Notes Inégales realised my graphic score CROSSWOR[K] in the ‘Tableaux Vivants‘ concert earlier this week. The concert also featured traditional klezmer music as well as compositions by Peter Wiegold, The Notes, Marcello Messina, Antti Sakari Saario and Martin Iddon, and visuals by Adam York Gregory (listed here in order of appearance in the concert programme).

The score for CROSSWOR[K] is as pictured below.

This piece resulted from a request to write a graphic score on a postcard specifically for Notes Inégales.

CROSSWOR[K] is structured like a crossword practically as well as visually.  Deciphering a performance from this score resembles the process one goes through when solving a crossword. A list of interpretive guidelines takes the form of crossword clues.  Like the crossword, these do not have to be deciphered in a specific order: for example, it seems logical to start with instruction number one; however, this is not necessary if the interpretation of another column or row comes to a performer’s mind first. A performer can even attempt to interpret a column or row, cease to do so mid-way through if they are not satisfied with the interpretation, then return to it later. It also seems logical to overlap musical lines as they intersect at points in the score.