plumber's special

Using the famous windows pipe screensaver as a score, this string quartet composition stares at the obsolete. Screensavers once used to serve a very important function in literally saving the old plasma screens from phosphor burning in the static displayed image. Besides their aesthetic value, the screensavers have now become obsolete. Arguably a similar fate can be imposed on many existing art forms. Decorated pottery could serve as a great example. While once serving a practical use, now they stand in museums. Or another example that comes to mind are the beautiful Bohemia Crystal glasses in a vitrine at which I had to gaze as a child when visitng my grandmother, while drinking from mustard flasks. Could the same be said about string quartets as a musical form? There’s no doubt that string quartets are past their prime, but I leave the decision for the listener to make. Through this optics the two concepts are layed next to each other, but could as well be seen as juxtaposed. One being very recent, technology oriented, existing only in the digital domain and being in the hands of plebs, the other one from a past and foreign long gone era, high-class and high-aesthetics oriented, nurtured to perfection.

Link to the score

Performing:

This composition follows the classical string quartet structure of four movements, Allegro, Largo, Minuet & Trio, Rondo. But it’s not intended for the classical string quartet group but a slightly altered one. The parts are for violin, viola, violoncello and double bass.

The score consists of handpicked footage of the screensaver which has been slowed down to a desirable (and performable) speed. The 9 minute result is in a video format which will serve as a score but is intended to be visible by both the ensemble and the audience. The video should be screened in the front of the auditorium, the performers are sitting in front with their backs to the audience, looking at the same projection. Each performer follows one pipe of a specific color. The assigned pipes being:

Allegro:

violin - red

viola - blue

violoncello - yellow

double bass - orange

Largo:

violin -

viola - red

violoncello - white

double bass - green

Minuet:

violin - green

viola - light blue

violoncello - orange

double bass - dark blue

Rondo:

violin - yellow

viola - orange

violoncello - white/grey

double bass - blue

The assigned parameters are:

verticality of the screen represents the pitch/frequency. The very top of the screen representing the highest playable pitch on the instrument, the lowest point of the screen is the lowest playable pitch

vertical movement of a pipe means rest

horizontal movement of a pipe means play according sound for such duration

depth movement of a pipe further or closer represents dynamics, pp in the furthest point, ff in the closest point

pipe joints - in the occurence of a spherical joint in a pipe, play the following action with strong vibrato

disappearance/intangibility - if the pipe leaves the screen or is obscured by other pipes, sustain the current sound action until the pipe reappears again

(does not apply to a pipe coming to an end - then stop playing)

left/right - has no effect

The score could be played unrehearsed for a very chaotic result but it is intended to be rehearsed since following the score can be somewhat challenging.