Comparison between Clarke and Berio

This comparison will be done by going through use of extended techniques, and the musical
elements involved in those passages.

Below is a table of extended techniques used in both pieces.

Great Train Race Sequenza I

Residual tones - articulation Flutter tonguing - articulation
Natural harmonics – pitch/articulation Key clicks - articulation
Flutter tonguing - articulation Multiphonics/harmonics - pitch
Multiphonics - pitch
Note bending/quartertones - pitch
Singing while playing – pitch/articulation
Microtonal trills – articulation
The techniques common to both pieces - flutter tonguing and multiphonics, will be compared first.

Flutter Tonguing
This technique only appears once in Great Train Race, in section A, bar 21, to lead into residual
breathy semiquavers. It appears on the note Eb, which is not diatonic within the key of B minor (the
key at that point in the piece). Also, it is marked with the dynamic fz. This comes as a shock because
the dynamic had been in a decrescendo the bar before from mf. The pitch and dynamic contribute to
the suddenly increased excitement of the flutter tonguing, increasing the intensity of the piece (at
that moment). To conclude, flutter tonguing is used to add energy to that passage.

In Berio’s Sequenza, flutter tonguing is used throughout the piece, but one of the major uses
appears in 4/6 to 4/8, where a flurry of notes are played with flutter tonguing and key clicks (mainly
flutter tonguing). It is used to support the dynamic and temporal dimensions at their maximum level,
and is part of the morphological dimension. Thus, at this point, three dimensions (dynamic, temporal
and morphological) are at the maximum level, producing energy and intensity. Therefore, flutter
tonguing is used in Sequenza I for the same purpose as the previous piece, to add intensity to the
music.

Multiphonics
According to Ian Clarke, in Monier, 82, “one day in the studio I was messing around improvising and
began to discover some cool effects that the flute could do. I sort of discovered that multiphonics
could sound like a train. I liked the way that the E octave multiphonic sounded like a train whistle.”
They are used in Section B, bars 31 to 61, as part of a “zany fragmented waltz” and to imitate the
noise of a train whistle, especially in 58, where it is used in conjunction with note bends. Also, in the
final bar of the piece, 104, a multiphonic is used in order to signal the final call of the steam train.
Overall, Clarke has used this technique for its sound effect.

Berio uses multiphonics on only one occasion in the piece, at 5/1 and 5/2, at a very low dynamic and
on very long notes. Both the dynamic and temporal dimensions are at the minimum level. Also,
these multiphonics are played using harmonics, so the resulting sound is very soft and barely audible.
Thus, the piece is at a point of calm, because all dimensions (except morphological) are at the lowest
possible level. Unlike Clarke, Berio has used multiphonics as part of the structure of his piece, and to
remove energy from the music, instead of for a sound effect. The multiphonics contribute to
contrast the previous flurry of action.

According to Extending the Tonal Resources of Wind Instruments: Some Contemporary Techniques by
Gardner Read, Musical Educators Journal, Vol. 63 No. 1 (September, 1976), “The general effect of all
harmonics on wind instruments is a weaker tone and a reduced amplitude.” (Page 54)

Berio has used harmonics/multiphonics for this purpose, but Clarke uses what he calls “explosive
harmonics” in order to give rhythmical structure to the introduction of the piece (bars 1-16) in
conjunction with accents. He uses this technique for its articulation and to imitate the sound of a
steam train in these bars.

Key Clicks
Only appears in Berio, used in conjunction with flutter tonguing in order to support the dynamic and
temporal dimension.

According to Read, 52, “Key slaps [are] primarily a percussive device.” Dick also mentions that they
are commonly used to articulate short notes.

Berio has used the articulation/morphological dimension to support the other dimensions.

In addition, key click trills are used in 4/8 and 4/9. This trill is interesting because the normal tone of
the flute is marked with a diminuendo, but the key clicks are marked with a crescendo, producing a
unique effect. This could show a lessening of the pitch dimension and an increase in the
morphological dimension, as shown in the flutter tonguing section before this.

Residual Tones
Clarke uses the residual tones in order to imitate the sound of a train running on tracks. This can be
compared to Berio’s key clicks, because they are both techniques sued to support the
rhythmical/temporal aspects of the piece. Clarke incorporates this technique into dynamics and
rhythm in order to make the introduction sound like a train. This is similar to how Berio incorporates
key clicks into the music into dynamics and rhythm (temporal dimension) to increase the energy of
the piece.

Note Bending/Quartertones
As Clarke mentioned, he found out that this technique sounds surprisingly like a steam train. The
only note bending in the piece is with an octave multiphonic on E (bent down to Eb). Clarke uses
pitches to imitate other sounds, while Berio uses pitch as a major component of the structure of his
piece.
Singing while playing
This is a technique involving pitch, but due to the fact the pitches sung and the pitches played are
the same (in octaves), this is more of an articulation technique. Clarke uses the extra sounds from
the singing, which makes the sound buzzy. This buzzy sound is similar to flutter tonguing, and Clarke
uses this in sections A’ and A’’, where there is increased excitement, which is very similar to 4/6 and
4/8 in Berio’s Sequenza.

Microtonal Trills
Clarke uses this in the climax of the piece, section C, where the sound is the most excited. This
ornament creates more activity in the sound. Once again, this can be compared to Berio’s use of
flutter tonguing in 4/6 to 4/8 to create more excitement.

It could be concluded that uses of articulation techniques by these composers are for the purpose of
making the music sound busier.