Eyes of an Oak

Etienne Houben

General Info

Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: 00:14:00
Cost: €120.00

Instrumentation

Player 1: Glockenspiel & Xylophone (Shared)
Player 2: Vibraphone
Player 3: Chimes & Xylophone (Shared)
Player 4: Marimba & Xylophone (Shared)
Player 5: Marimba
Player 6: Marimba
Player 7: Timpani
Player 8: Snare Drum (Piccolo & Concert & Military) & Bass Drum & 2 Wood Block
Player 9: Tri-Bongos & Roto-Toms (6" + 8") & Bass Drum
Player 10: Congas & 4 Concert Tom Toms & Bass Drum
Player 11: Tenor Drum & Djembe & 2 Low Tom Toms & Snare Drum
Player 12: Ride Cymbal & Log Drum & Ocean Drum & Drum Set
Player 13: Bell Tree & Claves & Finger Cymbals & Sleigh Bells & Anvil
Player 14: Wind Chimes & 3 Triangle & Shekere & Guiro & Vibraslap
Player 15: Gong & 2 Wood Blocks & Tambourine & Suspended Cymbal
Player 16: Sizzle Cymbal & Suspended Cymbal & China Cymbal & Hand Cymbals & Splash Cymbal
Player 17: Marching and Concert Bass Drum

Description

The Dutch village of Doornenburg is located in the lush and green region of the Over-Betuwe. The village has a rich and turbulent history. The local percussion ensemble asked me to compose a large piece about this history. But how do you pour more than 1000 years of history into a musical mold? I found the answer in a wonderfully shaped Oak called 'De Uiverboom', the Stork Tree. It's one of the oldest trees in the Netherlands. This Oak saw, as a silent witness, what happened in this village for 1000 years: The tribal Batavian times and the rise of Doornenburg Castle – expressed in part 1. Armies that ravaged the region with battles and destruction – expressed in the 2nd part. Poverty and deprivation and the hard life in the brick factories in part three. And in the last part the sense of community and solidarity, which is still alive after all these centuries. The community is still in bloom, just like the Stork Tree! The tree is therefore a metaphor for steadfastness in ever-changing times.

Works for Percussion by this Composer

Solo

El Classico Nuevo
Ex Machina 2
Nox Oculus
Seasons
Suite Anicienne Nouveau
Twelve Developing Solos for Snare Drum
Time Divided

Percussion Ensemble (10-12 Players)

A Blue Cadance (Extended) - Percussion (10)
Arabian Dance - Percussion (12)
Blinding Lights - Percussion (12)
Exuma - Percussion (11)
My Love is Like a Red Red Rose (Extended Version) - Percussion (11); Flute
Open Up! (Version 1) - Percussion (10)
Passio Laurentio - Percussion (10)
Patamba - Percussion (10)
Synergy (Houben) - Percussion Octet
Time Line - Percussion (10)
Tres Muses - Percussion (10) & Soprano Saxophone & Flugel Horn

Percussion Ensemble (13-15 Players)

A Saturdaynight Soundtrack - Percussion (15)
A Silver Lining - Euphunium & Percussion (14) & Keyboard
Aura - Percussion (15)
D'Artagnan: le Siège de Maestricht - Percussion (15)
Deetere - Percussion (14)
Duende - Percussion (13)
Equilibrium - Percussion (13)
Evolve (Houben) - Percussion (15) & Bass Trombone
Extasis - Percussion (13)
First Contact? - Percussion (15)
Feniks Rising - Percussion (13)
Hatirla Antalya - Percussion (13)
Musicology - Percussion (13)
Open Up! (Version 2) - Percussion (13)
Pandora's Box - Percussion (15)
Pangea to Proxima - Percussion (15)
Promise Me - Percussion (13)
Reflections of a Reality - Percussion (14)
Soleil Levant - Percussion (14)
Soul of the Dragon - Percussion (14)
Suite Slava - Percussion (13)
Unitas Aureus - Percussion (13)

Percussion Ensemble (16 Players or more)

Android Anthem - 16 Players
Cygnus X - 16 Players
Evolve (2022 Version) - 18 Players
Extra Terra - 18 Players
Eyes of an Oak - 17 Players
Na Dato - 16 Players
Nyama - 23 Players
Open Up! (Version 3) - 16 Players
The Sky is the Limit - 19 Players
To One In Paradise - 20 Players; Voices
Zeitgeist - 16 Players