Exploration

Currently I’m in the process of sketching out ideas for my string orchestra piece. I’ve spent some time listening to string pieces and identifying which aspects of them I’d like to explore/experiment with. So I’ll just provide a very brief summary of this.

Toru Takemitsu – Requiem for String Orchestra

Use of con sord/sul pont/ord to change the colours throughout
2.06 – I really love the frantic-ness of the underlying parts, and the fact that they appear to be written to be busy but they actually blend incredibly well

Vaughan Williams – Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

My favourite thing about this piece is the stark contrast between the lyrical legato lines, and the extremely delicate con sord echoes. They almost resemble voices and I found that to be so beautiful.

Takashi Yoshimatsu – And Birds Are Still

Delicateness and fragility at the beginning through con sord use and a sparser texture compared to the fuller, warmer sounding climaxes of the piece with the full orchestra playing
The interplay between the parts and how the melody lines and accompaniment are built upon
Dynamic changes are exaggerated/more prominent through entry/exits of individual parts
(my all-time favourite piece of music)

Arvo Part – Summa for Strings

useful to look at/listen to how different pairs of instruments sound/interact and how it can be useful to save moments where all the parts are playing together
simple/rather repetitive melodic material with arco used throughout , but the piece is made interesting through the change of instrumentation and voicing

George Crumb – Black Angels

absolutely full of non-traditional techniques and utilises the performers/their voices
really shows off the dynamic contrasts available on strings
particularly interested in the use of harmonics in this piece (~2.35 mins) and the contrast between natural/artificial/double-stopped
The notation is clear and easy to understand, with asterisk’s in place to remind/prompt the players of playing styles and techniques

Krzysztof Penderecki- Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima

Again, loaded with non-traditional techniques
I particularly like the notation of bends across a section through drawing shapes on the staves, but honestly I’m generally in awe at the notation of the whole piece
Useful to see how an extremely large string orchestra can be split and how to utilize this – writing some passages of tutti and then others where each player has their own part

I’ll upload some sketches to this post too. Currently I’m planning on focusing more on timbral changes and how subtle changes can be effective, rather than playing with the more non-traditional techniques. Although this could change because I also really want to play around with some more obscure sounds. Maybe I’ll be able to find a way to incorporate them all into one piece.