Blog
Monthly Archive: May 2007
Scrap metal orchestra
Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Yesterday Rambert performed Anatomica #3 by Andre Gingras to a score by my old friend and colleague Joseph Hyde. After chatting with Rambert's principal percussionist Rob Millett, Jo discovered Rob was an avid collector of scrap metal instruments. Jo's score featured four percussionists playing scrap metal percussion of various kinds and the music was influenced by Gamelan and minimalism, but it sounded quite unique, I was very impressed. Jo and I are dreaming of setting up rival scrap metal orchestras, and after hearing what he managed to acheive with this piece, I'm definitely inspired!
Update
Jo's kindly allowed me to post an excerpt of the piece here:
later on, with a wonderfully distorted electronic sound:
I asked Jo for a list of what the four percussionists play:
Performer 1
6 alloy scaffolding pipes
5 square-section iron pipes
1 long iron pipe
small shaker
2 metal drums
tam-tam (as large as poss)
Performer 2
shaker
lensdrum
7 cowbells
large Chinese cymbal, 20 heavy Turkish cymbal
circle of drums comprising:
large orchestral bass drum, 18 floor tom, 16 tom, 14 tom, 12 tom, low timbale, high timbale, low bongo, high bongo
large field snare, snares off
Performer 3
shaker
kalimba
3 cowbells
9 kitchen bowls
3 temple bowls
18 light Turkish cymbal with sizzles, 14 light Turkish cymbal,7 light Turkish cymbal
Small set of standing drums: small, damped bass drum, small snare (snare on), 14 tom, 12 tom, low bongo, high bongo
Performer 4
49-key Keyboard, playing a variety of pre-recorded samples
Groanbox boys
Posted on Saturday, May 12, 2007
My friends Michael and Cory, aka the Groanbox Boys have just been featured in The Independent - their footstomping mix of accordion, banjo is really something special. They're planning a new US tour this summer and a UK and Ireland tour in the autumn, I recommend checking them out at groanboxboys.com
Archive Cage TV appearance
Posted on Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Here's an unbelievable performance of John Cage performing his piece 'Water Walk' on a popular US TV show in 1960. (via therestisnoise)
