Percussion Perspectives, Mvt. I

SKU: CN.S11284

Give the band a workout with this challenging composition. Subtle percussion used in unique scoring that features the entire band. Very accessible yet dramatic piece.

Though not without opportunities for displays of virtuosity, this work is not a concerto. In fact, Percussion Perspectives I is the first movement of a three-movement suite for wind orchestra which features percussion, although it stands on its own as a concert piece. However, unlike many percussion pieces, which tend to be lightweight in style, I have tried to provide a serious repertoire piece which happens to contain prominent parts for percussion instruments. When composing the piece I reversed my usual process of writing the music and then adding percussion parts to provide extra colour and reinforcement of rhythmic ideas. In this composition the ideas were conceived first for percussion and then translated into melody and harmony by the other instruments. In face there are several places in the score where this process is transparent, with the percussion expounding the ideas before they are taken up by the wind instruments. The leading roles are taken by timpani and side drum with a significant contribution from glockenspiel and xylophone. In addition to these major players a panoply of other percussion instruments are used ranging from agogos to vibraslap.