A Brief Analysis of the Score in Themes
Compositional techniques and experimentation
Multiphonics and an explanation of section G-H
This video is taken from a Zoom call Allan and I had discussing the piece. He spoke in depth about his choice and use of the multiphonics in this piece as a compositional tool as well as a reference to one of his previous works that he expanded in the piano part of this composition.
Timbral effects: Bisbigliando
From the meetings, one can see there was much back-and-forth experimentation between Allan and me regarding finding "new" sounds or trying to recreate the ideas that Allan had in an abstract form. This was especially apparent with the use of bisbigliando. Bisbigliando fascinated Chen from the beginning of this collaboration. Here is an example of where it was utilised in this work:
Introduction
It all began with an email:
Upon seeing my "call for scores" for the catalogue, Allan decided to contact me. It is fantastic how the internet plays a huge role in collaborative projects in this modern age and forms a connecting force.
Thus the collaboration commenced...
I will refer to Allan X. Chen by his first name "Allan" as this more accurately reflects the nature of our collaboration.
20 March 2023
Allan responded to the audio files with questions:
AC:
1. How rapidly can you alternate between these fingerings? And what does it sound like? (Referring to AUDIO 2)
2. Can a harmonic glissando be performed on any starting note, or does it start to become unpractical at a certain point? (AUDIO 4)
3. Very cool. I loved the octave trill; it's got a great flavour. Does that wavering effect occur naturally, or did you play it that way intentionally? (AUDIO 5)
4. I really like the sound of shifting between natural vs alternative fingerings. Is the alternating fingerings "option" possible for larger intervals? (AUDIO 6)
5. What technique is this again? I really dig this one (AUDIO 8)
JM:
Response Q1: I got this idea from the piece by [Kevin] Volans called Baobab. It’s more of an effect - it can’t be done too fast. I’ll try playing around now. I can send you a link to it.
Response Q2: Any starting note I would say. The higher you go it might be more difficult as it will have less fingerings in a sense.
Response Q3: It a natural thing I think. It is almost like going over the bridge. I might have added some vibrato too (haha).
Response Q4: I’ll experiment and send you something.
Response Q5: It’s Bisbigliando-ing over the pitch and then matching it with the same pitch using the lower notes. It’s the first partial (8ve) (Q5)
In conclusion to this, I sent him an example of one of Ryo Noda's pieces inspired by the shakuhachi flute as well as a recommendation to watch Joshua Hyde's videos on compositional techniques for saxophone.
Meeting 5: 5 May 2023
This meeting we touched based and discussed the final aspects of the score as well as finalising funding.
The Collborative Process
Allan's next email contained the inspiration for this new work:
The first meeting was now arranged.
Meeting one took place on the 20th of February 2023 via Zoom. This meeting was more of an introductory exchange in order to become acquainted. I sent him a list of pieces for saxophone that I found to be inspiring. Most of this repertoire contained extended techniques and was composed in the latter half of the 20th century to current times.
We discussed extended techniques and sound possibilities of the saxophone. Here is a list of techniques/audio Allan wanted to experiment with:
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Bisbigliando and in the piece Baobab by Kevan Volans
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Trill between pitches/tremolo effect
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Quarter tones
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Trill and glissando
We also discussed possible funding options in this meeting. Preliminary ideas for the piece were discussed. Allan writes in a programmatic way with timbral effects and likes to utilise sound to create stories.
Meeting 2: 2 March 2023
This meeting consisted of discussing the progress of the compositions, revisiting previous ideas as well as discussing funding possibilities.
Meeting 3: 15 March 2023
In this meeting Allan sent me this list of timbral effects he wanted me to record for him to hear what sounds these techniques would produce:
On the 19th of March I sent him several audio files as a result of the meeting:
My Final Reflection
In total, Allan and I had 6 online meetings, and one workshop with ongoing correspondence via WhatsApp and email. I would describe this collaboration as being extensive and intense. Allan had minimal experience writing for saxophone, which made the exchange richer as there was a lot of room for experimentation. I felt very connected to this work, especially in the final performance. I believe the extensive level of collaboration was an influence in this connection. Allan is a person with a dynamic personality that pays immaculate attention to detail. It was a pleasure working with him and I hope to collaborate with him on future projects. This extensive level of collaboration led to a piece that felt like it was specially catered to my artistic needs and intuition.
Rhythm
Rhythm is important in this work in terms of placing the chords and aligning the saxophone and piano parts. It has an improvised feel, but the players must have a good understanding of line in this music.
Reflections from the composer
"As far as this piece goes…it does make use of a tune composed by a South African musician for a South African context, but not only for South Africans. But I don’t think that makes it a South African piece or art music. Maybe it does. I don’t think I treat the material in a necessarily South African way. What is a South African way of treating musical material? Are there known or even established techniques or parameters for treating musical materials that makes it South African? Are there things in South African art music that make it so in the same way that a samba makes it Latin American? Do we consider samba Latin American art music? Who knows lol.
I’d say additionally — if there are known/established things that make a piece of music South African, the fact that I don’t know what they are probably means this piece is not a piece of South African art music. But I don’t think it means I’m not a South African composer. I’m just not a South African composer interested in whatever a South African aesthetic is. My background is such a mesh of different influences and cultures, predominated by a training in Western classical music, that I wouldn’t even begin to have the arrogance of defining my music as South African. And furthermore, anyone in the Western classical tradition who isn’t integrated into the core of the South African art music scene, outside of their own Western training or heritage, can’t genuinely say they write South African art music. That, in my opinion, is disingenuous and problematic".
-Allan X. Chen
Links to South Africa + South African jazz
Allan describes that the use of the reference to his previous piano work in this composition was an artistic choice to break the barriers of how the classical saxophone is perceived in South Africa. This early piano work was when Allan "was the beginning of pushing himself into new directions (Chen, 2024).
Allan drew inspiration from South African jazz legend - Hugh Masekela's Chileshe. This is referenced in the solo part in the beginning played by the tenor saxophone before the piano enters.
A note from Allan:
"This piece is the first part of a series of pieces to come. At its core idea, it is a commentary on
the state of saxophone music in South Africa. Saxophone music’s dominance in the jazz sphere in South Africa is one to be celebrated – it is a beautiful thing, especially considering its ties to political commentary and social movements in the arts during apartheid. However, it is also one that should also be critiqued. The dominance of the jazz scene for the saxophone has meant a stifling of its real origins – a classical instrument. Around the world at this very moment and over the past decade, incredible experimental and contemporary techniques are being applied to, and popularised in, the saxophone repertoire…we are seemingly behind here… “Uzovuka Nini” is both a critique of this current climate in SA saxophone music, while also hinting at a beautiful future for it. In this short part, we quote a popular SA jazz tune by Hugh Masekela – we twist it, squeeze it, disrupt it, so far that we present something suggestively “new”."
This list proved to be quite experimental. I found I had to try and decipher what Allan was looking for and asked him many questions regarding clarification of terms or instructions. It led to new discoveries of a variety of techniques and timbres.
The one example I did not quite grasp was the "smorzando pulsation" which resulted in Allan sending me a reference.
Click here to find the link to the recordings folder. I did these recordings twice. The first recordings were not what Allan wanted and he clarified what he was wishing to hear. The link to the recordings displays the second attempt at this list.
Allan Chen's (b.1993) contemporary classical work has been performed by ensembles and orchestras across the globe, including the RSNO, JACK Quartet, ALEA III Ensemble, Quartetto Indaco etc. and he has had the privilege of working with conductors Ryan Bancroft and Teddy Abrams.
Through fulfilling and active collaborations, he has enjoyed beautiful premieres of his music at venues and festivals such as Usher Hall (Edinburgh), the Royal Concert Hall (Glasgow), Cheltenham International Music Festival, and Avanti! Summer Music Festival etc. In all of his work, he brings in narrative and storytelling, even in the experimentalism of the classical world. This story-telling is most evident in his film music.
An active film composer, Allan has worked on a number of award-winning short films. The most recent of which, “An Original Voice”, which explores the currently popular- topic of AI in art. The film premiered at the Runway AI Film Festival in New York, receiving the Honoree Award. Some of Allan’s other films have premiered at the São Paulo Film Festival, Los Angeles Int. Shorts Festival, Nantucket Int. Film Festival, as well as numerous Comic-Con events in the US.
Allan’s passion for the concert hall and entertainment screen is matched by his love for new music mediums. Hoping to develop in his audience's musical intuition through the simple act of play, Allan also founded The Willow Room Collective, with whom he develops and builds art installations combining physical form with interactive music. Their installation pieces have exhibited in London (2019) and at the Spier Light Art Festival in South Africa (2021). They’ve also received a grant to bring a new installation to the Afrikaburn Festival.
Allan owes much of his creative fulfilment and success to his educators. He currently holds a BMus from Boston University and an MMus from the RCM, having studied under the tutelage of composers Kenneth Hesketh, Samuel Headrick, Martin Amlin and Samuel Adler.
Although his life is predominated by the art of composing, he can be regularly found outside his studio playing with his Aussie shepherd, Sirius,
enjoying a challenging hike, or stuffing his face with oysters.
