Klavierstück (2010) and more

Luke · February 17, 2011, 01:08:44 PM

Sorry, didn't see your post about the harp pedal. I think that would be OK, as it mostly concerns just the D/D#. If you start respelling as flats, it helps for a while, but later you get tied up in knots, I think!

Re the new post - that's a toughie, as only you can hear exactly what you are intending in your head. I think the passage would work, per se, but whether the bass clarinet and cello wouldn't draw more attention to themselves than you want is not easy to tell. Is the cello muted? that would make a big difference. Also, if the scales are played sul tasto, in higher positions on the lower strings, that would also subdue them quite a lot.

rappy · February 17, 2011, 01:46:29 PM

Thanks, Luke!! A muted cello should be the perfect solution! Hadn't thought of that yet. Furthermore, the muted sound will merge much better with bass clarinet, I guess. Wouldn't the scales be too difficult in high positions, having quarters = 100?

Luke · February 17, 2011, 02:46:27 PM

Well, looking again, there isn't that much chance to go into the higher positions anyway*, but as a cellist, if I was trying to be sensitive to the type of sound you are trying to obtain here, I would avoid going onto the A string, which is easy and which most cellists would probably do here anyway, I'd have thought. No need to write in any indication of that, probably.

*unless one uses thumb position all the way through which, actually, might well be a good option - 1st scale, thumb on F-C-G, but extending back for the B; 2nd scale, thumb on G-D-A, extending back for the A flat, and then continuing up the D string; 3rd scale as first. That would obviate the need for much movement up and down the fingerboard, which would help make the thing more of a background murmur, but it probably isn't necessary, and might be impractical. Am not near my cello to try it out.

rappy · March 31, 2011, 09:34:41 AM

Here's a new crazy score, beta version:

http://www.dgsp-rheinland-pfalz.de/kuiskata.pdf

Wondering if THIS will sound any good...

Luke · March 31, 2011, 11:26:05 AM

Wow!

That's all I can say right now, but I look forward to looking in more detail later. You are insanely productive with this stuff, Ralph! Wish I could write so prolifically - at the moment I'm lucky if I get 10 pages written in six months!

rappy · April 01, 2011, 12:36:07 AM

Hey Luke,

well, since I'm studying, I got not much other things to do. I'm forced to write, actually.

Gotta submit that piece today - I fear it, because I'm not too confident...

(poco) Sforzando · April 01, 2011, 06:36:05 PM

Quote from: Luke on March 31, 2011, 11:26:05 AM
Wow!

That's all I can say right now, but I look forward to looking in more detail later. You are insanely productive with this stuff, Ralph! Wish I could write so prolifically - at the moment I'm lucky if I get 10 pages written in six months!

Yeah, but when's the last time you wrote for a Paetzold?

rappy · April 01, 2011, 10:29:39 PM

rappy · June 25, 2011, 01:13:36 PM

Kuiskata has been premiered yesterday! If you want a recording, you can write me a PM, since I'm not allowed to publish it in the internet (public).
The piece certainly has its flaws, but overall I'm quite happy with it. Maybe I'll rewrite some parts.

Have I told you that I love the tuba? I love the tuba!!

rappy · September 04, 2011, 03:32:45 PM

There's a new solo clarinet piece in progress but I'm composing VERY slowly. Sometimes I write 10 notes a day and throw off 8 of them on the next morning.

Here's a draft:

http://www.dgsp-rheinland-pfalz.de/capriccio.pdf

It will be played by a quite famous clarinetist (E. B.) who will give a concert with pieces of our composition class. Thus I'm a little bit afraid about every note I write...

... Just bought a book about multiphonics on the German clarinet and now I found out that he's playing Böhm.

Luke · October 19, 2011, 01:43:15 PM

Quote from: rappy on June 25, 2011, 01:13:36 PM
Kuiskata has been premiered yesterday! If you want a recording, you can write me a PM, since I'm not allowed to publish it in the internet (public).
The piece certainly has its flaws, but overall I'm quite happy with it. Maybe I'll rewrite some parts.

Have I told you that I love the tuba? I love the tuba!!

I only got round to PM-ing Ralph about this a couple of days ago...

I am dumbstruck by this piece. It is absolutely phenomenal. I downloaded the score you put up a long time ago, and, though there are changes (there are, aren't there? big risk of embarassing myself there! I will plead inadequate speakers on my laptop if not...) the basics seem the same, and in particular, all those incredible effects, the multiphonics and so many other things, they are all in the score. I had to check them to believe what I was hearing. Your players do a fine job, it seems to me; there is committment and passion in their playing, but maybe that is only because the piece merits it. It is compelling from the first, but grows more and more so, growing logically and yet surprising at all turns, right to the last notes. Major, major kudos to you, Ralph.

Everyone - download this piece and listen!

rappy · October 24, 2011, 09:29:44 AM

Hey Luke,

thanks a lot for your kind words, I'm very pleased!! There are some changes I've made during the rehearsal because the players weren't able to play all the effects I wrote. When I wrote a multiphonic in score, I only wrote the ground note and put the multiphonic and fingering into the legend. But sometimes, they played different multiphonics than written (so the note you see in score has nothing to do with it), the double-flageoletts in the oboe didn't work etc.
But overall I was very happy with the players and the conductor, although the rehearsal time was very short!

rappy · November 25, 2011, 02:21:43 PM

There's been a performance of my string quartet movement I posted about a year ago yesterday:

http://www.dgsp-rheinland-pfalz.de/streichquartett.pdf

I can send you the MP3 by PM!

petrarch · November 25, 2011, 05:23:17 PM

Quote from: rappy on November 25, 2011, 02:21:43 PM
There's been a performance of my string quartet movement I posted about a year ago yesterday:

http://www.dgsp-rheinland-pfalz.de/streichquartett.pdf

I can send you the MP3 by PM!

Please do, thanks in advance!

rappy · June 01, 2012, 02:11:51 PM

If there's anybody with iTunes, he can listen to my Trio for Trumpet, Trombone and 5 Timpani on iTunes U: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=532483187

The timpani part is apparently that difficult that the prof is the only one who was able to play it, and although he has been solo timpanist for many decades, he told me that this must be the most difficult timpani part he has ever played.

North Star · June 02, 2012, 05:36:45 AM

I seem to have missed this thread earlier, rappy.
The Klavierstück is an excellent piece, and the score of Kuiskata (I'm curious about the name) looks extremely interesting, the recording would be much appreciated!

rappy · June 11, 2012, 02:27:24 PM

I've sent you a PM!

North Star · June 11, 2012, 11:26:26 PM

Thanks, I'll listen to these more carefully when I have more time.

rappy · June 25, 2012, 11:57:53 AM

Here are the score links:

score: http://www.dgsp-rheinland-pfalz.de/trio1.pdf http://www.dgsp-rheinland-pfalz.de/trio2.pdf http://www.dgsp-rheinland-pfalz.de/trio3.pdf

Some comments are greatly appreciated!

P. S. You will notice that they don't play all the notes, especially in the second and third movements many things went wrong. I hope you can abstract.

Luke · June 25, 2012, 12:34:26 PM

Didn't see this before, more's the pity - just love it, love it, love it. So many incredible touches, so much variety of tone and timbre and combinations of both, so much sparkling virtuosity (from both players and composer) and wit, wonderful dramatic pacing and little coups de theatre, all at just the right place and perfectly judged. Absolutely loved it. And whatever you feel about the performance (and I know that a composer winces at the mistakes that others, for whom the work is not in the blood, don't really notice) they have done a stellar job with a hideously difficult score - you are a lucky composer, but the work is worth all the effort.

Just before the end - last note of page 6 of the third movement, trumpet part, and then on into page 7 - the tumpet plays a couple of phrases which seem vaguely tonal in effect, tonic-dominant almost, and I really think this is a great touch. Are these phrases a reference to something else? They seemed vaguely familiar...

Inescapably, the whole reminds me - in its lightning quick thought, the lucidity and clarity of the argument in a highly-complex and fast-moving environment, and the sheer audacity of the whole thing, including the instrumentation - of some of Wuorinen's more outre pieces - the trio for bass instruments, for example, which you can hear here -

or, easier, youtube here. That's high praise, I think, because those Wuorinen pieces are extraordinary. But it's recognisably a Rappy piece, too; it doesn't sound like Wuorinen, it just shares those qualities I mentioned.

Can't say enough in praise of this piece. Everyone here should listen to it.