Stealing Thunder
Robert Paterson
About this work:
Although percussionists are often called upon to mimic the sounds of nature with their instruments, I think that nature, without question, provides the most exciting percussive sounds. In Stealing Thunder, I attempt to honor Mother Nature by appropriating (or stealing) recorded sounds of thunder and integrating them into the work. Each percussionist plays unique solo lines and motives. As the work progresses, the players take motives from one another and modify them. In effect, they are stealing each other’s thunder. The name “Stealing Thunder” is derived from the expression “to steal someone’s thunder,” an expression that means to hinder or thwart someone.
In an abstract sense, this work is inspired by the great drum solos and styles of Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Tito Puente, Neil Peart and Billy Cobham. This work is also influenced by rudimentary drumming (i.e. “marching drumlines”) and percussion technique books I used when I was younger, such as George Stone’s Accents and Rebounds.
Year composed: 2000
Duration: 00:09:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Percussion Ensembles
Instrumentation: 6 Percussion (General), 1 Prerecorded Sound (Tape/CD/Other)
Instrumentation notes: Tape (ADAT or DTRS) with surround capabilities in the hall is necessary for perfomance. A DVD version will be made in the future.
Percussion 1:
• 4 Tom Toms (8”, 10”, 12”, 14”)
• Medium Suspended Cymbal (with pronounced grooves, i.e. able to be audibly scraped with a triangle beater)
• 1 Pair Maracas
• High-pitched Claves
Percussion 2:
• 4 Tom Toms (10”, 12”, 14”, 16”)
• Large Suspended Cymbal (with pronounced grooves, i.e. able to be audibly scraped with a triangle beater)
• 1 Pair Maracas
• Low-pitched Claves
Percussion 3:
• 3 Roto Toms (6”, 8”, 10”), tuned high
• Snare Drum (the drumhead should have a textured surface suitable for brushes)
• 5 Cowbells (not specifically pitched, i.e. Latin-American cowbells, not almglocken)
• High Sand Blocks
Percussion 4:
• 3 Roto Toms (8”, 10”, 12”), tuned high
• Millitary Drum (with snares—the drumhead should have a textured surface suitable for brushes)
• 5 Temple Blocks (plastic Temple Blocks may be used)
• Low Sand Blocks
Percussion 5:
• Large Concert Bass Drum (very low and as similar as possible to Percussion 6 Bass Drum)
• 2 Bongos (with plastic heads, to be played with drumsticks)
• 5 Brake Drums (pitched from low to high: if specific pitches are available, they should be drawn from the following scale: ‘D-flat’, ‘E’, ‘F-sharp’, ‘G’, ‘B-flat’ and ‘C’)
• Very Large Thunder Sheet (as similar as possible to Percussion 6 Thunder Sheet)
• Large Tam Tam (shared with Percussion 6)
• 1 Pair Maracas
• High Woodblock
• Trap Table
Percussion 6:
• Large Concert Bass Drum (very low and as similar as possible to Percussion 5 Bass Drum)
• 2 Bongos (with plastic heads, to be played with drumsticks)
• Very Large Thunder Sheet (as similar as possible to Percussion 5 Thunder Sheet)
• Large Tam Tam (shared with Percussion 5)
• 1 Pair Maracas
• Low Woodblock
• Trap Table