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Graphic and text scores

Catastrophic Failure (Play This All Together (See What Happens)) (2018)

link to the score

“Catastrophic Failure (Play This All Together (See What Happens))“ is a reflection on failure, intent, freedom, decision and having to deal with situations that may appear to be insurmountable obstacles—all from the perspective of the musician and specially in the context of improvisation. For this experiment, a group of musicians is faced with a series of decisions that involve choosing how to interact with other improvisers. A net of interactions arises. But some points within this net may be in conflict with others and the whole system becomes unstable or even impossible to build—and it becomes more difficult as the improvisers try to reach the ultimate goal of absolute freedom. But if they persist they can begin to try not to be overwhelmed with the obstacles and start making music.

Ky ri e (2013)

link to the score

Since the most ancient pages of music notation that have reached our days, the relation between text and music has been complex and always changing. In the first ecclesiastical music, said relation gave priority to the music's adequacy to the text, highlighting its message and helping the audience to understand it. But as more complex forms of composition evolved, such as different kinds of counterpoint, the equilibrium between the the musical texture's interest and the comprehension of the text began to change. Because in counterpoint each part is rhythmically independent, the same syllables appear articulated at different times in such a way that the text, taken exactly the way is sung, appears more or less distorted. This distortion includes repetitions and complex permutations of syllables.
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"Ky ri e" is a thorough transcription of the liturgical text of the same name as used by different composers from the 14th to the 20th century and it reflects, through this distortion, the changes in the usage of text in music caused by the progress of the composition techniques.

77727 (2012)

link to the score (color)

link to the score (greyscale)

77727 is a visual score that presents groups of numbers gathered in sets. Each set uses only a couple of numbers, one of them repeated with insistence and the other scattered among these repetitions. There are several levels of patterns that emerge from the processes these numbers are subjected to and these patterns may suggest a specific interpretation of the score.

No Time Too Loose (2012)

link to the score

“No Time Too Loose” is a graphic score that proposes, in a metaphorical way, a structure of relationships between some sound elements. The interpretation is free but it requires solving a series of paradoxes. Performers have to decide how to interpret the interactions and the temporality of the score suggested by the spatial distribution of elements–how do objects move? do they wrap around the edges of the score? should it be read as two lines or a single block? what is the order of the events?. Every answer to these questions proposes some problems that dictate the possible ways in which the performers interact with each other. Moreover, performers have to decide what a “sound element” is to them–a particular instrument, a note, a parameter of sound, a mode of playing? and how the movements of the objects relate to their nature.

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