestrawasinhibitory

artistically,emotionallyandpsychologically.Ifeltconstrainedanditreallyseemedlike

aproductionprocess,withlinemanagersandotherhierarchicalstructures.Egois

important,bullet-proofconfidenceanassetandoveralltoughnessamust.Sensitivityis

inherentinmostmusiciansbuttheorchestralpathrequiresonetodampdown

sensitivityinfavourofrobustness.Unfortunatelythisencouragesanarrogance

amongstsomemusicianswhoholdpositionaspreeminenttocontributionanda

displacedsenseofpower.Communityisentirelycompromisedinorchestralsettings

andasforcollaborationthisissimplynotafeature.Orchestrassuitsomepeoplebut

theyareextremelystiflingformany.Thefortunateonesleave.Howevermanyhaving

trainedalltheirlivesfindpositionsinorchestrasandmakeeconomic/relational

commitmentsthatcondemnthemtoworkinanenvironmentthatshutsthemdownon

manyfronts.AsIsaytherearethoseitsuits-typicallyconfident,forthright,robust

personalitiesbutmanyothersitdoesn't.Thereisapremiumonknowingandcertainty,

formeartistryisaboutthesearchandanyanswersarriveatsimplyraisemore

questionstoexplore.

MB:HaveanyrepeatperformancesofTheLadsincludedtheboxfromthecontainers

exhibitionordoyounothaveaccesstoitanymore?

PR:Therewereafewperformancesinthebox!butasforit'swhereaboutsnowIdon't

know.IthinkM.Holohanwouldhaveanidea-andwouldbehappytosharewithyou.

MB:Whatqualitiesasaperformer/collaboratordoyouthinkhaveinfluencedthe

composersthatyouhaveworkedwith?

Ilikethisquestionverymuch-itcausesmetothink.Ithinktheindividualmatters

enormously-I'mstruckbythedifferenceyoubringtoperformingworksIhave

performedmanytimes.Iamattractedandinterested.It'sacombination.The

performer,composer,themusic,thecontextallmattersomuch.IthinkthequalitiesI

havethathaveinspiredcomposersareallpartofme,ofcoursethereareelementsbut

111

justlikeacomposerit'sthetotalityoftheartisticpersonalitythatcounts.Howeverlet

meconsidersomequalitiesofminewouldhaveinfluencedcomposers.Iamcurious,

philosophical,interestedinexploration,nonjudgemental(trytobe),fun.Iameasyto

workwith-haveagenuineinterestinpeopleandcreativityandsomewhatself-effacing.

Asaplayer,whichformeisofsecondaryimportancethequalitiesaremusical

imagination,flexibility,widesoundpalette,technicallysupple,dynamicallyvaried,

intellectualengaged,emotionallyconnectedandsomaticallyembodythework.

MB:Howdoyouthinkyouhaveaffectedtheoutputofsolobassclarinetrepertoireas

opposedtoifithadbeensomeoneelsecommissioningallofthesepieces?

PR:Anothergreatquestion...theworksreflectbothcomposersandmyinterests

artistically-colour,imagination,gesture,dynamism,energy,intensity.Another

performermaybeforexamplebeabouttheirvirtuosity,individualcharisma,

impressivetechnicalfireworksetc.toplaceitbackonyou-youbringafeminineenergy,

anelegance,anengagementthatisaboutthemusicandyourpartinthemusicas

opposedtosomewhomit'saboutthem.TouseaphraseIcameacrossrecentlythere

isashiftrequiredintheworld(ofleadership)thatisfromthecurrentloveofpowerto

thepoweroflove.ItsoundscornybutIthinkviewedinabroadercontextwhatit

meansistheeveryonehasauniqueandbeautifulperspectiveifallowedthe

opportunitytoexpressit.

112

APPENDIXD

E-mailInterviewwithFrankLyons,August282017

MarcellaBarz:WhatdoesthetitleStungreferto?

FrankLyons:Interestingquestion!Asyou’llbeaware,thelate,greatsaxophonist

MichaelBreckerwasthemaininspirationbehindthispiece;I’mconstantlyfascinated

andmovedbyhisplaying.Iremembersearchinginmymindforadescriptivewordof

howIfeltafterlisteningtoaparticularlyfieryBreckersolo,onthetrackTumbleweedI

think,andthatfeelingwas‘stung’!

113

APPENDIXE

ListofSoloBassClarinetCompositionsbyIrishComposers

(includingworkswithelectronics)2

Date

Composed

Titleof

Composition

Composer Premiered

by

Instrumentation

2000 Continuum RobCanning PaulRoe amplifiedbcl,

tape,anddigital

delay

2000 TheLads

(‘Chatterboxand

‘OBreath’)

Michael

Holohan

PaulRoe cl+bcl

2001rev.

2012

MusicBox ElaineAgnew PaulRoe bcl,pre-recorded

voicetrack

2003 Ashes IanWilson SarahWatts bcl

2004 Motus Kevin

O’Connell

SarahWatts bcl

2005 apiacere JaneO’Leary PaulRoe bcl

2005 analsationate

mydog

KarenPower Deirdre

O’Leary

bcl,tape

2005 It'stheholethat

killsyounotthe

bullet

Stephen

Gardner

PaulRoe bcl,tape

2MostofthislistwascompiledusingtheContemporaryMusicCentreIreland’sonlinedatabase.ThepiecesthatwerenotlistedonCMC’swebsitewerefoundinPaulRoe’spersonalcollection,aswellaslistedonthewebsitesofcomposers.ThevastmajorityofthemareavailablethroughCMC.

114

2005 NílAonÓragan

FearBás

PeterMoran no

information

bcl

2005 Monster EdBennett PaulRoe bcl,tape

2005 MusicforBass

Clarinet

Ronan

Guilfoyle

PaulRoe bcl

2006 TimeandSpace

DiedYesterday

EibhlísFarrell PaulRoe bcl

2007 areyousure

you’rehearing

what’swritten

KarenPower noinfo. bcl,tape

2007 Corcra Deirdre

McKay

PaulRoe bcl

2007 Fab-land DavidMorris PaulRoe bcl

2007 GracePark PeterMoran PaulRoe bcl

2007 OtherStories Christopher

Norby

PaulRoe bcl

2007 ourheadlights

blewsoftlyinto

theblack,

illuminatingvery

little

Jonathan

Nangle

Deirdre

O’Leary

bcl,tape

2007 Whisperingthe

TurmoilDown

JudithRing PaulRoe bcl,tape

2007 WildCooking NeilBurns noinfo. bcl

2008 TheEndIsThe

BeginningIsThe

End

Daniel

McDermott

PaulRoe bcl

2008 Ruach Anne-Marie

O’Farrell

Deirdre

O’Leary

cl+ecl+bcl

115

2009 Composure David

Bremner

PaulRoe bcl

2010 Charmand

Strange

Emma

O’Halloran

PaulRoe bcl

2010 CreviceCradle

Cracks

AilísNíRíain Deirdre

O’Leary

bcl,tape

2010 Periastron Gráinne

Mulvey

PaulRoe bcl,tape

2010 Rattle Amanda

Feery

PaulRoe bcl

2010 SéamsurI RyanMolloy noinfo. bcl

2010 Stung FrankLyons PaulRoe bcl,live

electronics

2011 ADarkSong Frank

Corcoran

Fintan

Sutton

bcl

2012 Linea Martin

O’Leary

PaulRoe bcl

2012 Multiphonic

Study

GregCaffrey SarahWatts bcl

2013 Cloughlea Alyson

Barber

PaulRoe bcl

2013 hhhmmm… ElaineAgnew PaulRoe bcl

2013 apointonmany

lines

Scott

McLaughlin

HenriBok bcl

2013–14 MusicforJoey Marian

Ingoldsby

PaulRoe cl+bcl

(+electronics)

2013 WeSwim BenMcHugh PaulRoe bcl,live

electronics

2014 GáethArdÚar EoinMulvany noinfo. bcl

116

2014 ThreePiecesfor

BassClarinetand

Electronics

Matthew

Whiteside

Joanna

Nicholson

bcl,electronics

2015 StarMaker Amanda

Feery

PaulRoe bcl

2016 InvasiveSounds EndaBates noinfo bcl,electronics

A Contextual Analysis of Solo Bass Clarinet Music by Irish ...

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