Todestanzen

Keith Fitch

General Info

Year of Published: 1992
Publisher: Non Sequitur Music Publishing
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Duration: 00:14:00
Cost: Score and Parts - $35.00   |   Score Only - $0.00

Instrumentation

Player 1: Viola
Player 2: Vibraphone & Marimba & Xylophone & Bongos & Maracas & 5 Concert Tom Toms & Tenor Drum

Program Notes

Todestanzen was composed between July and October 1992 for the Canadian violist Peter Pas, who, with percussionist Bruce Hamilton, premiered it in March 1993 at Indiana University. The work is in three movements which explore both the dark lyricism traditionally associated with the viola and an outright virtuosity not often found in much of its repertoire. The percussion does not play a secondary role but has its own musical profile and is as soloistic and virtuosic as the viola.

The first movement is quiet and evocative, the viola carrying a long, expressive line while the percussion provides an almost ritualistic background. The second movement is again quiet but is a rapid scherzo, combining both perpetual motion and dance-like elements. The third movement is the most virtuosic of the three, juxtaposing music which is free and almost improvisatory with that which is traditionally controlled, driving the work to its final climax.

Recent Performances

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Works for Percussion by this Composer

Burnt Counterpoint - Multiple Percussion; Alto Saxophone
Manhattan Rolls - Marimba
Three Poems of Paul Verlaine - Multiple Percussion; Voice - Soprano; Cello
Todestanzen - Multiple Percussion; Viola