For soprano and percussion. The soprano's use of "sprechstimme" blends perfectly with the percussion sounds creating a seductive, atmospheric work. The percussionist needs a gong, vibraphone, suspended cymbal, woodblock, three triangles, chimes, bass drum and three muted toms. Duration: ca. 7'
Review from Percussive Notes (Dec. 2020):
Ashes
David Cope
“Ashes” for soprano and percussion was composed in 1974. To say that “Ashes” is a sophisticated contemporary chamber music piece would be underselling it. David Cope has done a tremendous job combining standard sounds and perfectly placed effects. The soprano’s use of “sprechstimme” blends perfectly with the percussion sounds, creating a seductive, atmospheric work.
The piece opens with both musicians trading entrances, with one blending and emerging from the other. It then moves into a sprechstimme whisper section in which the timing of the percussionist is crucial. The percussion part is increasingly busy before a short soprano feature, followed by a return to the tone from the beginning of the piece.
The percussionist has several primary challenges. This first is managing the large setup and array of mallets and implement changes that come with it. Cope is very specific in the mallet requirement as well as effects and associated techniques. The second challenge is managing the tempo. While several of the passages are to be played out of time or at an indeterminate amount of times, the tempo remains steady. The third and paramount challenge is blending all of the sounds with the soprano. Cope writes, “Great care must be made to balance voice and percussion.”
I highly recommend “Ashes” for anyone looking for a contemporary, atmospheric, and sophisticated piece for percussion and soprano. It pushes the limits both technically and musically of both performers. While the large setup would make it difficult to perform outside of an academic setting, “Ashes” would be appropriate for any audience of contemporary music.
—Joe Millea
