The composer states: Klung was commissioned by and written for Quey Percussion Duo (Tim Brocious and Gene Koshinski) and Bill Solomon in 2006. It reflects my ongoing interest in world music traditions and how they intersect, as exemplified in Klung's use of non-traditional instruments. Exact choice of instruments is left up to the performers; Gene plays an original "homemade" marimba, following specifications by American composer Lou Harrison; Tim plays a ranat, a Thai instrument which has wooden bars over a wooden box (often boat shaped) which serves as its resonator, and Bill plays a balafon, a wooden barred instrument with hollow gourd resonators from West Africa. Three timbracks (an "instrument" created from a collection of instruments or objects arranged in a scale) may also be used. The piece employs traditional and non-traditional contrapuntal techniques, as well as rational and irrational rhythms.
Review from Percussive Notes:
Klung
David Macbride
Passing away unexpectedly last year, David Macbride left the percussion world with significant solo and chamber works in the repertoire, including “Klung” for three percussionists using three distinct melodic instruments. Macbride’s interest in world music traditions is obvious in this intersection of styles between Balinese, Indonesian, Thai, Indian, and more. With the use of non-standard, non-Western percussion instruments, “Klung” creates a new soundscape that envelops and invites the listener while also creating a backdrop for rhythmic interplay amongst the musicians.
“Klung” was commissioned and written for Tim Broscious, Gene Koshinski, and Bill Solomon in 2006. The online recording features the Quey Percussion Duo with Solomon on Koshinski’s album Klung, with Koshinski playing his home-made marimba, Broscious playing a Thai ranat, and Solomon playing a West African balafon. Macbride indicates that the instrument choice is completely up to the performer, but a preferred sound concept includes dry, non-Western mallet instruments or even timbrack setups. The timbrack comes from Michael Udow’s concept of a collection of multiple percussion instruments arranged in a visual way to represent a keyboard. Each player is also asked to play two sustained metal sounds, which contribute to the gamelan effect.
The piece is very demanding from a notational point of view. Macbride uses a standard five-line staff to notate each part, and without a key signature, the measures can easily run together, and the intricate rhythms and fast metric shifts add to the complexity. Putting all of that together along with the creation of three unique instruments makes for one intense piece. Designed for the professional or graduate level ensemble, “Klung” is a great way to add a non-Western touch to a concert that will create a unique timbral combination to draw interest and excitement.
—Matthew Geiger
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