From Time to Time the Crocodile East a Stone

Siegfried Kutterer

General Info

Year: 2017
Duration: c. 12:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Verlag Neue Musik
Cost: Score and Parts - 28.80 €   |   Score Only - 22.80 €

Instrumentation

Vibraphone
Piano

Program Notes

At the beginning of the 19th century, the missionary Johann Gottlieb Christaller worked at the Basel Mission on the Gold Coast of West Africa. Captivated by the culture of the local population, he learned their languages ​​and, over time, acquired a whole collection of proverbs; life lessons that convey insights in a concise yet poetic form. One bon mot from this collection that particularly appeals to me is "From time to time, the crocodile eats a stone," which essentially means that things don't always go as planned. For a missionary, this was likely a ubiquitous experience.

"From time to time, the crocodile eats a stone" is the first composition in a series of works inspired by African music. Pentatonic scales, here in equal temperament for instrumental reasons, in all their inversions and variations, form the basic tonal material. Fragments of themes from indigenous African music are incorporated. The rhythmic foundation is a continuous pulse, perceived as either binary or ternary. Through phrasing, primarily in groups of 5, 7, and 9, the apparent impression of different meters is created. The distortion and intensification of both the melodic and rhythmic elements leads to an eccentric climax, which is based on another African proverb: "When two elephants fight, the grass suffers." In this context, the grass is the rhythmic structure of the bass line, which is severely buffeted by the escapades of the vibraphone and the right hand of the piano. Afterward, the crocodile has eaten the stone, the elephants have calmed down, and peace returns with the epilogue.

Recent Performances

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Works for Percussion by this Composer

Angel's Desire - Interlude No. 4 - Percussion Sextet
Arak Attack - Percussion Octet
As if a baldhead is going to the hairdresser - Percussion Quartet, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone
Crab Club - Jazz Trio - Piano, Bass, Drums & Percussion Trio
Dance of Akebono - Multiple Percussion
Fix - Gyx - Percussion/Mallet Trio, Piano
Fobia - Percussion Quartet
Hello Mrs. Ples - Percussion Quartet
Indigo - Percussion Nonet, Piano
Interludes (Nos. 1-3) - Percussion Duo & Percussion Trio
Mystic Blue - Percussion Sextet, Soprano Voice, Piano
Sangaree - Percussion Duo
Shehani - Percussion Ensemble (13)
Something – Something - Timpani, Percussion Trio
Straight Inside - Percussion Duo
From Time to Time the Crocodile East a Stone - Vibraphone, Piano