IX (nine) for video, stereo sound, and one or more performers includes instructions, score, and audio-visual accompaniment (file included in download).
Print size: Instructions- Letter (8.5 x 11"), Score- 11 x 17"
Review from Percussive Notes (2021):
IX (nine)
Martin Sweidel and Donald Pasquella
At just over 91⁄2 minutes in length, “IX (nine)” is an open-instrumentation guided improvisation that the composer states “explores the sounds and images suggested by nine water scenes from around the world.” The piece is to be performed by one or more performers, who can perform on any instrument.
The piece is broken into nine movements. On the score each movement is represented by a box containing instructions. Some of these instructions are more specific than others, such as a designated scale to use for that movement or statements like “trill a low g-sharp to a” or “continue attaca into the next segment.” Other instructions are more vague, allowing the performer much more leeway, such as “evoke the atmosphere of a place for quiet meditation” or “a gesture of anguish should accompany the final fade to black (prior to credits).” The composer provides blank boxes in some of the movements for performers to write instructions to themselves in the score.
While the technical demands are minimal given the nature of the work, the logistical demands are more challenging. The piece is to be performed with an accompanying video, which necessitates the use of a projector. While not difficult in many performance halls today, this still has the potential to pose a challenge. The movie also comes with prerecorded sounds that are to be balanced with the live performers, which may necessitate amplifying the live musicians. Finally, the pitched material on the prerecorded sound uses a non-standard tuning system. The composer suggests that musicians performing on pitched instruments make efforts to adjust to this system. A detailed staff with specific tunings is provided, but for fixed-pitch instruments, like much keyboard percussion, this will be difficult to achieve.
Performers looking for a work featuring multi-media components might want to check this out. And directors looking to expose their ensemble to non-jazz improvisation may find this piece to be a good vehicle for such explorations.
—Brian Nozny
Demo:
