Three Episodes for Timpani
General Info
Year: 1980
Duration: c. 10:45
Difficulty: Advanced
Publisher: Kendor
Cost: $7.99
Movements
Instrumentation
timpani (4)-(prepared piano used for resonance in first movement)
Program Notes
dedication: to the composer's son, John R. Beck
THREE EPISODES FOR TIMPANI is a fine study in tonal colors and performance techniques on timpani. The first movement utilizes a grand piano (whose damper pedal is depressed throughout the movement) exploiting the colors produced through sympathetic resonance of the piano strings with the drums and also uses clusters of sound produced on the piano keyboard bythe timpanist. These colors are juxtaposed against traditional but effective timpani writing. There are no pitch changes in this movement. Neither the second nor the third movement uses the piano. The second movement is a study in pedaling and intonation as the performer must play a slow, jazz-like theme on the 23" drum (which includes notes from F to high B-flat) while playing a 2 mallet "drone" bass line in the left hand on 2 drums. The two high B-flats are bound to sound a little "tight" but they are played at only a mf level. A cadenza is included which involves more pedaling and intonation challenges than technical ones (though a one handed roll and 2 mallets is called for). Stickings and drum choices are notated in the cadenza, but could be changed if the performer desires without altering the composition in any way. The last movemet is a straightforward march which incorporates the colors of the "dead" stroke, audible dampening effects, and the sound produced when one dampens a drum during an attack. A bravura 16th note passage gives this work an exciting finish. This is a good work for the intermediate to advanced player who is working on pedaling techniques and is interested in exploring the color potential of the timpani.
Reviewed By: Niel DePonte
Review Originally Published: January 1981
Commercial Discography
Recent Performances
Works for Percussion by this Composer
Snare Drum Solo
10 Intermediate Snare Drum Solos – Snare Solo
Advanced Solos for Snare Drum – Snare Solo
Bicentennial Drummer – Snare Solo
Classical Snare Drum Solos – Snare Solo
Colonial Capers – Snare Solo
Colonial Drummer – Snare Solo
Colonial Episode – Snare Solo
Siegfried Fink Siegfried - Fink Luxembourg – Snare Drum Solo
Timpani Solo
Alpine Slide
Grand Duchy
Grand Teton
Cross-Over March
Interactions for Timpani and Sound – with Electronics
Modulations – Timpani Solo
Motives – Timpani Solo; with Piano
Snake River – Timpani Solo
Sonata for Timpani (Beck) – Timpani Solo
Three Episodes for Timpani – Timpani Solo; with Piano
Three Movements for Five Timpani – Timpani Solo
Triptych Motif – Timpani Solo
Multiple Percussion Solo
Episode for Solo Percussion
Istra
The Inverted Pyramid
Concerto
Concerto for Drum Set & Percussion Ensemble (Beck) – Percussion Septet; with Drum set
Concerto for Timpani and Percussion Ensemble (Beck) – Percussion Quintet; with Timpani
Percussion Ensemble
Episodes for Percussion Trio – Percussion Trio
Fanfare for the Common Percussionist
Four to One – Percussion Duo
G-Force – Percussion Trio
In and Out of the Pocket – Percussion Quartet
In the Pocket – Percussion Quartet
Jazz Miniature – Percussion Sextet
Jazz Variants – Percussion Octet
Latin Fantasy – Percussion Sextet
Little March – Percussion Sextet
Overture for Percussion Ensemble (Beck) – Percussion Octet
St. Patrick's Shenanigan – Percussion Trio
Additional Resources