mud

"mud" - an interabilities violin quartet - tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - March-April, 2024E.V. The name "mud" is an abbreviation of "mudras", the ritual hand-poses of the Buddha priests and the Shiva priests of Bali. Seven mudras have been picked as fingering positions for the violin neck. This is NOT meant to 'make any sense' except insofar as the awkwardness of the positions may produce what would ordinarily be less-than-desirable sound quality. The intention ISN'T to create or evoke a ritualistic feel, instead, it's to create a clumsy 'muddiness'. Four violins are to be used: a half-size one, a 3/4 size one, a full adult sized one, all acoustic - & a full adult sized electric one. The acoustic violins may be amplified, if deemed necessary for all 4 to be heard equally, but it's preferable if the electric violinist plays at the acoustic violin volumes. The reason for using 4 different violins is to increase the awkwardness & to exploit the differences that'll be produced in pitch & pitch quality. To make playing this even physically doable, the player is encouraged to use what I'm calling here a 'folk position' with the base of the violin in one's lap & the top of the neck parallel to the player's chest - this is in contrast to the more common 'classical' position in which the base of the violin is held between the chin & the shoulder so that the violin protrudes out from the body at a roughly 90° angle. The score is fairly straight-forward: a photograph shows the fingering position to be used. The measures are divided by the conventional vertical line. However, the measures have no tempo or meter & each player is to play at whatever pace they're moved to. Each measure is numbered. Players may repeat & prolong the measure at their whim. There's no rule calling for any simultaneity. Players may try to stay in sync with each other or not, it's not a competition. Therefore, if one player finishes long before the others that's fine. If another player ends long after the other players that's also fine. If everyone ends at the same time that's fine. The electric violinist is encouraged to use effects. These can be as supportive &/or disruptive of what might be playable acoustically as the player wishes. My main request is that volume be kept low except, perhaps, for rare bursts of drama. Each measure has a word that tells what bowing or plucking technique to use. Sometimes the technique will carry over into the next measure. Usually, that won't be the case. Here're the terms: col legno battuto - striking the strings w/ the wood of the bow col legno trotto - bowing w/ the wood of the bow détaché - playing each note w/ a separate bow stroke double stopping - playing 2 notes simultaneously legato - playing multiple notes w/ one bow stroke pizzicato - plucking the strings quadruple stopping - playing 4 notes simultaneously (or close to it) ricochet - bouncing the bow off the strings sul ponticello - bowing over the bridge sul tasto - bowing over the neck tremolo - fast repetition in bowing or plucking triple stopping - playing 3 notes simultaneously (or close to it) I can usually find musicians willing & interested to play my pieces. In this case, I sensed some reluctance. For this realization I decided to play all the parts. Since quality of playing is irrelevant (although I'd love to hear Leila Josefowiz give it a shot!) I not only made no attempt to have aconsistently clear tone I even chose to play the piece in a crowded space where I didn't have room to move the bows freely. This added to the 'harmony of awkwardness'. If any classically trained musicians can even bring themselves to listen to this they'll probably find it ridiculous &/or painful. I think of it as "Low Classical Usic", what I call most of my audio work. My intention, obviously, isn't to add to the 'beautiful music' that the classical muzak stations support. Instead, I wanted to make something unique & original. I think I succeeded. - December 13, 2025E.V. notes from tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE