* PUNCTURE STILL WATER

This is a score for three or more players of any musical instrument or
sound producing device.

** PREPARATIONS

Puncture Still Water (PSW) should scale to any number of players,
given certain pragmatic constraints.  All players must read and
understand the score.

PSW requires two flags, one red and one black.  Stiff sheets of
cardboard or other indicators may be used, but in this score we will
refer to them as flags.  All players and flags must be positioned so
that all players can see both flags.

One player is appointed the conductor.  This is usually the instigator
of the event, but may also be selected by drawing straws or voting.
The total duration for the performance is decided by the conductor.
The conductor must make sure all other players are also aware of the
duration.  Conductors should avoid choosing durations longer than
fifteen minutes.

One player other than the conductor is appointed the interrupter.
This must be done in secret, so that nobody knows who the interrupter
is but the interrupter themself.  To accomplish this, a deck of
playing cards is prepared with one card per player other than the
conductor, such that the ace of spades is in the prepared deck.  Each
player other than the conductor is given a card at random, and the
player who receives the ace of spades is the interrupter.  No player
may reveal, hint at, or even think about whether or not they are the
interrupter until the appointed time in performance.  This point must
be taken very seriously, so that the interruption is as much of a
surprise to everyone as is possible.

Players must be able to manipulate their instrument to create a very
long uninterrupted drone sound, possibly several minutes in duration.
This precludes certain instruments, such as the human voice, some
drums and percussive instruments, and so forth.  It is permissible to
play stringed instruments if they are bowed, or if playing techniques
are used to mute the chirps of plucking.  Electronic and computer
instruments are ideal.  Players with instruments that are not capable
of producing drones of very long duration may remain silent until the
appropriate point in the score.

Players may or may not collude to plan further structure for their
playing in preparation, for example, by preparing a small chart.
Players should only assume, however, that other players will play
according to the score: additional constraints need not be adhered to.

** PERFORMANCE

After all preparations have been made, the conductor raises the black
flag.  When is is reasonably sure all players are aware he has raised
it, he lowers it, and the sound begins.

*** STILL WATER

Players immediately create a drone sound meant to evoke a lake of
still water.  This sound must not fade in, but begin immediately
mezzo-piano upon the conductor lowering the flag.  This sound must
remain very steady in tone, timbre, and loudness, and must not change
in perceptible ways until the next part of the composition is reached.

Players must pay strict attention to what is going on, despite the
monotony of the performance of this phase of the composition.  Just
like still water, they must react immediately and naturally to the
interruption to come.

*** INTERRUPTION

The interrupter decides upon a time to interrupt the still water.
This should not occur too near the beginning or the end, but it should
surprise everyone.  It must be abrupt, very loud, and violently
different than the prior drone.  All players should join in playing
such a sound as immediately as possible.

The interruption can take one or both of two forms, all players must
be ready to respond to either.  If the interrupter is sure they can
make a sound with their instrument that will get the attention of all
other players, he or she does so.  If there is some doubt, the
interrupter may rush to the red flag and wave it.  In either case, all
other players must join in playing the interruption, rather than still
water, immediately upon realizing what is happening.  The transition
should be immediate and jarring.

Anything loud, other than a drone, will work.  Players continue to
play interruption at maximum intensity for five to ten seconds after
it begins, and then slowly begin to move the sound back to still
water.  Return to stillness should go so slowly that the state of
complete stillness, droning, should not be reached by the end of the
piece, but not so slowly that the change is unnoticeable.

*** END

At the end of the stated duration, the composer raises and lowers the
black flag.  As it lowers, all sound from all players stops abruptly.

** NOTES

Try to have as few observers as possible.  In an ideal performance of
puncture still water, there will be no audience: everyone present will
take part as a player.

With many players of electronic instruments, it may be prudent to do a
short level check before performance begins, so that the still water
part of the score is not too loud.

It is remarkably easy for such a simple score to go wrong, as one
player can accidentally begin the avalanche of interruption by making
a mistake in playing.  At the same time, the surprise and spontaneity
of the performance is lost if it is rehearsed at all.  With larger
numbers of people, it is prudent for someone familiar with the score
to run through its sequence once without sound of any kind, just
marking the flags for beginning, interruption, and ending, reviewing
the choices performers can make at each juncture, reminding them to
play medium soft in the beginning, and to be ready to stop abruptly at
the end, and so forth.  Also, or instead, just embrace any and all
mistakes for the especially surprising conditions they provide.