Solo Flute Quartet (flutes, live electronics) (2017-18)
- Submitting institution
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De Montfort University
- Unit of assessment
- 33 - Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Film and Screen Studies
- Output identifier
- 33046
- Type
- J - Composition
- Month
- -
- Year
- 2018
- URL
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- Supplementary information
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- Request cross-referral to
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- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
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- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
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- Research group(s)
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- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- Yes
- Additional information
- The submission is of the work Solo Flute Quartet. This is performed from the score (in extended traditional notation) through the live electronic processing system (Max/MSP) run by a second performer. The Max/MSP patch is thus part of the score but while viewable is not legible in the same way. To demonstrate the work requires an additional document, an audio-visual recording of a live performance. The binaural audio track listened to on headphones gives a good representation of the surround sound result.
This work is written for the three Kingma system flutes (concert, alto, bass) with standard piccolo. The additional keys and modified mechanism allow full control of quarter tone production throughout the range. The multiphonics are also different to those found on non-Kingma flutes.
Research questions and issues:
- a creative exploration of the Kingma flute system: different multiphonics that the extra open/closed hole system allows; its ¼ tone potential;
- the generation of complex harmony and timbre, inseparable from projection in space to envelope the listener.
- hence the use of four flutes across the range, the electronics allowing the superposition of different combinations.
Process/methods:
Musical: to explore a related and integrated world – 104 multiphonics were analysed, combinations tested by ear and component pitches transcribed to form melodic (quarter tone) absolute pitch collections (scales) for each instrument.
Performative: the exploration is related to the technical and musical interests of the performer, written to explore her skills and musical applications of the Kingma system. This has been the subject of workshops and presentations.
Dissemination:
Premiere February 2018 City University London; UK tour October 2019 (Iklectik London, De Montfort, Bristol, Belfast). Featured at NottFAR Symposium (on line December 2020) – subject of keynote and webcast. Available on DMU DORA for public access.
- Author contribution statement
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- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
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