Høstlått -
Håkon Thelin

(Autumn Tune)

Høstlått belongs to a series of works I am writing for double bass in microtonal tunings. Thepiece is inspired by traditional fiddle tunes from Norway with asymmetrical triple metre (3/4), such as springar and rørospols. The stressed (long) beat falls on the second beat of the 3/4.

The main musical elements in Høstlått are: an improvisation on the rhythm of the springar (using tapping of the strings, harmonics and multiphonics), an ascending 16-step microtonal scale (which jumps back and forth in octaves), and variations on the timbre and sound of the double basses using unconventional playing techniques. The basses are tuned according to a microtonal system, and basses two, three and four are tuned respectively 25, 50 and 75 cents lower than the first bass.

Håkon Thelin