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Order of instruments on standard orchestral score.
flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion, harp, strings
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The four instrumental groups in the orchestral.
woodwinds, brass, percussion, strings
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Names of open strings of instruments in string section.
- violin - GDAE
- viola - CGDA
- cello - CGDA
- bass – EADG
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Ranges (practical or commonly used according to Kennan – these are the black notes in his range charts) of instruments in string section (using the convention middle C = C4.)
- violin - G3-B6
- viola - C3-C6
- cello - C2-C5
- bass - E1-A3
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Clefs used by instruments in string section. violin - treble
- viola - alto, treble
- cello - tenor, bass, treble
- bass – bass
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Fingerings and notes of 1st position violin G/D string A/E string
- G/D string
- 1st finger 0-3
- 2nd finger 3-5
- 3rd finger 4-6
- 4th finger 6-8
- A/E string
- 1st finger 0-3
- 2nd finger 2-4
- 3rd finger 4-6
- 4th finger 6-8
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The overtone series up to the 10th partial.
C2, C3, G3, C4, E4, G4, Bb4, C5, D5, E510.
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Legato
group of notes slurred together, on the string
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detache
each note is bowed separately, on the string
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martele
the bow begins and remains on the string, moving quickly and stopping abruptly at the end of each stroke
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loure
two or more notes are taken in one bow, with separate pressure on each note
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slurred staccato
a series of notes taken with a separate push for each note in the same bow
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spiccato
light bow stroke where the bow bounces off the string, taking one note to each bow
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jete
the bow bounces on the string very rapidly with a down-bow stroke in such a way as to sound a group of repeated notes
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successive down bows
creates a vigorous or savage effect
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Successive up bows
delicate effect at softer dynamic levels
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unmeasured tremolo
the bow is moved back and forth over the string as rapidly as possible, produces excitement or ethereal effect
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measured tremolo
definite number of repeated notes, the number being shown by the notation
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fingered tremolo
one finger remains fixed on the lower of 2 notes while another finger alternately plays and releases the upper note very rapidly.
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sul tasto
playing over the fingerboard, sound is softer and less resonant
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sul ponticello
at or near the bridge, sound is glassy and eerie in quality
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con legno
with the back of the bow, striking the string with the wood or drawing the wood across the strings
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scratch tone
bow hair flat against the strings while pressure is exerted, raspy tone
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glissando
the finger slides along the string instead of stopping each note separately
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portamento
same as glissando
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sul A, D, etc
string that is to be used to play a natural harmonic
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Natural harmonics (technique and notation – two ways.)
touch a string at a specified interval to create a harmonic, notated as either a note with a small circle over it OR a diamond-shaped note
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Artificial harmonics (technique and notation.)
the string is pressed and touched at an interval of a 4th to create any harmonic note, notated as a note with a hollow diamond-shaped note at a 4th above
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muted
con sordina, avec sourdine
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without mute
senza sordina, hotel la sourdine
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at the bridge
sul ponticello, ser le chevalet
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over the fingerboard
sul tasto, sur la touche
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with the wood of the bow
con legno, ave le bis
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at the point of the bow
punta d’arco, de la pointe
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at the frog
at tallone, du talon
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Ranges and transpositions: Flute
C4-D7, D4-Bb6, no transposition
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Ranges and transpositions: Piccolo
D4-C7, G4-A6, sounding an octave higher
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Ranges and transpositions: Oboe
Bb3-A6, C4-D6, no transposition
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Ranges and transpositions: Bb Clarinet
E3-C7, E3-G6, sounding M2 lower
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Ranges and transpositions: Bassoon
Bb1-Eb5, Bb1-Bb4, no transposition
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Ranges and transpositions: Tenor Saxophone
Bb3-F6, sounding M9 lower
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Ranges and transpositions: Alto Saxophone
Bb3-F6, sounding M6 lower
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The instrument of which Kennan says “is something of a temperamental prima donna”.
Oboe
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The instrument of which Kennan says “its characteristic quality is a relatively neutral one that is apt to be largely absorbed by any other orchestral color it is doubled with.”
Bassoon
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According to Kennan the instrument which is, of all woodwind instruments, the most sensitive in the matter of dynamic range and control.
Clarinet
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Piccolo registers
- D5-B5 weak, breathy
- C6-C7 brighter, stronger
- D7-G7 brilliant, powerful
- A7-C8 piercing
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Flute registers
- C4-B4 weak, breathy
- C5-C6 brighter, stronger
- D6-A6 brilliant, powerful
- Bb6-D7 piercing
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Alto flute registers
- C4-B4 attractive but easily covered
- C5-C6 brighter, stronger
- D6-A6 less characteristic
- B6-C7 shrill, little use
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Oboe registers
- Bb3-Db4 thick
- D4-G5 reedy, sweet
- A5-Eb6 thinner, less characteristic
- E6-A6 apt to be pinched
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English horn registers
- B3-G4 reedy, intense
- A4-G5 reedy, mellow
- A5-G6 thinner, less characteristic
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Eb clarinet registers
- E3-B4 neutral, inflexible coloristically
- C5-D6 brighter
- E6-C7 shrill
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Clarinet registers
- E3-D4 dark
- E4-B4 neutral
- C5-C6 bright, clear
- D6-G6 shrill
- Ab6-C7 very difficult
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Bass clarinet registers
- Eb2-D3 dark, rich
- E3-B3 full, reedy
- C4-C5 brighter, less characteristic
- D5-G5 strained, "white"
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Bassoon registers
- Bb1-Bb2 dark, full
- C3-C4 neutral
- D4-Bb4 thin, but intense
- B4-Eb5 pinched
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Contrabassoon registers
- Bb1-Bb2 thick, dark
- C3-C4 neutral
- D4-Bb4 seldom used
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Names of the clarinet registers
- Chalumeau - bottom octave
- Middle - E4-C5
- Clarion - C5 and up
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Whether or not it is easy to play pianissimo in the very bottom few notes of the bassoon
Not easy
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The minimum constitution of the woodwind section in a professional orchestra.
2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, plus any other as needed
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Methods of combining instruments of different kinds in a chord. Know the advantages and disadvantages of each method as applied to various orchestral instruments.
juxtaposition, interlocking, enclosed, overlapping
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The current and usually preferable practice of spacing upper woodwinds: open or closed. Know the exceptions to this practice.
closed, octave gap
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In the brass section the instrument that should be doubled at mf or louder.
Horn
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Timbre qualities of doubling woodwinds with brass.
makes the brass less transparent and brilliant in timbre
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Best way to render broken octaves (in piano music) for strings.
tremolo with doubling at the octave
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How to best achieve the effect of a melody standing out clearly from the background music.
give melody to one color, background to another
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Kennan’s warning about the constant use of mixed or composite colors.
makes a score sound nondescript and opaque
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Ranges of the following timpani: 32 – 30-inch, 29 – 28-inch, 26 – 25-inch, and 23-inch. You do not have to memorize the sizes (in inches), just the ranges.
D2-A2, F2-C3, Bb2-F3, D3-A3
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What part of the timpano range the most characteristic timpani sound is found. Middle
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The standard number of timpani in the orchestra
4
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How to notate a change of pitch for timpani in English, French and Italian.
Change, changez, muta
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According to Kennan, which is easier on mallet instruments: playing entirely on “white” keys or playing on white and black keys?
Both
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The range and transposition of a 5-octave marimba.
c2.- e5
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The range and transposition of a glockenspiel (orchestra bells).
Sounds 2 octaves higher, g3-c6
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Range and transposition of the harp, four-octave celesta and piano.
- Cb 1 – g#7
- Celesta sounds 8va higher C3- C7
- A0 – C8
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Types of staffs and clefs used for percussion instruments of indefinite pitch.
Neutral or no clef
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How to notate the flam, drag, four-stroke ruff, roll, rim shot (according to Kennan).
Flam grace note, two 16th, three 16th, three slashes trill
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What does laissez vibrer mean? How do you notate it? What instruments might use this notation? How do you indicate the opposite of laissez vibrer?
Let vibrate, whole note with tie going nowhere
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The difference between tam-tam and gong.
Tamtam is flat or slightly convex. Gong is dome shaped produces def pitch.
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What instrument was created to duplicate the sound of the “jaw-bone of an ass”?
The vibra slap
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What is the basic setup of the drum (or trap) set?
Snare, toms sus cymbals high hat bas
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The minimum number of percussion players in most professional orchestras.
3 and a timpanist
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How many strings per octave does a harp have?
7
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How the pedal mechanism of the harp works and what it does in regards to pitch.
Push it down raises pitch
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How to notate pedal settings at the beginning of a work.
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How to notate changes in pedal settings.
Just the letter name
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For maximum sonority from the harp which is preferable: flat keys or sharp keys?
Flat
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Of the three registers of the piano (low, middle, high), which one is least effective in the context of the orchestra.
Middle
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Mandolin
G3-E6, as written
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What is Kennan’s warning about using the altissimo range of the saxophone?
The bottom 4th of the range is usable, but the notes above C7 are difficult to produce.
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The preferable way of doing rehearsal numbers or letters.
must be included in both the score and parts, enclosed in a square or circle
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What pairs of instruments should not be on the same staff.
instruments that use different transpositions.
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What is the standard size of player’s parts in professional situations?
9.5 x 13
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What distance apart should ledger lines be?
the same distance apart as the lines in the staff
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How many string parts do you need for an orchestra with 10 1st violins and 10 2nd violins?
10
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How are rests of more than two measures indicated in player’s parts? What should be done if there is a rehearsal number in the middle of the rest?
with the bar and number of rests, the rests are split at the rehearsal number
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What are reference* cues and cues that may have to be played? Where are reference cues most often included? Where else are they useful? What key should they be written in?
notes that can be played if the part represented is weak, included in an important voice that can easily be heard, also useful for counting rests, write in the key of the instrument reading the cue
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What is the format for player’s parts? Where should you place the name of the composition, the composer and arranger’s names, and the name of the instrument that will play the part?
label each part, center the name of the composition at the top of the page, composer and arranger in top right, name of instrument in upper left
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How should the part be prepared if page turning is required?
copy so that there is sufficient rest time at the bottom of the page to turn
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The open strings of the guitar.
E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4
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The open strings of the mandolin.
G3, D4, A4, E5
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What is pointillistic orchestration?
fragmented to the point of each instrument only playing one or two notes
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What is Klangfarbenmelodie?
changing colors in the middle of a melody
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What is “sound mass”?
middle ground in which individual pitches have little meaning other than to create a sound mass
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What are the differences between chordal, homophonic and polyphonic music?
chordal uses a succession of chords, homophonic has a melodic line against a harmonic background, and polyphonic uses individual lines to create countermelodies.
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Extreme registers.
were generally avoided, but used in the 20th century for proving the value of normal tessutira.
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Unusual spacing.
generally sounds unsatisfactory and empty in the middle.
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Contrapuntal dynamics.
dynamic markings that operate independent of the various parts
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What is a “sneak in”?
An instrument starts so softly that the listener can't hear it. Then it slowly increases in dynamic.
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Overtone reinforcement.
having instruments softly play certain upper partials of a fundamental
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Two inherent dangers in Klangfarbenmelodie type of orchestration.
temptation to let color substitute for a strong melodic line, and a constantly changing orchestral palette can be as monotonous as one that never changes.
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The brass instrument most capable of blending well with woodwinds or brass.
Horn
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The main way tone quality is controlled on the horn.
The position of the players hand in the bell
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The “fp” effect.
Achieved by stopping the sound, has a sharp edge
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The function of the three valves on the trumpet – the harmonic series available when a valve or valve combination is depressed.
Lower pitch, 1 by M2, 2 by m2, 3 by m3
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What valve combination on the trumpet is required for a half-step trill on middle C (Db to C).
Fully open to fully closed
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The slide positions of the trombone – the harmonic series available with each position.
7 positions, each descending by half step, series starting at 2
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The trombone register where the problem of position becomes less acute.
Upper register
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The largest interval for a ‘real’ glissando on the trombone
Tritone
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How many horns are required to balance one trumpet at mf or louder.
2
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The make-up of the average orchestral brass section.
4 horns, 2-3 trumptets, 3 trombones, tuba
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Range and transposition Horn
A2-G5, P5 lower
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Range and transposition Trumpet
F#3-Bb5, M2 lower
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Range and transposition Tenor Trombone
F2-Bb4, as written
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Range and transposition Bass Trombone
C2-F4, as written
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Range and transposition Tuba
F1-A3, as written (F1-F2 written 8vb)
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Division of labor in horns
- 1 and 3 C4-G5
- 2 and 4 A2-C5
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Lontano
Distant, achieved by stopping horn
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Senza sordino
Without mute
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Sans sourdine
Without mute
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