Håkon Thelin: Amarcord

This short work is partly inspired by certain flageolet-techniques developed by Stefano Scodanibbio. The piece is based on tonal-sounding harmonies that derives from the open strings and their overtones. This creates a natural harmonical foundation that are varied by the consonans between ordinary tones, flageolets and bi-tones (plucking on the "wrong" side of the string). Despite its technichal complexity the music feels organic and free. I find a lot of inspiration in folk-music, which are usually based on a strict form but seems improvised when performed. Elements from folk-music are also mirrored in the rythm, which is kept open and free. The whole piece is played pizzicato.

Score Amarcord ©Håkon Thelin

Håkon Thelin: oibbinadocS

Narrative and rapsodic frases are being built thru an interchange between ordinary tones and flageolets.  This constant changing motion between low and high sounds creates multidimensional rooms where sounds and fragments of melody can evolve. There are also a number of poetical implications in the ”weight-relationship” between ordinary tones and flageolets. Ordinary tones are consistent and have a clear presence. The flageolets are softer and more distant, vibrant in their simplicity, almost as memories or echos of the resonance of the double bass. One of the main elements in oibbinadocS is an extensive use of glissandi, creating a constant movement between dissonant and consonant sounds. The expanded use of flageolets opens for comprehensive harmonic variation. The music feels organic and free, and the extended playing techniques are used in relatively idiomatic ways.

As Stefano Scodanibbio says: ”...to allow the contrabass to sing with its own voice”.

oibbinadocS is dedicated to Stefano Scodanibbio

Score oibbinadocS ©Håkon Thelin

Helmut Oehring: Foxfire II, version for solo double bass by Håkon Thelin

Foxfire II was originally written for bass clarinet, but exist now also in a number of transcriptions. My transcription is done with the approval of the composer and the version for double bass will be published by Boosey & Hawkes.

Alienating, disturbing sounds develope slowly after an ethereal and beautiful opening of the piece. Long pauses interrupts the complex soundareas and can symbolize the gradually paralyzed human body as the injected poison flood thru the veins. While irregular breathing sounds mix into a fragile musical material.
Despite the unpleasant history of the piece and its critical political undertones I feel that Foxfire II is a beautiful piece that gives hope for the future.

Read the program text by Helmut Oehring here.

Examples from score of Foxfire II ©Helmut Oehring and Håkon Thelin

Lars-Petter Hagen: Hymn

Hagen has written a work for solo double bass where the harmonic material is generated from harmonies found in Norwegian traditional music (slått). This was then reduced to a general two-part harmonic structure. The whole focus of the piece lies on the harmonic sound, and all ornaments and virtuosic fiddle-techniques are removed. Instead the piece has a meditative and choral-like expression. Hence the title: Hymn. The use of drones in folk music are transferred to Hymn by the use of open strings. To express some of the transparent sounds in the ”hardanger-fiddle” Hagen wished to take advantage of flageolets on the double bass. Together we worked out the harmonies, often consisting of a bass-tone (ordinary tone) together with a flageolet. The long, endurable sounds are played with the bow, and as a contrast I have written some short breaks that are played pizzicato. These breaks also build on a harmonic chord material, but other harmonies than the original are used. The breaks therefore offer harmonical, timbral and rythmical variation to the piece. Complex pizzicato techniques based on flageolets forms the basis, but is developed further and combined with other techniques.

Hymn is dedicated to Dan Styffe. 

Example from score of Hymn ©Lars-Petter Hagen and Håkon Thelin

Håkon Thelin: Shared moments, solo double bass and tape

I found the inspiration to compose this piece by listening to a work for solo viola by Luciano Berio called Naturale. In Berios work the performer plays together with electronically manipulated Persian traditional folksong. I have used a similar strategy, where the double bass plays together with manipulated recordings of Indian tablas. In this work I experiment with harmonics, multiphonics and percussive techniques. Two different thematic parts consisting of rhytmical and timbral elements are set up against each other, and the material within these is varied and developed further. A contrasting third part, represented by an adapted indian melody, emerges towards the middle of the piece to play together with the tabla drum.

With this piece I wish to share moments of different musical expression.

Score Shared moments ©Håkon Thelin
 

Håkon Thelin: Light, for violin and contrabass

The original idea for Light came to me many years ago when I was supposed to play concerts in different lighthouses along the Norwegian coast. As with the lighthouse there are pulsating elements in the work that creates an illusion of light and recognition. The sound of harmonics shines through a diffused and misty atmosphere. The use of untraditional playing techniques founds and underlines the temperament of the waves, and the shifting and unpredictable weather gave the idea to the structure of the work. In Light I seek a homogeneous expression of sounds, but previously “unheard” sounds can in themselves be alienating. The work is technically demanding, but with a fleeting and subdued expression. In Light I wish to transfer, and experiment with, some of my work on harmonics and other playing techniques to the violin.