music

1. Extended Techniques for
the Contemporary
Violin/Viola
• Here, we will take a
look at the various
ways 20th Century
composers
extended the palette
of sounds for bowed
instruments.

2. Various Techniques
• Numerous effects can be
created on the violin by
manipulating bow pressure,
placement of the bow on the
strings and speed of bow.
• More antiquated techniques
such as sul ponticello, sul
tasto, harmonics, glissando,
vibrato, and col legno can be
considered foundations for
more radically designed
extended techniques which
are often times the result of a
composer’s ingenuity.
Presently, most sound
producing qualities of the
violin have been explored.

3. Specific Sounds
• Krystof Penderewski a Polish composer, is well
known for his work with symphonic strings
particularly in the composition, Threnody for
the Victims of Hiroshima. In this piece, the
string instruments are required to play various
effects like very aggressive sul ponticello (play
very close or on the bridge), playing the highest
note possible (noted with an upwards pointing
arrow above the note head), extreme tremolos,
harmonics. Most of the techniques involved in
the piece are of a highly coloristic nature. In
fact, there are no real specific pitches
indicated in the score. The concept of color as
a primary element in composition is adopted by
other 20th century composers as well.
• Gyorgy Ligeti, well known for his microtonal
writing technique, is also quite adept at
creating highly original and coloristic
orchestrations.

4. Ligeti
• Ligeti likes non vibrato very
much. Although it is not an
extended technique in the
truest sense, it is very much
a contemporary concept. Of
course, there are the
debates of vibrato in period
performance practice,
primarily from the Baroque
period. But it is a different
aesthetic altogether.The
context in which Ligeti
places his non vibrato is an
entirely different universe
from that of Telemann, Bach
or Monteverdi.