Any German Speakers here?

[i heart xenakis]

My friend is going to be playing the Gulda Cello Concerto in May, which has two improvised cadenzas.  He can't improvise so he wants me to write them, but the directions are in German.  I ran them through babelfish and I think I have the general jist of it, but would like to double-check.

Cadenza 1:

Unter Verwendung der leeren A-Saite als Basis und dieselbe zwischendurch immer wieder anspielend verschiedene Doppelgriffe (Sexten, Quarten, Terzen, Sekunden) in Tempo und Lautstärke steigernd bis in sehr hohe Lagen (etwa 3-gestrichene oktave) anwenden! Am Höhepunkt in aharmonische Single-Läufe (laut, brilliant, schnell) übergehen und dieselben organisch zu folgendem Zielpunkt herabführen:


Cadenza 2:

Hohe und höchste, leise und lieblich pfeifende, lange flageolett-Töne ad lib. (auch künstliche Flageoletts, eventuell sogar Doppelgriffe) solange die Spannung des Spielers und des Publikums damit zu halten ist!

[counterpoint]

Are you sure, you want to write a cadenza for this concerto...        

[pianowolfi]

Cadenza 1:

Using the A string as a basis, and repeatedly striking it, play various double notes (sixths, fourths, thirds, seconds) increasing in speed and volume, up to very high pitches (about sixth octave). At the climax pass into unharmonious single-runs* (loud, brilliant, fast) and lead these organically down to the following target point:

Cadenza 2:

High and highest softly and tenderly (smoothy) whistling long harmonics (flageolets) ad libitum. (Also artificial harmonics, maybe even double notes) as long as the tension of the player and listener can be kept.

*I don't really know what he means with single-runs

[i heart xenakis]

Cadenza 1:

Using the A string as a basis, and repeatedly striking it, play various double notes (sixths, fourths, thirds, seconds) increasing in speed and volume, up to very high pitches (about sixth octave). At the climax pass into unharmonious single-runs* (loud, brilliant, fast) and lead these organically down to the following target point:

Cadenza 2:

High and highest softly and tenderly (smoothy) whistling long harmonics (flageolets) ad libitum. (Also artificial harmonics, maybe even double notes) as long as the tension of the player and listener can be kept.

*I don't really know what he means with single-runs

Thanks   And single runs just mean arpeggios/scales.  I'll post when they're done ^_^

[i heart xenakis]

Oh snap first Cadenza's done.  He's pissed off though XD  The parameters say 30-60 seconds, and mine's like 90 seconds, and he wanted one that's 15 seconds but didn't tell me >>;  Plus it has a couple hellish chromatic runs he says he is going to cheat viciously on

[pianowolfi]

tell him he should prax. The described cadenza is not doable in 15 seconds, I think

[keypeg]

Cadenza 1:
Using the open A string as a base, keep playing it in between (intermittently*), while playing various double stops (sixths, fourths, thirds, seconds), increasing in tempo and volume, and going into very high positions (about three bowed octaves).  At the climax, change to enharmonic single runs (loud, briliant, fast) and bring these organically to the following goal:

Cadenza 2:
High and highest, quiet and sweet long whistling harmonics (also artifical harmonics, maybe even double stops) ad libitum for as long as the tension of both player and audience can be held.

I wonder if the single run refers to runs that are not double stops?

* (I have edited in the "intermittent" a day later, since the word did not occur to me before.)

[counterpoint]

Anyone wondering, how you can play double stops (sixths, fourths, thirds, seconds) using the A string as a base...?  On the Cello... ?

[i heart xenakis]

Anyone wondering, how you can play double stops (sixths, fourths, thirds, seconds) using the A string as a base...?  On the Cello... ?

Anyone wondering how someone could not understand what the composer meant by "base"...?  On a music forum...?

[counterpoint]

The A string is the highest string on the Cello, isn't it?

[i heart xenakis]

The A string is the highest string on the Cello, isn't it?

Yes.  BUT!

Anyone wondering how someone could not understand what the composer meant by "base"...?  On a music forum...?

[counterpoint]

Perhaps you can explain it to me...? 

[keypeg]

A doublestop can be played with a top string if the top string holds the top note of the two.  However,  the text seems to be saying that the open A should be played intermittently (that word did not come to me last night in retranslating the text), so it seems that you have thse double stops which are ascending three octaves to the highest position on the cello while intermittently the open A is bowed.  Some kind of emphasis on A?  Being an open string it would give a different texture to the sound for effect.

A moment's reflection shows that you could not have double stops ascending anywhere in second, thirds etc. if they are based on one of the notes in the double stop being open A. The only possible second with open A is the G below that A. The original text both says that the A should be played intermittently, and that it is an open (leer) A.

It is a lesson of one of the deadly sins in translation: "error of omission" - the word "leer" was omitted in the first attempt.

P.S. I am wondering whther the double stop in the second part refers to double stop harmonics, in which one note is played as an ordinary note, and the other is a harmonic.

[counterpoint]

It is a lesson of one of the deadly sins in translation: "error of omission" - the word "leer" was omitted in the first attempt.

No, it's not the problem of the translation, it's the problem of the source. Gulda says something like taking the A string "as base" and that's ridicoulous.

[keypeg]

There was also a problem in the translation, and I am writing as a translator.  The word "leer" which means "open" was left out.  As soon as you know an open string is being used, the idea of doing double stops with the A can be discarded, because you have the choice of only one note below the open A for each interval.

Secondly the idea of intermittent playing of the open A was left out.

I wonder whether the word "base" is being used musically rather than technically.  What I'm picturing is an open A that comes again and again.  Meanwhile you have these ascending double stops in seconds, thirds, fifths etc.  Would it make sense that these double stops would be based "musically" on the A, which in its interspersed form, is a kind of "base sound" ... double stops that would normally occur in the key of A major or minor, or the dominant, or something that brings you "home" to a home key or home sound?  Essentially you are composing the cadenza and creating mood or texture.

[keypeg]

Um, what is an enharmonic run?  E# instead of F?  Slightly off colour tone?   

[counterpoint]

aharmonisch does not mean enharmonic but nonharmonic, whatever that could be 

[keypeg]

My translation error.  Can I use bad eyesight as an excuse?     Why are the letters on this site so tiny, and what's with dark blue on black? (complain, grumble).  Maybe its meaning is in what it's not?  Runs are usually along a scale, and a scale in a sense is based on harmonic progression (or vice versa??) so it has to descend in a manner that is as illogical and scattered as possible?  I'm out of my depth, which isn't hard, since my musical depth is about the height of a puddle.

[ksnmohan]

"aharmonisch" is best translated as "discorded" - e.g. the runs you encounter in Paganini's 24 Caprices.

And what I understand by "A Saite leer" is that this particular string is not used at all during the cadenza.

Why not listen to the recording of the Gulda Cello Concert by Fournier and get some ideas from his cadenzas? You will be able to do some quick trancriptions to abide by the requirements.

[counterpoint]

I suppose, that Gulda meant atonal, but - because he hated atonal music - he tried to avoid the true term 

[pianowolfi]

It is a lesson of one of the deadly sins in translation: "error of omission" - the word "leer" was omitted in the first attempt.

True. My fault. To me it seemed so self evident that he means the open string, so I just overlooked the word "leer".

[ksnmohan]

counterpoint's "atonal" is also an equally appropriate translation.

[i heart xenakis]

No. 1-  Opening figure is from the movement this cadenza is in.  It LOOKS ferociously uncellistic but, with the exception of some of the more dense chromatic runs, it's actually pretty easy.  Measure 33... well I write New Complexity.  If this wasn't on short notice for a friend that'd be littered with asyncopated tuplet matrices, 128ths, vertigo-graces and bullshit harmonics =P  Base tempo is crotchet [1/4th=110] then ad lib through cres/rells.  Then, as directed, scales and transition into notated music.  I thought the Kodaly reference was sorta clever since it's an eclectic piece >>  AND YES Alistair I'm aware that's not an F#m chord ok?  Scordatura in the Kodaly, remember?  =P  And yeah I already fixed the last two measures IE put them in bass clef.  Too lazy to reprint/scan/edit/upload.  Anyway like I said before I'm a New Complexity composer, so this tonal stuff is not my milieu, so I am in no way under the impression this is any sort of masterpiece.  Fish out of water (not to mention what do I know about virtuoso cello music?).  But I'd say I'm 80-85% satisfied with this.  Plus it was only 6 hours of work for 200 bucks so 100% satisfied in that regard =P

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PS-  I *** hate Finale....