TO SING
General Info
Year of Published: 2021
Publisher:Australian Music Centre
Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: 00:20:00
ISMN: 979-0-67315-891-7
Commissioner: Commissioned by Speak Percussion with the support of Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation.
Cost: $50.91
Instrumentation
Drums: 12 Snare Drums & 2 large Tympani & 2 Bass Drums & 8 skin drums
Cymbals: 12 Suspended Cymbals & 2 large Tam Tam & 6 Gongs & 4 x 2 Chinese hand cymbals
Auxiliary Percussion: 12 Triangles & rattles
Sound Effects: Wind Whistle & 12 x 2 tubes & 6 frog buzzers & 4 heavy metal coils hanging & 4 x 2 singing bowls
Others: 4 heavy waste metal objects & 2 cups & 6 water basins
Description
TO SING takes resonance, timbre and spatial distribution of sound as its starting point for a multi-movement work that is both orchestral in scope and conceptual in design. Each tableau presents a unique sonic offering ranging from micro-tonal resonant metal melodic figures through to gestural snare drum canons. The 12 players begin by approaching the performance circle, slowly sounding the performance space before encircling the audience in a wave of a snare-drum melodic haze. The instruments of the performers are organised so that different pitch and resonance centres constantly emerge and move, each performer being part of a sounding body orchestrating the resonant and spatially arranged sounds of metal, wood and skin into song. To Sing is described in the score as a 6 tableaus for 12 roving percussionists. Whilst the sounds of the percussion resonate in closely choreographed patterns throughout the space during the piece, the percussionists also actually physically rove in the closing tableau moving out of the performance space, their sounds slowly disappearing as they move away.
Primiere Details
Performer: Speak Percussion
Date: 15 Jun 2023
Place: Melbourne Recital Centre