Sheet Music: ScoreSome shade of blue : underchin tarhu & centaur vibraphone / Damien Ricketson.by Damien Ricketson (2011)
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Product details
Some Shade of Blue is a microtonal work based on a
19-notes-per-octave just intonation system proposed by Kraig
Grady and Terumi Narushima. The metaphor of colour is associated
with the evolving and growing palette of intervals heard as the
work unfolds. The slow intense ascent of the melodic line shadows
the violin solo in the final movement of the Quartet for the End
of Time by Messiaen: a composer whose use of pitch is
intrinsically tied up with colour ('synesthetically' so). The
colour blue is often used to symbolise eternity, the end-point
for Messiaen's quartet. The colour is also used to describe the
subtle flattening of notes in Jazz and Blues music. Although I do
not seek to directly evoke such musical traditions, the idea of
the "blue note" - a note of heightened expressive potential lying
between the cracks of the piano - is of poignant relevance.
Some Shade of Blue was originally scored for solo
underchin tarhu: a newly designed instrument by Australian Peter
Biffin. The violin-like instrument features a unique acoustic
system that provides enhanced timbrel and dynamic diversity as
well as a set of 7 sympathetic strings. The work also features a
vibraphone that has been modified by composer and tuning theorist
Kraig Grady to his own 7th-limit just intonation system called
'centaur tuning'. The work was composed for Ensemble Offspring's
'Partch's Bastards': an ongoing project exploring microtonality
and instrument building.
Subtitled a 'plainsong for undachin tarhu (plus halo)', Some
Shade of Blue is a slow song-like solo set over a resonant
aura provided by electronic means. The work was originally
written for a newly designed string- instrument by Peter Biffin,
the undachin tarhu and a detuned vibraphone. It was later adapted
for violin combined with electronics realised together with the
young composer Marcus Whale.
Published by: Curious Noise — 1 score (16p. -- A4 (portrait))
Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: 11 mins
Commissioned by Ensemble Offspring with funds provided by Russell Staley.
First performance by Ensemble Offspring at PARTCH'S BASTARDS (Sydney Opera House, Utzon Room) on 2 Sep 2011
Includes program note and performance notes. Sounding score and transposing score included.
Typeset edition.
ISMN: 9790 720068244
Related products
This work is also available in the following products:
CD: Between the keys / Ensemble Offspring.
This work also exists as the following versions:
- Violin with Live Electronics
- Browse other works published by Curious Noise
- Browse other works for Duos: Vibraphone, other string
- Browse other works by Damien Ricketson
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