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4th plinth project - the ebb of acrophobia |
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Hear selections or the complete soundtrack of the plinth concert |
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View the webcast - recorded monday 13 july - mid day
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We would like to thank (in no particular order)
Ian Singleton, film-maker / Glyn Turner, web design / Paul Beddoe, photos and recordings / Matt www.music-jobs.co.uk, recruitment / Natalie Bleicher and all those who boosted our ranks from COMA / The Cube Orchestra / Marika Rauscher, soprano solo / Anna Painna , clarnet / Will Hensel, melodica / Ivor Kllin / Sonia Paco-Rocchia, bassoon / Dale Stanley, guitar / Nathan Thomas, french horn / Olver Kohil, viola / Susanna Ferrar, fiddle / Jonny Cornish, percusssion / Lee James, double bass / Gerry Barnet, melodica / Steve Radford, sax / The Fungus Moth, percussion / Jerry Amstead, theremin / Moses Jones, harmoica / Pauline Marshall, vocal / Eliot Short, violin
read Andy Duncan's blog of the 13th
the ebb of acrophobia
interested musicians please
email leaving your contact details
download A4 publicity poster (pdf)
Listen to Richard Wyatt's interview with Lawrence (16/06/09) on BBC Radio Bristol
Listen to Vernon Harwood's interview with Lawrence (17/06/09) on BBC Radio Somerset
Listen to Mark O'Donnell's interview with Lawrence (06/07/09) on BBC Radio Wiltshire
View Lawrence's interview on BBC South West (06/07/09) - noted as being the most unusual the presenters had ever done on the programme!
l reed & b yianni / world premier / fourth plinth / trafalgar square / london / 13th july / 2009
Acrophobia, from the Greek 'akron' (peak) and 'phobos' (fear) is a fear of heights and is extremely common. It is now widely believed that fear of height is a response we are all born with and is an evolutionary adaptation. Mild suffers like myself will experience rising heart rate, a knot in the stomach, sweaty palms and inertia.
what we’re trying to do
have fun / create an interesting and important work enjoyed by everyone involved
our artistic aims
the composition 'the ebb of acrophobia' is an attempt to reflect the state of mind and physical condition of the living sculpture on the plinth and, through score, signals and improvisation interpret his changing state / the outcome is largely unknown
get involved
anyone is welcome to get involved / just come along for 11.45 / the event will be on TV video and webcast / be part of this exciting experiment and contact us now
the timeline
| mid-day the acrophobic ascends | |
| 12.00-12.05 | - introduction |
| 12.05-12.10 | - moaning acrophobia - circa 4 mins |
| 12.10-12.20 | - the ebb of acrophobia - movements 1 and 2 - circa 9 mins |
| 12.20-12.28 | - impartials up - circa 8 mins |
| 12.28-12.32 | - the acrophobic speaks - circa 4 mins |
| 12.32-12.40 | - impartials down - circa 8 mins |
| 12.40-12.50 | - the ebb of acrophobia - movements 3 and 4 - circa 9 mins |
| 12.50-12.55 | - percussive acrophobia - circa 4 mins |
| 12.55-13.00 | - conclusion |
| 13.00 the acrophobic decends | |
the conductor and general instructions
please feel relaxed and ready to play without qualm or hesitation / have fun / the pieces are instructional but in terms of guidance / accuracy is not a prerequisite for performance / watch the conductor /
keep an eye on the acrophobic on the plinth and interpret his action or inaction through improvisation and within limits that suit the piece / the conductor's instructions relate to orchestration, structure, and expression
the conductor will organise and brief the orchestra in the 15 minutes before midday and before each new part of the piece / conductor's directions are both ‘general’ and ‘embedded’/particular to each piece / conductor ‘general’ instructions are
point- play/stop
two hands point- groups play/stop
one hand point: individual play/stop
two hands slicing: all stop
drawing an upside-down T in the air: count of four (down='1')
hands/hands held flat, raised and lowered: dynamic suggestion (low=soft, high=hard)
the scores
download a printeable pdf version of instructions and score
in your head break the word acrophobia into its component syllables / think of hearing these from far away, of echoes, of slowing things down, of restlessness, apprehension, unease, with one's heart in one's mouth / try to get in the head of the acrophobic / when pointed at, begin to slowly speak and sustain each syllable in turn / example a-a-a-a-cro-cro-cro-cro-cro-phob-phob-phob phob phob etc draw the syllables out/ repeat syllables many many times to start with / try to mimic the inflection of the word as spoken normally / start slowly joining the syllables together - example acro- acro-acro -phobi-phobi etc. / carry on joining more syllables together until you form the whole word then repeat this until the end / the conductor will begin with a count / try to slip into your own rhythm / watch the conductor for instructions / start quietly and build up to very loud / do not play instruments unless instructed by the conductor / a soprano will be singing over the top but concentrate on your own voice production
play a sequence of notes from left to right choosing one note from each column (for example in movement 1 choose G E or C from the first column, then E C or A from the second column and so on until you have played a sequence of eight notes) / repeat the sequence, varying the note selected from each column and the register / transposing instruments note that the notes are at sounding pitch / silence is an option but must be for whole sequences
the ebb of acrophobia - movements 1 and 2 - circa 9 mins
each note is 4 seconds long / 8 notes repeated 6 times / start movement at p and increase to ff at end increase sense of anxiety slowly throughout the piece by using techniques appropriate to your instrument
| G | E | E | C# | C# | A# | A# | G | ||||||||
| E | C | C# | A | A# | F# | G | D# | ||||||||
| C | A | A | F# | F# | D# | D# | C |
| G | G# | E | E | G# | C# | C# | G# | A# | A# | G# | G | ||||
| E | D | C | C# | D | A | A# | D | F# | G | D | D# | ||||
| C | B | A | A | B | F# | F# | B | D# | D# | B | C | ||||
| D | F | B | F | G# | F | F | F |
one finger point: individual play / two finger point: group play / when pointed or gestured at, play and sustain / loop one of the lowest sounds you can play UNLESS other players are already playing, in which case: play and sustain a sound less than a 7th above the last player who played / if you think you may have been pointed at, play at once, and without hesitation. if more than one person thinks they are being pointed at, never mind, do not worry / all cease on a two-handed slicing gesture / when playing, the raising and lowering of a hand/hands is to guide dynamic / the above process will be performed several times
when pointed or gestured at, play and sustain/loop one of the highest sounds you can play UNLESS other players are already playing, in which case play and sustain a sound less than a 7th below the last player who played / all cease on a two-handed slicing gesture / when playing, the raising and lowering of a hand/hands is to guide slight pitch alteration (bend, gliss, walk) and will be followed by a cease instruction / the above process will be performed several times
the ebb of acrophobia movements 3 and 4 - circa 9 minutes
watch the conductor for tempo and count in / watch for dynamic and group-play instruction / you may be singled out to solo improvise with a point or catch of the eye / the end of movement three will be signalled by two hands slicing or the shout of silence from the acrophobic / movement 4 will begin with a new count in
each note is 2 seconds long / 12 notes repeated 8 times / start each sequence at ff and dim. to mp
| G | G# | E | E | G# | C# | C# | G# | A# | A# | G# | G | ||||
| E | D | C | C# | D | A | A# | D | F# | G | D | D# | ||||
| C | B | A | A | B | F# | F# | B | D# | D# | B | C | ||||
| F | F | F# | F | F# | G# | G# | F | F | F | F | F |
| G | G# | E | G# | E | G# | C# | G# | C# | G# | A# | G# | A# | G# | G | G# |
| E | D | C | D | C# | D | A | D | A# | D | F# | D | G | D | D# | D |
| C | B | A | B | A | B | F# | B | F# | B | D# | B | D# | B | C | B |
| F | F | F# | F | F# | F | G# | F | G# | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| D | B | B | D |
same routine in all respects as vocal acrophobia 1 but think of aggressive and broken conversation / think of shouting at the fear itself and overcoming it / keep the syllables short and accentuated
download a printeable pdf version of above instructions and score
If you would prefer a traditional score you can download alternative clefs here
treble clef 1
treble clef 2
alto clef
tenor clef
bass clef 1
bass clef 2
Transposing instuments
Bb clarinet
Bb brass
horn in F
If you require a special score please contact me