Richard Causton - Between Two waves of the sea

Between

Between Two Waves of the Sea was commissioned by Jane, Anne, and John Arthur in memory of their parents Peter and Jean. The first performance was given by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sakari Oramo at Symphony Hall, Birmingham on 15 th December 2004. The appendices were recorded by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Michael Seal at the CBSO Centre, Birmingham on 14 th and 15 th September 2004. Instrumentation 3 Flutes (3rd doubling Piccolo 1, 2 nd doubling Piccolo 2) 3Oboes 3 Clarinets in Bb (3 rd doubling Clarinet in Eb) 3 Bassoons (3 rd doubling Contrabassoon) for online perusal only 4Homs 3 Trumpets (1 st and 2 nd in C, 3 rd in D) 3 Trombones (2 Tenor, 1 Tenor-bass) Tuba Timpani Percussion (3 players): Bass Drum, 4 Suspended cymbals, 2 Snare Drums (high and medium), 4 Toms toms, Glockenspiel, 2 Vibraphones, Tubular Bells, XyloJ?hone, Hammer, Stones, Af\vil aA\d 3 other pieces of scrap metal (run of 4 pitches, played with pin hammers),'3 Tam Tams (Medium, Large and Very Large), 2 Woodblocks, Claves, Fishing Reel, 4 bows Electric Guitar Piano doubling Keyboard (for Sampler) Harp 16 1 st Violins 14 2nd Violins 12 Violas 10 Violoncellos 8 Double Basses Duration: c.21 minutes The score is notated in C, with octave transposition for piccolo, xylophone, harp harmonics, contrabassoon and double bass (including harmonics). Double octave transposition is used for crotales and glockenspiel. Accidentals apply throughout the bar. Between Two Waves of the Sea is built around the interplay between music which the orchestra performs live on stage, and pre-recorded sections which are heard through speakers located above the stage, on the ceiling of the concert hall. These two levels of music find their analogy in a dialogue between different kinds of time, or between life and death. Pre-recorded music The recorded sections (see appendices) are reproduced as samples, triggered via a keyboard, which is situated in the orchestra. Each key on the keyboard is assigned to a different sample, corresponding to the music in the various appendices. In this way, the recorded sections can be triggered instantaneously, exactly on the conductor's beat. A guide to these sections is given, aligned as they should sound, in small notation at the foot of the score. The volume levels of the pre-recorded sections are controlled by a sound projectionist who operates a mixing desk, which is to be situated in a central part of the audience seating area. To suggest a sense of otherness or remoteness from the live music, a small and very subtle amount of artificial reverberation should be applied uniformly throughout the work. Panning and other forms of spatialisation should not be used. The sound system should be of sufficient quality and power to be able to rival the volume of the orchestra without the risk of distortion. In cases where it is impossible to locate speakers directly above the central stage, they may be positioned at the sides, provided that there is sufficient separation between the performers and the speakers. A monitor speaker at the foot of the podium may be required for the conductor to be able to hear the recorded music. The entries of the sampler are shown by downward pointing dotted arrows, and appendix numbers are given in circles (e.g. ® at the start of a page indicates the continuation of the music in appendix 11 on the new page). The upward pointing solid arrow on page 89 indicates a point at which the end of a sample must coincide with the end of a bar in the live section.

for online perusal only