Reflections

on Rothko
for Solo Viola,
Live Electronics & Video

Ursula Kwong-Brown
April 2016
 PERFORMANCE NOTES
Duration: 8 min

About the work

Musical motives have always had strong color associations for me. Looking back at my
early works starting at age 13, almost all were named after colors: Fiery Red, Dusky
Blue, Dandelion Yellow, Lavender, Saffron, Lime, and even Grey when I was feeling
moody. As a child, composing was like coloring. The rich colors of Rothkos paintings
evoke sonic worlds. Each canvas is different. I selected six of my favorite and scored
them for viola with live electronics and 8.1-channel pre-recorded samples.

Scordatura
IV = B-flat, III = G, II = D, I = A
The score is notated at SOUNDING pitch.
Fingered pitches on the B-flat string are colored blue and must be played up a M2.

Electronics
The viola will be amplified with a DPA mic or a pick-up, and processed live to add the
plugin effects: reverb, flanger, echo and chorus. While I am currently running the
electronics in Logic Pro 9 Mainstage, it is possible to perform the piece using other
programs such as Max/ MSP.

Video
The video projection will involve a live capture of the performer chromakeyed against
selected Rothko paintings. The video must be run in Isadora. Successive video scenes
are triggered at each of the rehearsal letters.

Contact information
Please contact the composer to obtain a tech rider.
Email: ursulakb@berkeley.edu / Phone: +1 617-461-9474
 NOTATION
Accidentals apply throughout the bar to notes in the same octave and the same stave.
Cautionary accidentals are often given.

All tremolo markings are unmeasured.

Start all glissandi immediately at the beginning of the note value.

Pizzicato - Always let vibrate as long as possible.

Tasteful rubato is encouraged; the electronics will follow the performer.

N. normale used with S.P. and S.T.

S.P. sul ponticello

M.S.P. molto sul ponticello

S.T. sul tasto

M.S.T. molto sul tasto

on bridge bow directly on the bridge; pitch is almost

entirely replaced by the sound of bow hair on
wood

snap pizzicato (aka, Bartok pizz.)

tremolo faster

tremolo slower

Increase bow pressure to produce a scratch

sound; there should still be a clear pitch
 VIDEO PROJECTIONS
6 Rothko paintings will be displayed.
Each painting is triggered (using Isadora) at the appropriate rehearsal letter.

Rehearsal Letter

F
 Reections on Rothko
for Viola w/ Live Processing & Live Video

Elusive on bridge M.S.P.

U
Sounding B
bw
ppp

Gently Unfolding
Repeat 2x and vary dynamics (pp to mf), bow placement, phrase duration

(M.S.P.) on ngerboard M.S.P.

2

Vla B
b w
pp poco

With increasing excitement

3 microtonally vary trill at random

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vla B
b w G K G n G k bw bw w bw w
pp poco p poco sfz mp sfz

Eervescent - on repetitions add random accents

Repeat 3x Repeat 2x Repeat 2x
6 U
tremolo faster / slower III ~ II
44
Vla B
w
~
w
~ w
w
~
bw ~ bw ~ bw ~
2
A Amorous
h.
9 q = 60
B 44 b gliss. 3
Vla
j
4
b b
mp
poco sfz

12
b
Vla B 43 b gliss. b
j
b b b b
poco sfz

16 , poco S.P.
b gliss. U
4 b b
Vla B 4 j b
b b 3
sfz p

S.P. S.T. M.S.T. N.

N. M.S.P. N. h
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ o o o
19
b b b gliss.
Vla B J
b b b
ppp

Halting, Hesitant 10s: Repeat any size fragment

pizz.
- J
22 or entire phrase 10s
U # #
B b- -

Vla

p mp

23 - - 10s U
n
n J
B b 4
Vla 4
mf
 3

B Amorous M.S.T.
(N.) h. h
25 arco
gliss. gliss.
Vla B
j
b b
p poco sfz poco sfz pp

M.S.T.
S.P. N. h
28 N.
gliss. gliss.
Vla B

j
b b
mf sfz sfz

Pi mosso - with increasing momentum

10s: Repeat any size fragment
or entire phrase
31 pizz. 10s
U # # #
#
b
Vla B b <b>
mp mf

(pizz. location)
M.S.P.
32 n n 15s # U
# <#> 4
Vla B b <b> 4
ff
f
4
A tempo - Ferocious
C N.
arco
>
34
U b
Vla B b b b
b > > > b > > > > > b > > >
ff > >

37
> > b > >

>
b

Vla B j b b b j
b > > > > b > > b

Sharply accented
40 pizz.
> >
5 n 3 7 > > > 3 b 2
Vla B 16 b > 8 b 16 b 8 b 4
b b b b
f

46
b b b
B 42 # # 4
Vla 4
ff

Ferocious
arco
> > b>
51 > > >
> >
Vla B 44 b b
b > > > b > > b > >
ff > >

poco rit.
54 > > > > > b > > >
Vla B b
b > > b > > >
fff
 5
Sharply accented
56 pizz. >
5 n> 3 7 > > 3
Vla B 16 b 8 b > > 16 b 8
b b b
f

59
5 b > 3 b#> > 7 b >>
#> 3
Vla B 83 b b b 16 8 16 8
b b b b
ff

66 # # >

Vla B 83 b b 7
16
2
4
7
16
b b >
b >
b

71 # # # rit.
7
B 16
9 >
>
> # 2 # # > > >U
> > > > > > 4
Vla
> 16 4 4
b
6
A tempo
D Passionate, Singing
76 #arco
gliss#. g liss. U
b # n
Vla B 44 J J g li ss.
J #
f mf

80

Vla B gliss. # b b
J b
mp p sfz p

Meno Mosso
E Expansive, con vibrato
arco
U N.
b b b n
82 poco S.P.
b por t.

Vla B

3 3 3 b
mf mf fast roll

85 6 6 6 6

# # <#>

B #
Vla
b b 3
sub p mf

Passionate, Self-Assured
Pi mosso
q = c 72 - - - -
87 b b bU
b - b - b - b -
Vla B & B 43
3 b b
f f sempre

- 6 - 6 - 6 - 6 - 6
90 -
B 43 4
Vla 4
b b b mf b
 7
94
b gliss. b b gliss.
B 44
Vla

(N.) M.S.T.
,
96

Vla B
n










b b
poco sfz
6 6 6
6
98 - -
4 b - -


Vla B 4
b

6 6 6 6 Searching
b
100
#- 3
Vla B -
#
-

-

b n
b b 3
mp p

h. h
102 pizz.

B j

Vla
b
poco sfz
sfz

h.
104 pizz.
Vla B b b

p 3 b
sfz

S.P. M.S.T.
106 arco h. h.

Vla B

b b
mp poco sfz

108 pizz. h. h.
B 3
Vla 4
b b
p poco
8
F
arco M.S.T.
N.
oo oo oo o o o o oo
110
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Vla B 43 b b
6 6 6 6 6 6
p

N. o o o o o o M.S.T. o o o o o o
112 o o o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
o
o
Vla B b b &

N. S.P.

OOOO OOOO OOOO

OOO OOO OOO
114 O O O
O O O O O O O O O O O O
Vla & bO OO OO O bO OO OO O 44

M.S.T.
OO O O OO O O OO O O OO O OO O O OO O O OO O O OO O
116 O O
4 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
Vla &4 b O OO OO OO O b O OO OO OO O
mp

poco rall.
OO O O OO O O OO O O OO O OO O O OO O O OO O O O O
118 O O
O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
Vla & b O OO OO OO O b O OO OO OO
p ppp