Mobile Suite in Miniatura for Jimin Shin

Violin Solo

-

-

2015

Duration: 7’

Peter Kramer

! 1

PROGRAM NOTE

The title Mobile, represents the way in which this “modern suite” for violin arranges the movements of a baroque dance suite. The suite movements arranged here (Prelude, Allemande, Chaconne, Corrente, Jig, Sarabande, Canto, Minuet) adopt the ambiguous sensibility that dominated the compositional approach toward this renaissance and baroque form. It was not uncommon for a dance suite to incorporate some kind of melodic and/or harmonic theme, used to relate each movement to one another more cohesively. In this suite for solo violin, I have used a G mixolydian mode that slowly progresses upward over the course of the first two movements. This rising motive sets the mobile-like construction into motion, during which the exploration and opening of register takes place. During this motion outwards, the musical material is arranged around the static and unmoving open strings of the violin (G,D,A,E) acting as a hinge that binds this wandering material, allowing it to spin. All definitions are taken from the Dictionnaire de Musique 1703 (Brossard, Sebastien de), unless noted otherwise. Prelude “…is a flourish or an irregular air, which a musician plays off-hand, to try if his instrument be in tune and to lead him into the piece to be played.” Allemande “a sort of grave a solemn music, whose measure is full and moving.” Chaconne “a kind of dance in the air of a sarabande…a blind man, this air being said to have been invented by such a one.” Corrente “a sort of quick running French dance.” Jig “…some of which are played slow, and others quick, brisk and lively…” Sarabande “…is in reality no more than a minuet; the motions of which are slow and serious.” Canto “…from Latin cantos “song” … a section of a long poem…” (Online Etymology Dictionary) Minuet “a kind of dance, the steps whereof are extremely quick and short…”

! 2

Note on Tempi, Dynamics and Interpretation

All suite movements should be connected (attacca). The tempi may vary from movement to movement, and will

sometimes change within individual suite movements. In the program notes I have giving definitions (from the

Brossard Dictionary of Music), which may shed some light on tempi and character choices for the suite

movements. This work as a whole invites a considerable amount of rhythmic and dynamic freedom, executed at

the discretion of the performer. It is also recommended that the performer find a variety of ways for arpeggiating

chords, sometimes breaking them evenly or arpeggiating more slowly and freely as a lutenist or guitarist might,

etc.

Unmeasured Notation

The Prelude and Canto do not have time signatures and are unmeasured. Each note deserves its own duration;

chords may be broken in any manner and even sustained by arpeggiation if desired. A breath mark in

parenthesis (,) denotes a small breath before moving to the next note. Dashed slurs denote a group of notes that

should be perceived as connected. A fermata over a note denotes that more time should be given to that note,

than to others.

X-Shaped Note Heads

See the examples below. X-shaped note heads denote a finger slap on the indicated note. Slap the left hand

finger down onto the soundboard on the indicated pitch, producing a percussive and somewhat pitched sound,

do not use the bow! Passages with x-shaped note heads are always found as descending scales, that may also call

for left hand pizzicato of the open strings; sometimes the bow will be arpeggiating over the open strings as well.

The overall effect should be percussive and free.

(Allemande m.2) (Corrente m.28)

! 3

Jig Notation

During the 8/4 measures the dynamics and bow movements are spatially arranged, these passages are quasi-

improvised. The dashed-tremolo symbols indicated a freely executed tremolo (3 dashed for fast) and (2 dashed

for somewhat slower). Aim for an amorphous yet controlled texture ranging from toneless/air-like sounds to

harrowing/harmonic sounds.

(Jig m.36)

Muting/Dampen

Found in the Sarabande, mute the strings with the left hand quickly and suddenly cutting of (muting!) the

sound. Be sure that all of the left hand fingers are touching the strings making sure that no pitch remains

vibrating, do not press down with the left hand too hard, simply let the fingers rest over and mute the strings.

(Minuet m.66)

Abbreviations

ord. - ordinary bow position, or used for canceling other techniques.

s.p. - always strive towards molto sul ponticello, producing stronger partials as you move toward the bridge.

s.t. - always strive towards molto sul tasto, as airy as possible while still retaining pitch.

fingers - move the bow toward the left hand fingers, the sound should be more diffuse and less pitched as the

bow moves toward and in front of the fingers.

flau. - flautando bow pressure, diffuse and light.