Charlie Sdraulig
binary
for flute, clarinet, percussion, violin, viola and cello
2013-14
(Version 27/6/14) Copyright © Charlie Sdraulig, 2013-14 All rights reserved.
For Distractfold
Note
Two subtly differentiated systems for interaction (developed and extended from earlier works in the process series) are explored in this piece: one pushes aspects of the sounds
the performers make further apart, the other pulls them closer together.
A series of questions drive the systems for interaction. For example, ‘is the sound [of the other player] more continuous than mine?’ Each ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response will result in
the player very slightly changing an indicated variable, such as breath pressure or bow speed etc. Questions such as this one provide a way to navigate through and respond to
the chosen sounds, as well as draw connections between them. Many of these sounds take place at the threshold of audibility. The ambiguity of this context ideally inspires
active listening and subjective responses according to each performer’s perception of their own sound, the sound of the other performer and the relationship between them.
The performers’ perception and responses, mediated by the systems for interaction, create the music in real-time. The result of this approach is a sound world that is
constantly redefining itself, negotiated and under discussion, which potentially allows the fragility and ambiguity of perception itself to become audible.
This is the fourth work in a series of pieces, collectively known as process.
I would like to thank James Bean, Lisa Illean and Louis D’Heudieres for their comments and suggestions.
Above all, I would like to give a very special thanks to the performers of Distractfold and Mauricio Pauly for their advice, time, support and encouragement; this piece would
have been inconceivable without them.
ii General performance directions
The performers should arrange themselves in a very small circle facing each other. The audience should be as close as possible to the performers, encircling them.
Very discreet amplification may be used, if the performance space demands it. Amplification should reinforce the instrumental sounds in the most subtle way possible.
Ideally, the audience would not even be aware that amplification is being used at all. The speakers should be placed as close to the performers as possible. For example, small
speakers may be put under the performers’ chairs, facing out towards the audience.
When performing, keep physical movement to a minimum. Try to only perform the actions that are absolutely necessary for a realisation of the piece. The performance
should have an unrelenting air of focus and concentration.
Parts
Each performer should have two well-lit stands. Ideally, print the part on card (or glue/tape the music on to backing card) and then tape the pages together in the following
configuration:
1
3
2
4
5
7
6
8
Pages 1-4 on one stand and pages 5-8 on the other (or an alternative order if desired). This is to avoid page turns. The clarinet part is nine pages long, so some cutting up of
the music will be required in order to fit it on to two stands.
There is no score; each performer has a specifically tailored part, which only includes the cues they need to listen out for and the instruments from which these cues are
taken.
The first six pages of the piece are predominately notated graphically or in tablature – the systems for interaction have been simulated or realised beforehand. Occasionally,
text boxes open ‘windows’ that precipitate the real-time realisation of these systems by the performers. Pages 7 and 8 of each part are the full systems for interaction for realtime realisation; each player’s responses to the element specific questions are different. However, the following summary of the major disturbances to the systems (both
simulated and real) may be helpful in order to get a sense of the piece’s overall trajectory:



At the end of page 2, the clarinet player will gradually take the instrument out of their mouth, remove the ligature and then start to blow into the window of the
mouthpiece. All the other performers stop playing and freeze as this happens.
In the middle of page 6, the entire ensemble will become stuck as they continually breathe in or perform up bows until the lid of the percussionist’s wooden pencil
box is in a completely open position.
During pages 7 and 8, when an ambient sound occurs, each performer will incrementally slow down their overall rate of change for all the variables. As a result, each
player’s changes to their sound will become increasingly small and subtle until it seems as though they are changing nothing at all.
iii 


At some point during pages 7 and 8, the clarinettist will remove everything except the mouthpiece and reed from their instrument. All the other performers stop
playing and freeze as this happens.
At some point after this during pages 7 and 8, the clarinettist will put the remainder of their instrument down. All the other performers will stop playing (if they
haven’t already) and remain still, in a rest position.
The piece then ends with a clarinet solo that is barely distinguishable from normal steady breathing. If the audience decides that the performance has finished before
the clarinettist has reached the notated end of this solo, the piece is abandoned immediately.
Always aim to reproduce and respond to the slightest micro-variations present in the pages notated graphically or in tablature, as well as in the systems for interaction.
Cues
Angled, near-vertical arrows going between different parts are cues. When you hear/see the cue, play the relevant passage.
Arrows always point away from the part that you receive the cue from and towards your part.
Some of these cues are intentionally ambiguous and require active decision making on the part of the players. If you happen to miss a cue, listen out for other sonic signposts
– position changes, ends of bows or breaths etc. – that should occur at about the same time and then adjust accordingly. Flexibility is both intended and encouraged, however
each part is notated in a reasonably accurate quasi-time-space manner. Therefore, if you find yourself to be some distance from where you should be in relation to the other
parts, quickly and smoothly catch up or wait as appropriate.
iv Flute
Positions
Position One: no keys depressed.
Position Two: all keys depressed.
Change positions as quickly and as quietly as possible.
Variable: breath pressure
Breath pressure is indicated by the hand-drawn line on the flute staff (see below).
When the line is very faint (at the beginning of the flute staff on page 2, for example) blow at an extremely low breath pressure, one that would be barely audible to you in a
very quiet environment.
When the line is dark (towards the end of the flute staff on page 5, for example) blow at a comfortably audible level, the equivalent of a mezzo piano dynamic perhaps, but
never so loudly that you entirely drown out the sounds produced by the other performers in the ensemble.
Any other gradation of lightness/darkness of the line is in-between these extremes.
v Variable: rolling the instrument
an open position where the embouchure hole is facing away from the mouth and the air stream does not activate the resonance of the instrument in any way.
a normal playing position.
a completely covered/closed position where the entire air stream is directed into the instrument.
The height of the breath pressure line indicates the position to adopt.
When rolling the instrument in Position One, you may need to adjust your grip to maintain control of the instrument.
Variable: mouth shape
The normal flute embouchure and sound is never used in this part. The instrument is mainly used for resonance.
Always blow air voicelessly through the following mouth shapes without any suggestion of a vowel or consonant. Your teeth should generally be quite close together.
: extremely tightly pursed lips, breath should only escape in unpredictable pops and bursts.
: tight pursed lips.
: a rounded shape, as if saying ‘oo’.
: a relaxed open shape, as if saying ‘ah’.
: a wide, flat shape, achieved using your cheek muscles, as if saying ‘ee’.
: a wide, open ‘smile’ shape.
: a smooth, consistent and gradual widening of your mouth shape.
: a smooth, consistent and gradual tightening of your mouth shape.
There will be only the slightest natural hint of a glissando when changing between shapes. So should sound relatively low and
vi should sound relatively high.
Breath lengths
: a breath in that is very quick and as soft as possible
: a (long) breath in.
Breaths in should be as long as possible, contingent on the breath pressure, mouth shape and amount of air previously expended. Breath pressure and mouth shape should
not consciously change in the course of a breath in. An example of one of the longest possible breaths in is the third notated breath in on page 3 on the flute staff.
: a (long) breath out.
Breaths out should be as long as possible, contingent on the breath pressure and mouth shape. An example of one of the longest possible breaths out is the one that starts
with the second
indication on page 2 on the flute staff.
Changes to the contour and length of the breath length lines indicate that more or less air is being expended. A shorter, steeper line indicates that a larger amount of air is
being expended than a longer line with a gentler gradient. It is not necessary to pay too much attention to this aspect of the notation as your breath lengths will naturally vary
as a result of changes in breath pressure and mouth shape. Breath lengths are notated in this manner more for the benefit of the other performers, who take cues from your
part, and to indicate the proportional temporal relationships that exist between each member of the ensemble. Ultimately, you should adjust your breath expenditure in order
to maintain the vertical relationships between all the parts.
Rate of change
Change from one extreme of a variable to the other – the lowest to highest breath pressures, the open to closed positions when rolling the instrument, or to
when
changing mouth shape – should take the same amount of time as one breath out, which is as long as possible at the lowest breath pressure and in a mouth shape.
vii Clarinet
Positions
Position One: on pages 1 and 2, between the fingering for
and
; on page 3 onwards, between the reed positions
Position Two: on pages 1 and 2, between the fingering for
and
; on page 3 onwards, between the reed positions
and
and
Change positions as quickly and as quietly as possible.
Variable: breath pressure (throughout)
Breath pressure is indicated by the hand-drawn line on the clarinet staff (see below).
When the line is very faint (on page 9, for example) blow at an extremely low breath pressure, one that would be barely audible to you in a very quiet environment.
When the line is dark (towards the end of the clarinet staff on page 4, just before the first
indication, for example) blow at a comfortably audible level, the equivalent of
a mezzo piano dynamic perhaps, but never so loudly that you entirely drown out the sounds produced by the other performers in the ensemble.
Any other gradation of lightness/darkness of the line is in-between these extremes.
viii Variable (pages 1 and 2 only): fingering
Finger the indicated notes (though these pitches will only rarely be produced, see below); the height of the breath pressure line indicates the fingering to adopt. When
transitioning between these limits, glissando as continuously and as smoothly as possible by sliding your fingers off or on the keys and adjusting your embouchure as
required. You may be required to stop the glissando at any point between the indicated fingerings.
Variable (pages 1 and 2 only): mouth shape
ord. : an ordinary/normal playing embouchure, but producing breath sounds, not pitched sounds. The only exception to this is from the second
indication on page 1
of the clarinet staff until the end of page 1, where very faint red flecks are occasionally present on the breath pressure line. These indicate that at there should be a small risk of
the quietest possible pitched sounds emerging unpredictably and almost accidently out of the context of the breath sounds.
: gradually loosen your embouchure and allow some air to escape out the sides of your mouth without being directed into the clarinet itself.
loose : a very loose embouchure where a lot of air is allowed to escape out the sides of your mouth without being directed into the clarinet itself.
: gradually tighten your embouchure towards an ordinary/normal one.
First system of page 3
(A) Gradually move the instrument (B) out of your mouth and then (C) blow down on to the top of the tip of the reed - your lips should be as close as possible to the
instrument without touching the instrument itself and a whistle sound should occasionally occur.
ix Variable (page 3 onwards): reed position
Hold the reed at its base with both thumbs. The height of the breath pressure line indicates which reed position to adopt, from completely uncovering the window of the
mouthpiece to completely covering the window of the mouthpiece. When transitioning between these extremes, slide the reed gradually and smoothly.
Variable (page 3 onwards): mouth shape
Put your lips extremely close to the window of the mouthpiece and breathe/blow into the instrument. Blow air voicelessly through the following mouth shapes and without
any suggestion of a vowel or consonant. Your teeth should generally be quite close together.
: extremely tightly pursed lips, breath should only escape in unpredictable pops and bursts.
: tight pursed lips.
: a rounded shape, as if saying ‘oo’.
: a relaxed open shape, as if saying ‘ah’.
: a wide, flat shape, achieved using your cheek muscles, as if saying ‘ee’.
: a wide, open ‘smile’ shape.
: a smooth, consistent and gradual widening of your mouth shape.
: a smooth, consistent and gradual tightening of your mouth shape.
There will be only the slightest natural hint of a glissando when changing between shapes. So should sound relatively low and
x should sound relatively high.
Breath lengths
: a breath in that is very quick and as soft as possible
: a (long) breath in.
Breaths in should be as long as possible, contingent on the breath pressure, mouth shape and amount of air previously expended. Breath pressure and mouth shape should
not consciously change in the course of a breath in. An example of one of the longest possible breaths in is the last notated breath in on page 6 on the clarinet staff.
: a (long) breath out.
Breaths out should be as long as possible, contingent on the breath pressure and mouth shape. An example of one of the longest possible breaths out is the one that starts
after the second
indication on page 1 on the clarinet staff.
Changes to the contour and length of the breath length lines indicate that more or less air is being expended. A shorter, steeper line indicates that a larger amount of air is
being expended than a longer line with a gentler gradient. It is not necessary to pay too much attention to this aspect of the notation as your breath lengths will naturally vary
as a result of changes in breath pressure and mouth shape. Breath lengths are notated in this manner more for the benefit of the other performers, who take cues from your
part, and to indicate the proportional temporal relationships that exist between each member of the ensemble. Ultimately, you should adjust your breath expenditure in order
to maintain the vertical relationships between all the parts.
Rate of change
Change from one extreme of a variable to the other – the lowest to highest breath pressures, the uncovered to covered reed positions, or to
when changing mouth
shape – should take the same amount of time as one breath out, which is as long as possible at the lowest breath pressure and in a mouth shape.
xi Percussion
A wooden pencil box with a sliding lid is the only sound source used in this part.
Positions
Position One: the lid should face up, towards the sky.
Position Two: the lid should face down, towards the ground.
Change positions as quickly and as quietly as possible.
xii Lid position
the lid is in a fully open position.
the lid is in a fully closed position.
The height of the hand-drawn line indicates the position of the lid.
Variable: lid speed
The speed at which the lid is opened or closed is indicated in two primary ways: the gradient and the darkness of the hand-drawn line. A steeper gradient and a darker handdrawn line specify a faster speed than a gentler gradient and a lighter hand-drawn line.
When the line is very faint and at a gentle gradient, slide the lid at an extremely slow speed. See the opening of the lid just after the
indication on page 1 on the
percussion staff, for example. The resulting sound should be barely audible to you in a very quiet environment. The time it takes to go from a fully closed position to a fully
open position (or vice versa) at this speed should be roughly equivalent to one breath out from the wind players, which is as long as possible, at the lowest breath pressure and
in a mouth shape.
When the line is dark and at a steep gradient, slide the lid at a reasonably fast speed. See the end of page 3 on the percussion staff, for example. The resulting sound should be
comfortably audible, the equivalent of a mezzo piano dynamic perhaps, but never so loud that you entirely drown out the sounds produced by the other performers in the
ensemble. The time it takes to go from a fully closed position to a fully open position (or vice versa) at this speed should be roughly equivalent to one breath out from the
wind players, which is as long as possible, at the highest breath pressure and in a
mouth shape.
Any other gradation of lightness/darkness or steepness of the line is in-between these extremes.
Lid speed is notated in this dual fashion more for the benefit of the other performers, who take cues from your part, and to indicate the proportional temporal relationships
that exist between each member of the ensemble. Ultimately, you should adjust your lid speed in order to maintain the vertical relationships between all the parts.
The lid speed should not consciously change when you are opening the lid.
Rate of change
Change from one extreme of a variable to the other – the lowest speed to the highest speed – should take the same amount of time as one breath out from the wind players,
which is as long as possible at the lowest breath pressure and in a mouth shape.
xiii
Strings
Each performer should only play on string IV throughout the entire piece.
Scordatura
Compared to the conventional tuning:
(1) The violin tunes string IV down a quarter-tone
(2) The viola tunes string IV up a quarter-tone
(3) The cello tunes string IV down a quarter-tone
Positions
Position One: left hand finger and bow extremely close together (almost touching) near the bridge.
Position Two: left hand finger and bow extremely close together (almost touching) near the nut.
Do not play too closely to the nut, there should still be a sufficient distance between the string and fingerboard for changes in bow and finger pressure to affect the sounds
produced. Explore the the areas close to both the bridge and nut, settle on spots which have the potential of producing the greatest range of sounds given the limitations
defined by this part (perhaps a little ways off a node?). Once you have chosen these spots, try not to deviate too widely from them in a given performance.
Change positions as quickly and as quietly as possible.
Tablature
bridge.
nut.
xiv Variable: bow pressure
The right hand (bow) is notated in black hand-drawn lines on the tablature.
When the line is very faint, hold the bow 5 mm above the string. There should be an extremely low risk of producing a bowed sound. Movement is primarily choreographic
in interest. See for example: the violin part at the end of page 3, the viola part at the last
indication of page 2 and the cello part at the start of page 4.
When the line is very dark, lightly place the bow on the string and use a small amount of downwards pressure. At a moderate bow speed the resulting sound should
approximate a mezzo piano dynamic perhaps, but never play so loudly that you entirely drown out the sounds produced by the other performers in the ensemble. See for
example: the violin part almost reaches this extreme just before the last
part at the first
indication of page 4, the viola part just before the first
indication of page 2 and the cello
indication of page 2.
Smoothly transition between these extremes.
At the half way point between these extremes, hold the bow between 1 and 2 mm above the string. Allow the natural nervous twitch of your muscles to make accidental
contact with the string. The quality of physical contact should be similar to holding your thumb and index finger as close together as possible without intentionally touching.
Variable: finger pressure
The left hand is notated in red hand-drawn lines on the tablature.
When the line is very faint, hold the finger 5 mm above the string. There should be an extremely low risk of contact. Movement is primarily choreographic in interest. See for
example: the violin part at the end of page 1, the viola part at the
indication on page 1 and the cello part at the start of page 4.
When the line is very dark, apply a normal finger pressure, which would ordinarily produce a stable stopped note in other contexts. See for example: all the string parts at the
end of page 6.
Smoothly transition between these extremes.
At the half way point between these extremes, hold the finger between 1 and 2 mm above the string. Allow the natural nervous twitch of your muscles to make accidental
contact with the string. When contact does occur it should be at a harmonic pressure. The quality of physical contact should be similar to holding your thumb and index
finger as close together as possible without intentionally touching.
xv Variable: bow speed and length
Bow speed is indicated by the relative steepness of the gradient of the hand-drawn lines above the tablature. The steeper the gradient, the faster the bow speed.
At the slowest bow speed, when the bow is lightly placed on the string and a small amount of downwards pressure is used, the sound produced should be somewhat broken
and discontinuous. The time it takes to go from the tip to the heel of the bow (or vice versa) at the this bow speed should be roughly equivalent to one breath out from the
wind players, which is as long as possible, at the lowest breath pressure and in a mouth shape.
: an up bow at the slowest bow speed.
: a down bow at the slowest bow speed.
At the fastest bow speed, when the bow is lightly placed on the string and a small amount of downwards pressure is used, the sound produced should be comfortably
continuous. The time it takes to go from the tip to the heel of the bow (or vice versa) at this bow speed should be roughly equivalent to one breath out from the wind players,
which is as long as possible, at the highest breath pressure and in a
mouth shape.
: an up bow at the fastest bow speed.
: a down bow at the fastest bow speed.
Any other change in the gradient of these lines indicates a bow speed in-between these extremes.
: a retake that is very quick and as soft as possible
Your bow speed should not consciously change when you are performing an up bow.
Ultimately, you should adjust your bow speed in order to maintain the vertical relationships between all the parts.
Rate of change
Change from one extreme of a variable to the other – the lowest pressure to the highest pressure etc. – should take the same amount of time as one breath out from the wind
players, which is as long as possible at the lowest breath pressure and in a mouth shape.
xvi Text boxes and the systems for interaction
Text boxes on pages 2 to 6 begin and end according to the indicated cues. At the end of a text box, always immediately adopt the notated variable states. During text boxes,
breath length and bow speed indications in the parts are put in brackets. These hint at one possible realisation of the text boxes, but they need not be followed if your
perception leads you to different outcomes.
Play constantly both in the text boxes and the systems for interaction, unless otherwise indicated.
Ask and respond to the appropriate questions as simultaneously and as often as possible. It will be necessary to aurally assess your own sound, the sound of the other
players and the relationship between them. Rely only on your aural perception. It is very important that modifications of sounds are perceived aurally, not visually. If you see
a physical change but do not perceive one aurally, then wait. Listen and only respond when you hear a change.
During text boxes on pages 2 to 6, when responding to the question ‘Of the other players also in position one [or two, as appropriate], whose volume level is closest to mine?’
you may need to listen to another player who is not provided as a cue staff on that page.
In response to the questions, change the appropriate variable(s) incrementally, at the slow rate of change defined earlier, from the states they were in just before you entered
the text box.
In the systems for interaction, the initial rate of change incrementally slows down when an ambient sound occurs that is louder than your own sound (according to your
perception alone). Ambient sounds are sounds that you and the other members of the ensemble are not responsible for creating. Inevitably there will be sounds that you
miss, simply try to react when an ambient sound catches your attention.
In the Position Two responses you will often be required to change two or more variables simultaneously. If you cannot change one of the variables any further and you are
still not imitating an element of the other player’s sound as closely as possible, continue to change the other variable by itself.
When swapping back to a variable that you incrementally changed in the past, pick up where you left off last time. For example, a player is increasing their bow pressure
in response to a question in the system for interaction. Then their answer changes so that they lower their bow speed. However, they should maintain their previous bow
pressure whilst changing their bow speed. Consequently, if they return to changing their bow pressure at a later point in time, they should pick up where they left off before.
If you are unsure what your response should be to a question, continue to play as before and listen until you are able to make a decision. Due to the ambiguity and
potential inaudibility of some sounds and the sheer amount of people playing at any one time, many moments of indecision will occur in this piece. At times this
process will be astoundingly difficult. However, recognise that it is ultimately necessary to make a decision as best as you can and live with the consequences. Keep on
going. All responses will necessarily be highly subjective, the questions are worded in such a way to explicitly take advantage of and encourage this subjectivity.
Misunderstandings and ‘mistakes’ will occur, though if each and every response to a question is undertaken in an informed, thoughtful and critical manner it is not
possible to perceive incorrectly. I have intentionally written the piece in a way that aims to provide a safe context for these moments of vulnerability and that does not
allow others to judge the decisions you make in the piece in a negative light. Each player will chart their own personalised journey through the sounds and systems.
xvii Unless otherwise explicitly indicated, the wind and string players should always perform breaths out and down bows respectively. Wind players should breathe in quickly
and quietly when/if you reach the end of a breath out that is as long as possible given your breath pressure and mouth shape at the time. String players should retake quickly
and quietly when/if you reach the end of a down bow (see the explanations of ).
When you encounter the ‘up bow/open the lid/breath in’ instruction in Position Two do so immediately from whatever point you happen to be in in your bow or breath etc.
Bow and lid speed should be the same as the speed you played at just before you began executing an up bow or opening the lid. Breaths in should be as long as possible given
your breath pressure, mouth shape and the amount of air previously expended. You do not need to listen to the other players or continue to ask questions as you are
performing an up bow, opening the lid or breathing in. Therefore, you should not consciously change any variables.
The experience of playing these sections of the piece should be one of a constant questioning, and a constant listening. It is highly recommended that you at least partially
memorise your version of the systems for interaction. Ask questions as often as possible and attempt to perceive the slightest changes of variables within sounds.
See the Appendix for suggestions and exercises regarding the preparation and rehearsal of this piece.
xviii