ET UNAM for double bass and CsoundAV (2003)
Arthur B. Hunkins


"Et unam, sanctam, catholicam, et apostolicam Ecclesiam."
					
					Apostles' Creed

"You, then, are the body of Christ. Every one of you is a member of it."
					
					1 Corinthians 12:27

"God has arranged all things in the world in consideration of everything
else.... Every thing that is in the heavens, on the earth, and under the
earth, is penetrated with connectedness, is penetrated with relatedness."
					
					Hildegard of Bingen,
					quoted by Gabriele Uhlein,
					Meditations with Hildegard of Bingen

A Prayer for Universal Peace, Justice and Brother/Sister/Person-hood


GENERAL

This composition is a special version, and a simultaneous performance of two
works: Mater/Gratia - Meditation for Holy Week (1999) for double bass, and
That All May Be One (2003) for CsoundAV. For purposes of this composition,
Mater/Gratia is performed by double bass, not electric bass - and is bowed
(in normal fashion) throughout.

That All May Be One exists in special editions - to be used here - indicated
by "bass" in their file name: "bass.csd" requires no MIDI hardware;
"bassm.csd" makes use of an external MIDI bank of eight sliders or rotary
knobs; "bassma.csd" necessitates an additional ninth controller to
manipulate amplitude (notably the opening and closing fades). These editions
correspond respectively to three for solo use: "solo.csd," "solom.csd" and
"soloma.csd." (There are no stereo versions of Et Unam.) For more info on
the differences between the three variants, see the performance notes for
That All May Be One.

All instructions for performance of the two individual works apply to the
joint rendition, except as explicitly mentioned in these notes.

The double bass is the soloist here; the computer-generated sound plays a
significant but accompanimental role. The overall level of the computer's
amplified sound is such that the double bass' unamplified harmonics can
easily project over the computer without strain on the bassist's part. Since
the perceived computer level rises with the addition of (slider/pot)
harmonics, the simultaneous use of sliders should be kept to a minimum, with
no more than 2-3 "up" at a time - and these at low to moderate levels.

SETTINGS

Prior to performance the computer must tune to the double bass' D harmonic.
(The entire composition is based on this pitch.) There are large and small
frequency adjustment pointers on the performance screen. These adjustments
are also available *during* performance; use the fine tuning pointer if
necessary - as subtly and imperceptibly as possible. None of the other
parameters, except for the sliders, are variable during performance.

The computer starts with a crescendo from silence and ends with the reverse.
Its level between these two points - moderately soft - does not vary, unless
an unexpected balance problem is discovered during performance, in which
case the computer should make an "inaudible" adjustment (primarily by
limiting the quantity of enriching harmonics). The double bass will need to
project fully, while still sounding relaxed.

The computer's output is monaural, and is fed to a sound system that
consists of a minimum of two speakers. The double bass soloist is situated
in front center between symmetrically-arranged speakers. Part of any balance
problem can be addressed by positioning the bass substantially in front of
the speakers.

If you have problems running your chosen .csd file in CsoundAV, consult the
suggestions in the That All May Be One documentation, under "Setup." The
same observations apply, and modifications can be made in any text editor.
Note too the material under "DirectSound" - especially the Hint.

PERFORMANCE

The performance begins with at least a 60-second computer solo, including
the opening crescendo. It ends with a complementary 30"+ computer solo that
includes the final fade. The bass pauses 15" between each half verse, and
30" between verses. Most of the computer's timbral activity takes place
during its solo passages, including the double bass pauses; very little, if
any, happens while the bass is playing. Sliders/pots are moved very slowly,
and only several should be "up" at a given time. Strive to keep the computer
texture simple, so as not to overshadow the double bass.

The timings given above are *minimums*; substantial time for timbral
exploration and improvization is highly encouraged, both for computer and
bass. Overall duration is highly variable; the suggested "low end" is 8
minutes.