Home | News | Bio | Compositions | Flute | Calendar Previous Composition | Next Composition Twenty-two Inuit Throat Song Games (20') 2002/2005 01. Dogs
View Sample PDF - (opens in new window) Initially the idea for these works came from experimentations with different kinds of bowing techniques on the violin and viola da gamba. Working with violinist Carter Williams I stumbled on a technique that emulated guttural sounds I had heard in the Katajak. To produce the desired effect players grip the bow with a fist-like grip and bow in circular or vertical movements. The performer also uses an unusual amount of pressure resulting in a sound that is course and grinding. To enhance the effect the instruments can be prepared with miniature clothespins. These are placed near the bridge and on the string. Similar to a prepared piano the notes played on these strings have a different, grittier sound. Circle bowing inherently contains a strong and weak beat, the down-bow giving an accent, no accent on the up-bow. The strong beat will either be solid or wispy depending if the circle is clockwise or counterclockwise. Vertical bowing gives a wispier sound but still maintains a strong / weak beat relationship. Katajak can involve a melody or they can be imitations of animal or natural sounds, geese, dogs, water etc. The game is normally performed between two women. A major component of Katajak involves hocketing the sound between the two singers. The singers play on each other’s rhythmic breaths. Since the singers stand very close to one another the sound is also resonated between the two of them. When one exhales the other inhales. The sound is rhythmic and continuous. The game is over when one laughs, or when the sound causes a tickle in the throat. Throat singing is arduous and can’t be produced for extended periods of times. Likewise circle bowing is tiresome and can only be carried out for short periods. There is a real similarity between the breathing in and out of the singers and circle bowing between two performers. However with a string quartet I had to decide how to work with four instruments. I discovered that when the full quartet is employed more normal bowing techniques can be used. In specific cases I assigned the “breathing in” parts to two instruments while the others carry on the “breathing out”. The piece works best when the string quartet is amplified and the individual instruments are panned to highlight the hocketing effect. I also decided to arrange the works so that every combination within the string quartet was possible, this way duets between every instrument would also occur. The first 11 games are arranged in such a way that every instrument has a chance to play with every other instrument. In the last 11 games I was freer in my approach and opted for more full ensemble combinations. Variation and improvisation is essential. Most of the games are of an indeterminate duration, usually with one or more repeat signs that state approximately how many times, or for what duration that section should continue. Simple things such as dynamics are deliberately left to the player’s discretion, (for the most part these pieces are to performed loud). Suggested improvisations are given such as; use medium to hard pressure for heavy grinding sound and thick texture; use light or extra light pressure for soft wispy sounds and light transparent textures; circle bow more sul tasto for less high harmonic or circle bow more sul. ponticello for more high harmonics; use microtones; add more circles to create rhythmic variations; use a combination of normal bowing technique combined with circle bowing. Inspiration for these works came from Katajak I transcribed for two or three voices. These were taken from three albums - JVC World Sounds, “Canada, Songs of the Inuit”, Jean Malaurie, “Chants et Tambours Inuit de Thulé au Détroit de Béring” and ULO, “The Circumpolar Heartbeat”. The vocal transcriptions then became source material for the string quartet games. Alternations of techniques - circle, vertical and ordinary bowing; hocketing a certain effect between two instruments or continuing a certain texture became much more important than retaining any semblance to the original material. Because of this melodies, words, dynamics, pitches and many other parameters were discarded and the concept of a particular sound or game took on a new life. However some resemblance is inevitably retained as a comparison between the originals and the string quartet reveal. The titles of the works have also been retained from the original Katajak. Funding provided by:
Travel funding provided by:
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Composed in 2002 and 2005 these works strive to emulate the sounds of Inuit throat singing games or Katajak. Any number of the works can be performed in any order. 
