While listening to the recordings, it is possible to correct mistakes or make desired changes (either cutting out parts, recording new sections or adding new material).
The conclusions should not be made too ‘theatrical’ but rather as sober as possible, as a clear, final statement. This kind of clear ending should be prepared by the creation of a definite concluding atmosphere.
The performing instructions for overtaking should be made rhythmically clear by using accelerandi. WAVES needs a number of accelerandi and ritardandi. The entrances should take place in an orderly way, one after the other (e.g. solo, duet, trio, duet) and should be arranged in advance.
The act of someone ‘overtaking’ someone else should be aided by a ritardando by the one being overtaken (“letting him pass by”). Whoever is overtaken waits for a moment before he focuses on someone else and attempts to overtake him (“You’ve heard of the Nürburgring!”). With each completed overtaking, a musical process ends.
These processes require paying attention to what the others are playing and can also be made clear with hand signals. In any case, one player must give clear signals (“I want to...”).
Especially at the beginning, a slow tempo must be made very clear at first in order to achieve the desired effects using accelerandi and ritardandi.
In WAVES there are three large processes: 1. Overtake the others / Allow yourself to be overtaken, 2. Hold the lead, 3. Less often.
The instruction “Hold the lead” should be realised be one player after about half of the total duration, the others cannot catch him in his tempo.
Tempo maximising is always dependent upon the instruments.
While overtaking each other, the same tempo should not be played for very long.
Physical signals also produce a visual clarification of the processes that are not isolated from each other and the musical connection to each other (“...so that it is noticeable that you have something to do with each other”).
“I learn an enormous amount. It is as though I should compose, but I can’t.”
“As a composer, one must always indicate a goal for each segment of time.”
“The main thing is that each event you play has its own tempo, so that someone else can overtake it in terms of tempo.”
WAVES actually consists of various tempo indications.
“less often” means that the distances between the different overtake-attempts become larger (a kind of notated ritardando).
In the realisation of the first three processes (=the first three lines of the text), no ritardandi should be inserted after overtaking.
The playing tempo of the sounds should be very clearly recognisable, like exact metronome settings.
In order to be overtaken, a player must play in a clearly recognisable tempo, but it doesn’t have to be periodic.
A fast overtaking should be played as a small partial process of about 20 seconds (similar to overtaking in heavy traffic)
An entrance can also be decidedly faster in tempo, because otherwise the tendency to accelerate from a slower rhythm can cause repetitious uniformity.
If you suggest a tempo, then you must maintain it initially and perhaps allow someone to overtake you, since the acceleration of a player is a signal for wanting to overtake.