Improvisational work for percussion soloist and tape (CD) uses a minimum of 2 gongs, 2 almglocken, suspended cymbal, bass drum, bongos and metal wind chimes. The player responds to the taped directions in order to "achieve a state of childlike confusion." Duration: 9' 13"
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Review from Percussive Notes:
“Chamber Piece for Bearded Percussionist and Tape” is somewhat reminiscent of Stuart Saunders Smith’s “Songs I–IX,” though in this case the tape accompaniment does the speaking rather than the performer. The avant-garde and surrealist aspects of the piece allow for either a highly curated multi-percussion solo, or a more theatre-driven acting performance.
The printed score is a single sheet of instructions without standard notation, and the actual performance instructions are given by the tape in real time. When the voice on the tape is inaudible the performer is instructed to improvise. The instructions are interspersed with electronic sounds and stretches of silence.
Though it may seem like the title of “for Bearded Percussionist” is exclusionary, nowhere does it state that the percussionist must be male (though the pronouns used in the score are “he/his,” which is not uncommon for a score from 1970), only that the performer must have a beard, the purpose of which is to hang windchimes from and sound them by movements of the head. A percussionist without a home-grown beard could have a lot of fun choosing and wearing a fake beard, which would add even more to the “state of childlike confusion or well-tooled virtuosity” that the piece seeks to create.
Given the wide range of technical possibilities, “Chamber Piece for Bearded Percussionist and Tape” would be a worthwhile excursion for a young percussionist just starting to play non-traditional scores, or for a more seasoned professional wanting a light-hearted addition to a theatrical recital.
—Marilyn K. Clark Silva
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