your wits an E la
————
two violins
Lawrence Dunn
2015/6
A note on the title:
One of the curiosities of the Guidonian hand—the schematic
method of displaying pitches of the medieval gamut, invented by
Guido d’Arezzo—is that its last, highest note, E la, isn’t even on the
hand. It isn’t apportioned to some fleshy finger segment, as all the
other notes are. The E la instead floats enigmatically above the
middle finger.
The word ‘Ela’ came to mean a high-flown place, a place of great
strain, a place perhaps above which nothing could quite reach. It’s
worth reiterating that it is this E which is the base pitch of the
violin’s first (highest) string.
This piece isn’t really about straining, though it does have a rising
glissando at its centre. It is more about rising in the same way one
might when waking. Waking up isn’t some ‘narrative arc’—one
would have to be mad to think of waking up in the morning as a
denouement.
But the Guidonian hand is also curious because it doesn’t present
the pitches in a straightforward line either—instead, as the scale
rises it winds round the hand, spiraling, and maybe tightening.
Music goes in circles, as the spheres do, rather than from a to b.
Or if it does go to b from a, it’s only to find out that b is just the
same as a, but seen from behind. As if coming back to a, to find
oneself floating.
Notes on this piece:
This piece is a very intimate duet, at the centre of which is a long,
drawn out glissando for both players. The glissando is framed by a
short melody, which reappears very briefly at the end.
The players should face each other, with instruments close
enough to produce as much sympathetic resonance as possible.
The piece should also be memorised, so that the performers can
perform facing each other without music stands.
Additionally, the piece uses just intonation. The pitches of the
piece are derived from a just D major scale. This means that the
M3rd, M6th and M7th are all flatter than is usual.
Further, the scale has a raised 4th, equivalent to the 11th
harmonic on the D string. The harmonic 7th is often used also.
This is the complete scale from which the pitches are derived:
Diatonic pitches are shown in bold. Other pitches are also shown,
but are more infrequently used. When they are used, cent
deviations from equal temperament are shown for reference.
In order to minimise the number of accidentals, an expanded
D major key signature is used.
Special accidentals used
(adapted from Helmholtz-Ellis JI notation
designed by Marc Sabat and Wolfgang von Schweinitz)
Lowered / raised by a syntonic comma (21¢)
Lowered / raised by a septimal comma (27¢)
Lowered / raised by a undecimal quartertone (53¢)
Notes on the glissando:
An extra page is provided to help with rehearsing the glissando.
An audio score for each player is also provided.
It is hoped that the gliss will be performable without the need for audio scores
or stopwatches, though the composer is aware of its great difficulty.
your wits an E la
The players should memorise this score.
Play without music stands.
two violins
Lawrence Dunn
Imagine the 8 phrases as dance steps.
Be facing each other, as dancers do.
Always very intimate.
It is almost as if we have intruded on a very private moment.
Always as resonant as possible.
Breathe together, move together.
q=c.50-70 n o n v i b r a t o s e m p r e
A dance — Deliberate, plain; but elegant, rubato
Vln. 1 & 2 non legato, separate bows
4
5
3
2
1
(pause)
#
&3 3# 3n
Œ œj™
‰ œ œ œ œ ‰™ œ ™ ‰
Q
œ
Ϫ
œ™ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ
Ϊ
œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ ™ Œ™
# œ ™ œ œ œ ™ œ ™ œ ™ œ ™ œ œ nœ nœ œ
Q
G
œ
m
(-35)
G
(-31)
(+53)
6
8
7
5
#
j
&3 3# 3n œ ™ œ ™ œ œ œ œ ™ œ ™ œ œ ≈ n œ ™ œ œ œ œ œ # œ œ 3# œ Œ
# œ ™ œ œ œ ™ œ ™ œ ™ œ ™ œ œ nœ nœ œ
j
œ ™ œ ‰ œ ≈ œ œ œ ™ ‰™ œ œ #œ œ ™ œ ‰™
Q
Q
‰™
œ œ ™ œ œj™ ≈ œ
œ œ œŒ
Q
œ ™™
(-35)
(-14)
(-35)
F
(-31)
Here, the players may optionally insert
a few repetitions of phrases
3 — 6 in any order, if they wish.
c. 4 mins
free bowing, molto legato
U
w
w
° 3# # n
&3 3
II
III
˙˙
{ poco rf,
3#3# 3n U
&
w
¢
nG w
w
w
then m
(brief)
<#>n ˙˙
w
w
(+53)
(-31)
Vln. 1 & 2
8'
3#
& 3# 3n G ˙
Ó
Q
j ≈
œ
2# œ
Œ
œ™ œ œ ‰ Ó
Q
nœ
(+19)
0
Manchester/Oxford,
Winter 2015/6
Ó
Scheme for the glissando
Here, the four minute gliss is broken down into tempered quartertones. The timestamps are approximate. At certain points, consonances momentarily resolve. These are approximately marked below in reduction.
These 'reaching' points may be useful for synchronisation.
The audio scores can also be used to help with speed of movement.
Additionally, tuning of chords can be checked using the open E string for reference.
sit on the chord,
begin to move
4 then
4 3 x=56
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