Catherine Lamb

Prisma Interius VII

for Karin Hellqvist and Heloisa Amaral,

violin and the secondary rainbow synthesizer

(revised March 2020)

© sacred realism 2018

t alternative tone

sustain pedal sends tones to a sustain pool

sustain pool is released (via button or pad)

the synthesizer is filtering live the outer environmental atmosphere by the placement of stereo cardiod microphones, somewhere outside of but connected to the performance space

a computer program is placing resonant band pass filters on the tonal mode indicated above

the synthesizer musician has both control over the filter as well as the volume (two faders)

the filter changes are indicated in the score, where closed is the fader completely down

alternative tunings are given for the tempered tones, as shown via the diamond heads

to obtain the alternative tone, the key is to be struck with more velocity/force

a stereo speaker field is set up in such a way that the synthesizer musician is able to listen to how it is accumulating and blending in the room,

so that volume can be adjusted accordingly and the audience is able to hear the blend clearly

the part can be mostly followed by the keyboard notation on the larger stave(s) below, while the above smaller stave(s) are the resultant sounding tonalities

synthesizer set up

Violin Scordatura

string/partial notation: example refers to open II string

string/partial notation: example refers to 2nd partial of II string (octave above open string)

tuning information / notation

Notation indicates:

1. partial numbers over a low 10hz fundamental (Eb 2 octaves below the lowest Bass string). These can be reduced to simple ratios, i.e. 80:70 = 8:7),

2. frequencies for reference,

3. accidentals adapted from the Extended Helmholtz-Ellis Extended JI Pitch Notation, to indicate sympathetic and combination relationship tonalities:

Extended Helmholtz-Ellis JI Pitch Notation and Partial Theory explained (in relation to fundamental):

2-limit intonation (2nd partial initiated) is multiplying or dividing a tone by its octave equivalent. Therefore the 40th partial (the lowest Violin string)

is multiplied by its octave 2 to create the 80th (II string), then again to create the 160th, etc. Likewise, the 40th can be divided by 2 until the simplest

relationship to the fundamental is found. 40/2 = 20, 20/2 = 10, 10/2 = 5, the 5-limit Just tonality indicated as below.

ne ne 3-limit / Pythagorean Intonation (3rd partial initiated), is structured around pure fifths (3:2) and pure fourths (4:3), etc.

mm 5-limit / Just / Ptolemaic Intonation (5th partial initiated), a Just major third (5:4) and its Pythagorean multiples (such as Just Major seventh 15:8, Just tri-tone 45:32, etc.)

7-limit / Septimal Intonation (7th partial initiated), a low Septimal minor seventh (7:4) and its Pythagorean multiples (such as 21:16, etc.)

11-limit / Undecimal Intonation (11th partial initiated), an Undecimal tri-tone (11:8) and its Pythagorean multiples

00 13-limit / Tri-decimal Intonation (13th partial initiated), a Tri-decimal neutral sixth (13:8) and its Pythagorean multiples

:n:n 17-limit intonation (17th partial initiated), a 17-limit minor second (17:16) and its Pythagorean multiples

/e/e 19-limit intonation (19th partial initiated), a 19-limit minor third (19:16) and its Pythagorean multiples

Combination Tones are created when multiplying different prime-limits (above Pythagorean) together, such as 5 x 7 = 35th partial (x 2 = 70th partial)

(in this piece, the prime tonalities are limited to multiplying by 5)

Saturation Tones are created when multiplying a prime limit by itself, such as 5 x 5 = 25th partial (x 2 = 50th partial)

(in this piece, the highest saturation is 5-limit)

performance instructions

 

the two musicians are to follow their parts loosely together, whereas the synthesizer is more often as shadow instrument to the violin

 

pacing is slow and relaxed, relative and sympathetic to one another

 

perhaps a sequence in the part of the violin is to be one or two slow bows of differing lengths per tone, while occasionally sounding two (or three) tones in one bow

 

volume for violin is clear (harmonically rich), unforced, relaxed, and soft

 

the violin tone contains clarity and stability to obtain direct interaction with the synthesizer, without vibrato, with unforced and slow bows

 

the base (most frequented) volume of the synth is just below that of the violin, allowing for natural fluctuation by the environment and filter,

while overtaking of the soundscape would be a rare occurrence

 

some altering / shifting of the volume fader setting is allowed in dynamic environments, while only subtle changes in most

 

{

{

{

1

Prisma Interius VII for violin and synthesizer keyboard

Catherine Lamb

Violin

Synthesizer

23

4

Vln.

Synth.

5 6

Vln.

Synth.

&

Hz:

81

405

II

80

400

II1

81

405

84

420

81

405

80

400

II1

81

405

80

400

II1

84

420

81

405

84

420

81

405

84

420

80

400

II1

84

80

420

400

II1

III

&

81 80 81 84 81 80 81

81

72

80

72

84

72

81

72

84

72

81

72

96

81

72

96

84

72

96

80

72

96

84

80

72

&

filter closed

*

&

(unison with II)

80

400

III

76

380

84

420

80

400

76

380

80

400

75

375

80

400

u:

85

80

425

400

II1

IIIetc.

80

75

400

375

72

360

81

405

81

72

405

360

84

72

420

360

&

80

72

76

72

84

72

80

72

76

72

80

75 80

u:

85

80

n:

85

80

68

80

75

6872 81

81

72

84

72

96

84

72

&

*

&

81

72

405

84

72

420

360

400

80

II180

70

400

350

80

400

II1

84

420

80

400

II1

70

350

80

70

400

II1

III

84

70

420

80

400

III

70

350

72

360

70

350

80

70

400

350

II1

III

84

420

III

80

400

II184

80

420

400

II1

III

&

96

81

72

96

84

81

72 80

80

7080 84

80

80

70

84

80

70

8070

70

63

72

63

70

63

80

70

63

84

80

70

63

80

70

63

84

80

70

63

&

* * *

œn œm œnœe

<œn œm œn œm

œe

<œn

œe

<œn

œe

<œm

œe

<

œn œm œnœe

<œn œm œn

œnœm

œe

<œn

œe

<œn

œbœe

<œm

œe

<

3n œn ‚nœb

‚n œn ‚nœn

œœb

‚nœb

‚n

œbœb

œœb

œm œe

/

œe

<œm œe

/

œmœt

œm œœt œn

œnœn

œe

<

œœm

nœe

/

œe

<œm œe

/

œmœt

œm œ

œœt œn

œnœn

œe

<

œb

œœ ‚b

œbœn ‚b œ œb œn

‚b

œ

œbœn

‚œ

œbœb

œnœe

<œm

œm

<

œmœe

<œm

œm

<

œmœe

<œm

œm

<

œn œm

<

œmœe

<œm

œe

<

œnœe

<œm

œm

<

œmœe

<œm

œm

<

œe

<œm

œm

<

œe

<

œn œm

<

œmœe

<œm

œe

<

‚œb

œ‚n

œœb

œ‚

œbœ

‚‚b

œ ‚œ

œbœ

œb