Nocturne (Global Warnings) for guitar quartet
One of the compositional goals I set myself with this Nocturne was to translate basic electronic music processes into music for acoustic instruments. instruments. So the playing techniques techniques and musical ideas ideas in the piece often emulate emulate the familiar electric guitar effects of delay (echo), filtering, looping and flanging. A particular particular focus was the idea of digital delay (not used electronically in the piece, but emulated entirely acoustically acoustically by the players!) used as a means of generating a variety of cross-rhythms. Different groups of instruments instruments (or sometimes one instrument within its own part) are called upon to play at different pulse speeds simultaneously--in some cases there are effectively four different meters running at the same time. The music is essentially monolithic in nature, and is concerned primarily with harmony, rhythm and timbre. A variety of playing techniques is employed, some of which are standard, others less so. For example, extensive use is made of tone colour transformations to simulate a filter or tone-control. The players achieve this by gradually varying the plucking location along the length of the string. They are also called upon to play with a range of additional techniques including tambora (a combination combination of "drumming"; and string string resonance), pizzicato pizzicato (muting the struck struck while plucking plucking it), harmonics, and even bowing the guitar with a cello bow. The work's title conjoins the idea of a "night" piece (more restless than restful) with a programmatic aspect which grew out of my reaction to seeing the global warming documentary An Inconvenient Truth. Leaving aside any arguments over the validity of and possible responses to the issue of global warming, the thing I find most perplexing about the whole matter (as well as other similarly complex social and political issues) is the feeling of ambivalent paralysis it seems to engender. My piece's use of the children's rhyme "Frere Jacques" (with its refrain "are you sleeping") helped me to try to capture this feeling.
Score
Nocturne (Global Warnings) Score
for guitar quartet Alan Thomas (2008)
Molto ritmico tambora Guitar 1
sul tasto
molto pont. Guitar 2
[ECHO] XII
Guitar 3 sempre l.v.! (play with a plectrum where desired)
molto pont. Guitar 4
=D
6
v
molto pont. non arp.
(play with a plectrum where desired)
[FILTER] sul tasto
Gtr. 1
molto pont. non arp.
[FILTER]
sul tasto
Gtr. 2
VII
Gtr. 3
6
sul tasto
Gtr 4
raucous, quasi snap pizz!
copyright © 2008 Alan Thomas Please notify the composer of any public performances of this work by emailing
[email protected]
molto pont. 12
Gtr. 1
molto pont.
Gtr. 2
VII
Gtr. 3
12
Gtr 4
sul tasto
molto pont.
sul tasto
molto pont.
sul tasto
18
Gtr. 1
4
1
sul tasto
Gtr. 2
4 1
V
Gtr. 3
VII V 18
norm.
gliss.
Gtr 4
sul tasto
molto pont.
24
Gtr. 1
molto pont. Gtr. 2
[ECHO]
Gtr. 3
24
Gtr 4
-3-
molto pont. 29
Gtr. 1
molto pont.
sul tasto Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
29
Gtr 4
sul tasto 34
use flesh of thumb (down-strum) and flesh of i finger (up-strum) p i
norm. XII 3
3
3
Gtr. 1 l.v.
sul tasto
norm.
tambora
Gtr. 2
sul tasto Gtr. 3 l.v. 34
sul tasto
Gtr 4
molto pont. 39
Gtr. 1
molto pont. Gtr. 2
molto pont.
Gtr. 3
39
molto pont.
Gtr 4
-4-
sul tasto
molto pont. sul tasto
(as before...)
43
Gtr. 1
sul tasto
molto pont.
tambora
Gtr. 2
molto pont.
Gtr. 3
molto pont. sul tasto
43
Gtr 4
sul tasto 47
Gtr. 1
sul tasto
tambora
Gtr. 2
sul tasto
Gtr. 3
sul tasto sul tasto
47
Gtr 4
molto pont.
sul tasto
51
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
molto pont.
sul tasto
Gtr. 3
51
sul tasto
molto pont.
Gtr 4
-5-
[ECHO]
55
Gtr. 1
norm. Gtr. 2
4
4
4
4
Gtr. 3
rapid i up/down tremolo 55
Gtr 4
4
62
4
4
4
4
4
4 2
Gtr. 1
3
tambora Gtr. 2
4
4
4
4
4
Gtr. 3
62
pizz.
Gtr 4
sim.
(with plectrum if preferred)
4
4
4 4
68
4
4
4 2 1
Gtr. 1 2
4 3
Gtr. 2
4 4
4
4
Gtr. 3
norm.
68
Gtr 4
-6-
4
4
4
74
4
4
4
4
4
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
4 4
4
4
Gtr. 3
4 4
74
4
4
4
Gtr 4
80
4
4
4
4
4
2
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
4
4
4
Gtr. 3
80
4
4
Gtr 4
85
4
4
4
Gtr. 1
molto pont.
tambora
Gtr. 2
4
4
4
Gtr. 3
85
4
4
4
Gtr 4
-7-
90
4
Gtr. 1
molto pont.
sul tasto
Gtr. 2
4
Gtr. 3
90
4
Gtr 4
95
Gtr. 1
4
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
95
Gtr 4
100
4
4
4
4
Gtr. 1
tambora Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
100
Gtr 4
-8-
4
4
106
4
4
4
4
4
4
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
106
Gtr 4
4
112
4
4
4
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
sim.
Gtr. 3
(think 6/8!) 112
Gtr 4
116
4
4
4
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
(think 4/4 time!)
Gtr. 3
116
Gtr 4
-9-
4
4
120
4
4
4
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
120
Gtr 4
124
4
4
4
4
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
124
Gtr 4
128
4
4
4
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
128
Gtr 4
- 10 -
4
sul tasto
molto pont. 132
Gtr. 1
molto pont.
sul tasto
Gtr. 2
molto pont.
sul tasto
Gtr. 3
4
4
4
132
Gtr 4
norm. XII
136
3
Gtr. 1 l.v. norm.
norm.
Gtr. 2
4
4
4
4
Gtr. 3
sul tasto
136
Gtr 4
142
3
3
3
3
3
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
norm. sul tasto Gtr. 3
142
Gtr 4
- 11 -
149
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
norm. 149
Gtr 4
157
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
157
Gtr 4
164
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
leggiero
164
Gtr 4
- 12 -
10''
170
Gtr. 1
leggiero
[
Gtr. 2
10''
]
continue pattern, not synchronised with Guitar 4! 10''
Gtr. 3 (place capo on VI fret in preparation for next section) 170
[
Gtr 4
continue pattern, not synchronised with Guitar 2!
175
Andante calmo e molto sostenuto
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2 over the course of the first time through this repeat, gradually reduce the number of notes in the pattern and fade to nothing
Gtr. 3
capo VI, play harmonic chord at XVIII 175
Gtr 4
over the course of the first time through this repeat, gradually reduce the number of notes in the pattern and fade to nothing
183
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
bowed 183 CIV
(change bow as imperceptibly as possible)
Gtr 4
(though it is sometimes necessary to bow across all six strings, concentrate the bow pressure so that these notes emerge more strongly)
- 13 -
10''
]
190
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
190
CI
CII
Gtr 4
sim.
196
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
196
Gtr 4
4 203
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
203
Gtr 4
- 14 -
VII
207
Gtr. 1 2 (fretted note wide vibrato, like a fretless bass)
Gtr. 2
rapidly brush strings with flesh of fingers
Gtr. 3
207
Gtr 4
210
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
rapidly brush strings with flesh of fingers
Gtr. 3
210 (put down bow)
l.v.
1
0
Gtr 4
3
213
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
l.v.
213
1
2
1
0
0
Gtr 4
3
- 15 -
3
V 216
Gtr. 1
2 V
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
l.v.
216
1
2
0
0
Gtr 4 vib.
vib.
3
XII 219 2
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
3
219
Gtr 4
222
Gtr. 1
3
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
222
Gtr 4
1
l.v.
1
2
1
0
bowed
(take bow)
0 3
3
- 16 -
3
tambora
225
rit. 4
4
4
Gtr. 1
rit. Gtr. 2
non arp.
rit.
Gtr. 3
rit.
225
Gtr 4
229
a tempo
Gtr. 1
3
a tempo
Gtr. 2
a tempo Gtr. 3
229
a tempo
(put down bow)
l.v. 1
2
1
0
(take bow)
0
Gtr 4
3
233
tambora
3
rit. 4
4
4
Gtr. 1
rit. Gtr. 2
rit. Gtr. 3
rit. bowed
233 bowed
Gtr 4
- 17 -
Tempo I
CX
brush down/up with flesh of i finger (follow contour--precise note order not necessary)
[FLANGING]
238 4 3 2
Gtr. 1
brush down/up with flesh of i finger (follow contour--precise note order not necessary)
Tempo I
[FLANGING]
CX 4 3 2
Gtr. 2
Tempo I Gtr. 3
Tempo I 238
(change bow as imperceptibly as possible)
Gtr 4
242
Gtr. 1
tambora Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
242
Gtr 4
246
norm.
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
246
Gtr 4
- 18 -
251
Gtr. 1
norm. Gtr. 2 (think 4/4 time!)
Gtr. 3
251
Gtr 4
4
256
2
1
Gtr. 1 l.v.
Gtr. 2 l.v.
4 3 0
Gtr. 3
0 0
4 256
3 0
Gtr 4
0 0
260
3
3
3
3
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
3 3
3 3
3
3
Gtr. 3
260
3
3
3 3
Gtr 4
- 19 -
3
3
sim. 264
Gtr. 1 1 3 2
0 1 3 2
1 3 2
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
264
3
3
3
3
Gtr 4
268
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
268
Gtr 4
272
sul tasto
Gtr. 1
sul tasto Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
272
Gtr 4
- 20 -
277
Gtr. 1
molto pont. 4 0 3
2
molto pont. Gtr. 2 2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Gtr. 3
277
Gtr 4
norm. 281
Gtr. 1 cresc. norm. Gtr. 2 cresc. 3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Gtr. 3 cresc. 281
Gtr 4 cresc.
285
Gtr. 1
diminuendo
Gtr. 2
diminuendo 3
3
3
3
Gtr. 3 diminuendo 285
Gtr 4 diminuendo - 21 -
3
3
288
Gtr. 1 cresc.
Gtr. 2 cresc. 3
3
3
3
3
3
Gtr. 3 cresc. 288
Gtr 4 cresc.
291
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
4 3
3
3
3
Gtr. 3
291
Gtr 4
294
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
4
4
Gtr. 3
294
Gtr 4
- 22 -
4
tambora 297
Gtr. 1
tambora Gtr. 2
4
4
4
Gtr. 3
297
Gtr 4
301
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
301
Gtr 4
308
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
308
Gtr 4
- 23 -
4
2 315 4 3
1
Gtr. 1
1 0 2 4 3
Gtr. 2
4
4
Gtr. 3
4
4
315
Gtr 4
321
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
4
4
4 4
4
Gtr. 3
4
321
Gtr 4
326
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
4
Gtr. 3
326
Gtr 4
- 24 -
4
1 2 4 3
4 0 332
Gtr. 1
3 0 2
1 0 0 2 4 3
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
332
Gtr 4
1 0
338
4
2
1
Gtr. 1
0
4 0 3
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
338
Gtr 4
344
XII
VII
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
sul tasto
Gtr. 3
344
XII
Gtr 4
- 25 -
350
Gtr. 1
V
III
Gtr. 2
norm. XII
III III
Gtr. 3 art.
350
Gtr 4
rapidly brush strings with flesh of fingers 356
Gtr. 1
Gtr. 2
III
Gtr. 3
356
Gtr 4 (with guitar 3--see note to bar 370)
(like an inhalation/exhalation) 362
Gtr. 1
rapidly brush strings with flesh of fingers
Gtr. 2
Gtr. 3
362
Gtr 4
- 26 -
