Speaking Drums
My wife and I once had been to a concert where one of the pieces performed was the concerto for percussion and orchestra “Speaking Drums” by Péter Eötvös. This is quite a remarkable piece. It’s seriously complex modern “classical” music, rather well composed, and hilariously entertaining - all at the same time.
True to the genre, it’s a piece for orchestra and solo instrument. Just that the solo instrument is a multitude of percussion instruments played by one soloist. These instruments - drums, cymbals, marimbaphone, tubular bells, and things that go “doink” (to name just a few) - are spread out over a vast amount of space.
Consequently, the soloist’s job is not only to play all of the instruments, but also to buzz around on stage between them. As if that wasn’t enough, the soloist also has to recite nonsense poetry that is the linguistic inspiration for the rhythms played on the instruments.
Allow yourself to be entertained: here’s a performance featuring the fantastic Martin Grubinger.
Tags: music