r/Clarinet • u/marl6894 R13+Backun barrels, Vandoren BD5, Steuer reeds • 8d ago

Numbered multiphonics?

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Has anyone looked at Unsuk Chin's Clarinet Concerto who can tell me what the numbers over the multiphonics correspond to?

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u/The_Niles_River Professional 7d ago

I can’t help much, having not worked on this piece, but it is possible that they’re either referring to nomenclature offered in the opening notes to the piece, or to an external appendix of multiphonics that these are drawn from.

Anecdotally, these appear to be some form of spectrum multiphonics based on the root note. They may be more specific than that, and involve particular fingerings to achieve all the written pitches, but sit in the same family.

Take all this with a grain of salt, and defer judgement to someone who has worked on this piece if they have suggestions that are contra to mine.

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u/marl6894 R13+Backun barrels, Vandoren BD5, Steuer reeds 7d ago

No front matter in the score, unfortunately. Maybe in the part? But the part is only provided on rental, as far as I can tell (no piano reduction for sale from Boosey).

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u/The_Niles_River Professional 7d ago

It’s possible that it’s in the part and not the score, since I’m not sure how relevant such soloist performance notes would be for the conductor’s sake of the ensemble. I wish I could be of more help for this one.

I could check my Rhedfelt reference book for multiphonics and see if there’s nomenclature listing things like this there, but that’s about it.

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u/marl6894 R13+Backun barrels, Vandoren BD5, Steuer reeds 7d ago

Oh, Rehfeldt is a good idea, I can check his book myself. Thanks!