Parole

(for classical guitar)

Iannis Koufoudakis
The title refers to the linguistic term; ''parole'' that was established by Ferdinand de Saussure. In this context
the word means: speech, spoken language as opposed to ''langue'' that encompasses the abstract, systemic
rules of a language. For the composition of this piece I formalised sets of rules, that function as a formal
grammar for the pitch-alphabet that can be derived from the instrument. Thus, ''Parole'' may be seen as one
of the many possible physical realisations of an abstract pre-established system of rules and relationships.

I.K.
Notes for the performer :

Tuning:
Strings A, G and treble E should be tuned a quarter flat lower than normal.
All other strings should be tuned as usual.

Durations:
Three general durations are used for the composition of the piece:

Long: indicated with white notes and lasting roughly for two beats
Medium: indicated with black notes and lasting roughly for one beat
Short: indicated with stemmed black notes and lasting roughly for half beat

Tuplets should be executed in their corresponding beat-durations

Tempo:
The piece should not have a definite tempo. The performer is advised to freely shift throughout the
piece in the space between two extreme tempos: BMP 45 and BMP 54. Also, timing indications are
included in the score. These are there only to suggest a possible interpretation of the piece and are
not to be followed strictly by the performer.

Square notes :
In occasions where notes appear as square notes the performer should lightly press the
corresponding string with the tip of the finger and let a tone of ''thin'' quality to vibrate.

X-notes :
X-notes indicate tappings with left or right hand.

Arrows:
Arrows indicate indeterminate glissandi. The performer should avoid making audible any of the
destinations of these glissandi.

Abbreviations:
N. : Normale
S.P. : Sul Ponticello
M.S.P. : Molto Sul Ponticello
S.T. : Sul Tasto
M.S.T. : Molto Sul Tasto
R.H. : Right Hand
L.H. : Left Hand

Approximate duration: 11.35 minutes

 Parole
n B n B n B
(for Classical Guitar) Iannis Koufoudakis

f : 45-54
for Ben Malinowski
E A D G B E

>
M.S.P.

e
o o o o
#X
S.P. S.T.

>
N. M.S.T.

)
N.

R.H.

&
)
>
sfff n) ppp sfz p sff
pp
ppp

#w o o
& ~ #X #e
S.T. M.S.P. L.H.

)
N. L.H.

#
ppp mp
>
sfz sfz pp n)
ppp

semitone
w ~N.
S.P.

#wN. L.H. L.H. S.P.

#w
N. bend

& #> n> #>

pp pp pp p
sfz sfff sff

#w
S.P.

o w # o
L.H.

nw
S.T. S.P.
M.S.P. (1')

& nw n #w
pp
p mp p
n> #> mp
(L.H.)
sfz
sfff

o
o o o o
ne
# n>
N.

b
S.P.

#> -
n> n>O #n b ofi >o
& n
b n n
>
#
#
n
n
# n b #n nb #
pp sfz
pp n sfz
pp sfz pp
sf
ppp sfz pp
ppp
p n.
f

o
o o o
U
n fi
S.P. N.

nO n >fi
> > #

(1.12')
#n
& # nb
#
# #n
nn #
p n. p n. p n. sfz pp mp n sf n
pp
pp
2

Tambora
M.S.P. (1.17')

& b
nb> #> #n> >
sff mf sff mf sff f sff mf

wo
M.S.P.

U

S.P. N. (1.28')

nw w
M.S.T. rasq. slow rapid

nnbw
let vibrate

& b w
w
ww

> b
ppp mf sfff
ppp ff
sfff

n S.P.
w
w
~
##w
N.

#X #X
w
N.

#w
M.S.T. R.H. L.H. S.P.

& > >

pp sff mp pp p # ww mp

sfff

o
pp

S.P.

o nwo
S.P.
n
w
S.P.
#
nw
#>X
N.
n
#ww
N. S.T. S.T. N. L.H.
n
& #w #w>
n
#w
>
n #
#w n
n n
sfz
# nw
p > pp mp sfz ff mp sfpp
sff p sfz sfz

o o o
o o o
N.

o
S.T. n

N.

#w # n~ # w S.P. (2.28') n # e
S.P.
nw n n b b #
# b
# #e
w nw n b # n
L.H.

& ## n nn
# X p sf pp n# w
#
n
ww pp n
> mp
ppp
sfz

o U
n> #S.T. N. no n

S.P. (2.39')

o nO R.H. L.H.
o o # n
> #> nO
n> #n# nO # o L.H. o
R.H.

n n
& n n b >
n >
6
# # n >
#
#
mp sfz p

mp pp
pp sfz pp sfz sfff sf p mp sfz p

U
nO L.H. N. o # - N.
(2.55')

nO

O #
S.P.

o #
>
S.T.

#-6
nO #> (3.06')
N.

n #e
>
S.P.

& # # n
ppp p pp mp pp
n 6 mp n6 sfz
p
pp sfz sfff pp p
 3

#U R.H.
(noise) (tone)

w
M.S.T. M.S.P.

U (3.16)
& nw
ww

#w
w # 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 >6
> ppp mp pp sfz
sfff

nw S.T. w # wN.
##S.P.
w
w
# wN. nw

M.S.T.

bww #ww
S.P.

b w #w
(always let vibrate)

#w
w
S.T. with the tip

#w #nw

& nww
w w pp
N.

n ww ww
w
N. of the fingernail

w
nw
#w p nnn w
w
w
w

mp
#w #ww w w
mp pp w
> w
pp p sfz
sfff

o M.S.T.
b wN. U(4.03)
) #X #>X
R.H.
S.P. L.H. R.H.

& w
pp nbww pp >
sfz sfz
n6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
ppp pp n.

# o o fij

N. o
# o n o
nfi #
o o o o o
& # fi fij
nfi b b nfi nfi n fi
j
fi
j j j
#fi
j
j
jfi b
j
# j n
# b n
n n
mp pp mp

> U
> (4.20') (muffle rest of the string with left hand)
# n fij N. j fi o # R.H.

S.P.

o o o o
S.P.

fi b
o
fi
j # o # fi
n

o
#
(4.22')

& nbfi
j #
j j
nfi fij fi
j
>
n n n sff ppp

pp sfz p sff
> > p pp p pp
sfz

U(4.30')
sfz

o L.H.
o
S.P. N. N.o o
nb U # fij
>
n
>j
N.

o
# nO #n #> o # O >
b n bfi n
& nfij b
S.P.

b nO n
n # f n fi > mp
>
j
mf sff
p sfz sfz p n sfz
p sfff pp

U

(4.45')

n # # # n #
Uo
M.S.P. repeat once if you want
(1/4

# nO
bend)
fin #
& n n
# n #>

p p
pp pp mp
sfz
 N. o N.
o S.P.
4
o
o
n> o
U n fij
S.P. S.P. N.

o M.S.T. #

# nO # # e
S.P.

n
& # # n#
> >fi >
n #-
6
bfi
j
n > pp n n
# #
-
> mf sfz pp
p p mp
fff sfp pp sf
ff fff

o
U (4.57')N.

S.P.

>O O O
#
6:4x 5:4x
O n
6:4x

n # o b

# #
& n #> n
# - f ppp n
pp sfz pp 3:2y
mp sf p

O O #> # n o -3:2y U (5.03') S.P.
nO
8:12x
rasq.
3:2e
n n
& n> #> n
#

sfz p pp sfz p 5:4x mp p > 3:2y
sff mf

rasq.

U
S.P.5:4x
nS.P.
#>M.S.P.
N. N.

n (5.10')
3:2e 7:4x
# # #
& # n # # nn

# #

n> # 5:4y

> ppp
sff mf sff f 5:4x sff

o
n b n
>
3:2e 5:4x

>
n b > n
&
sfz
5:4y
> mp
6:4y
sfz
6:4y > 5:4y
sfz

sff sff

o N.
S.P.
+ (muted) 7:4x
n
#> n> # o o #
n> U
S.P.

#
M.S.T.

o
- b> n
N.

&
p mp pp
sf 6:4x
ppp mp sfz p sff

<b>
O
n> ~~~~ e
S.P.

#U nb >
S.P.

#o #L.H.

N.

n
S.P. (5.39')

&
sfz sfz pp mp pp p n. sff
 5
S.P.
WITH PLECTRUM 3:2e
S.T. 3:2e

& nb>
#n sff 5:4x
pp
5:4x 3:2x
sff mp

ord. S.T. 3:2e
S.P. 5:4x
U(5.46')
M.S.P. 5:4x n> n
& #
#> > #> 3:2x
5:4y 7:4x
sff sff ppp pp sfz pp sff

3:2x 3:2e o 5:4x o 5:4x 3:2e

S.P.

# n
& # #. b b b #
> > 7:4x 3:2x
mp pp p f p sfz p
sfz ff

o o o
o n>
n o n
M.S.P. S.T.

nn
n #n>
M.S.P.

#
S.T. (6.01')

n
N. S.P.

& #n #

N.

b #
mp sfz pp p mp pp sfz pp

n>O 5:4x o
o 5:4x o 3:2y
no #
3:2e

#
3:2x
# . o o n
b n # #
& # n b n n
n n
ppp p sfz mp pp mp mf sfpp mp 3:2e
pp

>
o
& b O n
> > b n #>
> > >
f f
ff
ff

fff fff

fff

N.


# bn> > U
S.P. N.

n
M.S.P. S.P. S.T. (6.21')

& # n> #
n> #
n> > >
f ff ff
ff
fff fff fff
6

3:2y o
o o o o o
#> n
3:2e
5:4x

& # n n #>
n 7:4y
pp mp mf sff pp
3:2x 7:4x
mp sfz p mp

n> #e
o o
#o #>
S.P.

#N. o
S.P.

n #
N. S.P. S.T. (6.37')
S.T. N.

& n #> # n n
n> n> f #> mf f mp ff mp pp mf
fff ff fff

o
o
N. o S.T.
o o o
S.P. o o o
#
N. N.

> b n (6.43')
& nn n
#
#
n # #e n #
# # n #
# sfz
pp > #n
p p ppp
ppp sfz f

3

S.P. > 5:4y
> n
#>
n # nN.> > (6.53')
:2x
>
S.P. S.P.

#
N. 5:4x

& #
5:4x
3:2e sff p 5:4x sf p sff mp
mf p sf p 3:2e sf p

> > U
n o o fij # N.>o o
#
S.P. o
b o
fi b
o >
bfij
>
n
S.P.

n
N.
>o fij
N.

fi >
S.P.

& #>
j n
# b
(7.00')

n n>

n fi
> j n
n
fff mf sff mf ff mf ff mp

N.
n U
no nS.T.

S.T.

O #
&
(7.08')

#
M.S.T. S.P.

# n
n
mp pp pp
ppp p mp
mf
 7

o
N. - #>
U
decelerate

o #e ne #
b >

S.T.
# n #
-
S.P.
#- n

(7.14')

& n #
# n #n #
ppp mf p mp sfz mf mp sfz

rasq.

n> >
N. 3:2x M.S.P.

n#

11:8x 3:2e
#

& #
n n
#> > >
sff fff ff fff
7:4x ff sfff 3:2e
sfff f

rasq.

<#> nn
11:8x

# n (7.24')
n
S.T. S.P. N.
N. 11:8x

n P
#U
S.P. 6:4x

& <#># b

<#> n
# n
> > > >
sfff f sfff mf sf sfff f sff

nO n> O
S.P. M.S.P.

#
N. S.T.

o nU
7:4x 3:2y

e U
M.S.T.

(7.30') b
#
N. (7.33')

& # n >
mp sfz ppp mp pp ppp p

repeat once if you want

>b
L.H. tapping

(7.40')
&

11:8x 11:8x 11:8x 7:4x
ff 11:8x
n.
> > > > > 3:2e > >
&
R.H. tapping

p
3:2e 3:2e
sfz 5:4x 5:4x p 3:2e sfz 3:2x 7:4x 5:4x 3:2e
p sfz p p sfz sfz p sfz p
8

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

Tambora
7:4x 5:4x
n 7:4x 6:4x
# (7.45')
& n #n#




#n


nb
# #
# n n
>
> > > 3:2y
mf f sff mf sf ff sfff mf

7:4x Q Q
(1/4) (2/4)

U
(7.50')
contin. bend contin. bend
7:4x
6:4x
n
6:4x 2/4

& # > . . > n

bend

> sfpp > mf p >

> > > >
mf sfz sfz
sff sfz sff mf sfff mf sfff

#
n -
#
1/4

S.T. bend 1/4

#
bend

o # >O
N. S.P.
S.P.

#
S.T. (8.01')

&
mp pp p
>1/4 bend Q p mp p pp mp
sfz

tap with tips of fingernails

M.S.P. S.P. M.S.P M.S.T. S.P.
7:4x 7:4x 6:4x
5:4x

& #nn
(8.06')

n
> pp
> 3:2x fff
fff f

repeat once if you want

> > (8.11')

L.H. tapping

&
7:4x 7:4x 7:4x 7:4x
mp ff mf pp sfz

7:4e
7:4e
j
&

R.H.

j n> j j
#> #>
#> sfz sfz
sfz sfff
 9

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

rasq.

U (8.17')
5:4x 6:4x 11:8x

#
& nn

#> >
sff fff mf sfff

o
>O n n>
L.H.

#
M.S.T. N.

# o
N.

n #
S.T. S.T.

#
L.H.

& #
n ppp #>
ppp pp mp p pp mp sfz
sfz

o o
fij #
N. S.P. N. S.T. M.S.P.

U

rapid trem. very slow
o
# n > nfi
>j
# w
nfi
(8.35')

& j
# #
# n p sfz # ppp p
mp mf mp pp

oS.P. o
Q M.S.P.
(2/4)

o o
contin. bend

>
n
#
N.
S.P. 7:4x

b
& n nn # b>
> > > sfz n>
3:2y sfz 11:8x
sfz ppp p pp f sfff sff sff

o >
n> o
M.S.P.

#
#>
#
N. S.P. S.P. (8.49')

& n #>

#
2/4

#n> >
bend

sfz sff
sff sfff
sfff sfff

10
repeat once if you want

R.H. n 3:2y


(8.54')

& n
L.H.
ppp 7:4x 7:4x 5:4x 6:4x
pp ppp

#n P
N.

o 6:4xo
rasq. 3:2e
L.H.
S.P. 7:4x 5:4x

S.T.

&
# # n
> pp >
ff mf sfz sfff

U U U U U
# nS.P.
N.


M.S.P. 2/4

#
S.T. S.P.

nn b
N.

b
R.H. bend (9.09')

&
n ## #n > #>

> > > sfff
>
mf sff sf sfff sff

n>
#> #>
S.P. S.P.

n> #>
#> n>
S.P. M.S.P. M.S.P.

& > n>

n
ff fff f ff f fff f pp

fff

o o n
S.T.
o
bS.T.

M.S.T. S.P. M.S.P. S.P. (9.22')

& n #
ppp
pp # pp p pp
ppp

o

S.T. N. S.T.

o o
n
# # n b n
& b # n n #
# #
n pp
ppp p
 11

S.T. o
N. o N. S.P.
(9.40')

o o o
S.T.
L.H. S.P. L.H. S.P. S.P. N.

# O
n # # n
& n # nn #
n > #. nO #
#> n# n mp > pp # pp
pp mp
> mp
sfz sfz >
sfz pp ppp
sfz

#n bend #1/4 #
S.P.

o no o o
N. S.T.
S.T. 1/4 N. S.T.

n #
bend N. (9.49')

& bn

ppp pp nb mp
pp mp p #
ppp pp

o S.P.
oN.

M.S.P.

>
10:8x

6:4x
S.T. M.S.T.
n oN. n
o #
>
7:4x

& nb-
- #
mp ppp p mp pp n
7:4x sfz
sf mp

o o o o
o Uo
S.P. N. M.S.P.
n
N. S.P. M.S.P. S.P. S.P.

# n
n # n>O #
b # b
(10.01')

& >

# > > n #n> > > b
>
> >
sfz
sfz sff sfff sff
sfff sfz sfff
sff sfff

-
#
M.S.P.

N. n fij
> M.S.P.
b # n
n-
M.S.T. (10.09')

& n
mp
#6 ppp mp pp sfz p pp

pp

N. o N.
U
o o o o
n
S.P. S.P.

#
#- > n # n n #n # n (10.17')

& n n n-
# - b #
n
pp p sfz pp mp
f
mp p pp
12

Q Q
(1/4) (2/4)
cont. bend
cont. bend

M.S.T. 6:4x 7:4x 7:4x
10:8x

&
#> > >
sfff f sff mf sff fff

N.
o
o N.
> n
S.P.

L.H. S.P. L.H.

>oj
fi
& # b- #fi
N.

# fij
j
1/4 bend
p mf n- p pp
mp
mp

o o
fij
S.P. L.H. L.H. N. L.H. S.P.

O
S.T.

> o
M.S.P.
#
fi
>j
n n
(10.26')

& #>
n
n >
# #
n . sfz
sff > mf sfz p pp
mp
mp pp sff

7:4x
N. S.T. N. S.T.
knock strings
6:4x 3:2y
10:8x 7:4x
n
&

ppp f pp ff

7:4x 3:2y S.P.
muted

7:4x o
N.
muted

# n O O O O O O O O O n.
M.S.P.

N.

> # > #
(10.36')

& b # #
> n
6:4x 3:2y mp sff
mp f sfpp ff 5:4x p
sfz
 13

S.P. o

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

n> > > > n> > > 10:8x 7:4x

& nn
# #
ff
7:4x 6:4x
>
fff f
> > > > #> > > >
sfff mf

M.S.T. M.S.T. nw

nw
#w #ww
S.P.

# wN.
S.T.

& nw nww w

w
N.

#w
#w nw
w #w

(10.53')

w

w w w
mp n# ww # ww
w
w

w w w

pp mf sf w w
sfff sfp

(10.58')

7:4x
repeat once if you want

, , , ,
> b
& > n b
L.H. only
6:4x 10:8x

> b> n
7:4x
pp ppp mp ppp p ppp mp ppp

(11.03')

S.P. 7:4x
Tambora

##
S.T. S.P.

6:4x 10:8x 3:2x

& ##n





















n- - - >
mp ppp p ppp sfz

S.P.

(11.11')

o o

>
# n
> n> # >
o
fij
#

o
fi fi fi
>j
&
j j
# >
> > > n > > >
sff sfz #> sfz sff > sfz sff sfz
sff
sfff sff sfff
sfff

(11.16')

7:4x
repeat once if you want
L.H. only

#> n
7:4x 6:4x

& n- b b n
-
pp ppp
- ppp pp n.
pp 10:8x
mp ppp