Huddersfield Experimental Laptop Orchestra

Spreeeee

Thomas Andrews 2009

Each player needs a sound unique to themselves and a pitch bending device.

The sound can be anything but not too noisy and with a distinctive and definite tone. For example if the sound is heard, a listener would be able to say, for example, that pitch is A.

The piece Spreeeee is performed whilst a reader is reading or talking. For example, a chosen member of the group will read a passage of text or make up a nice random sentence, for example leaf tree air fish or cart truck napkin rock.

After this step has been performed, players then take it in turn, or in unison, to try and emulate how the speaker has read the text, for example the pitch changes of the persons voice, the different dynamics and the pauses if there is any.

After the first player has tried to copy or emulate the readers voice, the next player copies what the previous player has just played. But, with exaggeration. More dynamics, more volume and more weirdness, but still keeping to the original readers theme.

Much practice is needed within the group to make this piece effective. Start off slow and work together so no gaps of silence are heard in-between the players.

The readers sentence can be as long or as short he or she decides. In a way the reader is also the conductor of the piece and determines what path it follows, and also how the piece shall eventually fall. Like Rome.