Extended Techniques for the Classical Guitar - Robert Lunn Composer

Example 1.9 String Bending in the 2 nd movement, “Serenading a Pair of Giffly
Nymphs (Drunk of Night),” from Serenades of the Unicorn by Einojuhani
Rautavaara. Measure 13.
Einojuhani Rautavaara uses string bending in Serenades of the Unicorn. Like
Thomas Wilson, Rautavaara uses a slur to notate the bend. In addition, Rautavaara does
not give a specific note to bend to, but instead says, “the interval will depend on the
instrument.” 5
Another way of notating a bend, although not as clear as the Wilson or
Rautavaara examples, can be found in Benjamin Verdery’s piece for solo guitar titled,
“Chicago, IL.,” from his group of pieces titled, Some Towns and Cities.
Example 1.10 Bending a string found in “Chicago, IL.,” from Benjamin Verdery’s
Some Towns and Cities. Measure 48.
In Example 1.10 Verdery notates the bend by using a trill indication under the C. In the
performance notes he mentions that the C should be bent, although he does not give an
indication of how far the note should be bent.
It is also possible to bend more than one string at a time (Example 1.11).
5 Einojuhani Rautavaara, Serenades of the Unicorn, edited by Joseph Holeček, (New York: Schirmer, Inc.,
1980), 7.
11