Clangor-SAMPLE

WESLEY DENKINS CLANGOR for percussion ensemble

Clangor by Wesley Denkins

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TSPCE24-010

PROGRAM NOTES

Clangor was written for the first-year percussion ensemble at Boyd County High School in Ashland, Kentucky. It was not inspired by anything specific, but the metallic sounds and layering of the pipes during the first section has been said to remind listeners of a train yard or industrial workshop. The piece is meant to serve a few purposes for the developing percussionist. First, it familiarizes players with a multi-percussion setup, as every performer uses both a drum and a metal object. Next, it explores very obvious texture and timbre differences as the performers explore the concept of touch on two very different instruments. Lastly, the piece is mostly played in unison but does include moments where each performer must be responsible for perfectly executing his/her own part.

Wesley Denkins

PLAYERS AND INSTRUMENTATION

Clangor requires 8 players* with the following instrumentation:

8 graduated drums (toms, snare drums w/ snares off, kick drum/marching bass drum)

8 graduated resonant metals (i.e., tuned pipes, brake drums, frying pans)

*May be performed with 4 players using parts 1, 3, 5, and 7.

SUGGESTED SETUP

PERFORMANCE NOTES

Throughout the first section (mm. 5–25), the audience will see and hear two main groups—players 1–4 and players 5–8. The two groups begin with contrasting ideas on different instruments. They then swap musical ideas and slowly morph into the main idea (letter B), where everyone is playing a combination of both ideas. During the transitional phrase in mm. 25–32, players gradually drop out before the metric modulation at letter D. Player 1 leads the charge in this faster 12/8 section, and every player “hops back on the train” in quick succession. This domino effect follows with each player then moving to their drum and setting up a very clear 12/8 rock pattern at letter E using the metallic instrument as the main “melodic” voice while the drums provide energy to the groove.

A return to the original theme at letter G is approached with a clever metric modulation out of the triplet feel back into the squarer 16th note feel. Players slowly drop out one measure at a time using only the metallic voice, and there is a moment of respite once player 1 drops out. The idea is that the audience perceives the piece to be finished, possibly beginning to applaud, only to be interrupted with one final “Gotcha!” on the last two notes of the piece.

Important notes:

• Player 1 should have the highest sounding drum and metallic object. Player 8 should have the lowest sounding drum and metallic object. Every player from 1 to 8 should have graduated descending voices. You might make use of toms as well as snare drums of different depths and tuning with the snares turned off. The lowest drum could even be a kick drum or small marching bass drum laid flat.

• Using a metallic voice with some resonance gives a cool metallic choir effect when all parts are layered. The intent is to allow this resonance to fill space produced by larger rhythmic gaps.

• Experiment with how players play the instruments and what implements are used. During the original performance drumsticks were used with tuned metal pipes. The bead of the stick was used in every section except for measures 40–57 where the shoulder of the stick was used for a more abrasive sound.

• You can experiment with doing some visual tricks when players add in or drop out to add visual interest. Whatever you choose, be as consistent as possible across all players.

• Some drum-to-drum (playing on the drum next to you) may be used in the recapitulation at letter G to add visual flair if you can adjust the instrument setup to allow it.

• The piece may be performed as a quartet using parts 1, 3, 5, and 7. Some additional time between musical and visual events will pass, but the overall structure and flow of the piece will remain intact.

P l a y e r 2

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