Music for Two Percussionists & Guitar
Matthew Baier
About this work:
Premiered 2009 "Recital of Original Compositions" at Grace Episcopal Church, Nyack, N.Y.
Music for Two Percussionists & Guitar (2009)
The word compose or componere in Latin means to “put together”. My idea here was to facilitate a new work by bringing together a few musicians with various influences & backgrounds. Each member brought a piece to be added to by the others. The order of the movements was later prescribed.
“African 11” was influenced by the drumming of Joe Merello of the Dave Brubeck group and inspired by a song called Eleven by the Grateful Dead. Consisting of alternating measures of 6/4 & 5/4 it was a favorite rhythm of mine, which I would experiment with on the log drum while spending time alone in the woods. During my time with the Paul Winter Consort it had also been the basis for group improvisations. -- Ben Carriel
“Ambient” is a small segment of film music written last year (original for solo violin), re-embodied for this ensemble incorporates the “octatonic scale” also known as the “diminished scale” which was of familiar usage in the music of Igor Stravinsky (1882 - 1971). The guitar part is in a free or prelude-like form with a single short theme. The percussion parts are based on parameters, which are used extemporaneously allowing for varied outcomes of each performance. -- Matthew Baier
“Crossing The Line” is a polyrhythmic piece with rudimental solos for two standard drum kits influenced by the drumming of Bill Bruford & Billy Cobham. The work features the use of rudimental exercises in 4/4 time at (about) 120 beats per minute against a continuous pattern of 6 eighth notes (accented double paradiddle). At several points drum set patterns of 7/8 are added to create additional polyrhythmic phrases. Accented snare drum solos introduce each layered section. -- Chris Baier
Version: 3 mvts
Year composed: 2009
Duration: 00:17:43
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Percussion Ensembles
Instrumentation:
Instrumentation notes: two drum sets, mixed percussion, amplified acoustic guitar