catherine lamb
TRANSCRIPT
Catherine Lamb
Prisma Interius VII
for Karin Hellqvist and Heloisa Amaral,
violin and the secondary rainbow synthesizer
(revised March 2020)
© sacred realism 2018
t alternative tone
sustain pedal sends tones to a sustain pool
sustain pool is released (via button or pad)
the synthesizer is filtering live the outer environmental atmosphere by the placement of stereo cardiod microphones, somewhere outside of but connected to the performance space
a computer program is placing resonant band pass filters on the tonal mode indicated above
the synthesizer musician has both control over the filter as well as the volume (two faders)
the filter changes are indicated in the score, where closed is the fader completely down
alternative tunings are given for the tempered tones, as shown via the diamond heads
to obtain the alternative tone, the key is to be struck with more velocity/force
a stereo speaker field is set up in such a way that the synthesizer musician is able to listen to how it is accumulating and blending in the room,
so that volume can be adjusted accordingly and the audience is able to hear the blend clearly
the part can be mostly followed by the keyboard notation on the larger stave(s) below, while the above smaller stave(s) are the resultant sounding tonalities
synthesizer set up
Violin Scordatura
string/partial notation: example refers to open II string
string/partial notation: example refers to 2nd partial of II string (octave above open string)
tuning information / notation
Notation indicates:
1. partial numbers over a low 10hz fundamental (Eb 2 octaves below the lowest Bass string). These can be reduced to simple ratios, i.e. 80:70 = 8:7),
2. frequencies for reference,
3. accidentals adapted from the Extended Helmholtz-Ellis Extended JI Pitch Notation, to indicate sympathetic and combination relationship tonalities:
Extended Helmholtz-Ellis JI Pitch Notation and Partial Theory explained (in relation to fundamental):
2-limit intonation (2nd partial initiated) is multiplying or dividing a tone by its octave equivalent. Therefore the 40th partial (the lowest Violin string)
is multiplied by its octave 2 to create the 80th (II string), then again to create the 160th, etc. Likewise, the 40th can be divided by 2 until the simplest
relationship to the fundamental is found. 40/2 = 20, 20/2 = 10, 10/2 = 5, the 5-limit Just tonality indicated as below.
ne ne 3-limit / Pythagorean Intonation (3rd partial initiated), is structured around pure fifths (3:2) and pure fourths (4:3), etc.
mm 5-limit / Just / Ptolemaic Intonation (5th partial initiated), a Just major third (5:4) and its Pythagorean multiples (such as Just Major seventh 15:8, Just tri-tone 45:32, etc.)
7-limit / Septimal Intonation (7th partial initiated), a low Septimal minor seventh (7:4) and its Pythagorean multiples (such as 21:16, etc.)
11-limit / Undecimal Intonation (11th partial initiated), an Undecimal tri-tone (11:8) and its Pythagorean multiples
00 13-limit / Tri-decimal Intonation (13th partial initiated), a Tri-decimal neutral sixth (13:8) and its Pythagorean multiples
:n:n 17-limit intonation (17th partial initiated), a 17-limit minor second (17:16) and its Pythagorean multiples
/e/e 19-limit intonation (19th partial initiated), a 19-limit minor third (19:16) and its Pythagorean multiples
Combination Tones are created when multiplying different prime-limits (above Pythagorean) together, such as 5 x 7 = 35th partial (x 2 = 70th partial)
(in this piece, the prime tonalities are limited to multiplying by 5)
Saturation Tones are created when multiplying a prime limit by itself, such as 5 x 5 = 25th partial (x 2 = 50th partial)
(in this piece, the highest saturation is 5-limit)
performance instructions
the two musicians are to follow their parts loosely together, whereas the synthesizer is more often as shadow instrument to the violin
pacing is slow and relaxed, relative and sympathetic to one another
perhaps a sequence in the part of the violin is to be one or two slow bows of differing lengths per tone, while occasionally sounding two (or three) tones in one bow
volume for violin is clear (harmonically rich), unforced, relaxed, and soft
the violin tone contains clarity and stability to obtain direct interaction with the synthesizer, without vibrato, with unforced and slow bows
the base (most frequented) volume of the synth is just below that of the violin, allowing for natural fluctuation by the environment and filter,
while overtaking of the soundscape would be a rare occurrence
some altering / shifting of the volume fader setting is allowed in dynamic environments, while only subtle changes in most
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1
Prisma Interius VII for violin and synthesizer keyboard
Catherine Lamb
Violin
Synthesizer
23
4
Vln.
Synth.
5 6
Vln.
Synth.
&
Hz:
81
405
II
80
400
II1
81
405
84
420
81
405
80
400
II1
81
405
80
400
II1
84
420
81
405
84
420
81
405
84
420
80
400
II1
84
80
420
400
II1
III
&
81 80 81 84 81 80 81
81
72
80
72
84
72
81
72
84
72
81
72
96
81
72
96
84
72
96
80
72
96
84
80
72
&
filter closed
*
&
(unison with II)
80
400
III
76
380
84
420
80
400
76
380
80
400
75
375
80
400
u:
85
80
425
400
II1
IIIetc.
80
75
400
375
72
360
81
405
81
72
405
360
84
72
420
360
&
80
72
76
72
84
72
80
72
76
72
80
75 80
u:
85
80
n:
85
80
68
80
75
6872 81
81
72
84
72
96
84
72
&
*
&
81
72
405
84
72
420
360
400
80
II180
70
400
350
80
400
II1
84
420
80
400
II1
70
350
80
70
400
II1
III
84
70
420
80
400
III
70
350
72
360
70
350
80
70
400
350
II1
III
84
420
III
80
400
II184
80
420
400
II1
III
&
96
81
72
96
84
81
72 80
80
7080 84
80
80
70
84
80
70
8070
70
63
72
63
70
63
80
70
63
84
80
70
63
80
70
63
84
80
70
63
&
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