Exercitium

Peter Ablinger:
EXERCITIUM
from: "Augmented Studies"

für Gitarre (1997)

Exercitium, for guitar (1997) e.g. 5'

Exercitium (1-6) has originally been composed for a book of pieces for guitar students. In the meantime also professional guitar players have performed it - sometimes in much longer versions than the initially suggested 5 minutes. The original text guiding the score was this:

Das Stück ist einer schon länger zurückliegenden Performance ("Ins Nasse 2") entsprungen, in der noch andere irreversible Vorgänge eine Rolle spielen. "Exercitium" heißt es, weil es einem, in seinem insistierenden Verweis auf die Unvorhersehbarkeit und auf das jederzeit mögliche Ende recht jesuitisch vorkommen kann.

Wer das Stück ablehnt, ist allein dadurch gerechtfertigt - ganz im Gegensatz zu dem, der es gemacht hat. Das Einzige, was das Stück - und auch das nur teilweise - entschuldigen könnte, wäre ein Gitarrenschüler, dem es Spaß machte, es zu spielen.

The piece arises from a former performance ("Ins Nasse 2"/"Into the wet 2" ) in which irreversible processes play a part. It is called "Exercitium", because it appears, in its insistent reference to the unpredictable and to the possibility of an abrupt ending, quite jesuit in nature.

Whoever rejects the piece, is justified by his decision itself, in opposition to the one who made it. The only possibility to excuse the piece, and only partially, would be if a pupil of the guitar were to find some amusement in playing it. (english edited by Austin Buckett)

Youtube video with an excerpt of a longer version of the piece

full score (34 KB)

CD

Beschreibung des Stücks "Ins Nasse 2", 1991 (nicht in der Werkliste)

Irreversibel - 3 Solos

And there is another piece including a snapping guitar string. The piece is called: "Prolog und Ouverture aus: Ro/Allemande" for tape and a pianist-performer, from 1983/84 (not part of the work list). The two minutes which are structured around the guitar string involve Berlin subway noises and a scene from Georg Büchner's "Dantons Tod" (spoken by children). Here is this excerpt: "Dantons Tod/Snapping String". (english edited by Henry Andersen)

See also: Augmented Studies - The Series