Changes from “vibrato molto” to “natural vibrato” are used throughout and the ability to add a ‘high breath element’ to the piccolo sound and adjust the angle of the instrument on the embouchure (while playing!) is required. In the performance notes, Dillon has instructed that in these sections (B, D, F, H, J, L and N) the F pedal tone is “reinforced by extension, but should paradoxically recede into the background as fluttertonguing, trills, pulses and other strata cause systematic interference.”ĭillon asks the player to use a variety of vibrato and air effects throughout the piece as well, including smorzato which appears just before rehearsal letter F. Again, this diffraction becomes more complex as the piece carries on – adding trills and even multi-note tremolos on top of the harmonic structure and flutter sound.
#Flut etunes metronom series
At rehearsal letter D, we begin to see this diffraction develop: the player is required to pulsate through the harmonic series while maintaining the flutter tonguing effect. This diffraction develops over the course of the piece, becoming longer and more complex at every appearance. This is a difficult request to realize as the bending of pitch through technical means is complicated on the piccolo by the lack of open holes.ĭillon first hints at the musical diffraction of the pitch F at rehearsal letter B –the tone is sustained under the effect of flutter tonguing. The second melodic section, rehearsal C, features extensive pitch bending which the composer indicates is to be executed through finger control and not by way of embouchure adjustment. This melodic content is rich with pitch bends and microtones. Dillon instructs that sections A, C, E, G, I, K and M – the ‘melodic’ sections of the work – should be prepared at first without rallentando so that “the player absorbs the density of information before the material becomes weakened by the ‘bending’ effect of the rallentando.” These melodic phrases are based on complex arrangements of triplets and other rhythmic ratios such as 5:4 and 7:6. This phenomenon is called ‘double-slit diffraction’.”ĭillon includes “Notes on Performance” as well as a glossary in the score to assist performers in the accurate preparation of the piece. That is, when diffraction occurs as a result of passing light through two narrow slits, the resultant pattern is an interference pattern within a diffraction pattern. “a complex figuration will ‘bend’ or ‘spread’ as it touches a pre-determined frequency margin – in his case a low piccolo F – with the resultant emanation of an ‘interference spectrum’ This statement not only illustrates that Dillon is interested in the phenomenon of diffraction, but that he understands that diffraction and interference do not always exist as separate phenomena. The title points directly to this musical reference as does the preface at the top of the score’s glossary: These patterns in light were first made observable in 1801 in the famous two-slit experiment designed by the British physicist Thomas Young. The piece explores the concept of light diffraction: referring to the ability of light waves to bend around an aperture or obstacle. The result of these elements is a compositional style that is bold and highly evocative and expressive – again, all qualities possessed by Diffraction.ĭiffraction is one of many works by Dillon based on scientific processes and phenomena. This is most certainly true of Diffraction, wherein it is common to have two or even three extended techniques layered on top of one musical phrase. Dillon is closely associated with the ‘new complexity’ movement which includes other big names such as Brian Ferneyhough and Michael Finnissy and is characterized by complex rhythms and densely detailed layers that are highly expressive. In that time, the instrument’s range of technical capabilities has been discovered to include nearly all the extended techniques possible on the larger flutes: harmonics, multiphonics, percussive sounds, aeolian effects, singing while playing and more! Diffraction for Solo Piccolo, written by Glaswegian composer James Dillon in 1984, takes in many of these techniques, resulting in a highly evocative piece in rondo form.Ī relatively unknown British composer (a result of choosing to remain as far out of the public eye as possible), James Dillon is in fact highly respected within the field, and his music has won many accolades. The piccolo has seen a rapid increase in contemporary repertoire since the late 1970s.
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