Benjamin Marks
(1973–)
3 horns (or any multiplication thereof)
approx. 12’00”–15’00”
For the horn students of the Queensland Conservatorium
Queensland Conservatorium Horn Ensemble; May 15, 2015; Rainforest Green, South Brisbane, Queensland
Description:
Three was written for the horn students of the Queensland Conservatorium to be played in the Rainforest Green at South Bank in Brisbane as part of a larger outdoor work titled The Circular Ruins. Brass instruments project well and have been used in outdoor ceremonies and concerts for centuries. The use of post-horns to play distinctive calls when delivering mail in regional parts of Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries has been well documented. The postal symbols of Germany and Sweden are still post-horns. I sought to maintain something of this character of the call in Three not only to reference this past outdoor music but to match the chatter of the birds who frequently call and squabble audibly for territories in the trees surrounding the performance space. The music references environmental sounds including a helicopter; the reverse warning sounds of service vehicles; and two different calls from minor birds—one a repetitive high squeak and the other a more microtonal movement of sound. The pace and pitch of the reverse lights is a founding structure in the music, with each of the three parts (variously multiplied) being played at the tempo of one of these reverse lights. Each of the three scores is essentially the same, apart from the tempo indications and the pulsed sections. Click tracks are used by each performer to maintain tempo relationships resulting in a phasing effect, and so that the pulsed sections sound at the same speed across all three parts. The coordination between parts does not need to be precise. Performance indications are written in the score and the usual convention for indicating stopped sounds (+) and open sounds (o) is used.
Additional Notes:
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Publication Details:
Self-published
Works By This Composer
| Three (The Circular Ruins) | Three (The Circular Ruins) | 2015 | 3 horns (or any multiplication thereof) |