Kroumata

Daniel Berg

General Info

Year of Published: 2021
Publisher: Edition Svitzer
Difficulty: Advanced (see Ratings for explanation)
Duration: c.
Cost: Score and Parts - €60.00   |   Score Only - $0.00

Instrumentation

Player 1: Vibraphone (with motor)
Player 2: Vibraphone (with motor)
Player 3: Marimba (4.3 octave)
Player 4: Marimba (5 octave)
Player 5: 4 Timpani
Player 6: Chimes, 4 Tom-Toms, Bass Drum, Tam-Tam (large) and 2 Suspended Cymbals

Program Notes

Growing up in the 80s, my biggest inspiration was the Swedish Percussion Ensemble KROUMATA; six musicians who made a living playing chamber music with percussion. I attended several of their concerts and their interplay, virtuosity and common crescendo and accelerando made a strong impression on me as a young drummer. My first CD with classical percussion was the Kroumata and Keiko Abe. Fantastic recordings of Rain Tree by Tôru Takemitsu and Marimba Spritual by Minoru Miki inspired me to play both pieces myself some years later.

A clear proof of how big KROUMATA were in Sweden during this time was when the Swedish His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf turned 50 in 1996. As a birthday present, he wanted a concert with Stevie Wonder AND KROUMATA.

Today, when I received the commission from Odense Percussion and their artistic leader Søren Monrad, I would like to pay tribute to my childhood idols KROUMATA. In my piece, there are a few quotes from the repertoire that was so strongly associated with KROUMATA, but also contains the energy that was so magical around the concerts with the ensemble.

Review

Daniel Berg is quickly becoming one of my favorite composers for accessible percussion chamber music. While Berg is known broadly as a performer, professor, and writer, his compositions strike a perfect balance between edgy harmonies and clean orchestration. The thought given to his parts, whether straightforward or complex, lead to musical passages that are gratifying, with clear thought given to their feasibility on the instrument. “Kroumata” is no exception. This nearly six-minute work, commissioned by Odense Percussion, is fast paced with a clear understanding of the dynamic percussion ensemble style synonymous with its namesake, the Swedish percussion ensemble Kroumata.

As with the Kroumata ensemble, “Kroumata” is written for six players. While the tempo is fast with frequent use of mixed meters, it is not overtly difficult. The most significant obstacles would likely be ensemble cohesion and maintaining ensemble energy throughout the work. While the individual parts would be accessible for an advanced high school ensemble, excepting the more advanced timpani solo at Rehearsal M, a collegiate or professional percussion ensemble would be more equipped to capitalize on the style of the piece, drawn from a post-tonal harmonic language similar to the percussion writing of composers Minoru Miki and Toru Takemitsu.

Congratulations to Daniel Berg on another compelling piece that will surely keep listeners on their toes and eventually bring them to their feet! — Quintin Mallette

Works for Percussion by this Composer

Solo

1966 - Mallets
3 Etudes - Marimba
Blue Memories - Marimba
Cattelin - Marimba
December - Marimba (low A)
Over the Moon - Marimba
Stockholm groove II - Marimba

Ensemble

Arctic Nights - Percussion Quintet
Cosmic Travel - Percussion Quartet, Mallet Quartet
Joe is Still Singing - Percussion Trio/Quartet
Kroumata - Percussion Sextet
Point North - Percussion Quintet