Plus Minus Nr 14 by Karlheinz Stockhausen: Realisation for Solo Double Bass by Mark Cauvin 2009
Plus Minus by Karlheinz Stockhausen is published as a graphic score. The score consists of 14 pages of symbols with instructions detailing the Plus Minus system. After scrupulous research into interpreting the graphics using only the double bass as a solo instrument I have created a work based on the structure of the graphic score using sounds, noises, pitches and timbre.
Each note is rendered with mathematical symbols which assist the performer to be precise about the way each sound is to be performed. My main focus throughout this realisation is to control the diminuendo and resonances between sympathetic vibrations which are synonymous with the sonic qualities of my double bass.
Suggested references: Essay by Christopher Fox “Written in Sand”, Recorded version of “Plus Minus” by cellist Charlotte Moorman version by Nam June Paik
World Premiere performance at Sydney Conservatorium August 16th 2009, First recording July 16th 2009 at ABC Melbourne.
Ko-Tha I II III- 1967 Giacinto Scelsi versione 1975 per contrabbasso di Fernando Grillo (Italy)
Ko-Tha versione 1975 per contrabbasso by Giacinto Scelsi/Fernando Grillo is unique to the version for guitar as each movement utilises extended sound producing techniques beyond the percussion techniques employed for the guitar version. The first movement involves preparation in the strings using knitting needles, the second uses two bows and the third an ostinato percussion pattern.
The double bass lays down on the floor facing upwards. The performer kneels down next to it and performs various percussion, plucking, hitting and bowing techniques which are simple to produce separately but when combined in vigorous tempos become very complex and require intricate movements.
Both hands have to play together in a virtuoso choreography in order to realise dance figures that are at times truly fast. The strings are always open, that is, they are not fingered at all.
Australian premiere performance of Ko-Tha I II III took place on July 27th 2009 at La Mama Theatre in Melbourne. Two unique versions of Ko-Tha have been recorded the first on the recording “Transfiguration” and second at the ABC studio session from July 16th 2009.
Paperoles per contrabbasso by Fernando Grillo (Italy)
Paperoles for Solo Contrabbasso by Fernando Grillo was written around the early 1970s. In Paperoles the Double Bass functions as a polyphonic instrument with the use of resonating harmonics, bowed harmonics, bi-tones and even under the string bowing. During the period of teaching Double Bass at the Darmstadt New Music Courses Grillo performed Paperoles to coax composers to write for him. Iannis Xenakis, Iancu Dumitrescu, Giacinto Scelsi and Klaus Huber have enriched the repertoire thanks to Grillo’ mission.
Australian premiere performance July 27th 2009 at La Mama Theatre, Melbourne and is also performed by Mark Cauvin on the recording “Transfiguration”.
Sarabande from Suite I (1983-2005) by Fernando Grillo (Italy)
Australian Premiere 2006 in Goulburn, Australia and is also performed by Mark Cauvin on the recording “Transfiguration”.
No More Rock Groynes- (May 2009) by David Young (Australia)
No More Rock Groynes for solo contrabass by David Young is a miniature watercolour score. David and I were driving to the Breakwaters in Newcastle in NSW when he said to me “No More Rock Groynes” to my surprise I looked around to see he was referring to a bumper sticker on a car. A few weeks later I met up with him and he presented the score to me. David has composed this work for a prepared microphone with delicate textures and surfaces. These are used to excite the surface of the string like the hair does on a bow.
World Premiere performance at La Mama Theatre Melbourne July 27th 2009, First recording July 16th at ABC Melbourne.
Solo for Double Bass- (1991) David Young (Australia)
WKP 258- (2008 – 2009) by Mark Cauvin (Australia)
CHAMBER WORKS
Yehudi- (1969) by Syd Clayton (Australia)
Clayton said this is the first piece he composed for “musicians to become actors”. Performers are required to interpret Yehudi’s oblique score with vocalisation, clapping and improvised physical gestures, as well as on their instrument. Clayton based the structure of the piece on a cricket scorecard, where two teams aligned with each instrument consist of quasi-serialist pitch structures. The “match” was played out on Claytons roulette wheel and transcribed onto the score as musical and theatrical materials.
Yehudi was first publicly performed in a Carlton billiards hall, probably without prior knowledge of the patrons or management. Trumpeter Barry McKimm recalls Clayton playing the jukebox during the performance.
(Courtesy of Clinton Green 2009)
Yehudi was presented in 2009 by Adam Simmons (Saxophone) and Mark Cauvin (Double Bass) at Café Church, Glebe Sydney June 24th, Liquid Architecture Festival at North Melbourne Townhall July 11th (Recorded by the ABC) and Iwaki Auditorium ABC July 17th (Recorded by the ABC).
“Another homage of sorts came from Adam Simmons and Mark Cauvin, who presented a semi-theatrical piece by neglected Melbourne composer Syd Clayton. Yehudi featured Simmons on baritone saxophone and Cauvin on double bass, the duo’s musical explorations augmented by vocal noises, physical gestures and a humorous offstage “coffee break”.”
“Sound and Vision still flowing smoothly 10 years on for Liquid” Jessica Nicholas The Age Review from Liquid Architecture Performance at North Melbourne Townhall July 11th 2009
“First we were treated to a rendition of the late Melbourne sound artist Syd Clayton’s composition Yehudi (1968). As the audience filed into the auditorium, two people were seated at a small table near the stage, chatting. The audience waited and waited and eventually the two performers—Mark Cauvin (double bass) and Adam Simmons (bass saxophone)—picked up their instruments. The performance unfolded as a mixture of mime and unconventional playing, with nonsensical physical gestures, hoots and grunts and included a tea break in which the performers discussed the piece, boiled a kettle and asked audience members for a cigarette. This is comic theatre that comments seriously on the limitations of conventional musical performance.”
“The Art of Sonic Curation” by Chris Reid RealTime Arts Magazine Review from Liquid Architecture Performance at North Melbourne Townhall July 11th 2009
Archaeopteryx- (The First True Bird) (1979) by Syd Clayton (Australia)
Archaeopteryx is concerned with music of Charlie Parker and the theme of birds, both of which recur commonly throughout Clayton’s music and theatre work. Archaeopteryx is based on a Parker’s solo in Chi Chi, but slowed down to such an extent that it becomes something else altogether. Clayton intended the piece to convey a primitive atmosphere, where the birth of bebop is analogous to the ancient archaeopteryx.
(Courtesy of Clinton Green 2009)
Archaeopteryx was presented and recorded in 2009 by Adam Simmons (Flute) Mark Cauvin (Double Bass) and Barnaby Oliver (Percussion) at Iwaki Auditorium at ABC in Melbourne on July 17th.
Plus Minus by Karlheinz Stockhausen is published as a graphic score. The score consists of 14 pages of symbols with instructions detailing the Plus Minus system. After scrupulous research into interpreting the graphics using only the double bass as a solo instrument I have created a work based on the structure of the graphic score using sounds, noises, pitches and timbre.
Each note is rendered with mathematical symbols which assist the performer to be precise about the way each sound is to be performed. My main focus throughout this realisation is to control the diminuendo and resonances between sympathetic vibrations which are synonymous with the sonic qualities of my double bass.
Suggested references: Essay by Christopher Fox “Written in Sand”, Recorded version of “Plus Minus” by cellist Charlotte Moorman version by Nam June Paik
World Premiere performance at Sydney Conservatorium August 16th 2009, First recording July 16th 2009 at ABC Melbourne.
Ko-Tha I II III- 1967 Giacinto Scelsi versione 1975 per contrabbasso di Fernando Grillo (Italy)
Ko-Tha versione 1975 per contrabbasso by Giacinto Scelsi/Fernando Grillo is unique to the version for guitar as each movement utilises extended sound producing techniques beyond the percussion techniques employed for the guitar version. The first movement involves preparation in the strings using knitting needles, the second uses two bows and the third an ostinato percussion pattern.
The double bass lays down on the floor facing upwards. The performer kneels down next to it and performs various percussion, plucking, hitting and bowing techniques which are simple to produce separately but when combined in vigorous tempos become very complex and require intricate movements.
Both hands have to play together in a virtuoso choreography in order to realise dance figures that are at times truly fast. The strings are always open, that is, they are not fingered at all.
Australian premiere performance of Ko-Tha I II III took place on July 27th 2009 at La Mama Theatre in Melbourne. Two unique versions of Ko-Tha have been recorded the first on the recording “Transfiguration” and second at the ABC studio session from July 16th 2009.
Paperoles per contrabbasso by Fernando Grillo (Italy)
Paperoles for Solo Contrabbasso by Fernando Grillo was written around the early 1970s. In Paperoles the Double Bass functions as a polyphonic instrument with the use of resonating harmonics, bowed harmonics, bi-tones and even under the string bowing. During the period of teaching Double Bass at the Darmstadt New Music Courses Grillo performed Paperoles to coax composers to write for him. Iannis Xenakis, Iancu Dumitrescu, Giacinto Scelsi and Klaus Huber have enriched the repertoire thanks to Grillo’ mission.
Australian premiere performance July 27th 2009 at La Mama Theatre, Melbourne and is also performed by Mark Cauvin on the recording “Transfiguration”.
Sarabande from Suite I (1983-2005) by Fernando Grillo (Italy)
Australian Premiere 2006 in Goulburn, Australia and is also performed by Mark Cauvin on the recording “Transfiguration”.
No More Rock Groynes- (May 2009) by David Young (Australia)
No More Rock Groynes for solo contrabass by David Young is a miniature watercolour score. David and I were driving to the Breakwaters in Newcastle in NSW when he said to me “No More Rock Groynes” to my surprise I looked around to see he was referring to a bumper sticker on a car. A few weeks later I met up with him and he presented the score to me. David has composed this work for a prepared microphone with delicate textures and surfaces. These are used to excite the surface of the string like the hair does on a bow.
World Premiere performance at La Mama Theatre Melbourne July 27th 2009, First recording July 16th at ABC Melbourne.
Solo for Double Bass- (1991) David Young (Australia)
WKP 258- (2008 – 2009) by Mark Cauvin (Australia)
CHAMBER WORKS
Yehudi- (1969) by Syd Clayton (Australia)
Clayton said this is the first piece he composed for “musicians to become actors”. Performers are required to interpret Yehudi’s oblique score with vocalisation, clapping and improvised physical gestures, as well as on their instrument. Clayton based the structure of the piece on a cricket scorecard, where two teams aligned with each instrument consist of quasi-serialist pitch structures. The “match” was played out on Claytons roulette wheel and transcribed onto the score as musical and theatrical materials.
Yehudi was first publicly performed in a Carlton billiards hall, probably without prior knowledge of the patrons or management. Trumpeter Barry McKimm recalls Clayton playing the jukebox during the performance.
(Courtesy of Clinton Green 2009)
Yehudi was presented in 2009 by Adam Simmons (Saxophone) and Mark Cauvin (Double Bass) at Café Church, Glebe Sydney June 24th, Liquid Architecture Festival at North Melbourne Townhall July 11th (Recorded by the ABC) and Iwaki Auditorium ABC July 17th (Recorded by the ABC).
“Another homage of sorts came from Adam Simmons and Mark Cauvin, who presented a semi-theatrical piece by neglected Melbourne composer Syd Clayton. Yehudi featured Simmons on baritone saxophone and Cauvin on double bass, the duo’s musical explorations augmented by vocal noises, physical gestures and a humorous offstage “coffee break”.”
“Sound and Vision still flowing smoothly 10 years on for Liquid” Jessica Nicholas The Age Review from Liquid Architecture Performance at North Melbourne Townhall July 11th 2009
“First we were treated to a rendition of the late Melbourne sound artist Syd Clayton’s composition Yehudi (1968). As the audience filed into the auditorium, two people were seated at a small table near the stage, chatting. The audience waited and waited and eventually the two performers—Mark Cauvin (double bass) and Adam Simmons (bass saxophone)—picked up their instruments. The performance unfolded as a mixture of mime and unconventional playing, with nonsensical physical gestures, hoots and grunts and included a tea break in which the performers discussed the piece, boiled a kettle and asked audience members for a cigarette. This is comic theatre that comments seriously on the limitations of conventional musical performance.”
“The Art of Sonic Curation” by Chris Reid RealTime Arts Magazine Review from Liquid Architecture Performance at North Melbourne Townhall July 11th 2009
Archaeopteryx- (The First True Bird) (1979) by Syd Clayton (Australia)
Archaeopteryx is concerned with music of Charlie Parker and the theme of birds, both of which recur commonly throughout Clayton’s music and theatre work. Archaeopteryx is based on a Parker’s solo in Chi Chi, but slowed down to such an extent that it becomes something else altogether. Clayton intended the piece to convey a primitive atmosphere, where the birth of bebop is analogous to the ancient archaeopteryx.
(Courtesy of Clinton Green 2009)
Archaeopteryx was presented and recorded in 2009 by Adam Simmons (Flute) Mark Cauvin (Double Bass) and Barnaby Oliver (Percussion) at Iwaki Auditorium at ABC in Melbourne on July 17th.