Journal articles on the topic 'Variations (Clarinet and harp)'

Commissioned by the Three Choirs Festival and performed there for the first time on 13 August by the Philharmonia Orchestra under Martyn Brabbins, these variations on Vaughan Williams's hymn tune ‘Down Ampney’ (so named after the village of the composer's birth), were surprising individual successes. The overall shape of the work, arch-like with a slow-fast-slow-fast-slow structure, was suggested by John McCabe, celebrating his 65th birthday year and featured composer at this year's Three Choirs. McCabe, joined in this collaborative effort by Robert Saxton, James Francis Brown, David Matthews and Judith Bingham, also sensibly requested that the orchestration be limited to double woodwind, modest brass and percussion sections, harp and the usual strings.

Underwater recordings of harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) vocalizations, obtained within the breeding herd during March, were examined with respect to calling rate and repetition of calls. Vocalizations typically overlapped one another. Calling rates ranged from 32 to 88 calls/min. Repetition rates averaged between 1.9 and 4.7 sound pulses/call (maximum repetition 24 times). Approximately 30% of the calls were not repeated and 40% were repeated twice. We found no significant relationships between calling rates and repetition rates. There were no variations in these factors throughout the day or month. An automatic level control on the recorder and the overlapping of the calls may have compromised the counts by altering the effective sampling area. The use of vocalization indexes in association with population estimations may be possible only when calls do not overlap.

This study deals with the acoustical factors liable to account for expressiveness in clarinet performances. Mechanical and expressive performances of excerpts from Bach's Suite No. II and Mozart's Quintet for Clarinet and Strings were recorded. Timbre, timing, dynamics, and pitch descriptors were extracted from the recorded performances. The data were processed using a two-way analysis of variance, where the musician's expressive intentions and the note factors were defined as the independent variables. In both musical excerpts, a strong effect of the expressive intention was observed on the timbre (attack time, spectral centroid, odd/even ratio), timing (intertone onset intervals) and dynamics (root mean square envelope) descriptors. The changes in the timbre descriptors were found to depend on the position of the notes in the musical phrases. These results suggest that timbre, as well as timing and dynamics variations, may mediate expressiveness in the musical messages transmitted from performers to listeners.

We investigated the effects of variations in tone quality on listeners' perception of both tone quality and intonation. University music and nonmusic major instrumentalists and high school students participating in instrumental ensembles served as listeners ( N = 116). High-quality digital samples of clarinet, trumpet, and trombone tones were used. The original tone quality of each instrument was manipulated to produce experimental stimuli of “bright” and “dark” relative to the unaltered tone quality. Results indicated that the more inexperienced instrumentalists rated stimuli that were relatively “brighter' in tone quality as sharper in intonation, and conversely, stimuli of relatively ”darker' tone quality were judged to be flatter in intonation. For the brass instruments, listeners judged the unaltered and bright tones as better in tone quality than tones that were relatively dark. However, for the clarinet tones, the bright tone quality was judged to be worse than unaltered or dark-quality stimuli.

We analysed the relationship of length to age in a sample of 204 harp seals collected in 1976–1979 and of 437 animals collected in 1988–1992, by fitting asymptotic growth curves. The only significant variations were in asymptotic length, which for 1988–1992 was significantly larger for males (170.4 cm) than for females (165.3 cm). This sexual dimorphism was not significant in 1976–1979, because the fitted asymptotic length of females varied greatly from year to year, being large in the 1976–1979 samples. An index of body condition (total weight/length2.6) and a volume index constructed by regressing body weight on length × axillary girth squared indicated that harp seals collected in 1988–1992 were in poorer condition than animals collected during 1976–1979. Although this suggests a decline in available resources, the possibility of differences arising from sampling bias cannot be excluded.

Abstract The study of trophic relationships in seals is based primarily on prey remains recovered from the digestive tract or scats. Basic data on the gastric properties of seals are scarce and are considered to be important to interpret data from dietary studies of these animals. Hence, we examined the key properties of the gastric chyme post mortem (i.e. temperature, acidity, and the concentration of the proteolytic enzyme pepsin) in free-ranging harp (Pagophilus groenlandicus, n=40) and hooded (Cystophora cristata, n=41) seals. Seals displayed huge inter-individual variations in their gastric properties with ranges in temperature: 23.9–37.9°C, acidity: pH 1.16–7.34, and pepsin concentration: 11–1059 μg ml−1 chyme. The stomach weight and the mean values of gastric parameters revealed, however, significant species-specific differences. The stomach weight relative to body weight of hooded seal exceeded that of harp seal (t=13.77, d.f.=75, p<0.001). Furthermore, the gastric temperature and pepsin concentration were lower for harp (32.8°C and 75 μg ml−1) compared to that for hooded (35.3°C and 344 μg ml−1) seal. The reason for this disparity may be linked to the feeding mode and diet composition displayed by these seal species.

The long-term mechanical behaviour of a number of fluorocarbon and gut harp strings has been examined, and the results compared with a previous study of rectified nylon strings. The stretching behaviour of the three materials was studied via different measures of the Young’s modulus; with test time scales on the order of weeks, minutes, and milliseconds. The strings were subjected to cyclic variations in temperature, enabling various aspects of their thermal behaviour to be investigated. The effects of humidity changes on gut strings were also examined. The behaviour of the fluorocarbon strings was found to be similar in many ways to that of the nylon strings, despite their different chemical formulation and significantly higher density. In particular, the faster measures of Young’s modulus were found to show an almost identical strong variation with the applied stress; while the thermal behaviour of both materials was largely determined by the balance between opposing effects associated with thermal contraction and thermal variations in the Young’s modulus. The gut strings showed some similarities of behaviour to the synthetic materials, but also major differences. All three measures of the Young’s modulus remained constant as the applied stress was increased. The gut strings were far more sensitive to changes in humidity than the synthetic materials, although some of the results, especially the thermal tuning sensitivity of the strings when held at constant length, displayed remarkable stability under changing humidity. The observed behaviour suggests very strongly that there is significant coupling between humidity-related changes in the linear density of a gut string and complementary changes in its tension.

The consumption of various prey species, required by the Barents Sea harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) stock in order to cover their energy demands, has been estimated by combining data on the energy density of prey species and on seasonal variations in the energy expenditure and body condition of the seals. Data on diet composition and body condition were collected in the period 1990-1996 by sampling harp seals during different seasons, in various areas of the Barents Sea. All diet composition data were based on reconstructed prey biomass, and adjustments were made for differences in digestibility of crustaceans and fish. The number of seals representing different age and sex groups were calculated for the entire population, and the monthly food requirements were estimated. In 1998, the total Barents Sea harp seal stock was estimated to comprise 2.22 million seals based on a mean production of 301,000 pups. After adjustments for a pup mortality of 30% its total annual food consumption was estimated to be in the range of 3.35-5.05 million tonnes (depending on choice of input parameters). Assuming that there are seasonal changes in basal metabolic rate associated withchanges in body mass, and that the field metabolic rate of the seals corresponded to two times their predicted basal metabolic rate, the annual food consumption of the Barents Sea harp seal stock was estimated. If capelin (Mallolus villosus) was assumed to be abundant, the annual total consumption was estimated to be 3.35 million tonnes, of which 1,223,800 tonnes were crustaceans, 807,800 tonneswere capelin, 605,300 tonnes were polar cod (Boreogadus saida), 212,400 tonnes were herring (Clupea harengus), 100,500 tonnes were cod (Gadus morhua) and 404,200 tonnes were "other fish". A very low capelin stock in the Barents Sea (as it was in the period 1993-1996) led to switches in seal diet composition, with increased consumption of polar cod (from ca. 16%-18 % to ca. 23%-25 % oftotal consumption), other gadoids (dominated by cod, but also including haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) and saithe (Pollachius virens)), herring, and "other fish". Using the same set of assumptions as in the previous estimate, the total consumption would have been 3.47 million tonnes, divided between various prey species as follows (in tonnes): polar cod 876,000, codfish (cod, saithe and haddock) 359,700, "other fish" 618,800, herring 392,500, and crustaceans 1,204,200. Overall, the largest quantities of food were estimated to be consumed in the period June-September.In 1999, the total Barents Sea harp seal stock size was estimated to be 2.18 (95% CI, 1.79 to 2.58) million animals, which would give an annual food consumption in the range of 2,69 - 3.96 million tonnes (based on upper and lower 95% confidence limits and adjusted for a pup mortality rate of 0.3) if capelin is assumed to be abundant.

The thirty-second Wien Modern was an extraordinary month-long festival of concerts and events with almost 90 world and Austrian premieres. The excellent Klangforum Wien programme at the Wiener Konzerthaus, conducted by Bas Wiegers, was well attended by an enthusiastic and mostly young-ish audience, where the focus was two first performances for large ensemble: Klaus Lang's linea mundi and Mirela Ivičević's Sweet Dreams. The evening was, in fact, billed as being ‘in honour’ of Ivičević who had won the Erste Bank Composition Prize 2019 with this piece. Ivičević is a Croatian composer now living in Vienna and her work shows an involvement with big themes: politics, diversity and violence, among others. Apart from concert pieces she works with different media and takes by-products of popular trash culture often as a starting point for her work. In interviews she has talked about the ‘subversive potency of sound’, and said that her work is ‘raw, imperfect, unpolished’, which this piece, and other recent examples you can hear on YouTube, demonstrate, despite her quite rigorous musical education in Zagreb and Vienna. Sweet Dreams is a lively, noisy, busy piece about the rapid change between sleep and waking states. The large ensemble, including harmonium, electric guitar and harp, opens with monumental repeated sections, dramatic but with a sense of direction toward slow, strong, pedal entries. Rough punctuation from alto saxophone, bass clarinet and trumpet adds to the ‘rawness’ but the writing is assured with a particular, individual imagination and sense of colour that bodes well for future work.

Abstract The fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5)/land surface model (LSM) is used to simulate the diurnal island-scale circulations over the island of Hawaii during the Hawaiian Rainband Project (HaRP, 11 July–24 August 1990). The model is initialized with the NCEP–NCAR reanalysis data. The diurnal variations of the land–sea thermal contrast at the land surface and the planetary boundary layer at Hilo, Hawaii, are well simulated. The main discrepancy occurs on the leeside areas of mountains or ridges below the trade wind inversion (2 km), where the simulated afternoon land–sea thermal contrast at the surface is 1°–3°C lower than observed mainly due to the misrepresentation of lava rocks by the bare ground category in the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data and stronger than observed simulated sea breezes bringing in relatively cool maritime air. The flow deceleration and splitting of the incoming trade wind flow and the evolution of the diurnal circulation cells on the windward side, the thermally driven diurnal winds, and the wake circulations on the lee side are well simulated. The simulated diurnal variations in rainfall are also in good agreement with observations. However, the simulated winds in areas well exposed to the trade wind flow are weaker (1–3 m s−1) than observed mainly due to the underestimation of trade wind flow in the NCEP–NCAR reanalysis. The simulated rainfall over windward lowlands at night is underestimated and the maximum rainfall axis shifts farther toward the coast as compared with observations, due to an underestimation of orographic lifting aloft and a relatively large horizontal extent of the simulated katabatic flow because of the weaker- than-observed trade wind flow in the initial conditions. In the afternoon hours on the windward side, the strongest winds (anabatic/sea breeze and trade wind flow) are simulated in low levels over land in response to the surface heating, with a westerly wind deviation beneath the mean trade wind inversion (2 km) and sinking motion over the adjacent oceans. The simulated low-level flow deceleration of the incoming trade wind flow is most significant in the early morning as a combination of island blocking and nocturnal cooling over land. At that time, the simulated upward motion representing the rising branch of the thermally direct circulation extends more than 40 km offshore. Sensitivity tests show that with better surface conditions in the model coupled with the Oregon State University (OSU) LSM, the simulated thermal forcing over land is improved. The improvements in simulated ground temperature, land–sea thermal contrast at the land surface, and mixing ratio lead to better simulation of the strength of land/sea breezes over the island.

Abstract Islands in Hawaii have different sizes and terrain heights with notable differences in climate and weather. In this study, the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5) land surface model (LSM) is used to conduct numerical simulations for the island of Hawaii with different model terrain heights and sizes during the diurnal cycle for the Hawaiian Rainband Project (HaRP) period. In addition to island blocking and orographic lifting, terrain heights also affect the land surface thermal forcing throughout the diurnal cycle by the variations of orographic clouds during the day and by the variations of the longwave radiation heat loss at night. The simulated rainfall distributions and amounts throughout the diurnal cycle are closely related to rising motions caused by nonlinear interactions among island blocking, orographic lifting, and land surface processes. Besides the terrain/mountain height, island size is another factor that affects rainfall production and distribution in Hawaii, because island size affects orographic lifting, surface forcing, and the advection time scale for an air parcel to reach the mountaintop. The heavy rainfall maximum on the mountaintop of the island of Kauai is due to its suitable height and size. This study confirms that the evening rainfall maximum along the western Kona leeside coast is caused by the convergence between the westerly return flow and the offshore flow. For a lower model terrain, the westerly return flow is weaker; as a result, there are smaller evening rainfall amounts.

Douglas Hensley has been an active chamber musician ever since he took up serious study of the classical guitar. He received bachelor and master's degrees under the direction of David Tanenbaum from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and he has studied with many other musicians in private lessons and master classes. Over the past ten years he has premiered close to fifty new compositions, performed numerous U.S. premieres and the West Coast premiere of Elliott Carter's “Changes” for solo guitar. For Opus One Records in New York he has recorded Larry Polansky's “Hensley Variations” and David Loeb's “Trois Cansos” with flautist Kenneth Kramer and violist John Casten. He has also recorded a collection of duets with Japanese shakuhachi master Masayuka Koga, “Autumn Mist,” for Fortuna Records of Novato, California. His principal activities are as cofounder (with violist/violinist John Casten) and guitarist of the San Francisco-based contemporary performance ensemble ISKRA, which is made up of flute, clarinet, guitar, violin/viola, doublebass and soprano voice. Anyone with additional information about flute, viola, guitar trios (or other chamber music with guitar), or queries, is urged to contact him at 607-A Frederick St., San Francisco, CA 94117.

Abstract Variations in the extent of sea ice within the Greenland Sea on daily, seasonal, or longer time scales are well documented, while changes in ice conditions are not. By combining historical information on the location and timing of the hunt for the whelping harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) with the ice conditions needed for the seals to give birth, details of the types, concentration, and extent of ice within the central Greenland Sea in winter have been determined for the mid- to late nineteenth century. These in turn have been compared to ice extent and concentration from the passive microwave era, as well as ice types from field work in the region. Results suggest that the ice conditions in the central Greenland Sea in the mid- to late nineteenth century were significantly different from those witnessed in recent decades. These differences manifest themselves not only in the extent of ice, but in ice types, concentration, and longevity of the ice cover. It is hypothesized that these changes could be due to an increase in both air temperature and wave energy, which is consistent with an increase in the strength and frequency of southerly and easterly winds during winter.

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes at eight headwater basins in south-central Ontario were strongly related to seasonal streamflow, and extreme events contributed to both interannual and intercatchment variability. Six catchments with high stream DOC and greater peatland coverage exhibited a different seasonal pattern of DOC concentration compared with two catchments with low DOC and less wetland influence. In wetland-dominated catchments, DOC concentrations decreased during fall wet-up and spring melt, and because of the dominance of the spring melt period in annual budgets, variations in spring flow explained 39%–48% of the intervariability in DOC concentration. Significant increases in average DOC concentration between 1980 and 2001 at all six wetland-dominated catchments were driven by relatively high DOC concentrations in the latter years of record, consistent with low spring flow in these years, and were not translated into greater DOC export to downstream lakes. Localized rainstorms in summer and fall resulted in differences in DOC export among adjacent catchments, and a single fall storm in September 1998 was only detected at one of six catchments draining into Harp Lake but accounted for one-quarter of the annual tributary DOC load to the lake.

Net mineralization and nitrification in surface forest soils were measured in upland forest stands and valley peatlands using in situ soil incubations at two headwater catchments of Harp Lake, Ontario from July 1995 to October 1996. No difference in either net N mineralization or nitrification was observed between the two adjacent catchments despite differences in catchment N export. Annual rates of net N mineralization in surface 10 cm were higher in forest soils of the deciduous (11.5 ± 3.1 g/m2; mean ± SE) and conifer-mixed (conifer-hardwoods) (13.9 ± 2.3 g/m2) stands than in peatland soils (1.6 ± 0.6 g/m2). Mean annual nitrification rates were higher in deciduous soils (6.6 ± 0.7 g N/m2) than in mixed stands (1.9 ± 0.6 g N/m2) and peatland soils (0.1 ± 0.2 g N/m2). Annual net N mineralization and nitrification were correlated with variations in soil C and N content and moisture associated with different forest stands. Frequent winter incubations indicate that net mineralization and nitrification under snow cover in upland surface soils can contribute as much as 49 and 23% of the annual net production, respectively. The importance of forest vegetation patterns, winter N transformations, and dissolved organic N pools to total N and NO3- cycling and leaching in these catchments is discussed.

Background. In recent scholar resources musicologists actively study the problem of typology of chamber song cycle. The article cites analytical observations of M. Kolotylenko on works in this genre by R. Strauss (2014), of I. Leopa – on G. Mahler’s (2017), of N. Vlasova – on A. Schoenberg’s (2007). It is stated, that unlike Austro-German phenomena of this kind have been studied to a certain degree, song cycle “Summer Nights” by H. Berlioz hasn’t received adequate research yet, although it is mentioned by N. Vlasova as on of the foremost experiences of this kind. It allows to regard the French author as a pioneer in tradition of chamber song cycle. The aim of given research is to reveal the essence of orchestration as a part of songs cycle’s artistic whole. In order to achieve it, semantical, compositionally-dramaturgical and intonational methods of research are used. Originally, “Summer Nights” were meant to be performed by a duo of voice and piano (1834). It was not until 1856 that composer orchestrated this cycle, similarly to the way G. Mahler and in several cases R. Strauss done it later. The foundation of cycle by H. Berlioz are six poems from a set by T. Gautier «La Comédie de la mort», published in 1838. In spite of having epic traits, this set is still an example of lyrical poesy, where subjective is being generalised, while chosen motive of death, according to L.Ginzburg, corresponds to existential essence of lyric (L. Ginzburg). French poet, prose writer, critic, author ow the poems set to music in “Summer Nights” by H. Berlioz – Théophile Gautier (1811–1872) – is one of the most enigmatic and singular figures in history of XIX century art. He was eclipsed by his contemporaries, although his creativity paved the way for upcoming symbolism, that incarnated in poetry of C. Baudelaire, and set “Émaux et Camées” became an aesthetic ideal for Parnassian School. A work by H. Berlioz on lyrics by T. Gautier consists of four songs: “Villanelle”, “Le Spectre de la Rose”, “Sur le lagunes”, “Absence”, “Au cimetiere. Clair de Lune” and “L`ile Inconnue”. It is founded on a plot of lyrical type, that is built according to the principle of appearing associations. Lyrical “I”, whose inner world is revealed during the cycle, provides logical congruity of the work. Each mélodie has its own spectrum of images, united by general lyrical plot. The first and last songs, grounding on a theme of nature, create thematic arch. The denouement of the plat falls on “L`ile Inconnue”, where hero’s conclusion about impossibility of everlasting love is proclaimed. The orchestra part is equal significance with the voice and intonated verbal text, simultaneously playing an important role in illuminating underlying meaning of the lyrics. H. Berlioz doesn’t tend to use supplementary woodwind instruments. Although, each instrument reveals its unique sonic and expressive possibilities, demonstrating its singular characteristics. Due to that an orchestra becomes differentiated, turning into a flexible living organism. Composer doesn’t use exceedingly large orchestra, moreover, each song has its unique set of performers. However, there are stable players: strings (including double basses), two flutes, 2 clarinets (in A and in B). Besides of that, H. Berlioz occasionally uses the timbre of solo oboe, bassoons, natural French horns in different keys, and in the second song he employs coloristic potential of the harp. From a standpoint of the semantics, the score is built according to the principle of the opposition between two spheres. The former one is attached to the motives of the nature and has pastoral mod. At the same time, it reveals idealistic expanse of dreams and vision, thus being above the existing realm. This sphere is represented by woodwinds and brass. The latter, on the contrary, places the hero in real time. It is a sphere of sensuality, of truly human, it also touches themes of fate and inevitable death. It is characteristic that this sphere is incarnated through string instruments. Although, the harp cannot be bracketed with either of the groups. This elusive timbre in instrumental palette is saved for “Le Spectre de la Rose” and creates unsubstantial image of a soul ascending to Heaven. H. Berlioz evades usage of mixed timbers in joining of different groups of the orchestra. Even when he does it, it has sporadic nature and provides emphasis on a particular motive. Orchestral tutti are almost non-existent. Composer uses concerto principle quite regularly as well. Additional attention must be drawn to psychologising of role of clarinet and semantisation of flute and bassoon. Clarinet becomes a doppelganger of lyrical “I” and, quite like a personality of a human, acquires ambivalent characteristics. Because of that, it interacts not only with its light group, but with low strings as well, thus demonstrating an ability to transformation of the image. Bassoon reflects the image of the death. This explains its rare usage as well as specific way of interaction with other instruments and groups. Flute is attached to the image of the nature, symbolises a white dove, that in a poetry of T. Gautier represents an image of beautiful maiden. Consequently, this allows to state that timbre of flute incarnates the image of lyrical hero’s love interest. The most significant instruments of string group are the low ones, accenting either the aura of dark colours or sensuality and passion. Neglecting the tradition requiring lyrical hero to be paired with a certain voice type, H. Berlioz in each mélodie uses different timbres, that suit coloristic incarnation of the miniature the most in the terms of tessiture and colour. A conclusion is made, that composer become a forefather of chamber song cycle of new type, with its special trait being equivalence of the voice and the orchestra, that allows them to create united multi-layered integrity

On 29 August 1865, an audience of critics and the general public gathered at the Salle Herz in Paris to witness and pass judgment on the results of an experiment set up three years earlier by the instrument manufacturer Alphonse Sax Jr, who aimed to demonstrate not only that women were capable of playing brass instruments, but that it was in their interests — on moral, health and potentially even career grounds — to do so. Although this concert of brass-band music, with supplementary items for harp and voice, marked the band's third public appearance (they had performed at the Palais d'Industrie in December 1864 and at a brass-band competition in Orbec earlier in August 1865), it was their first appearance at a major concert venue and represented their début in front of the massed Parisian press. When they walked on stage, members of the audience sniggered at the sight of a group of young women carrying brass instruments covering the entire range from the portable cornet to the heavyweights of the bass section. Plainly dressed, with only moderately full skirts, they proceeded to play an arrangement of Partant pour la Syrie, a popular romance set as a quick march, which was then thought to be by Eugénie de Beauharnais, and which under the reign of her son Napoléon III had gained the status of a national hymn. The march had been arranged by the group's conductor, Laure Micheli, who directed the ensemble in two other pieces. To wide acclaim, Émilie Lacroix then played a set of variations for cornet à pistons, arranged by J.-B. Dias, on the tune Le carnaval de Venise. The remaining members of the sextet are shadowy figures: Mlle Dias on second cornet (presumably the sister or daughter of the arranger Dias), Mlle Suzanne Legrand and Mme Neckra in the alto section, and Mlle Marie Legrand (presumably the sister of Suzanne) and Mme Worms playing bass instruments. The supporting artists were all women: the singers Mlle Marcus (also referred to in the press as Mlle Marens or Mlle Marius) and Mme Neulat de Chambon, and the harpist Mlle Waldteufel (a joint first-prize winner at the Paris Conservatoire and former pupil of Antoine Prumier); Suzanne Legrand doubled as accompanist for the singers.

Opera Zora D., composed by Isidora Zebeljan during 2002 and 2003, and which was premiered in Amsterdam in June 2003, is the first Serbian opera that had a world premiere abroad. It is also the first Serbian opera that has been staged outside Serbia since 1935, after being acclaimed at a competition organized by the Genesis Foundation from London. Isidora Zebeljan was commissioned (granted financial backing) to compose a complete opera with a secured stage realization. The Dutch Chamber Opera (Opera studio Nederland) and the Viennese Chamber Opera (Wiener Kammeroper) were the co-producers of the first production. The opera was directed by David Pountney, the renowned opera director, while an international team of young singers and celebrated artists assisted the co-production. The opera was played three times in Amsterdam. Winfried Maczewski conducted the Amsterdam Nieuw Ensemble whereas Daniel Hoyem Cavazza conducted the Wiener Kammeroper on twelve performances. The Viennese premier of Zora D. opened the season of celebrations, thus marking the 50th anniversary of the Wiener Kammeroper. The libretto, based on the script for a TV film by Dusan Ristic, was co-written by Isidora Zebeljan, Milica Zebeljan and Borislav Cicovacki. Speaking of genre, the libretto represents a m?lange of thriller, melodrama and mystery, with elements of fiction. The opera consists of the prologue and seven scenes. The story, set in the present-day Belgrade, also goes back to the 1930?s and the periods interweave. The opera was written for four vocalists: the soprano, the baritone, and two mezzo-sopranos. The chamber orchestra has fifteen musicians. The story: One summer day in 1935, Belgrade poetess Zora Dulijan mysteriously disappears. Sixty years later, Mina, an ordinary girl from Belgrade, quite unexpectedly becomes part of an incredible story, which gradually unravels as time goes by. Led by a dream (recurring night after night, with some vague verses about poplar trees and contours of a mysterious woman with a silver scarf being all that Mina remembers) she sets out to solve the mystery that seems to haunt her for no apparent reason. Part of the secret is also an invisible force, which Mina uses to gradually piece together the story of a great love that was brutally brought to an end 60 years ago and now seeks fulfillment. At the same time, Vida, a woman in her 80s, who has just returned to Belgrade from a long exile, begins to feel tortured and haunted by ghouls from the past, the very same she has been trying to escape all those years. Mina, desperate to solve the mystery, and Vida, in search of final rest and redemption, meet to disclose to us the answer and tell us what really happened to Zora D. The leading characters of the opera, whose main attribute is illusiveness, undergo transformation that is something rarely found in opera literature. This quality of the characters and the story, as well as the absence of a real drama in the libretto, matches the specific idea of a contemporary opera. Unlike composers who insist on giving characters psychological quality, thus reducing their emotions to clich?s for reasons of clarity, Isidora Zebeljan demonstrates a need for a completely different type of opera. Her idea is to have an opera which focuses on the sensual exploits of music itself. This is the very type of opera sought after by Isidora Zebeljan. The first and most striking feature of her music is a very unique melodic invention. Opera Zora D. could be described as a necklace of thickly threaded music pearls. Microelements of the traditional music from Serbia (Vojvodina), Romania and the south of the Balkans give her melodies a very special quality. Those elements, however, have not been taken over in their entirety, nor do they exist in the form that would link this music to any particular type of folk music. Music elements of the traditional music, incorporated in the music expression of Isidora Zebeljan, provide additional distinctiveness and the colour, while being experienced as an integral part of Zebeljan?s creative being which carries within itself the awareness of the composer?s musical roots. Melodic elements of the opera expressed in such a manner give form to vocal parts, which require of performers great musicality and perfect technique without compromising the nature of their vocal expression. Specific chords with a diminished fifth, resulting from the use of folk music scales with augmented second, give the opera a distinct harmonic quality. The rhythmic and metric components of music are complex, naturally stemming from the melody and are characterized by a mixture of rhythms and changeable metrics. The rhythmic patterns of percussion are incorporated in the whole by parallel lining up of melodic and rhythmic layers, so that they produce sonorous multiplicity. Very often the rhythmic elements have characteristics of a dance. The chamber orchestra consists of flute (piccolo and alto), clarinet and bass-clarinet, saxophone (soprano and alto) bassoon, French horn, trumpet, harp, piano, percussion, and string quintet. By providing specific orchestration and coloring, Isidora Zebeljan manages to completely shift the real dramatic suspense from words to music particularly the orchestra, thus causing various emotional states to quickly change. Speaking of structure, the opera represents an infinite sequence of melodies. Although rarely, melodic entities have, in some places, the form of arias. There are no real recitatives in the entire opera. Each segment of the opera belongs to a corresponding melodic section of the stage that they are part of. The extraordinary quality of the music in Zora D. lies in the music surprise that it provides, which is an element of the composer?s language and style rarely seen in the music literature but is a symbol of a special talent. Emotional states are not merely evoked through particular musical clich?s, the unusual origin of which may be found in the exceptional parallel quality of states stemming from the very music. The listener, in his or her initial encounter with the music of the opera, will never hear dark and disconsolate music when tragic and dramatic happenings are taking place. Listening to the music will, however, help them feel the sound layer of the tragedy that is present in the offered sound. They will not follow it consciously but, instead, they will be leaded to the exact emotional stimulus that they will not be able to defy rationally. Such a music expression we call a music fiction. Artistic team involved in the first production of Zora D. has discovered a HVS technique, which helps shifting elements of scenography, from one set into the next, very efficiently and effectively. Isidora Zebeljan?s opera Zora D. represents a great success of Serbian music on the international scene, and undoubtedly the greatest success of Serbian opera. Her music liberates listeners from the compulsion of reflecting upon the content they are listening to. Instead, her music compels them to feel.

Ancient Song Recovered: The Life and Music of Veljo Tormis, by Mimi S. Daitz. Pendragon Press, $54.00/£36.00.The Works of Eduard Tubin: Thematic-Bibliographical Catalogue of Works by Vardo Rumessen. International Eduard Tubin Society/Gehrmans Musikförlag, E.57.TORMIS: ‘Vision of Estonia’ II. The Ballad of Mary's Land; Reflections with Hando Runnel; Days of Outlawry; God Protect Us from War; Journey of the War Messenger; Let the Sun Shine!; Voices from Tammsaare's Herdboy Days; Forget-me-not; Mens' Songs. Estonian National Male Choir c. Ants Soots. Alba NCD 20.TORMIS: ‘Vision of Estonia’ III. The Singer; Songs of the Ancient Sea; Plague Memory; Bridge of Song; Going to War; Dialectical Aphorisms; Song about a Level Land; We Are Given; An Aboriginal Song; The Estonians' Political Parties Game; Song about Keeping Together; Martinmas Songs; Shrovetide Songs; Three I Had Those Words of Beauty. Estonian National Male Choir c. Ants Soots. Alba NCD 23.TAMBERG: Cyrano de Bergerac. Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus of Estonian National Opera c. Paul Mägi. CPO 999 832-2 (2-CD set).ROSENVALD: Violin Concerto Nos. 11 and 2, Quasi una fantasia2; Two Pastorales3; Sonata capricciosa4; Symphony No. 35; Nocturne6. 1,2Lemmo Erendi (vln), Tallinn CO c. Neeme Järvi, 2Estonian State SO c. Jüri Alperten; 3Estonian State SO c. Vello Pähn; 4Valentina Gontšarova (vln); 56Estonian State SO c. Neeme Järvi. Antes BM-CD 31.9197.DEAN: Winter Songs. TÜÜR: Architectonics I. VASKS: Music for a Deceased Friend. PÄRT: Quintettino. NIELSEN: Wind Quintet. Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet, with Daniel Norman (tenor), c. Hermann Bäumer. BIS-CD–1332.TULEV: Quella sera; Gare de l'Est; Adiós/Œri Ráma in memoriam; Isopo; Be Lost in the Call. NYYD Ensemble c. Olari Elts. Eesti Raadio ERCD047.ESTONIAN COMPOSERS I: MÄGI: Vesper.1 KANGRO: Display IX.2 SUMERA: Shakespeare's Sonnets Nos. 8 & 90.3TAMBERG: Desiderium Concordiae.4 TULEV: String Quartet No. 1.5 EESPERE: Glorificatio.6 TORMIS: Kevade: Suite.71Estonian National SO c. Aivo Välja; 24NYYD Ensemble c. Olari Elts; 3Pirjo Levadi (soprano), Mikk Mikiver (narrator), Estonian National Boys' Choir, Estonian National SO c. Paul Mägi; 5Tallinn String Quartet; 6Kaia Urb (sop), Academic Male Choir of Tallinn Technical University c. Arvo Volmer; 7Estonian National SO c. Paul Mägi Eesti Raadio ERCD 031.ESTONIAN COMPOSERS II: TULVE: Traces.1 TALLY: Swinburne.2 KÕRVITS: Stream.3 STEINER: Descendants of Cain.4 KAUMANN: Long Play.5 LILL: Le Rite de Passage.6 SIMMER: Water of Life.71,5,6NYYD Ensemble c. Olari Elts; 2Ardo-Ran Varres (narrator), Iris Oja (sop), Alar Pintsaar (bar), Vambola Krigul (perc), Külli Möls (accordion), Robert Jürjendal (elec guitar); 3Virgo Veldi (sax), Madis Metsamart (perc); 4The Bowed Piano Ensemble c. Timo Steiner; 7Teet Järvi (vlc), Monika Mattieson (fl). Eesti Raadio ERCD032.ESTONIAN COMPOSERS III: GRIGORJEVA: Con misterio;1On Leaving. SUMERA: Pantomime; The Child of Dracula and Zombie. 1Tui Hirv (sop), 1Iris Oja (mezzo), 1Joosep Vahermägi (ten), 1Jaan Arder (bar), Hortus Musicus c. Andres Mustonen. Eeesti Raadio ERCD 045ESTONIAN COMPOSERS IV: KRIGUL: Walls.1 JÜRGENS: Redblueyellow.2 KÕRVER: Pre.3 KOTTA: Variations.4 SIIMER: Two Pieces.5 KAUMANN: Ausgewählte Salonstücke.6 AINTS: Trope.7 STEINER: In memoriam.81,6New Tallinn Trio; 2Liis Jürgens (harp); 3,8Voces Musicales Ensemble c. Risto Joost; 4Mati Mikalai (pno); 5Mikk Murdvee (vln), Tarmo Johannes (fl), Toomas Vavilov (cl), Mart Siimer (organ); 7Tarmo Johannes (fl). Eeesti Raadio ERCD 046.BALTIC VOICES 2: SISASK: Five songs from Gloria Patri. TULEV: And then in silence there with me be only You. NØRGÅRD: Winter Hymn. GRIGORJEVA: On Leaving (1999). SCHNITTKE: Three Sacred Hymns. Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir c. Paul Hillier. Harmonia Mundi HMU 907331.SCHNITTKE: Concerto for Chorus; Voices of Nature. PÄRT: Dopo la vittoria; Bogoróditse Djévo; I am the True Vine. Swedish Radio Choir c. Tõnu Kaljuste. BIS-CD-1157.PÄRT: Es sang vor langen Jahren; Stabat Mater; Magnificat; Nunc Dimittis; My Heart's in the Highlands; Zwei Sonatinen; Spiegel im Spiegel. Chamber Domaine; Stephen de Pledge (pno), Stephen Wallace (counter-ten), Choir of St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh c. Matthew Owens. Black Box BBM1071.

The clever designs of natural transducers are a great source of inspiration for man-made systems. At small length scales, there are many transducers in nature that we are now beginning to understand and learn from. Here, we present an example of such a transducer that is used by field crickets to produce their characteristic song. This transducer uses two distinct components—a file of discrete teeth and a plectrum that engages intermittently to produce a series of impulses forming the loading, and an approximately triangular membrane, called the harp, that acts as a resonator and vibrates in response to the impulse-train loading. The file-and-plectrum act as a frequency multiplier taking the low wing beat frequency as the input and converting it into an impulse-train of sufficiently high frequency close to the resonant frequency of the harp. The forced vibration response results in beats producing the characteristic sound of the cricket song. With careful measurements of the harp geometry and experimental measurements of its mechanical properties (Young's modulus determined from nanoindentation tests), we construct a finite element (FE) model of the harp and carry out modal analysis to determine its natural frequency. We fine tune the model with appropriate elastic boundary conditions to match the natural frequency of the harp of a particular species—Gryllus bimaculatus. We model impulsive loading based on a loading scheme reported in literature and predict the transient response of the harp. We show that the harp indeed produces beats and its frequency content matches closely that of the recorded song. Subsequently, we use our FE model to show that the natural design is quite robust to perturbations in the file. The characteristic song frequency produced is unaffected by variations in the spacing of file-teeth and even by larger gaps. Based on the understanding of how this natural transducer works, one can design and fabricate efficient microscale acoustic devices such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) loudspeakers.