"Tom K." <tkorth1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:e56dnQ08_cO6_eLVnZ2dnUVZ_s3inZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> "Thanatos" <atropos@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
> news:atropos-52751B.07592417072008@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> In article <g5naaf$i9n$1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
>> "Telstar" <none@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>>
>>> "Telstar" <none@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
>>> news:g5n2c6$bj7$1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>> >
>>> > "Thanatos" <atropos@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
>>> > news:atropos-16F5FA.21242116072008@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>> >> Since y'all were so helpful with my first question a few weeks ago,
I
>>> >> have another. This one is from Horner's score to ALIENS. It's a
>>> >> strange
>>> >> symbol I've never seen before in the violin line (although being a
>>> >> trumpet player, it could be a fairly common symbol that is unique
to
>>> >> strings, for all I know).
>>> >>
>>> >> In the recording, the strings seems to be making some kind of
>>> >> haunted,
>>> >> creepy, screechy "Psycho" type sound at this point in the score.
>>> >>
>>> >> A scan of the excerpt is here:
>>> >>
>>> >> http://gallery.me.com/btr1701#100016
>>> >>
>>> >> The symbol in question is circled in red.
>>> >>
>>> >> Thanks in advance!
>>> >
>>> > A tone cluster (see Henry Cowell for origin). The strings play the
>>> > cluster of notes divisi in 14 parts for the duration indicated.
>>
>>> The indication is for two octaves above notation. The Kurzweil synth
>>> using Ocarina (see also) patch.
>>
>> So which notes do the strings play in the cluster? I see there's some
>> notes in parentheses next to the first symbol, I assume those are the
>> pitches the players are supposed to use but how does it work? Does each
>> player just pick a note and play it over and over again or do they
>> alternate between each note in some kind of free rhythm? From what I
can
>> hear on the recording, it kind of sounds like the latter.
>
> IIRC, that used to be known as "Frame Notation" where one would
improvise
> rapidly on the pitches within the frame. Perhaps it has been combined
> with the cluster symbol, although normally, there would be an indication
> as to which instrument had which pitch. Take a look at Penderecki's
> "Threnody" for his notation of very dense (1/4 tone) string clusters.
>
> Tom K.
>
For film scores with this technique (and other quasi improvisatory
passages), see the opening sections of Close Encounters (Hal Leonard
publishes the concert suite score).
The players and conductor usually work out distributions of the divisi
when
it is loosely notated.
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