For four percussionists and girl announcer. A theatre piece from the late 1960s, this work uses an array of standard percussion instruments. Fragments of music plus written directions give the players a sense of the style in which to improvise. Duration: ca. 9'
Review from Percussive Notes:
Marshall’s Medium Message
Roger Hannay
In our current social and political climate, the world is often viewed through the lens of social media, YouTube, and online updates. Although written in 1969, Roger Hannay’s “Marshall’s Medium Message” still resonates as a charged message toward our outlook on media. Hannay’s guided ensemble improvisation takes its cue from Marshall McLuhan, who, in 1964, published a book suggesting that the medium itself, not the content within, carries more weight than the material.
Written toward the end of Hannay’s penultimate period composing frequently with electronics and multi-media, “Marshall’s Medium Message” uses acoustic percussion instruments along with piano and celeste positioned in a large circle on the stage. The piece is broken up into seven sections, with relative time lengths given in the score. Each section begins and ends with cues from the various players, requiring a highly alert ensemble at all times.
The introduction sets the stage, literally, as the performers are asked to position the instruments during the performance while the fifth player takes his or her place on a conductor’s stool to adjust a microphone. This player’s whole role in the piece is to improvise during the fifth section using typical airport terminal announcements. The other four percussion parts are written using a combination of graphic notation, standard notation, and written instructions. Each part is incredibly individualistic, providing a great opportunity for personal artistic contributions throughout.
The piece culminates in the final section with all percussionists moving rapidly clockwise around the entire setup, playing as loudly as possible and striking all sound sources. After a cue from one performer, the players rush off the stage leaving the expressionless announcer and the still-resonating instruments onstage. The piece is structured to challenge the performers in the ensemble to create a meaningful experience for the audience, while tying together all events into one cohesive creation.
—Matthew Geiger
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