etd-ShinPeterS-5383-06-screamingshapesferal

PDF

Download

Open document

Flip pages

Download a page range

Download transcript

Copy asset link

Request this asset

Transcript (if available)

Content Screaming Shapes
for Feral Bodies
two sopranos, alto saxophone, oboe, cello, electronics, and dance
(2017)
by: PETER S. SHIN
Screaming Shapes
for Feral Bodies: two sopranos, alto saxophone, oboe, cello, electronics, and dance
Based on a poem by Nick V olpert
I. Reiterate - Slightly controlled - acoustic
II. Reconstruct - Extremely controlled - electronic
III. Reattempt - Slightly less than extremely controlled - electroacoustic
Untitled
clinging to a smooth surface scratching fingernails backwards
tippest top in the empty air
looming untouchable up ahead
a golden wheel made of wheels
curling in horror, screaming shapes to fill the yawning gulf
a pin I wear to ensure I’m always small
unending over and over like a river for centuries
not quite! not quite! not quite!
—Nick V olpert, November 8th, 2017
1. Clinging
2. Smooth
3. Surface
4. Scratching
5. Fingernails
6. Backwards
7. tippest top
8. empty air
9. looming untouchable up ahead
10. golden wheel made of wheels
11. curling in horror
12. screaming shapes
13. fill the yawning gulf
14. a pin I wear to ensure I’m always small
15. unending over and over like a river for centuries
16. not quite!
17. not quite!
18. not quite!
Section: Time/Directions:
I. REITERATE - Purely acoustic improvised performance
II. RECONSTRUCT - Purely electronic
I 0:00
II 0:43
III 0:59
IV 1:39
V 2:02
(V) 2:12
In silence, quickly prepare to play and freeze until section is over, e.g., cellist puts bow up on
strings, vocalists sit up high, saxophonist puts mouth on mouthpiece.
(V) 2:21
On the downbeat, everyone relax into tacet position.
VI 2:21
VII 2:53
VIII 3:18
IX/truncated V 4:58
III. REATTEMPT - Electroacoustic
W ords and Phrases for Improvisation
Section I:
Time: 0:00
Gesture: Attack -decay
Motion: Cyclic
Growth: V ortex
Section II:
Time: 0:43
Gesture: Attack -release
Motion: Unidirectional
Growth: Ascent
Section III:
Time: 0:59
Gesture: Downbeat-prolongation-resolution
Motion: Cyclic
Growth: Centrifugal
Section IV :
Time: 1:39
Gesture: Attack -release
Motion: Cyclic
Behavior: Conflict/Coexistence
Relationship Mode: Reaction-interaction-reciprocity
Section V :
Time: 2:02
Gesture: Departure-maintenance-plane
Motion: Unidirectional
Growth: Plane
Section VI:
Time: 2:21
Gesture: Attack -release
Motion: Cyclic
Section VII:
Time: 2:54
Gesture: Attack -transition-disappearance
Motion: Cyclic
Growth: Spin
Characteristic: Fly
Section VIII:
Time: 3:18
Gesture: Emergence-prolongation-release
Motion: Bi-Directional
Growth: Dilation/Contraction
Section IX (truncated reiteration of Part V):
Time: 4:58
Gesture: Departure-maintenance-plane
Motion: Unidirectional
Growth: Plane
Spectromorphological Analysis of Section II: Reconstruct

°
¢
°
¢
°
¢
°
¢
Copyright © 2017
Vocalist 1
Vocalist 2
Oboe/Voice
Alto Sax
Cello/Voice
Oh
f
sti pu tha pu sti eum pu tha - p
͈ eo ɾeop - p
͈ eo ɾeop - (gasp) oo sti - (gasp) p
͈ eo ɾeop - sti pu tha
Try to imitate the section you just heard q = 120
All speaking should be pitchless and as percussive as possible unless indicated
Mmm
f
sti pu tha pu (gasp) eum pu tha tha - p
͈ eo ɾeop - tih p
͈ eo ɾeop - oo sti - eum pu tha - p
͈ eo ɾeop - sti pu tha tha (gasp)
Oh
f
sti pu tha pu (gasp) (gasp)
p f
sfz f f f p f
(gasp) Hu whap!
sf
- (gasp) tih sti tha
Vox 1
Vox 2
Ob./Vox
Alto Sax.
Vc./Vox
(gasp) eum pu tha - p
͈ eo ɾeop - p
͈ eo ɾeop - (gasp) sti sti pu ta ah
f
eum pu tha (gasp) p
͈ eo ɾeop - Mm
sfz
5
sti eum pu tha tha - p
͈ eo ɾeop - sti p
͈ eo ɾeop - sti sti sti pu ta ah
f
eum pu tha (gasp) p
͈ eo ɾeop - Mm
sfz
Hu -
(gasp) ah
f
Mm
sfz
f f sfz
sfz
sfz mf
ah
f
sfz
sfz
ss ti
sfz
-
3
4
4
4
3
4
4
4
3
4
4
4
3
4
4
4
3
4
4
4
2
4
4
4
2
4
4
4
2
4
4
4
2
4
4
4
2
4
4
4
&
2"
U
III. Reattempt
.
.
.
.
.
>
>
. . >
.
>
.
≤
.
>
.
>
≤
.
> .
>
.
.
.
Screaming Shapes
Peter S. Shin
(b. 1991)
&
2"
U
.
.
.
.
.
>
≤
>
. .
>
.
.
>
>
.
.
>
>
. .
.
>
.
.
.
≤
.
>
&
2"
U
.
.
.
.
.
>
≤
.
>
. .
>
.
≤
.
> . .
>
M M M
. . .
>
&
2"
U
»
all inhales through sax
»
.
>
≤
.
>
» »
. . .
>
» .
>
≤
» »
. . .
>
» » »
≤
.
>
. .
»
.
>
≤
>
.
» »
.
>
.
>
»
>
» »
. . .
>
5
?
2"
U
.
>
≤
.
>
. . . .
percussive ric.
>
. . . .
(ric.)
.
>
≤
>
.
>
. .
. . . .
(ric.)
d
»
pizz.
>
>
slap/dampen
>
(ric.)
. . . .
>
. . . .
(ric.)
>
&
.
>
≤
>
. . >
.
>
.
≤
.
>
.
>
.
.
>
-
.
>
. .
≤
.
> >
.
.
>
U
3
&
.
>
>
. .
>
.
.
>
>
.
.
>
.
.
>
-
.
>
. .
≤
.
>
>
.
.
>
U
3
&
inhale through oboe
>
≥
>
≤
.
>
. .
>
.
≤
.
>
.
>
-
>
>
≥
>
≤
.
>
.
.
>
U
&
» >
≥
>
≤
» »
. . .
>
» » »
≤
>
. . .
>
»
.
>
keyclicks
o
>
o
>
>
≥
>
≤
>
.
>
U 3
?
. . . .
(ric.)
>
slap/dampen
>
. . . .
(ric.)
. . . .
(ric.)
> >
slap/dampen
>
Side knock
-
Ω
>
Ω Ω
pizz.
>
.
> U
Ó Œ
œ #
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿ ¿ ¿
œ n œ
‰
œ œ
O
¿
¿ ‰ O
œ œ
Œ
¿
¿
¿
Ó Œ
œ
¿
¿
¿
¿
O
¿ ¿ ¿
œ œ
¿
œ œ
‰
¿
¿
¿ ¿ ¿
œ œ
Œ
¿
¿
¿
O
Ó Œ
œ
¿
¿
¿
¿
O Œ
œ œ
‰
œ œ
O Œ ‰ ≈
œ
r
œ
Œ
œ œ œ
Ó Œ
¿ #
O
œ œ œ
‰
O
J
œ œ œ
Œ
O
œ œ œ
O
œ
¿ #
œ #
œ
œ
œ
œ n
œ
œ œ œ
Ó
O œ œ
¿
¿ ‰
O
J
¿
¿ ‰ ¿
J
¿ ¿ ‰
¿
¿
j
œ
‰
g
g
g
g
j
‰
¿
¿
j
‰
¿
¿
j
O
¿ ¿ ¿
œ œ
‰
œ œ
O ¿
J
‰
¿
¿
¿ ‰
œ #
j
Œ
¿ ¿ ¿
O
œ n œ
‰
œ
‰ ‰
¿
J
‰
¿ ¿ ¿
œ œ
¿
œ œ
‰ ¿
J
‰
¿
¿
¿ ‰
œ
j
Œ
¿ ¿ ¿
O
œ œ
‰
œ
‰
¿
j
O O
Œ
œ œ
‰
œ œ
O Œ
œ #
j
‰ ‰
œ
j ‰
œ #
œ
œ
œ
O O
œ œ
‰
œ
‰ ‰
O O
œ œ œ
Œ
O
œ œ œ
j
‰
œ #
j
‰ Œ ¿
¿
œ #
œ
œ #
œ
≈
O
R
≈
O
J
≈
œ #
œ
œ
œ n
‰ ‰
‰
¿
¿
j
‰
g
g
g
g
j
‰
¿
¿
j
¿
¿
j
‰ Œ
g
g
g
g
‰
œ
J
¿
¿ ¿ Œ ‰
œ
œ #
¿ ¿ ‰ ‰
=
°
¢
°
¢
°
¢
°
¢
Vox 1
Vox 2
Ob./Vox
Alto Sax.
Vc./Vox
Doo
f p
Doo
f
Doo
q = 160
9
whap!
sf
Doo
f p
Doo
f
Doo
f p f
f p f
f p f
Vox 1
Vox 2
Ob./Vox
Alto Sax.
Vc./Vox
Doo Doo Ta
fff
ti ta tu ta tu Doo
p
ta
f
ti ta tu ta ti Ta
fff
ti ta tu ta tu Doo
p
ta
f
ti ta tu ta ta!
sfz 13
Doo Doo Ta
fff
ti ta tu ta tu Doo
p
ta
f
ti ta tu ta ti Ta
fff
ti ta tu ta tu Doo
p
ta
f
ti ta tu ta ta!
sfz
fff p f fff p f sfz
sf fff p f fff p f sfz
fff p f fff p f sfz
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
1
4
2
4
1
4
2
4
1
4
2
4
1
4
2
4
1
4
2
4
&
∑
approximate pitches
>
>
>
6 6
6
6
6
6
&
.
>
approximate pitches
>
>
>
6
6
6
6
6 6
&
∑
>
>
>
6 6 6 6 6
6
&
>
.
>
>
>
6
6
6
6
6
6 6
?
pizz.
>
arco
>
>
6 6 6 6 6 6
&
> > .
>
.
.
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
.
>
.
>
.
.
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
.
>
6 6
6 6

&
>
6
>
.
> .
.
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
.
>
.
> .
.
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
.
>
6 6 6

&
> > .
>
.
.
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
.
>
.
>
.
.
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
.
> 6 6 6 6

&
>
6
>
»
.
>
.
>
.
.
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
.
>
.
> .
.
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
»
.
>
6
6
6

?
>
6
>
.
>
.
.
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
.
>
.
>
.
.
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
.
>
6
6 6

¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿ n
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿ n
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿ n
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿ n
¿
¿
¿
‰
¿
¿ n
¿ n
¿
¿
¿
Œ Ó ¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿ n
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿ n
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿ n
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿ n
¿
¿
¿
‰ ¿
¿ n
¿ n
¿
¿
œ
œ #
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
‰
œ
œ n
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
œ #
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ œ
œ
œ
œ
œ #
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
‰ œ
œ n
œ n
œ
œ
˙
˙ b
b œ
œ n
n
Œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ œ
j
‰
œ n
J
œ n
œ
œ
‰
¿
¿ n
¿ n
¿
¿ ‰
¿
¿ n
¿ n
¿
¿ ‰
¿
¿ n
¿ n
¿
¿
¿
j
‰
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
‰
¿
¿ n
¿ n
¿
¿
¿
j
‰
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
‰
¿
j
¿
¿
¿ n
¿
¿
‰ ¿
¿
¿ n
¿
¿
¿
‰ ¿
¿ n
¿ n
¿
¿
¿
j
‰
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿ ‰ ¿
¿ n
¿ n
¿
¿
¿
j
‰
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
¿
‰
¿
j
‰
œ
œ n
œ n
œ #
œ ‰
œ
œ n
œ n
œ #
œ ‰
œ
œ n
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
j
‰
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ #
œ
œ
œ
‰
œ
œ n
œ n
œ
œ
œ
j
‰
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ #
œ
œ
‰
œ n
j
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
‰ œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ œ
œ
œ n
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
j
‰
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ #
œ
œ
œ ‰ œ
œ n
œ n
œ
œ
œ
j
‰
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ #
œ
œ
‰
œ n
j
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ ‰
œ
œ
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
‰
œ
œ n
œ n
œ #
œ
œ
j
‰
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ #
œ
œ
œ
‰
œ
œ n
œ n
œ
œ
œ
j
‰
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ #
œ
œ
‰
œ n
j
=
2
°
¢
°
¢
°
¢
°
¢
Vox 1
Vox 2
Ob./Vox
Alto Sax.
Vc./Vox
us ti - us ti -
18
(gasp) (gasp) pu tha -
Vox 1
Vox 2
Ob./Vox
Alto Sax.
Vc./Vox
Oh
22
Hu whap!
sf
- pu ta! -
Oh
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
&
1ST ELECTRONIC GESTURE
∑
.
>
.
>
∑
2ND ELECTRO. GESTURE
.
>
.
>
 
&
∑
.
>
≤
∑
.
>
≤
3
 
&
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
 
&
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
 
?
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
 
&
3RD ELECTRONIC GESTURE
∑ ∑
- -
-
3
∑
&
∑
.
>
. .
>
&
∑ ∑
-
-
-
3
∑
&
∑ ∑ ∑
»
.
>
?
4TH ELECTRONIC GESTURE - Listen, then attempt to perform it (same as first page of this section)
5TH ELECTRONIC GESTURE - ROUND - Attempt sounds and rhythms you just heard in tempo
IMMEDIATELY AT CELLO GESTURE, EVERYONE STOP , EXCEPT NICK.
Nick attempts cello gesture once
Nick attempts cello gesture many times as rest of musicians join the dancers and face Nick as he continues to attempt.
Electronic cello gesture
Nick attempts
Everyone shout: Not quite!
Electronic cello gesture
Nick attempts
Everyone shout: Not quite!
Electronic cello gesture
Nick attempts
Everyone shout: Not quite!
Electronic cello gesture
Nick prepares to play again, but lights cut off.
End
∑ ∑
pizz.
>
‰ ¿
J
¿ ‰ ¿
J
¿
O
J
‰ Œ O
J
‰ ‰ ¿ ¿
œ #
j
‰
œ n
j
‰
œ
j
‰
Œ ‰ œ
J
œ Œ ‰ ≈ œ
R
œ
œ
j
‰
œ
j ‰
œ b
j
‰
œ #
Œ
˙
˙ b
b œ
œ n
n
j
‰ Œ
=
3
Shin - 1
Peter Shin
Final Paper
MUCO 572: Spectralism
Professor Sean Friar
May 5, 2017

Compositional Methodology and Spectromorphological Analysis of
Screaming Shapes (2017) for Feral Bodies

Three overarching ideas shaped the development of Screaming Shapes (2017) for Feral
Bodies over the course of six months: (1) the extreme electronic puppetry of recorded
improvised acoustic material, (2) the exploration of and responses to spectral approaches to
composition, specific spectral works, and spectral composers (whether directly, intuitively,
and/or in defiance of), and (3) utilizing Denis Smalley’s “Spectromorphology: explaining
sound-shapes” as both a retroactive analytical tool for interpreting the often intuitively
conceived electronic section. Screaming Shapes is organized into three sections: I. Reiterate
(acoustic), II. Reconstruct (electronic), III. Reattempt (electroacoustic). I will focus on the
development of the purely electronic composition (II. Reconstruct) and its relation to
spectralism.
I undertook Feral Bodies, a yearlong directed research project, during the summer
before my second year in the master’s composition program at the University of Southern
California Thornton School of Music. The creation of this collective is (1) personally
concerned with gaining experience as a composer not taught in school such as creating and
leading an ensemble, grant writing, and marketing, (2) largely a reaction to the lack of
interdisciplinary and interdepartmental collaborative opportunities available in the
classroom, and (3) an attempt to humanize the artist beyond stiff performance practices. After
Shin - 2
reaching out to several departments, I was able to assemble an unorthodox chamber group
consisting of saxophone, cello/vocalist, oboe/soprano vocalist, and two soprano vocalists.
Throughout the course of several meetings and improvisation sessions, one of the
sopranos of the group, Liya Khaimova, came up with the idea of writing poetry to delve deeper
into the collaborative process. Nick Volpert, the cellist, wrote a poem the day after the 2016
United States presidential election, which informed the 10-minute work, Screaming Shapes,
scored for Feral Bodies in addition to electronics and dance. Nick’s untitled poem is a jumble
of thoughts that outline his visceral reaction:

EXAMPLE 1
. Nick Volpert, Untitled, 2016

clinging to a smooth surface scratching fingernails backwards
tippest top in the empty air
looming untouchable up ahead
a golden wheel made of wheels
curling in horror, screaming shapes to fill the yawning gulf
a pin I wear to ensure I’m always small
unending over and over like a river for centuries
not quite! not quite! not quite!

My initial idea as the composer was to record improvisations of each phrase by each
member of the group as an “attack-decay” gesture, and to compile them in a sort of musical
recitation of Nick’s poem, then to develop the piece further from there. This idea came from
the opening material of post-spectralist composer Eric Wubbels’ Katachi Part 2 for the Wet
Ink Ensemble. See Ex. 2:

Shin - 3
EXAMPLE 2
. Eric Wubbels, Katachi Part 2, pg. 1

What fascinated me most about the piece beyond the composition was the high
quality, closely mic’d recording of the ensemble with fine details present in addition to pitch,
including written and naturally occurring keyclicks, breathing, and the woodiness of the violin
bow on the string, all juxtaposed by moments of silence, creating a three-dimensional sonic
space from the subtle opening material. This closely mic’d, bright equalization of the audio is
indicative of trends in popular music today, although Wubbels’ piece doesn’t seem to do so
to extreme artificiality. In listening to music, I have found that a great recording can
oftentimes make or break a listening experience considering, of course, intention and
technology available at the time.
Following this fascination, I broke down Nick’s poem into phrases (See Ex. 3), and to
incorporate the collaborative aspect further, I asked each member to improvise sounds based
on each phrase. Along with these instructions, I predisposed the musicians to the sonic
landscape of Wubbels’ piece through headphones, hoping they would draw from it in their
Shin - 4
improvisations. I set up my AKG C214 large diaphragm condenser microphone close to the
performer, hit record, and let them freely move from one gesture to the next.

EXAMPLE 3
. Nick Volpert’s poem broken down into phrases.

Clinging, Smooth, Surface, Scratching, Fingernails, Backwards, tippest top,
empty air, looming untouchable up ahead, golden wheel made of wheels,
curling in horror, screaming shapes, fill the yawning gulf, a pin I wear to
ensure I’m always small, unending over and over like a river for centuries, not
quite! not quite! not quite!

The results of the improvisations which most obviously drew from the Wubbels piece
included pitchless articulations, fricatives like the “ch” of “Bach,” sharp breathing, key clicks,
breathing between notes, indistinguishable harmonics, and more. Yet, with the motley of
words, most of the phrases in Nick’s poem suggest aggressive and frenzied responses with
phrases like “clinging,” “curling in horror,” and “screaming shapes.” Of the sounds I utilized,
the more aggressive musical material included successions of percussive open slaps,
arpeggiations, and blistering overtones in the saxophone, heavy bow pressure scratch tones in
the cello, and percussive vocalizations such as voiceless consonants including “t,” “s,” “puh-
tha,” and other assertive sounds such as “hu-whap!” and nasty multiphonics. My initial idea of
a linear musical recitation of the poem did not work due to the varying degrees of dynamics,
leading to improperly balanced layers of sounds. Because of this, I handpicked certain sounds
from the library of improvised sounds, which allowed me to discard ones that were not
particularly attractive to me for the purposes of this composition, for example, a saxophone
gesture that emulated a fart.
My responses to spectral composers, compositions, and approaches can be summed
up in 4 overarching ideas: (1) where’s the groove? (2) the use of recording and electronics, (3)
Shin - 5
systematically or intuitively deriving the music, (4) extra-musicality/ theatricality.
So, where exactly is the groove? The approach to rhythm, duration, and time is heavily
influenced by the Italian composer Giacinto Scelsi. Tristan Murail describes Scelsi’s approach
by saying “time becomes ambiguous, simultaneously static and dynamic. The global formal
shape often seems static…” and that Scelsi “subsumes the idea of rhythm into the more global
concept of duration, anticipating the spectral composers’ conception of time” (Murail, 179).
Scelsi’s influence on timbral evolution is evident notably on Gerard Grisey and his view of
music as slowly evolving over time. In his Partiels (1975), Grisey models the temporal evolution
of an E2 trombone attack over 22 minutes, and he describes his music as “hypnotic power of
slowness” (Grisey 2). Stylistic choices that illustrate the idea of subsuming rhythm into a more
global concept of duration include long swelling tones emulating graduated continuants, the
many fermatas and free durational sections scattered generously throughout the piece (See
Ex. 4), and the blurring of textures and rhythmic ideas into one seamless birth, life, and death,
with his “virtual obsession with continuity” (Grisey 2). Steve Lehman, a jazz spectralist
composer incorporates a level of this idea, although, instead of completely subsuming rhythm,
he distracts and weakens the sense of meter by utilizing quasi-durational polyrhythms.

EXAMPLE 4
. Gerard Grisey, Partiels, ~16:12, from Youtube

Shin - 6

The electronic component of Screaming Shapes, however, completely challenges this
idea by incorporating an extremely clear sense of meter and rhythmic propulsion (See Ex. 5).
Attacks land largely on upbeats and downbeats, and it is highly repetitious and cyclical,
although I do attempt to keep things fresh by disrupting the flow with slight hiccups, or added
rhythmic durations, and quick meter changes. Even within the gestures themselves, most are
precisely cut into even smaller motifs, such as the “pu-ti” sound within the word “empty,” or
a saxophone open slap cut right before its full decay, sharpening its pointedness even further.

EXAMPLE 5
. Screaming Shapes, saxophone line transcribed, ~2:27

As mentioned, the use of recording and electronics in my piece are, in large part, a way
to control the listener’s experience of the material, setting parameters on the quality of the
recording and electronics comfortably per my taste. Tristan Murail’s use of electronics in
Désintégrations (1982–83), although innovative at the time, helped me to make certain choices
on filters of which to avoid, and certain filters not to abuse. In his piece, I found certain
electronic manipulations made the piece sound very dated, such as excessive reverb, pitch-
shifting recorded instruments up further than naturally conceivable, creating distortion, and
de-constructing or stripping a sound from its original state. In Kaija Saariaho’s Lichtbogen
(1986), the electronics are derived from the instruments themselves and amplify what is
already present in ensemble, making it hard to distinguish acoustic from electronic, and
keeping the original state of the electronics fairly intact in contrast with Murail, although
Saariaho’s electronic music does tend to be saturated with lush reverb.
As mentioned in Screaming Shapes, instead of recording in a large hall or adding reverb,
Shin - 7
I closely mic’d each performer with very little noise room, added absolutely no reverb, and
brought out the brightness in sound to capture and heighten the same acoustic sense in
Wubbels’ Katachi Part 2 performance by Wet Ink and trends in popular music. Also in direct
contrast to Murail’s Désintégrations, I use pitch-shift but make sure not to go unnaturally
higher too often (I do in one instance in a saxophone line at 2:38). Like Saariaho, I mostly
kept recordings of instruments discernible, making it clear the association of sound and
instrument or voice for the listener, and all sounds are strictly derived from the instruments
themselves, excluding the oboe which does not appear in the electronics at all; the oboe was
included in acoustic performance to be able to mimic the multiple layers of sounds in the
electronics. The muffled, pulsing section starting at 3:18 blends all four voices of the quartet,
but heavily manipulates them past the point of recognition, even though the sounds still
strictly originated from the instruments themselves. Another effect Saariaho uses in
Lichtbogen that I use is the harmonizer to add depth. Other filters used include tremolo to
induce audiogenic epilepsy much like the phenomenon that occurs when a light is flickering
above and the sense of space is lost, in addition to filters such as echo to add density, and
panning to create a binaural sense of space.
I also meticulously use volume control to create manual tremolo to break up the
precision of a filtered tremolo, and to create faux rhythm within the life of a gesture. See Ex.
6. In just the example below, the layers of filtering and electronic manipulation is as follows:
equalizer – dry, closely-mic’d, gain, pitch-Shift (not unnaturally higher), harmonizer, and
volume control to create manual tremolo and create faux rhythm. See Ex. 7.

Shin - 8
EXAMPLE 6
. Screaming Shapes, Logic tracks demonstrating rhythm and tremolo with
volume control automation

EXAMPLE 7
. Screaming Shapes, Logic showing additional filters for the three tracks above

Another major, distinct electronic manipulation which disrupts the major arc of
Screaming Shapes was included when exploring SPEAR’s basic functions (the aforementioned
muffled, pulsing section at 3:18). I opened up a spectrograph of a cello heavy bow pressure
gesture, finding a lot of activity up to 21,868 Hz but with very little active or stable formants.
See Ex. 8:

Shin - 9
EXAMPLE 8
. Screaming Shapes, SPEAR spectrograph of cello heavy bow pressure gesture

SPEAR’s basic functions include speed, pitch, volume, and noise, and I first dilated
the cello phrase to be able to tune into the sound. Unfortunately, SPEAR can only slow down
.125 times the original file, but thanks to Logic, sounds can be stretched infinitely. The
artifacts and distortion that occurs when stretching this file made it sound very dated, but
offered a contrast to the high quality of the piece, which, at one point tends to be overbearing
itself with the added gain and brightness. I stretched this 2-second cello gesture along with
three gestures by the two sopranos and saxophone over a minute and 48 seconds. By adding
a high-cut filter to the dilated cello phrase, it helped drastically diminish the artifacts, and
adds a nice fatness to the sound, and again, helps cleanse the palate from the in-your-face-
ness of the brightly EQ’d section. From there, I tweak the tremolo filtering, harmonization
with pitch-shift to create five distinct sections over the life and death of the lengthened
gestures. By attempting to use SPEAR, using its basic functions, then discarding it in favor of
Logic’s much higher capabilities, I explored many spectral ideas and approaches such as
dilation, pronouncing attack transients, harmonizations, beating patterns mimicked by
tremolo filtering, the spectral envelope, high-cut filtering, and the manual control of
overtones, especially in the saxophone gesture used, which is a multiphonic, with the spectral
Shin - 10
envelope idea heightened with high-cut filtering.
There are varying degrees of which a composition is intuitively or systematically
derived, and all dependent on a composer’s interest. Composers Georg Haas, Kaija Saariaho,
and Salvatore Sciarrino are on the intuitive side of the spectrum, and Georg Haas and Horațiu
Rădulescu do not rely on any sonic modeling, with Rădulescu less interested in unnatural
techniques and more inclined towards creating a mystical, quasi-religious experience with his
music. Post-Spectralists tend to use looser applications of instrumental synthesis and there is
an absence of artificial techniques such as mutation and interpolation. On the other hand,
there are composers like James Tenney whose music Rădulescu describes as a beautiful
theorem, void of expression, and mathematically derived. Screaming Shapes would most
definitely be on the intuitive side. Especially with the use of SPEAR, I found later that I was
exploring the spectral envelope with the use of high-cut filtering, and even beyond spectral
techniques, the highly rhythmic sections were based on intuition over meticulous planning;
when in the beginning I specifically changed the meter within Logic to line up with the piece,
early in the process, I completely disregarded it.
Another tool used retroactively was Denis Smalley’s spectromorphological analysis for
acousmatic music. To help make sense of the trajectory of the piece and some of the decisions
I had made, I analyzed and broke down the composition into several sections. See Ex. 9. By
analyzing Screaming Shapes retroactively, I was able to make sense of the decisions I had made
and even help the choreographer come up with movements for the dance since Smalley’s
vocabulary is so descriptive. As you can see, in Section I, the same “attack -decay” gesture that
attracted me in Wubbels’ Katachi Part 2 is present throughout, except my version is more
cyclical due to repetition, with the addition of sudden hiccups in sound that anticipate
gestures that appear later in the piece. The general idea of this section is still the “attack-
decay” gesture that initiated the whole methodology of the composition in the first place.
The second section then immediately transforms into an “attack-release” gesture with a
unidirectional, ascending growth as opposed to the cyclical first section. Although these two
Shin - 11
sections are fairly distinct in how they are categorized, I strived for an overall continuous flow
of music, akin to Grisey’s approach to temporal evolution.

EXAMPLE 9
. Screaming Shapes, Spectromorphological analysis

Section I:
Time: 0:00
Gesture: Attack-decay
Motion: Cyclic
Growth: Vortex

Section II:
Time: 0:43
Gesture: Attack-release
Motion: Unidirectional
Growth: Ascent

Section III:
Time: 0:59
Gesture: Downbeat-prolongation-resolution
Motion: Cyclic
Growth: Centrifugal

Section IV:
Time: 1:39
Gesture: Attack-release
Motion: Cyclic
Behavior: Conflict/Coexistence
Relationship Mode: Reaction-interaction-reciprocity

Section V:
Time: 2:02
Gesture: Departure-maintenance-plane
Motion: Unidirectional
Growth: Plane
Section VI:
Time: 2:21
Gesture: Attack-release
Motion: Cyclic

Section VII:
Time: 2:54
Gesture: Attack-transition-disappearance
Motion: Cyclic
Growth: Spin
Characteristic: Fly

Section VIII:
Time: 3:18
Gesture: Emergence-prolongation-release
Motion: Bi-Directional
Growth: Dilation/Contraction

Section IX (truncated reiteration of Part V):
Time: 4:58
Gesture: Departure-maintenance-plane
Motion: Unidirectional
Growth: Plane

Speaking of dance, extramusicality plays an important role in the performance of the
Screaming Shapes. While many spectral composers draw inspiration from extra-musical sources
such as literature, natural phenomenon, and film, such as Tristan Murail’s Vues aériennes
drawing from Claude Monet’s Cathédrales de Rouen, conversely, few spectral composers
incorporate extra-musical or theatrical gestures as substantial parts of their compositions.
Georg Haas is the most notable with his use or complete absence of lighting as an important
component of his work. Gerard Grisey’s Partiels also “fakes out” the audience with the
Shin - 12
anticipation of a huge cymbal crash, as illustrated with a stickman figure in the score. See Ex.
10:

EXAMPLE 9
. Gerard Grisey, Partiels, the last page with the stickman figure anticipating
a large cymbal crash

Screaming Shapes, as previously mentioned, is broken into three main sections: I.
Reiterate, II. Reconstruct, and III. Reattempt. The first section, “Reiterate,” is an acoustic
narration of Nick’s original poem accompanied by the members of the quintet. After
preparing to play, Nick, whose main instrument is the cello, begins to yell out the first lines
of the poem, playing on the expectation of him preparing to play his cello. In many cases, he
or members of the ensemble speak the lines and reiterate them musically. In “Reconstruct,”
the musical material that originated from them are pieced together by me as the composer in
this meticulous electronic puppetry, of which I mainly focused on in this compositional
methodology and analysis. During the electronic portion, the musicians do not play at all. At
Shin - 13
one point, the musicians prepare to play, but the electronics restart, again playing on
expectation. The music is also reconstructed on another level by the dance and the
choreographer Sophia Stoller’s vision. On top of this, to touch on one of the main tenets of
Feral Bodies, the piece attempts to play on human error and challenge the practiced-perfect
mentality of performance in “Reattempt.” In this section, the electronic and acoustic
interact, and in an unfair side-by-side comparison, the musicians attempt to recreate the
impossible, high-quality, brightly EQ’d, and meticulously pristine electronic gestures. After a
few attempts at various gestures, the dancers and musicians except Nick join the audience as
they watch him repeatedly fail to play a certain cello gesture, yelling out “not quite!” as he fails
the attempt three times. And much like the ending of Grisey’s Partiels, Nick prepares, in his
final attempt, to match his own recording of himself improvising a gesture he theoretically
and factually can play. But the lights cut off and the piece ends before he can ever redeem
himself. Human error is explored musically and theatrically in Screaming Shapes through the
failure of the musicians to mimic the electronic puppetry. Furthermore, Nick’s poem is
indicative of the massive human error in predicting the 2016 presidential election results, and
the chaos surrounding it. And, in retrospect, my obsession with human error must also stem
from my lack of discipline when it came to practicing my cello and piano, and my ultimate
decision to switch over to composition from performance, all in order for the pressure of
performance failure to fall off my shoulders and land on those who are performing my music
(although my anxiety persists, still, on the performers’ behalf). So, what would it look like to
set up the performers of my piece for ultimate failure? Even though the sounds originated
from them, are they able to convincingly reiterate the precision of the electronic puppetry,
since all of the sounds originated from them? Moreover, is this piece an electroacoustic work
even when the electronic and acoustic barely overlap or interact? And, generally, is this
composition spectral, or is that a bit of a stretch…? The last line of Nick’s poem sums up my
thoughts exactly: Not quite!

Shin - 14
References

Grisey, Gerard, and Joshua Fineberg. "Did you say spectral?" Contemporary Music Review 19.3
(2000): 1-3.
Murail, Tristan. "Scelsi, De-composer." Contemporary Music Review 24.2/3 (2005)

Linked assets