Description

Trace~ for saxophone quartet by Yvonne Freckmann

Program note: Trace~  is a graphic score for four saxophones. It explore the classic question of ‘what’s in a name?’ When I began considering ideas for this new piece I was intrigued by the name of saxophone quartet ~Nois. ‘Why the tilde, a grapheme, like a sound wave leading into the letters?’ I wondered. What happened to the ‘e’? Using the letters of the ensemble I began to graphically explore the letter shapes and properties, drawing, rotating, turning, and playing with them to discover how the result might be traced by the players. The letters and waves are superimposed on the four staves, generating the notes that trace the lines. All four members play from the same score, connecting, sometimes coinciding, and deftly handing off musical gestures.

Scrolling score of the premiere performance by ~Nois.