Bonegarden
by Timo Tuhkanen
for coloratura mezzo-soprano, tenor, 19 EDO electric guitar, 22 EDO electric guitar, 31 EDO electric guitar, 19 EDO electric bass
Description
Revenge, love, virtual reality, and social media. In their work Bonegarden, Timo Tuhkanen uses speculative fiction and the expanded monodrama form to explore ‘trauma-porn’, or the commercialization and abuse of traumatic experiences. Told through the perspective of a woman, played by Lore Lixenberg, who in her rage discovers an online service that offers memory-infused VR experiences where the avatar of Helen Weber, a trauma victim, is used to play out the revenge fantasy of the client. This constructed multiplayer online server allows users to embody, live through, and act out experiences where they are able to commit their acts on others. In the monodrama we see Lore’s character fall into this cycle and struggle with her feeling of being torn between the abusive nature of the technology and her need for self realisation.
The work has a video part and the story revolves between the stage and the video. The video part I filmed together with Hannu Karjalainen in 2013 in Helsinki and the actors in it are Anna Saksman, Heikki Räisänen, Jesse Luostarinen and Hannes Mölsä.
The score is written for a poly-microtonal ensemble consisting of instruments able to play 19, 22, and 31 equally divided octaves. The coloratura mezzo-soprano vocal part is written in all 3 notation systems and shifting from one to another is indicated by a small number above the part.
Instrumentation mezzo, ten, 3elg, elbas
Instrument codes
| Abbreviation | Instrument | Woodwind | | | acl | alto clarinet |
| afl | alto flute |
| arec | alto recorder |
| asax | alto saxophone |
| barsax | baritone saxophone |
| barhn | baritone horn |
| bcl | bass clarinet |
| bfl | bass flute |
| bob | bass oboe |
| bsax | bass saxophone |
| bsn | bassoon |
| cbsn | contrabassoon |
| cl | clarinet |
| ehn | English horn |
| fl | flute |
| hn | French horn |
| ob | oboe |
| pic | piccolo |
| rec | recorder |
| sax | saxophone |
| srec | soprano recorder |
| ssax | soprano saxophone |
| trec | tenor recorder |
| tsax | tenor saxophone |
Brass | | | ahn | alto horn |
| atrb | altotrombone |
| barhn | baritone horn |
| btrb | bass trombone |
| cornet | cornet |
| euph | euphonium |
| fhn | flugelhorn |
| hn | French horn |
| tba | tuuba |
| thn | tenor horn |
| trb | trombone |
| trp | trumpet |
Percussion | | | dr | drums |
| glock | glockenspiel |
| mar | marimba |
| perc | percussion |
| timp | timpani |
| vibr | vibraphone |
| xyl | xylophone |
Strings | | | db | double bass |
| gamba | viola da gamba |
| str | strings |
| vla | viola |
| vlc | cello |
| vln | violin |
Other | | | acc | accordion |
| cel | celesta |
| cemb | harpsichord |
| chords | chords |
| elbas | electric bass |
| elg | electric guitar |
| elorg | electric organ |
| elpno | electric piano |
| guit | guitar |
| harm | harmonium |
| hca | harmonica |
| hp | harp |
| instr | instrument |
| kantele | kantele |
| keyb | keyboard |
| live electr | live electronics |
| mand | mandolin |
| mel | melody |
| org | organ |
| pno | piano |
| synth | synthesizer |
| tape | tape |
Vocal | | | alto | alto |
| baryt | baritone |
| basso | bass voice |
| ch | choir |
| chc | childrens choir |
| chf | female choir |
| chm | male choir |
| chx | mixed choir |
| cten | countertenor |
| mezzo | mezzo-soprano |
| sopr | soprano |
| speaker | speaker |
| ten | tenor |
| voc | vocal |
Coding for instrument ensembles and orchestras
| Symphony orchestra | | | 2222 4331 11 1, str = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 French horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, one other percussionist, harp and strings |
Wind band | | | 2252 3 423 21212 3 = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 5 clarinets, 2 bassoons - 3 saxophones - 4 French horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones - 2 cornets, alto horn, 2 tenor horns, baritone horn, 2 tubas - 3 percussionists |
Big band | | | 221 4 4, pno, guit, db, dr = 2 alto saxophones, 2 tenor saxophones, baritone saxophone, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, piano, guitar, double bass, drums |
Additional codes | | | + | fl+pic = flutist doubles on piccolo |
| / | pno/org = can be played on either piano or organ |
| lib | ad libitum |
| obl | obligato |
| str | str: 65432 = specified number of string players |
| str min | str min: 65432 = at least 65432 |
| str max | str max: 65432 = not more than 65432 |
| solo | vln solo = violin is the solo instrument in a work not obviously for solo violin |
Category Chamber Works, Vocal and Choral Works
Language En
Lyricist Timo Tuhkanen
Premiere 1.12.2024 at MINU Festival for Expanded Music.
Bonegarden premiered at MINU Festival of Expanded Music in Copenhagen 1.12.2024. The work is about an hour long and it is composed for coloratura mezzo soprano, speaker, three electric guitars and electric bass. It was performed by Loré Lixenber (singing in all tunings), Timo Tuhkanen (tenor and 19edo bass), Lauri Hyvärinen (19edo electric guitar), Mark Reid Bulatovic (22edo electric guitar), and Gon Muruaga (31edo electric guitar).
Commissioned by / Dedicated to Commissioned by MINU Festival for Expanded Music.
Composed with the support of Georg Malmstén -säätiö and Koneen Säätiö.
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