Examples
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CHAPTER 5.4.4 - 5.4.8
EXAMPLE 5.4.4. Sound: Superimposed chord in The Rite of Spring.
EXAMPLE 5.4.5. Sound: Chord structure
(followed by a short section from Arrival Cities: Växjö where the strings play the chord. The upper notes of the twelve-note chord are here moved an octave down)
EXAMPLE 5.4.6. Sound: Fundamental chord structure for vocal ensemble parts
EXAMPLE 5.4.7. Sound: Example of the chords above for the vocal ensemble
EXAMPLE 5.4.8. Video-excerpt, part I. Score p. 23, bar 123-150.
I took the famous chord in ‘The Augurs of Spring’ that the strings play repeatedly with successive down-bows as the underlying harmonic idea. The chord is built out of two superimposed chords: an F-flat major chord with an E-flat dominant seventh chord on top, a chord with seven unique pitches.
On top of this I added the remaining notes from the chromatic scale, forming a third superimposed chord, a D dominant seventh chord with augmented ninth. Together these chords resulted in a twelve-tone chord.
The original Stravinsky-chord was also used as fundament for part of the vocal ensemble. Since there were only six voices it meant that instead of inserting more notes, as was possible for the strings, in the vocal parts notes were omitted from it. Also, the order of the superimposition was in some cases inverted.
The stage design with a changing formation of actors, singers and musicians was an integral part of the composition. Pre-recorded video sequences were used alongside live-camera projections. A film set was placed behind the strings and a couple of times in the performance the actors were filmed there. The audience was presented with a double perspective, both the film set with the actor and camera and the projected result. This technique of using video was inspired by the way Katie Mitchell has worked with in productions as Miss Julie. The video projections, both the pre-recorded and the live material were synchronised with the music.