Rituals & Awakenings
(2016)
tuba and timpani
Duration: 6:20 mins
Written in three sections, the work is intended to portray an imaginary scene from prehistoric times, as an apprentice is initiated into a school of mysteries. In the first section, the ritual begins with the ceremonial music of the mystics. In the second section, the apprentice finds themselves in a strange and dark realm. The final section is driving and forceful, as the apprentice is pulled through this strange new awareness towards enlightenment, their breakthrough marked with the crash of a gong. At first I was unsure of how to use these two instruments together effectively, but the more I wrote the more interesting they became to work with, revealing many subtle layers of possibilities. I had never written for timpani as a solo instrument, so there was a lot of researching to learn just what they were capable of beyond the typical ‘Zarathustra’ thumping. Though I’ve only scratched the surface of possibilities, the result is appropriately dark, rich, and aggressive. Completed in August 2016, this work was commissioned by Mark Collins, II and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Rho Tau for the 50th anniversary of the fraternity. It was premiered by Mark Collins, II and Preston Light at Appalachian State University, on April 23, 2017. Publisher: Woodson Percussion & Publishing |
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