Different but One Body (2003)

Different but One Body (2003)

Different but One Body (2003) is written for vibraphone solo and three percussionists. The opening gesture is a fanfare for drums. The orchestration then broadens by the incorporation of the smaller percussion instruments. The vibraphone then finally clears the palate and allows voices to participate, culminating in a brief imitative phrase and an extended vibraphone solo. This piece is dedicated to Peter James Saleh. The total duration is 8’:30”

2nd Movement
composition technique : Twelve-tone System
The primary elements of the second movement are derived from the twelve-tone system characteristic of Arnold Scheonberg. The movement starts with the prime form of the row E-Bb-A-B-C-F#-E-D-C#-G-F-D# in the vibraphone followed by the 6th prime row in Percussion III. The retrograde, the inversion, and retrograde-inversions appear throughout the entire movement as well.

3rd Movement
Composition technique: Fugue
The third movement employs imitative counterpoint. The theme is stated in all percussion parts. The subject is presented in the Percussion solo, and answered in Percussion II & III.

4th Movement
The fourth movement which begins with four Tom-Toms played on the shell with sticks followed by a voice “Ha!” is a highly energetic movement that consistently presents combinations between melodic motion in the vibraphone solo and rhythmic motion in the drums.

Recording: Live performance
Percussion Ensemble: Exit 9 http://www.exit9percussion.com/
at Te Deum Composition Concert 3:00 p.m. Sunday July 27, 2003 East Brunswick, NJ

Link for work order
http://www.mostlymarimba.com/

PERFORMANCE

Different but One Body (2003) for Percussion Ensemble (9’)
performed by Percussion Ensemble (Percussion director David Steffens) Dorian Carter, Colton Hines, Dane Romano, Jamie Whitmarsh at the 2009 SCI VI Conference (Society of Composers,Inc.)
Bass School of Music,Oklahoma City University, 2501 N. Blackwelder,
Oklahoma City OK, USA.
Feb 26-March 1, 2009

Different but One Body (2003) for Percussion Ensemble (9’)
a combined concert with the IWU Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, and Percussion Ensemble
solo Marc Wooldridge and Indiana Wesleyan Percussion Ensemble
at Phillipe Auditorium Indiana Wesleyan University Marion, IN USA
7: 30 p.m. Tue Oct 14, 2008

Different but One Body (2003) for Percussion Ensemble (9’)
CFAMC Conference (Director Marc Wooldridge)
Indiana Wesleyan University Marion, IN USA
Friday -Saturday Oct 10-11, 2008

One movement was part of a Collegewide Chapel Service
at 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m Friday Oct 10, 2008
Vibraphone solo Marc Wooldridge and Indiana Wesleyan Percussion Ensemble - (3,000 total attendance)

the full piece was presented at Herman Baker Recital Hall in PPAC
Indiana Wesleyan University Marion, IN USA
at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday Oct 11, 2008

Different but One Body (2003) for Percussion Ensemble (9’)
Performed by UNT Percussion Ensemble (Peter J Saleh, Akiko Goto, John Lane, Josh Jennings) Spectrum I Concert, Recital Hall the University of North Texas, Denton, TX 8:00 p.m. Tue Oct. 21, 2003

Different but One Body (2003) for Percussion Ensemble (9’)
*World premier performed by Exit 9 Percussion Ensemble at Te Deum Concert, East Brunswick, New Jersey July 27, 2003
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Review
Review Percussive Notes 90 August 2006
Percussive Art Society reviewed “Different but One Body” (2003) for Percussion Ensemble in Percussive Notes 90 August 2006.

Different but One Body
Dajeogn Choi
$38.00
Keyboard Percussion Publications
This is a four-movement work for percussion quartet. Player one has significant solo vibraphone passages in addition to playing surdo and tom, and it might be possible to program one or more movements as a vibraphone feature or solo with percussion accompaniment. The overall work, however, is more of a quartet for percussion. In addition to vibraphone and glockenspiel, the instruments include toms, congas, triangles, bongos, cowbell, tambourine, woodblock, cymbals and djembe.

Movement I begins with all players playing toms and the steady quarter-note tempo is marked 72 bpm. Following this ten-measure introduction, a new tempo of quarter note at 92 bpm is established with player four’s low tom providing a solid rhythmic backing. This material concludes with four union measures that taper and lead into a solo vibraphone section in 2/2 marked half note at 96 bpm. After only a seven-measure solo section, the tempo increases to 120 bpm and other drums enter to provide supporting material for the vibraphone. Soon after this, the tempo changes again to a faster speed, and driving eighth notes in parts two, three and four set a different mood. The vibraphone reappears and the material becomes a dialogue between the three drum parts and the vibraphone part. The movement ends as the material slows down and becomes softer in volume.

Movement II is a duet with the vibraphone and glockenspiel, based on a tone row, that is fairly short and marked “peacefully” with the quarter note at 88 bpm. This is a relaxed and refreshing change from the opening movement.

Movement III is a fugue set in a very interesting way. The subject is first heard in the vibraphone and then appears divided between players two and three on relatively pitched percussion. The glock carries on with the theme and development, and the movement ends with a light stroke on the triangle.

The final movement is filled with excitement and opens with driving rhythms in all parts. Verbal sounds (“ha!”) are used for effective punctuations. The vibraphone has some very driving material and is balanced with lighter percussion and, in some cases, the percussion drops out. This movement is fairly short and remains at quarter note = 106 bpm. The energy level is high and driving sixteenth notes with accents lead to a climatic ending of unison material increasing in volume to ffff.

This work has a great deal of possibilities. Each movement can stand alone to fill any particular performance need, and the complete work, which lasts about nine minutes, would be exciting and musically interesting for any program.
-F. Michael Combs

Different but One Body (2003)

for percussion Ensemble

(Vibraphone solo and three percussion)

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Photo by Patrick Heathcock