Chasing Infinity
General Info
Year of Published: 2018
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: 00:12:00
Cost: $75.00
Instrumentation
Player 1: Glockenspiel
Player 2: Vibraphone
Player 3: Chimes
Player 4: Xylophone & Vibraphone (Shared)
Player 5: Marimba
Player 6: Marimba
Player 7: Marimba
Player 8: 4 Timpani & Claves
Player 9: Snare Drum & 2 Triangles & Small Suspended Cymbal
Player 10: Snare Drum & Finger Cymbals & Bongos & 2 Conga & Medium Suspended Cymbal
Player 11: Bell Tree & Large Suspended Cymbal & Ocean Drum & Wind Chimes & 2 Woodblocks
Player 12: 4 Concert Tom-toms & China Cymbal & Hi-Hat
Player 13: Concert Bass Drum & Multi-Bass Drum & Tam-Tam
Program Notes
Commissioned by Wilbrand van Norel to be used as a required piece in the 2018 Open Nederlandse Slagwerk Kampioenschappen (ONSK) in The Netherlands, Chasing Infinity draws its inspiration from a quote by Gustave Flaubert (from “The Letters of Gustave Flaubert 1830-1857”):
“Everything measurable passes, everything that can be counted has an end.
Only three things are infinite:
the sky in its stars,
the sea in its drops of water,
and the heart in its tears.”
These “three things” help organize the piece into three large contrasting sections. The first section, the sky in its stars, is less about melody and more about painting a sonic impression of the sparkling, infinite energy of the night sky. While there is an overarching melody that eventually emerges, the changing textures are most important. The second section, the sea in its drops of water, is much calmer and expands on the melodic motives that were introduced in the first section. It culminates in a glorious climax before sinking back into the calm of the sea. The third and final section, the heart in its tears, is closely related to the first section, but it is tonally much brighter and resolute.
Recent Performance
Works for Percussion by this Composer
Mallet Ensemble
- Immortal Dream - Mallet Septet
- Spun - Mallet Octet
Percussion Ensemble
- A Yuletide Celebration
- Adaptation
- Almost Beyond
- Azul
- Black Rainbow
- Blaze
- Chasing Infinity- Percussion Ensemble (13)
- DrakenVuur - Percussion Ensemble 20+
- Edge of the World - Percussion Ensemble (10)
- Ellipsis
- Fever Dream
- Fidget
- Firefly (Nathan Daughtrey) - Percussion Ensemble (12)
- Jötenheim - Percussion (13)
- Legacies - Percussion Ensemble (10)
- Limerick Daydream - Percussion Ensemble (10)
- Lost Souls - Percussion Quintet
- Luminescence - Percussion Ensemble (12)
- Mercury Rising - Percussion Septet
- Power Struggle - Percussion Octet
- StarDancer - Percussion Octet
- Sunward/Onward - Percussion Nonet
- The Cry - Percussion Ensemble (12)
- The Dreamers of Dreams - Percussion Ensemble (12)
- Till the Stars Come Down - Percussion Ensemble (10)
- Topsy Turvy - Percussion Ensemble (12)
- What Lies Within - Percussion Ensemble (10)
Percussion Concerto
- Concerto for Vibraphone & Percussion Ensemble
- Halcyon Days
- Irish Washerwoman
- The Foggy Dew
- Water Spirits
Percussion Ensemble with Other Instrument
- As Above, So Below - Percussion Ensemble (12) with Piano
- Bounce - Percussion Ensemble (12) with Solo Trumpet
- Coming Home - Percussion Quintet with Solo Euphonium
- Spitfire II - Percussion Nonet with Solo Euphonium
- Twitch - Percussion Ensemble (11) with Solo Clarinet
- The Wexford Carol - Percussion Nonet with Solo Soprano Saxophone