How to write for percussion : a comprehensive guide to percussion composition /

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Solomon, Samuel Z. (Author)
Format: Electronic eBook
Language:English
Published: New York : Oxford University Press, 2016.
Edition:Second edition.
Subjects:
Online Access:CONNECT
Table of Contents:
  • Introduction. How this book is organized ; Instruments covered ; Working with percussionists ; Location specifics ; The value of not reading this book.
  • General framework. A dysfunctional family. Comparison of family relationships
  • The problem of pitch. The pitches of percussion ; The validations and limitations of novelty ; Three methods for indeterminately pitch instruments
  • The written/improv divide. Expanding the color palette (to shrink the setup) ; The value of improvised and non-notated music
  • Social composition. Write for people, not sounds ; Write what is wanted, not what to do ; Working with percussionists.
  • General logistics. Instrument choice and management. Six stories, three sad and three happy ; Why use fewer instruments? ; How to consolidate ; Inexpensive instruments ; Exotic instruments ; Electronic percussion ; Multiple options for a specified instrument ; Instruments percussionists may not play ; Multiple percussionists ; Section setup ; Orchestra ; Wind ensemble ; Broadway pit ; Drum corps and marching bands ; Specialists ; Non-percussionists playing percussion ; Chairs and stands
  • Issues of playability. Excessive polyphony ; How fast percussionists can play ; Unidiomatic writing : music that often requires memorization ; Dynamics ; Reaching the instruments ; Instruments with pedals ; Physical exertion and shaking ; Working with headphones or headset microphones.
  • General notation. Basics of percussion parts and scores. Instrument list ; Instrument key ; Setup diagram ; Language ; Parts ; Cues ; Percussion in the conductor's score ; Dynamics
  • Designing a notational system. Clefs ; Staves ; Noteheads ; Mixing determinately and indeterminately pitched instruments ; Key signatures ; What goes where on the staff ; The chicken or the egg? ; Unspecified instruments (indeterminate instrumentation) ; How much to notate ; Systems of notation for which there is no standard ; Return to a "normal" method of playing
  • Note length, articulation, and phrasing. Note length chart ; Exact or inexact note-length indications ; Muting (muffling, dampening) ; Dead stroke ; Damper pedals ; Rolls
  • Notations that are not recommended. Symbol notation ; Altered keyboard notation (timbre-staff).
  • Beaters. To indicate or not to indicate? ; Beater lingo ; Logistical beater issues ; Sticks ; Mallets ; Triangle beaters and Knitting needles ; Brushes ; Rute sticks ; Chime hammers (Tubular bell hammers) ; Superball mallet ; Beaters as instruments ; Hands ; Bows
  • Keyboard percussion. Ranges and construction ; Writing for keyboard percussion ; Stacked instruments ; Multiple players ; Extended techniques ; Miscellaneous.
  • Drums. Sticks on drums ; Mallets on drums ; Hands on drums ; Playing on the rim or shell ; Beating spot ; Mutes ; Pitch bending ; Drum size ; Two-headed drums ; Multiple drums in setups ; Idiomatic writing for drums ; Timpani ; Tom-toms ; Snare drum, Field drum, and Tenor drum ; Concert bass drum and Pedal bass drum ; Bongos and Congas ; Timbales ; Roto-toms ; Frame drums ; Tambourines ; Djembe and Doumbek ; Boobams ; Drumset.
  • Metal. Cymbals ; Gongs ; Finger cymbals ; Cowbells and Almglocken ; Temple bowls and Mixing bowls ; Brake drums, Metal pipes, Anvils, and Bell plates ; Thundersheet ; Junk metal, Tin cans, and Pots and pans ; Ribbon crasher ; Spring coil ; Church bells ; Hand bells ; Steel drums ; Tambourines ; Sleighbells ; Metal wind chimes, Mark tree, and Bell tree ; Flexatone ; Extended techniques.
  • Wood. Woodblocks, Templeblocks, and Log drum ; Wooden planks ; Wood drums, Wooden boxes, Cajâon, and Mahler hammer ; Claves ; Castanets ; Rute ; Guiro ; Slapstick ; Ratchet ; Bamboo wind chimes
  • Miscellaneous instruments. Bottles ; Cabasa ; Conch shell ; Crystal glasses ; Maracas and Shakers ; Rainstick ; Rice bowls and Flower pots ; Sandpaper blocks ; Sirens ; String drum and Cuica ; Stones and Prayer stones ; Thumb piano ; Vibraslap ; Wind chimes ; Whistles ; Wind machine
  • Appendix A. Repertoire analysis. Percussion ensemble. Edgard Varáese, Ionisation (1929-1931) ; John Cage, Constructions (1939-1942) ; Iannis Xenakis, Persephassa (1969) ; Steve Reich, Drumming (1970-1971) ; Steve Mackey, It is time (2010) ; John Luther Adams, Inuksuit (2009) ; Ryan Streber, Cold pastoral (2004) ; Nico Muhly, Ta clap (2004) ; Adam Silverman, Naked and on fire (2011) ; Paul Lansky, Travel diary (2007)
  • Orchestral. Bâela Bartâok ; Sergei Prokofiev ; Maurice Ravel ; Gustav Mahler ; Dmitri Shostakovich ; Leonard Bernstein ; Carl Nielsen ; Jean Sibelius ; Wind Ensemble
  • Smaller mixed ensemble. John Adams, Chamber symphony (1992) ; Stephan Hartke, Meanwhile (2007) ; Jacob Druckman, Come round (1992) ; Charles Wuorinen, New York notes (1982) ; Pierre Boulez, Sur incises (1996/1998)
  • Percussion solo : Drums. Michio Kitazume, Side by side (1991) ; Elliott Carter, Eight pieces for four timpani (1950/1966) ; Casey Cangelosi, Meditation no. 1 (2011)
  • Percussion solo : Keyboards. Jacob Druckman, Reflections on the nature of water (1986) ; Paul Simon, Amulet (2008) ; Steve Mackey, See ya Thursday (1992) ; Steve Swallow/Gary Burton, I'm your pal and Hullo Bolinas ; Donald Martino, Soliloquy (2003)
  • Percussion solo : Multi-percussion. Iannis Xenakis, Psappha (1975) ; David Lang, Anvil chorus (1991) ; Roger Reynolds, Watershed (1995) ; Four Pieces for the author's "Setup #1" ; Nico Muhly, It's about time (2004) ; Michael Early, Raingutter (2007) ; Marcos Balter, Descarga (2006) ; Judd Greenstein, We shall be turned (2006)
  • Percussion concerto. James MacMillan, Veni veni Emmanuel (1992) ; Einojuhani Rautavaara, Incantations (2008) ; Steven Mackey, Micro-concerto (1999)
  • Orchestrating native sound.
  • 505 8 $a Appendix B. Sample setups
  • Appendix C. Extended techniques. Return to a "normal" method of playing ; Manipulations of timbre ; Striking unusual parts of an instrument ; Unusual usage of beaters ; Dead stroke ; Beating spot ; Bowing ; Friction roll ; Scrape ; Prepared instruments ; Pitch bending ; Vibrato ; Adding mass ; Sympathetic resonance ; Clusters ; Harmonics
  • Appendix D. Pitch specification
  • Appendix E. Dynamics
  • Appendix F. Register
  • Appendix G. Beaters
  • Appendix H. Percussion family tree. Pitch clarity chart ; Note length chart ; Register chart ; Sound production chart ; The percussion family tree.