Mystical Traveller
General Info
Publisher: KT Percussion
Cost: $39.95
Instrumentation
Player 1: Glockenspiel
Player 2: Vibraphone
Player 3: Xylophone
Player 4: Marimba
Player 5: Piano
Player 6: Bass Guitar
Player 7: 3 Roto-Toms & Shaker
Player 8: 2 Mounted Tom Toms & Shaker
Player 9: Snare Drum & Tom Tom
Player 10: Floor Tom
Player 11: Floor Tom & Cymbal
Description
The piece opens with a suspense filled introduction, with Piano and Vibraphone being accompanied by atmospheric percussion sounds. Throughout the score there is lots of opportunity for the ensemble director and members of the ensemble to develop their musicianship by choosing appropriate sounds for given events in the score. In this audio example you will hear how this group has used a bundle of Shells, a Shaker and some small Indian Bells to play the atmospheric sounds. Some dramatic drumming ushers in the main theme of the piece, which is in irregular time signatures. While they are somewhat unusual they are not difficult for the ensemble to grasp. The drama unfolds through this whole first section, with interesting interplay between the untuned and tuned percussion players. There is interesting interplay between all the percussion parts throughout. This next example shows how the untuned percussion players perform almost a counter-melodic function to add to the texture of the music. A dramatic climax leads to a driven unison drum solo – which concludes the first section of the work, leaving the audience breathless in anticipation of what is going to happen next. The final section is where the group can really create a bit of “magic” through their musicianship, developing the texture of the work. There is a few suggestions, however it is up to the individual ensemble to interpret the instructions in the score to create your own piece of musical mystery.