Hans Werner Henze: Five Scenes from the Snow Country

Five Scenes from the Snow Country was written by Hans Werner Henze in 1978 for the Japanese percussionist Michiko Takahashi. Throughout the piece, Henze asks the performer to use three contrasting mallet-types: hard, medium, and soft. My personal interpretation of this work highlights these distinctions through the use of a variety of yarn, traditional rubber, and hard rubber mallets.

 

Kevin Volans: She who sleeps with a small blanket

Kevin Volans composed She who sleeps with a small blanket in 1985 and is a former student of Karlheinz Stockhausen and Mauricio Kagel. Volans’ writing within this work has been described as ferocious, lyrical and human.

 

Vinko Globokar: Terres brûlées, ensuite…

Vinko Globokar’s Terres brûlées, ensuite… has easily been one of the most enjoyable projects I have had the pleasure to be a part of. The work is scored for three performers –– a percussionist, a pianist, and a saxophonist –– who are often required to perform non-traditional activities with their instruments. The half-hour long work takes place over the course of seven tableau which are marked by the percussionist moving from one station to the next, as well as specific lighting requirements which change after each tableau. In addition to the many different timbres explored by these three performers, Globokar has also included live electronics which are used to manipulate the sounds produced by the saxophonist and prerecorded explosions which increase dynamically as the piece progresses. Thematically, the work is based on the aftermath of World War II and conveys this imagery through the many sounds, texts, and drama which saturate the work.