C Note, for solo percussionist, includes one score.
Review from Percussive Notes (2023):
In lieu of a traditional score, “C Note” consists of a list of instructions for the performer to follow. The main idea is that the performer fits inside an offstage bass drum and that one of the heads is made of thin material (the composer suggests vellum from an art supply store) that is taped in place and can later be destroyed. The bass drum is then carried or wheeled on stage. The performer is instructed to begin making sounds from inside the drum, trace a pattern visible to the audience on the false bass drum head with a felt marker, cut through the pattern with a knife, then poke additional holes through the surface, ending with the performer emerging from the bass drum.
The success and legitimacy of a work such as this lies entirely in the hands of the performer. Will they select and organize the sounds made from within the drum, as well as those made by the cutting, that work compositionally and contribute to the aesthetic of the performance? The composer makes no indication as to how the music should be constructed, although I was hoping for further instructions for determining sounds made inside the drum, similar to the “Composed Improvisation” works by John Cage. Without such considerations, musical aspects of the work can quickly take a back seat to gimmickry.
While “C Note” has potential as an intriguing opener to a percussion or new music concert, the performer will need to develop a solid game plan ahead of time that enables a legitimate musical experience for the audience.
—Jason Baker
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Demo:
