Point Lobos Shore Trail

David Lastname

General Info

Year of Published: 2019
Publisher: Media Music Press
Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: c.
Cost: $10.00

Instrumentation

Wind Chimes (Shell) & Wind Chimes (Metal) & Wind Chimes (Wood) & Wind Chimes (Bells) & Wind Chimes (Plastic)

Program Notes

Review

Graphic notation comes in many forms. Some, like Xenakis’ “Psappha,” take a mathematical approach to notate every sound and when they occur. Others, like Earle Brown’s “December 1952,” draw a picture with symbols and leave much of the interpretation to the performer. “Point Lobos Shore Trail” by David Macbride takes the latter approach but sets a guideline that the only instruments permitted be among the most delicate that percussionists encounter: wind chimes.

The notated page is simple in its design. It is a sketch of two oceanic waves and a handful of birds set in front of a sunset, meant to be the Point Lobos Shore Trail in California. This sketch is set on a rectangular grid in which the vertical axis denotes volume and the horizontal represents the time. Macbride gives suggestions as to how to interpret these axes, such as an appropriate performance length and where the threshold of audibility is, but the performer has a lot of freedom outside of these points. The style of chimes used and how each of the different events are treated are left to the discretion of the performer. As such, each performance of this piece will be one-of-a-kind.

Pieces such as this are interesting to approach for a formally trained percussionist. It does not require the standard procedure of rigorous practice; rather, it requires an intimate knowledge of an obscure instrument, and a performance approach more akin to painting. In the hands of a musician who understands this methodology, along with having the necessary maturity and patience to prepare it with such a delicate instrument, Macbride’s composition has the possibility of creating some truly beautiful performances.

Works for Percussion by this Composer

Mallet Solo

A Special Light – Glockenspiel; with Piano
As Before – Marimba Solo
Ever-Inward – Vibraphone
Find meat on Bones – Marimba
Peterborough Chorale – Marimba
Meditation (Macbride) - Glockenspiel
Triptych(Macbride) – Marimba

Snare Drum Solo

Full Circle

Timpani Solo

Three Timpani Pieces

Multiple Percussion Solo

Chamber Field
Envelop
Music for Pot Lids
Point Lobos Shore Trail
Not Cooking
Trinity

Percussion Ensemble

AMANAPLANACANALPANAMA – Percussion 11
Face – Percussion Duet
Flam - 8 Players
For Four – Percussion Quartet
Inside the Ring – Percussion Quartet; with Piano
Nothing in Tow – Percussion Duet
One on Five – Percussion Quintet
Quadrumane – Percussion Quartet
Quiet – Percussion Septet
Split – Percussion Trio
Timing – Percussion Duet
Track Three – Percussion Trio
XYWAYZ – Percussion Duet; with Piano

With Other Instrument

Americanisms – Percussion Duet; with Narrators
Gageego – Multiple Percussion Solo; with Flute; with Piano
IOIO – Percussion Duet; with Orchestra
Murder – Multiple Percussion Solo; with Flute
Shape Notes – Percussion Duet; with Flute
Ssh... – Percussion Quartet; with Audience
To___ – Percussion Solo(Piano); with Voice