Ritual Music

I.
For solo viola and electronics

2009

David Dean Mendoza

 Performances

05/08/10 – Schubertiade of New Music - Miami, FL

 Notes

Ritual Music 1. was composed in December of 2009. It is the first in a

series of works that explore the spiritual nature of my music.
Categorizing this piece is difficult. Some may hear Indian, Irish, or early
European musical influences. It is a piece that incorporates seven
musical ideas. First a timbre resource of (1) finger cymbals is heard
following by (2) open fifths which reference early European chant music.
Then a (3) col lengo idea enters the mix closely followed by a (4)
beautiful melody full of appoggiaturas. (5) Pizzicato chords break up, but
also link these ideas together. A quick (6) A minor melody contrasts the
lyrical one heard before it, and still another showy (7) string crossing
passages contrasts that previous stepwise melody. Underneath it all is
an A drone played by the classical drone instrument of India called the
Tanpura (also known Tampura) The drone is played through the computer
by means of an audio player, and not digitally processed. This drone
effect gives the piece an extra ritualistic atmosphere, as the tanpura
strings buzz with overtones.

As with all of my electro-acoustic music up until this point, the

electronics are produced live, and interactively with the acoustic part.
The electronic sounds only enhance the acoustic part, and are not main
focus of the music. Therefore, there can possibly be two different
versions of the music, one with or one without the live electronics.

That being said, for this piece I chose to use two vst plug-ins. A
reverb plug-in developed by Anwide Soft called DX Reverb Light, and a
plug-in developed by one of my favorite developers, smartelectronix,
called Bouncy. Bouncy adds a fast delay “bouncy” effect to the
incoming signal, which gives the notes a strange tremolo shimmer effect.
This effect is notated as block note heads in the score with tremolo
markings. Although the audience may not hear this effect, it is quite
evident in the pizzicato chords.

Performance Note
Violist may sit crossed-legged on a rug or mat with the music memorized
or flat on the floor. This is how traditional Indian performers play violin.
The Violist should strike the finger cymbals with his/her bow. The
cymbals are attached to a percussion stand in front of the performer.
The performer is also expected to initiate the electronics. (See
Electronics)
 Credits

AnwidaSoft Team for development of the DX Reverb Light Plug-in

Bram de Jong of smartelectronics for the development of Bouncy
Plug-in, and F. Olofsson for the development of Kil2 simple vst host.
*All software is freeware.

Setup
 Electronics

1.) Open Kil2 VST Host

2.) Open Audio Setup and select specific interface
3.) Open in slot 1 DX Reverb Light vst plug-in and set to
Hall setting
4.) Open in slot 2 Bouncy vst plug-in and leave as is –
Default setting
a. Max Delay 9.279999 beats
b. Delay shape -0.16000
c. Amplitude shape -0.84000
d. Random amp 0.000000
e. Renew random off

5.) Open Quicktime player and open the “tanpura drone A”

file and start with this sound playing quietly in the
background

Screenshot of Kil2
Screenshot of DX Reverb Light

Screenshot of Bouncy
Full Score Ritual Music 1.
for solo viola
2009
q=70 Adagietto David Dean Mendoza
* optional - performer may sing
   
strike percussion
        

  

Viola
  

 simile
f mf

tanpura drone let ring

Electronics 1               
 


pp
   

  
       
   
Bouncy Plug-in with Reverb
 
   
 
   
Electronics 2

mf mp


    3             let ring
col lengo
   
7

Vla.      
  
                 
  

f 3


  
   
Elec. 1
            
   

    
  
               
          
 
 
3
 
  
             

 
Elec. 2  
mf 3

ord.
12
       
6

           

     

       
Vla.
 
f espress.


           
Elec. 1
    
   

      
         
                 
 
 
   
6

   

 
 
  


 
Elec. 2 
        
mf

Copyright © 2009 David Dean Mendoza

2

 
   
             
16
      
Vla.             


            
Elec. 1
    
   

                

              


        
 
       
 
   
Elec. 2
    

                 


         
 
Vla.
    

       
Elec. 1      
   

              
        
                  
Elec. 2
    

 
 
     

rit.

        
  
3

Vla.   

 
  





 

3
mp

      
Elec. 1     
 

    
         


   
    
3

      



Elec. 2

3
p
 3
* optional
q=70 Tempo Primo performer may sing
pizz.
      
strike percussion
  
arco
             
      






Vla.
   
mf mf


 
         
Elec. 1
             
    
 
  
                  
   

   

      







Elec. 2

mp mp

         
let ring

 
col lengo
                3    
               
   
Vla.
5
3 5

  
Elec. 1                
    

                                 
     
                                  
3

Elec. 2
               
5
3 5

 arco
 
      
 
     
let ring

Vla.    
     
  
mf f mf f 3 3 3 3

 
   
  
Elec. 1
                
    

       

    
                  
    
 
Elec. 2
    
     
3 3 3
mp mf mp 3
mf
4

 
       4      
2

        
2

1 1

Vla.      
mf f

Elec. 1      
  
  
    
   



             


      

     

       
 
Elec. 2          
mp mf

  
                
   
 3

   
Vla. 
3

       
Elec. 1
   
  

            
 
        

      
 




           
3

Elec. 2 
3

q=60 meno mosso

     
     
            
strike percussion
  




     
Vla.


           
Elec. 1            
    

         
   
 
 


                 
    
  
  
    
 
   

  

Elec. 2
 5

* optional - performer may sing


pizz.

                

arco
   
              









Vla.

mf mp

 
           
Elec. 1
           
    

 
   
          

     
              


   

        
 





Elec. 2

mp p

q=80 Moderato q=100 Faster q=110

                         
Vla.
   
mf


          
Elec. 1
   
   

           
                          
 
 


        
Elec. 2

mp

q=120 accel. q=130 rit.


accel.

     
     
Vla.
 
f ff

Elec. 1                
   

       
                                     
       
                 
Elec. 2

mf
f
6
q=120 rit. q=110 rit.
    
    
          
Vla.
     
f

        
Elec. 1
  
  

           
   
                        
Elec. 2
         
mf

q=100
sul pont.




  
  

Vla.

mf p

Elec. 1         
   

  

   
  
 
Elec. 2   
pp
mp

q=60 Adagietto
ord.
     
                    
       
Vla.

mp
mf


     
Elec. 1

 

                                               
     
                    
       
Elec. 2

p
mp
 7

     
            
       
Vla.

Elec. 1      


                                               
     
            
       
Elec. 2

mf

     
      
     
     
Vla.

Elec. 1   


     
     
      
     
                       
Elec. 2

sul pont.

     
               
       
Vla.

mp p
mf

     
Elec. 1
 

                                               
     
                         
       
Elec. 2

mp p pp
8

q=70 Tempo Primo

  
strike percussion
    
Vla.
       
f

      
Elec. 1       
  

      


   
Elec. 2
      
mf


  
col lengo let ring

                
3
           
          
Vla.

3
f

       
Elec. 1
   
 

                     
                      
3

 
                  
Elec. 2

mf 3

poco rit. q=60

  
           
 
   

  


  

Vla.

f mf p

      
Elec. 1               
    

                  

    

      
 
   
Elec. 2   
mp pp
mf
 9

q=70 Tempo Primo

  
pizz. arco
   
           
        
 





   


Vla.

mf f mf


        
Elec. 1
                
    
 
  
                    
           
   


 







Elec. 2

mf mp
mp

       
     
Vla.
  
f

      
Elec. 1
       
  

    
 
        



 

Elec. 2
  
mf

rit. sul pont.


Vla.       
   
niente
mf

Elec. 1              
   

       

  
Elec. 2
   
  
niente
mp