October Inferno
General Info
Publisher: Dutch Music Partners
Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: 00:12:30
Cost: €123.50
Instrumentation
Player 1: Marimba & Snare Drum & Bongos & Bass Drum
Player 2: Vibraphone & Xylophone & 4 Tom Toms
Player 3: Marimba & Snare Drum & Bass Drum & Temple Blocks & Suspended Cymbal
Player 4: Bass Marimba & Snare Drum & Bass Drum & Suspended Cymbal & Cowbell & Whip
Player 5: Timpani & Snare Drum & Bass Drum & Crash Cymbal
Player 6: Chimes & Snare Drum & Brake Drum & Suspended Cymbal & Egg Shaker & Tam Tam & Wood Block & Triangle
Description
October Inferno tells the story of the bombing of Westkapelle by the Allies on 3 October 1944. The work begins with a short menacing introduction, followed by a fragment of Radio Oranje announcing the imminent liberation. Then comes a cynical part, in which the scorn and ridicule for the occupying forces and the insecurity of the occupying forces due to the advancing Allies can be heard. The occupier is expressed in a 12-tone xylophone melody and the resistance in agreed percussion. As time goes on, the uncertainty increases. The middle section is about the bombing. Introduced by the characteristic sound of Lancaster bombers, a unison fragment for timpani and mallets follows, depicting the flight formation of the squadrons. When approaching the target, the formation is broken and the bombs are dropped over the target. All of this can be heard, as well as the chaos and destruction caused by the bombing. The final movement expresses the mixed feelings of the population during the liberation. On the one hand joy, and on the other hand sadness for the many victims of the bombing and the war in general and the destroyed village which is flooded so that many have lost almost all their possessions. The chorale part is based on the national anthem of Westkapelle. The poem that is heard is by Corella Nijsse-Scheele.
Works for Percussion by this Composer
Alliance - Percussion 17
De Vliegende Hollander - Percussion 14
Guernsey Variations - Percussion 11
October Inferno - Percussion Sextet
Rotations (Nijsse) - Percussion Quartet
Rush Hour (Nijsse) - Percussion 18