"One Small Step for Man" - Multiphonics Notation Question

Joseph,

Good Morning!

I have a question about your wonderful composition "One Small Step
for Man". A few minutes into the composition, Johnny Reinhard begins
to use multiphonics. I'm wondering if you are able to somewhat
precisely notate the multiphonic intervals for the performer, in a
piece such as this? Sounds like to me that Johnny is playing some
very precision multiphonic pitches in this portion of the
composition. Or perhaps you leave this kind of choice up to the
performer? How is it that you transmit this information in your
score, to the performer when multiphonics are required?

I also would like to ask if this is an example of using 24 tET as a
notational reference point? Anyway this is a wonderful piece -
impeccably performed by Johnny Reinhard!!!

Thanks kindly,

Jacky Ligon

--- In tuning@egroups.com, "Jacky Ligon" <jacky_ekstasis@y...> wrote:

http://www.egroups.com/message/tuning/12347

I'm wondering if you are able to somewhat
> precisely notate the multiphonic intervals for the performer, in a
> piece such as this? Sounds like to me that Johnny is playing some
> very precision multiphonic pitches in this portion of the
> composition. Or perhaps you leave this kind of choice up to the
> performer? How is it that you transmit this information in your
> score, to the performer when multiphonics are required?
>

Hi Jacky! Thank you so very much again for your compliments!!! I
would like to tell you that the multiphonics are based upon a system
of finger pressure, notated through a system of experimental calculus
which I invented.

However, that wouldn't be true.

The performer chooses the multiphonic. In this case, with Johnny
Reinhard, we have more than just a "performer," we have Johnny
Reinhard... which is why they came out so excellently.

My own personal experience is that every performer and even each
INSTRUMENT (!!) renders multiphonics differently, so it is somewhat
an exercise in frustration to try to notate them precisely. Perhaps
others have had greater "success" with this. It's a nice idea,
though! Please let me know if anybody can do it.... Maybe with a
little help from recorded samples of the "desired" multiphonic it
could be done...

Sorry to disappoint in that capacity. As you can see, however, when
leaving this aspect to the performer choice, one DOES get optimal
results... since the performer is really "into" the multiphonic
he/she wishes to use... I suppose that may be another factor.

This whole issue goes back to the Monz idea of the "limitations" of
notation in the first place. I'm all for precision but, if I were to
write a piece that sounded like a bunch of random pitches, I would be
inclined to produce a graphic score, rather than a Milton Babbitt
kind of construct which, ironically enough as many commentators have
suggested, would really sound the same! Simplicity and a direct
approach are for me the key....

I also would like to ask if this is an example of using 24 tET as a
> notational reference point? Anyway this is a wonderful piece -
> impeccably performed by Johnny Reinhard!!!
>
Thank you, again, so much for the compliment, and it certainly is
true that Johnny is superb!

I should also note that the piece on my Web page:

http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/100/joseph_pehrson.html

is only the first half of the piece. Eventually, I am going to
replace some of my "samples" with complete works on that site...

Frankly... I think Johnny and I were really thinking of this as a
continuum of 48-tET rather than as alterations from 24-tET. In fact,
we have completed a chart that has ALL the 1/8th tones for the bassoon
through the entire range.

As you can tell from the recording, Johnny REALLY CAN play 1/8 tones
accurately, and there is a VERY CLEAR differentiation of the 25 cent
differences.

We actually did quite well with this piece. Johnny got a nice review
in the New York Times with his photo playing it, and I got a mention
in the article. He also played it to great acclaim in Russia... both
in Moscow and in Kazan, Russia. I am very lucky that he has taken
such an interest in it!!!!!

I believe the feasibility of the quartertone +/- 50
cents notation is more questionable for pieces where the cents
addition is not in such an even quantity. For example, can someone
REALLY PLAY ACCURATELY a quartertone +33 cents or whatever.

Paul Erlich has his doubts and advocates the system advanced by the
Boston School of 72-tET, where there is distinct ear training of
progressively smaller intervals (it's logical!), but Johnny Reinhard
feels the players CAN make these close discriminations.

The jury is still out on this. I need to "study up" a bit on the
72-tET method (a book is coming my way!) and think about it some
more... but I can't wait, since I'm writing music NOW... well, not
exactly right now, but you know what I mean... so I will use the
quartertone +/- system until I find something "better."

THANKS FOR ASKING!!!
__________ ____ __ __ _
Joseph Pehrson

>
> Thanks kindly,
>
> Jacky Ligon