ALVIN LUCIER

SILVER STREETCAR FOR THE ORCHESTRA

For
Amplified Solo Triangle

DESCRIPTION

A triangle of any size is hung from a stand. A player taps it with a metal beater with one hand, while damping it with the other. During the course of the
performance, the acoustic characteristics of the triangle, under continually changing conditions, are explored.

VARIABLES

The player alters 5 variables—tempo, loudness, damping, damping and beater location—to bring about perceptible changes in the acoustic response of the triangle.

Tempo

Starting at a reference tempo of an eighth note equaling Mm. 320, the player gradually accelerates and decelerates to tempi slightly faster and slower than the
reference tempo.

Loudness

Starting at a reference dynamic of mp the player gradually raises or lowers the dynamic levels slightly higher and lower than the reference dynamic.

Damping

The player grasps the triangle with the thumb and forefinger of one hand. Starting at a reference pressure of half P, midway between completely damped (dead
sound) to completely open (freely ringing), the player increases or lessens the pressure, varying the degree of resonance.

Damping Location

The player slides the thumb and forefinger of his or her damping hand as slowly as possible along the length of the metal bar.

Beater Location

With each tap of the beater the player moves with the smallest possible steps along the length of the metal bar.

ALTERATIONS

Alterations are made as gradually and imperceptibly as possible, in order for the player and listeners to focus on the changes in acoustical response of the triangle,
not on the playing itself. Each alteration is made in one direction only to the point at which a perceptible change in the response is heard.

PERFORMANCE

Starting at the reference points, the player begins tapping and damping the triangle anywhere along its length. As soon as the acoustic response of the triangle under
these conditions is established, the player begins gradually altering a variable until a new response is heard. Then, maintaining the conditions of that response, the player
gradually begins altering another variable.

The player works with only one variable at a time, moving from one to another in any order, taking care to maintain the previous alterations. Each alteration may
take from 20 to 30 seconds to accomplish. The player continues until 15 or 20 minutes have passed, maintaining a steady stream of accelerating and decelerating eighth
notes, or until all the acoustic characteristics of the folded metal bar are revealed.

AMPLIFICATION

In order to make the acoustic phenomena more vivid for listeners, a stereo microphone is positioned in the middle of the triangular space, routed through amplifiers
to a pair of loudspeakers. During the performance no changes in volume or sound placement need to be made.

NOTE

Silver Streetcar for the Orchestra was written expressly for Brian Johnson. It was first performed on December 8, 1988, at the New Music America Festival, Miami Florida.
The title was taken from the Surrealist text, Instrumentation (1922) by Luis Buñuel.