‘burst'

for violin and electronics

José Martínez
Program notes

A crack, a burst, that piece of life that breaks,

That pain in the bones, disgust, and anger.
Scowling breathless hopeless thought.

A crack, a burst, that trifling explosion that breaks you,

ugliness transformed into beauty,
that beloved beast, the noise in the silence.

A crack, a burst, that dream that tears apart,

That stupid dilemma of right and wrong, your daily dose of indomitable reality.

…A crack, a burst

José Martínez

About the piece

Burst was written throughout a period of time when I, and many others, were upset for
what was happening in the US. The initial sections look for that burst of energy, that
crack that breaks you inside. The rhythmic section, with a sound more heavy-metal-
esque drives that discontent towards a more energetic and head banging attitude. The
middle, section with the old school tap delay, is an allegory to the consequences that
one single action (a short sound) can have, and how it quickly disperses throughout.
Other sections come back, revisiting the ideas afore mentioned.

Technical requirements
• DPA microphone (4061 or 4099).
• Ideally, a wireless microphone system compatible with DPA microphones. If not
available, regular XLR cables can be used.
• One interface with one input and 4 outputs.
• A laptop
• Max 8 and patch provided by composer.
• 4 discrete output channels + 1 monitor speaker for the performer.
• USB pedal to trigger events. It is possible to have someone else triggering events from
the mixer while following the score.
• Violin dry signal does not go directly to outputs. The final mix comes from the
computer.

Length ~11min
 for Sara Sasaki
'burst'
Score for solo Violin and live electronics
José Martínez
2017-- 2018
With Anger q = c 104
mute string
A molto s.p. ord.
U U U U
pizz. arco pizz.

& ‰.
3

‰ ∑ ‰‰ ∑ ‰ ‰ j ∑ ‰ œ ≈ j ∑
3

# œ. œ b œœ
(# œ )
œ # œ. œ
œ. b >œ .(œ )
Violin
(# œ )
œ. always aggresive ¿. ¿.
ƒ Each intervention should be played in tempo, but the general f >
Electronics ÷ sensation should be that of unexpected separate events.

1 input to spectral drone (no sound yet)

molto vib.

w ¢¢¢¢¢¢¢
arco pizz.

U U U U
long arco s.p.

‰ Œ ‰.
3

& ∑ ∑ ‰ ‰Œ ∑ œ
‰Œ ‰ œ ∑
π wait for elect. ¿
# œ¢¢¢
Vln.
ƒ #œ
¢¢¢
. ¿. œ.
to fade out ƒ > f ƒ
ƒ
explosive

Elect. ÷
input to spectral
2 drone and harmonizer

œo . ˙ .
playing more and more
B rhythmically precise
long molto s.p.
U U
ord. 3

&≈ ∑ ‰ œ Ó
.
‰ bœ Ó ≈ Œ ‰
œ.œ
‰Ó ≈
¿.
∑
b œ. .
Vln.

π ƒ wait œ. ¿. .
F ƒ
for elect.
to fade out

÷
explosive
dampen D string
Elect.
3 infinite reverb to main
and to harmonizer 7, -7, 6, -17

wo long
U
pizz. arco pizz. s.p. arco

&‰ ≈ b œ. ‰ Œ ∑ Œ ≈ œ. Œ œ.(œ ‰) Œ ≈ œ . ≈ Oœ .. Oœ ‰
j
Vln.
œ . bœ
j
π œ. . œ. .
œ (# œ )
ƒ F
ƒ
wait for elect.

Elect. ÷ f explosive
to fade out

pizz.
bpizz.
œ long
U U U
s.p. arco

‰ ≈ œ(. œj) Œ b ww¢¢¢¢¢

molto s.p.

&b œ œ.
j ‰ Œ ‰ nœ ∑ ‰ Œ bœ ‰ Œ ≈ Œ ∑
# œ¢¢¢ œ œ. .
Vln. ¢¢¢¢¢
¢¢¢
f œ > ƒ f π f wait
ƒ f
for elect.
f to fade out

Elect. ÷
5 harmonizer off
Copyright © José Martínez 2017
www.josemartinezcomposer.com
 'burst'
3
C q = 116 s.p. Ÿ~~~
¿
semitone

molto s.p. sul E

≤ # œ.
.b œ œ. b œ. # .
pizz. ord.
bœ œ Œ bœ Œ œ
. œ # œ.
5:4

& ‰ œ œ œ bœ œ ‰ Œ j ‰ ≈ œ b œ œ. ‰ #
3

. œ œ
#œ . œ
œ bœ 3
Vln.
œ. œ œ. œ. fl p ƒ
fl fl
3

Elect. ÷ ƒ

b œ. , .
.b œ ˘ œ. # œ. œ œ. . >
#œ œ #œ ˙
poco accel.

b˙ . . # œ œ b œ. # œ œ œ
& #œ œ œ ≈ b œ ≈ n œ œ n œ. # œ. # œ n œ œ b œ.
. ≈ æ æ
Vln.
œ
Í ƒ ƒ
f
3

Elect. ÷
6 spectral freeze and harmonizer ON, increased

s.p.
. > # >
œ
>˙molto s.p.w w
D

>œ œ. # >œ œ >œ œ

pizz.
.
arco
Rhythmic and calculated q = 116
U ‰ ‰
Vln. &æ J‰æ J‰ æ æ æ æ æ æ ∑
Œ
bœ
3
∏ listen for the 16th note œ œ
ƒ
Elect. ÷ ¿ostinato
¿ ¿ ¿ before
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿playing
¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿
7 low drone and 16th ostinato
note ostinato fades in

.3 . 3
œ̆
‰ ‰‰ ≈‰ œ.
molto s.p.
J ≈
ord.

œ.
6

& œ bœ ‰ # œ. ‰ bœ
5

¿ œ bœ œ b œ # œ œ œ œ. # ˙˙ œ bœ œ bœ œ
Vln.
œ ‰ ¿ œ
J Í f 3
fl fl
Elect. ÷

œ œ b >˙ ˙
#œ æ ‰ j
s.p.
U U
ord.

æ
9

b ‰ ‰ ≈ ‰ ∑ ∑
3 5

& œ œ œ
3

œ œœ b œ b œ n œ œ œ œ bœ æ æ œ
œ æ
Vln.
œ. œ. # œ. n œ. œ
fl fl Í
listen for the 16th note
ƒ ostinato before playing

Elect. ÷ !!! ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

8 stretched loops
from live sampling
 'burst'
4

E
ord.
14 s.p.
‰ ≈ ≈ ‰ ‰ ‰
3

&
bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ. #œ nœ œ œ œ n œ.
Vln.
#œ œ œ œ.
p ƒ
Elect. ÷

Ÿni
# ˙~~~~~~
n
œ. œ. b œ.
B

œ œ. œ œ
sul E

#œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ.
16

& # ˙˙ ‰ ‰ ‰ # œ œæ œ
nœ bœ #œ œ nœ
Vln.

. p 3
f
Í f p F f
Elect. ÷
9

>œ h.
F

20
œ œ #œ œ U U #œ œ œ bœ
& œœ ‰ Œ ∑ ∑ œ œ ≈ Œ
œ bœ œœœ
Vln.
œ. listen for the 16th note œœœ
f ostinato before playing
F ƒ
Elect. ÷ !!! ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿
stretched loops
from live sampling

œ.
h. œ bœ
#œ ˙
#œ ˙ ŸI#~~~~~ Ÿni ~~~~~~~~
s.p.

# œ œ œœ b œ
5
24
œœ
& œœ ‰ Œ j
bœ #œ Ó
œ b œ œ œ œ œ # n œœ
œ
œ #œ œ œ
Vln.
˙
œ
F ƒ
f Í p f
3

ƒ
Elect. ÷
stretched loops
10 from live sampling
G
pizz.
>œ arco
28 sul G
œ ‰ Œ U s.p.

& ‰ ‰ Œ ‰ ‰ Œ ‰ Œ Ó
bœ œ #œ œ #œ bœ œœœœœœœœœœœœ
Vln.

F f listen for the 16th note p

Elect. ÷ U∑ ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿
ostinato before playing

33 ord.

& # œœ ‰ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ ≈ ≈
3

b œ. bœ œ. # œ œ n œ œ n œ b œ b œ # œœ œ . ˙
Vln.
. ˙
ƒ
Elect. ÷ Í
 'burst'
5

i
Ÿn ~~~~~~~~~~~~
s.p.
ord.
35

& #œ œ œ ≈ ‰ b œ. ‰ ‰ œ ‰
3 3

œ n œ # œ # œ. #˙
œ bœ œ œ œ #œ bœ ˙
3

œ >
Vln.
œ.
ƒ
Í
Elect. ÷

n œ.
#œ l
ord.

. Œ n œ œ # œ ≈ œ œ œ ≈ œ b œ b œ # œ ‰ n œ. œ bœ . œ
37 3 3

& ‰ œ # œ
Vln.
#œ œ œ. œ. œ
bœ nœ
œ œ. >
f ƒ Í
Elect. ÷

œ bœ w b œ. œ.
b œ # >œ # œ . œ ˙ n œ. J b œ. œ.
œ b œ. œ.
40

& œ bœ œ bœ bœ n n œœ ‰Œ
3

b œ. œ.
Vln.
œ n œ. 3 3

ƒ
3

÷
11 !!!
Elect.
stretched loops
from live sampling

Ÿiord.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
s.p.
Uw
semitone bw
44
U U change of string ad lib.
U
Vln. & ∑ Ó ∑
˙
p ƒ Ï
wide vibrato

Elect. ÷ ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿
more active loops
12
 'burst'
6

H
weak and groaning q = 116 pizz.

U U
s.t.
s.t.

‰ bœ . bœ ‰ Œ bœ ‰ bœ Œ
52 5

Vln. & œ ‰ Œ Œ Œ Œ ‰ bœ Œ ‰ bœ ‰ Œ
œ >
Œ
œ œ
œ f F
p
Elect. ÷
multitap delay with slight feedback
13
stretched loops on the background
I

b Oœ.
pizz. molto rubato
Ow
ord. arco
U Ȯ
. b b Ȯ bO Ȯ
ord.

# œ ‰ œ ‰ Œ ‰ œ Œ Œ b œ. ‰ œ. ‰ b œ ‰ Oœ # Oœ b œ
57 3

Vln. &‰ Œ ∑
f œ f p espress.
F
3

Elect. ÷
14 harmonizer and spectral freeze

w J
#˙ weak and groaning q = 116 pizz.

U s.t.
U
‰ bœ œ ‰ bœ Œ
60 5 3

& Ó bœ Œ Œ ‰ œ Œ Œ ‰ bœ Œ ‰ œ .#œ ‰ Œ
Vln.
œ œ œ
F p f >
Elect. ÷
15 multitap delay with slight feedback
K
molto rubato
œ b˙ nw
arco
U Oœ b b Ȯ bœ
b b Oœ n n Ȯ
ord.

& ‰ . œ Œ bœ ‰ Œ Ȯ
64

∑
. f.
Vln.

F p
÷
espress.
Elect.
16 harmonizer and spectral freeze

L weak and groaning q = 116

>œ b œ U >œ œ . U
arco pizz.
s.t. arco
s.t. pizz.

bœ ‰ œ bœ ‰ 5 Œ ‰ bœ bœ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ œ Œ œ ‰ œ ‰ Œ
s.t.
œ
67

& œ ‰ ‰ bœ Œ Œ ‰‰ ‰ ‰ Œ
>
Vln.

p p f p
f
3 3

Elect. ÷
17 multitap delay with slight feedback
M

bœ œ ˙ bœ w
molto rubato

bœ œ
œ
b b Ȯ n n Ow
pizz. ord.
72
U Ȯ
Vln. & ‰ ‰ ‰ ∑
p
÷ f
3 3 espress.

Elect.
18 harmonizer and spectral freeze
 'burst'
arco 7
N weak and groaning q = 116
bœ œ . U
s.t.

bœ n œo
arco sul D
pizz.

bœ ‰ œ Œ
75

‰ Œ ‰ Œ ‰ Œ Œ Œ Œ ‰ ‰
s.t.
& bœ
œ bœ bœ
Vln.
œ œ
f
5

p p
3

Elect. ÷
19 modulated multitap delay with increased feedback

O
bw
long

˙ n˙ , bw ˙
˙ ˙
Flexible
w
Oœ. b b Oœ. .. U œ U
ord.

Vln. & Œ ‰ ‰≈ ∑ ∑
p espress.
f
3

Elect. ÷
20 harmonizer and spectral freeze

.
becoming more aggressive
. œ.
œ bœ ˙
. œ U . . . œœ. œ.
pizz. arco
b œ b œ . œ . œ . b . œ
& ‰ œ bœ œ nœ bœ ! ! ! ! Œ œ œ. œ̆ œ œ̆ œ œ œ œ œ
81

Vln.
œ Í fl œ œ
F f f fl fl
÷
6

Elect.
21 modulated multitap delay with increased feedback

œ œ bUœ U̇ . bœ œ ˙
U .
accel.
. . œ. # œ. œ.
&! ! Œ œ œ. b œ œ̆ œ œ œ̆ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ
. . . . !
86

Vln.

fl œ œ
Í f fl fl Í ƒ
÷
6

Elect.

molto accel.
˘œ ˘œ ˘œ >œ U˙ .
#
5

. œ œ œ œ
5

œœ b œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ
5

U
œ b œœ . œœ
œ œ
˘ U
Œ
& œ . . œ œ œ œ. . . œ . . . œ . . . œ . . œ œ œ œ ˙. Œ
Vln.
fl œ. fl œ. fl œ. œ
œ œ œ œ
fl fl fl
p
÷
5

Elect.
22
 'burst'
8
Q Freely and spacious
U U U
Con sord. always very flexible s.p.

& œœœœœœœœœ Œ b œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ n œœ Œ œ bœ œ bœ ‰
¿¿ ¿
Vln.
¿ p f
p F p F p p
÷
with fatigue

Elect.
23 time stretched live sampling and freeze
(q ~ 116)
UO
sul G
surprising sul D
U˙
Oœ. œo b œ. ¿
col legno
U U U
ord.

& b œœ œœ œœ œœ b b œœ œœ œœ œœ œ.œ œ.œ œ.œ œ.œ œ.œ Œ Œ b œœ œœ œœ B œœ Œ

( )

Vln. O nœ
F ∏ f p F p
Elect. ÷

U U
sul G s.t. ord. m.s.t.

Vln. & œ œ œ œ # œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ Œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœœœœ

Œ
œœœœœœœœ
p F p f n F n

Elect. ÷ fading away