"Repeject Bound" for Bass Clarinet. Bil Smith Composer

 

"Repeject Bound"

For Bass Clarinet

Bil Smith Composer

Link to Large Scale PDF Score

26" X 16"

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W83jYyFl4uZwpU80av-UiGwL54C9ydSA/view?usp=sharing

Commentary by Arthur Caswell, Music Critic and Curator

Decoding the Cryptic Multi-Modal Notation of "Repeject Bound"

Composer Bil Smith is no stranger to experimentation, as evidenced in his bass clarinet solo "Repeject Bound." Atypical even by Smith's inventive standards, the score of "Repeject Bound" relies on a multi-modal notational system, weaving together diverse graphical, textual and traditional musical elements into an esoteric tapestry of expressionistic guidance.

A superficial glance reveals a dizzying array of information-dense zones occluding any sense of orientation. Yet patient examination unlocks interwoven streams of directives working in concert to encapsulate Smith's artistic intents. The expressive markings, while oblique at first, cohere into an unorthodox but innately logical language.

Most strikingly, Smith augments the standard musical staves with horizontal graphical timelines demarcating controlled improvisatory spaces. These zones are linked to text instructions and mnemonic visual symbols designating extended techniques - key clicks, tongue pops, pitch bends and microtones. Italian terms connect this expansion of vocabulary back to conventional notation vernacular.

By integrating old and new, the multi-modal score speaks simultaneously to tradition and innovation. It grants trained musicians a foothold while exposing avenues for reinvention. This clever interplay forms the crux of Smith’s boundary-pushing aesthetic.

Simultaneously, the visual hierarchy provides deeper structure through right-justified duration markers. These strata map the piece into proportionally-notated phases aligned to golden ratio dimensions. Nested numeric sequences offer self-similarity at varying magnitudes, enabling nested meta-improvisation.

Far from random, the terrifying initial complexity of "Repeject Bound" disentangles into an intricately engineered ecosystem, at once chaotic yet ordered. As Smith himself stated, "It only seems unruly until you detect the underlying patterns." Through mature interrogation and patience, the performer can traverse Smith’s left-field innovation to unlock mysteriously satisfying coherence.