As a composer, George Crumb was one
of the great masters of playing inside the piano. His techniques
are varied and well thought out. They do work and the amplification
helps bring them to life. This piece must be done on a grand
piano. It is not possible on an upright instrument. A nine-foot
concert grand piano is much more preferable than smaller baby
grand instruments; however, even on a nine-foot grand, different
manufacturors construct the internal steel frames differently.
There really are some instruments where the internal executions
and manipulations are not easily done. A word of warning -
touching and plucking the strings with the hand can cause
the strings to corrode. Piano technicians and people responsible
for maintaining instruments tend to frown on Crumb's instrumental
preparations. In a institution like a school, a special piano
might have to be dedicated to these kind of preparations.
For the first entrance of the piano in the Vocalise, the hand-muted
Abs and Fs should sound very thuddy yet still retain some
quality of pitch. In Archeozoic, Variation I, the chisel glissando
must be done with very firm pressure. The paper clip used
in Proterozoic, Variation II should be of the large variety
as opposed to a small clip. The harmonics in the Paleozoic,
Variation III and in the final Sea-Nocturne require fine coordination
on lifting the fingers off the strings. These harmonics should
ring brilliantly. The use of a glass rod in Mesozoic, Variation
IV needs to produce an ultimately jangling and distorted sound.
More than one glass rod might need to be employed for the
greatest effect or because of the construction of the internal
steel frame. The rod or rods must be placed and removed silently.
General (Summary from Peters Score No.
66466)
Each
player should wear a black half-mask throughout the peformance
of the work. The masks, by effacing a sense of human projection,
will symbolize the powerful, impersnal forces of nature (nature
dehumanized). Vox Balanae can be performed under a deep-blue
stage lighting, if desired, in which case the the theatrical
effect would be further enhanced.
The
three instruments should be amplified. A microphone should
be suspended over the bass strings of the piano. Microphones
should be placed close to the flute and the cello. It is also
possible for the flute to have a special join equipped with
a built-in pick-up. The cello can have a contact microphone
affixed to the belly of the instrument. The amplicication
should be adjusted so that the forte passages are quite
powerful in effect, but without distortion, and the level
of amplification should not be adjusted during performance.
The composer would recommend
the following placement of instruments.
Four
antique cymbals (crotales) are required for the Sea-Nocturne.
The actual sound is an octave high than the written pitch.
The cymbals are mounted close to the cello. The flautist walks
over to the cymbals for the concluding passage.
All
players read from score.
Accidentals
apply only to the notes they precede except in case(s) of
immediate repetition of pitch or pattern of pitches. Large
accidentals will apply to more than one note.
All
metronomic indications are approximate.
Piano
Special
effects, such as pizzicato playing, muted tones, production
of harmonics, require that the strings be clearly marked by
bits of tape with pitch labels. For pizzicato and harmonics,
the tape should be placed on the dampers; for muted tones,
on the front crossbeam. The following table of pitches includes
all those to be specially marked. The strings marked with
a 0 should have the precise nodal point indicated by a crayon
mark or a tiny sliver of tape. Only 5th partial harmonics
are used and the nodes are located near the dampers.
Glissandos
over the strings are to be played with either the fingertip
or the thumbnail. “Pizz. (f.t.)” = pluck string(s)
with the fingertip(s). + = mute string (about one inch from
the end, near pins) with the fingertip.
Notes
within boxes indicate that the keys are to be silently depressed.
The
pianist will need a paper clips, a chisel, and a solid glass
rod (about 9 inches in length). A strip of plate glass may
be substituted.
Flute
The
flute should be equipped with the low B-natural. Flute harmonics
of the 3rd and 4th partials are required; both the fundamental
(i.e. the fingered pitch) and the sounding pitch are given
in the score.
Cello
The
tuning of the cello is:
The
cello part is consistently notated “as sounds” and
the cellist must therefore compensate for the retuning in
those few passages involved.
Other
The
whistling is notated at actual pitch.
All
glissandos occupy the total duration of the note to which
they are affixed. The portamento effect (a very short glissando
immediately preceding the note) ia always specifically indicated
in the score
= seven seconds (approximately)
= long fermata
=
very short "breath"
or pause
= a quarter tone lower than written
pitch
The concluding phrase
of Vox Balaenae, which is to be played “silently”
(i.e. “in pantomime”) in live performance, should
be played as a “fade-out” for recording purposes.
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