Music for Percussion

[Drum Ensemble from Nepal]



"Keeping Still," is written for three marimbas and bells. My goal was to reflect the kaleidoscopic nature of the relationships between life, thought, consciousness and being. A number of patterns revolve around each other resulting in an ever-changing combination of sound and texture. It has a joyous presence.

Our environment is full of rhythm. This rhythm comes not only from the sounds we hear, but also from the visions we see. The flight of a seagull, the slither of a snake, and the flow of a river--all speak a rhythmic language, whether in sound or in light.

It was during one of those hot New England Summers when I visited Wadsworth Falls that this interdisciplinary rhythm of life became so apparent. Wadsworth Falls is a state park in Middletown Connecticut. There is a boisterous and powerful waterfall set in a rocky cliff. It is dangerous fun to climb those cliffs, especially after a rain storm, when the force of the water could sweep you away if you weren't aggressive enough to push back. What impressed me was that the sound of the water, the vision of the reflection of the sun as it sparkled irridescently, the birds, frogs, snakes and snails--everything had rhythm. This experience gave birth to my piece, "Wadsworth Falls." I scored this piece for the following instruments:

This is a virtuoso piece which lasts 12 minutes.

Here is an excerpt from Wadsworth Falls:

The Lair of Morpheus, for saxophone and vibraphone duet, is about 9 minutes long. This piece is inspired by mythological tales of Morpheus, the god of dreams, son of Hypnos.

The Liberation of Tantalus, for marimba solo, is about 22 minutes long. This four mallet piece in three movements is inspired by the mythological tale of Tantalus, a king, son of Zeus, who was doomed in the world of shadows to stand in water that always receded when he tried to drink it and under branches of luscious fruit that always remained barely out of reach.

Excerpt from The Liberation of Tantalus:

I wrote Pleasures of Kali for multiple percussion (one player). It's about 5 minutes long and requires the following instruments:

Kali is a Hindu diety who both creates and destroys.

If you are interested in performing any of these pieces, please send e-mail!

kevinpurrone@yahoo.com


Check out the following excellent sites: