Roots PERUSAL by MattRidgeMusic

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ROOTS id g

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for percussion duet

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MATT RIDGE

www.mattridgemusic.com

2019

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id g

for percussion duet 2019

MATT RIDGE

www.mattridgemusic.com

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ROOTS

Player 2: • Vibraphone (3 oct.)

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Player 1: • Marimba (5 oct.) • Kick drum • Glockenspiel • Crotales (low octave)

INSTRUMENTATION

Shared: • Cymbal stack* • Sizzle cymbal • Bongos (1 set) • Low tom

DURATION: ca. 8’

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Commissioned by Jeff Upshaw and Paige DeDecker

Special implements: • 2 bows (1 each player) • Optional: thin timbale sticks (1 pair each player)

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* The cymbal stack should consist of two cymbals tightly clamped on top of each other. The resulting sound should be dry, sharp, and metallic. Splash cymbals and/or small-med china cymbals generally work best, though experimentation is encouraged. If no two available cymbals are appropriate, this may be substituted with a ribbon crasher, dried up by wrapping hair ties or rubber bands around the ribbons.

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PROGRAM NOTE

Roots came about through a collaboration with two incredible percussionists: Jeff Upshaw, a friend I’ve performed with and known for years, and Paige DeDecker, whom I had the great pleasure of getting to know through this process. Whereas most of my works to date have been largely programmatic, the mix of individuals involved with this project drove me to search for a different form of inspiration. Whilst seeking things the three of us had in common and the musical threads this could invoke, this seedling of a concept entered my mind:

Roots, as a title, inspires the work in two primary ways. Firstly, the roots found on vegetation inform the way the work unfurls over time. Motivic fragments sneak and slither around, unsteady, looking for a place to take hold. Eventually, they take a more concrete form before finally overtaking, out of control. Suddenly, the second half of the work takes a gentler, more sensitive look at this image: the same roots are now imagined organically and peacefully nurturing the listening space, timeless and free of anchor.

The metaphysical sense of the word “roots” takes equal importance: our backgrounds as humans, as musicians; the experiences which make us who we are. Jeff, Paige, and I all share a common experience: our former participation as percussionists within the marching arts activity. The groovy, complex rhythms and brilliant range of textures associated with that medium heavily influence the work. Certain melodic and rhythmic fragments running throughout are sparsely derived from simple tunes within that community which hold significant meaning with the three of us.

PERFORMANCE NOTES

A plus sign (+) above a note indicates a dead stroke.

A dashed slur indicates a large-scale motivic phrase and is simply meant to aid the performer’s interpretation and understanding of the piece.

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Crescendo and diminuendo markings without specified beginning/ending dynamics indicate light shaping within the current dynamic level.

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Mallet selection is left to the discretion of the performers. To that end, in the second half of the piece, the glockenspiel and crotales should always produce a sweet tone, never brittle. Do not pedal unless indicated. The terms “1/2” and “full” as used with pedal lines indicate half pedal and full pedal, respectively. If a pedal line with no text marking is present, assume full pedal.

Always let glockenspiel and crotales ring.



cymbal stack

bongos

SUGGESTED SETUP



sizzle cymbal

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 

low tom



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kick drum (player 1 only)

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PERCUSSION KEY

Special attention should be paid to tenuto and accent markings throughout; when not acting as a simple indicator of intensity, they often show the outline of an important rhythmic structure or a prominent melodic line.

The glockenspiel and crotales may be angled or otherwise repositioned as necessary - the only point in the piece requiring marimba and crotales to be played simultaneously is rehearsal W - X, so instrument positioning depends on the comfort of the performer during this phrase.

The kick drum may be placed wherever the performer finds it most comfortable. While initially envisioned under the mid-high end of the marimba (depending on the marimba’s resonators), it is also possible to experiment with placing the drum behind the performer, or using a double kick pedal.

Crotales Cymbal stack

Glock.

Bongos

Vibraphone Low tom

Sizzle cymbal

Marimba

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