Year
1997
Duration
11'
Instrumentation
soprano saxophone, electric guitar, piano (= keyboard), percussion, violoncello, double bass
×
Explanation of the instrumentation string
Abbreviation |
Instrument |
Guitar(s) and other plucked instruments |
|
bal |
balalaika |
bgtr |
bass guitar |
bjo |
banjo |
egtr |
electric guitar |
gtr |
guitar |
gtr (ampl.) |
amplified guitar |
hrp |
harp |
mand |
mandolin |
uke |
ukulele |
Woodwinds |
|
afl |
alto flute |
asax |
alto saxophone |
barsax |
baritone saxophone |
bcl |
bass clarinet |
bsax |
bass saxophone |
bsthn |
basset horn |
cl |
clarinet |
corA |
cor anglais |
dbcl |
contrabass clarinet (or double bass clarinet) |
dbn |
contrabassoon (or double bassoon) |
Ebcl |
E-flat clarinet |
fl |
flute |
heck |
heckelphone |
ob |
oboe |
obda |
oboe d'amore |
picc |
piccolo |
rec |
recorder |
sarrus |
sarrusophone |
sax |
saxophone |
ssax |
soprano saxophone |
tsax |
tenor saxophone |
Brass |
|
bgl |
bugle |
btrbn |
bass trombone |
crt |
cornet |
euph |
euphonium |
flghn |
fluegel horn |
hn |
horn |
picctpt |
piccolo trumpet |
tpt |
trumpet |
trbn |
trombone |
tba |
tuba |
Wtba |
Wagner tuba |
Percussion |
|
cim |
cimbalom |
drkit |
drum kit |
glsp |
glockenspiel |
mba |
marimba |
perc |
percussion |
tamb |
tambourine |
timp |
timpani |
vib |
vibraphone |
xyl |
xylophone |
Keyboards |
|
cel |
celesta |
eorg |
electric organ |
epft |
electric piano |
harm |
harmonium |
Horg |
Hammond organ |
hpsd |
harpsichord |
kybd |
keyboard |
org |
organ |
pft |
piano |
prep pft |
prepared piano |
synth |
synthesizer |
Strings |
|
db |
double bass (or contra bass) |
evln |
electric violin |
strgs |
strings |
vla |
viola |
vlada |
viola d'amore |
vlc |
violoncello |
vln |
violin |
Vocal |
|
A |
(Contr)alto |
B |
Bass |
Bar |
baritone |
MS |
mezzo-soprano |
S |
soprano |
T |
tenor |
Other |
|
acc |
accordion |
ocar |
ocarina |
oM |
Ondes Martinot |
Explanation
The standard, accepted order of instrumentation for large ensembles: fl.ob.cl.bsn - hn.tpt.trbn.tba - perc - other - vlnI.vlnII.vla.vlc.db - tape, or electronics. Saxophones appear between clarinet and bassoon.
All other scorings (less than 8 instruments) are listed in full.
When an instrument is listed in parentheses, then this instrument is doubled. "guitar (=electric guitar)" means that the guitarist plays an acoustic, as well as an electric guitar. In an orchestral setting, "1(I=picc).2(II=corA).2(II=bcl).1" would resolve to: 1 flute (also playing piccolo), 2 oboes (second oboe also playing cor anglais), 2 clarinets (second clarinet also playing bass clarinet), 1 bassoon. If there is an extra instrument, which is not doubled, then this is expressly written out, e.g. "1(I=picc).2.corA.2.bcl.1.dbn", which unravels to: 1 flute (also playing piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 1 bass clarinet, 1 bassoon, 1 double bassoon.
Solo instruments in a concerto or chamber setting are written out in front of the ensemble instruments: guitar - 1.1.1.1 - 1.0.0.0 - perc - strgs.
|
Genre
Chamber Music
Commission
NPS television, for the Bang-on-the-Can Allstars
Premiere
New York, U.S.A., Bang on a Can Marathon, Alice Tully Hall, 18 May 1997: Bang on a Can All-Stars
Publisher
Donemus
Source
composer homepage; MIC Netherlands website; Bang on a Can website;
Details
"I received a parcel in the post. It contained a CD of the Bang on a Can All-Stars and I played it loud. Wild sounds. I composed Fix-Us from the idea I got immediately while listening to this recording. Fix-Us is written in one movement but contains a series of canons, like variations which are linked together and are based on the same harmonic material. This counterpointal style represents old culture and probably has something to do with the music of Scarlatti which I like to play before I start composing. But it is not only counterpoint. There is also Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard, pianists whose work I consider to be important elements of new culture. Fix-Us is a fast-paced confused marriage of ideas stemming from two different cultures."
- Martijn Padding