Rawgabbiting (2020)
Score
Technical Info
Special requirements for concert programming and instrument:
- A grand piano.
- Approx. 10 minutes to de-tune the instrument, and a little shorter for re-tuning afterwards.
No prepared piano or inside-playing.
Use of microtonal techniques
- Unison string course scordatura
Exactly the same de-tuning as in Gerard Grisey’s Vortex Temporum
- Non-unison string course scordatura
For each key of this octave, one of the 3 strings (the string dampened by the una corda pedal), is tuned a quartertone flat:
Here is an extract from the 4th movement, where we hear the above-mentioned range blending with flutes and percussion.
- Use of the una corda pedal
Also Ness makes use of this in order to vary between “clean” and more “dirty” unisons. See Remarks below.
Remarks
Regarding the use of una corda pedal, it may be noted that there were some challenges in regard to balance, when the score asks for “clean” unisons (in the range of non-unisons) to be played 'f', which means I would have to play “forte possibile”, as the hammers then only hit two strings at a time.
For the concert, I had to work hard avoiding the piano sound to be swallowed up by the orchestra in these sections.
In addition, not all keys on all pianos are reliable in this matter (touching only one string less), so it was necessary to adjust the position of the dampers slightly, less than a millimeter, something the piano tuner could help me with relatively easily. (Read more: Use of the una corda pedal)