RWCMD- Percussion Plus

 The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama provided shelter from a rainy night and a percussive treat on Monday 25^th of February as the Percussion department staged Percussion Plus. With 11 students taking part and a stage packed to the edges with instruments, the students did not disappoint a busy Bute theatre. 

  The evening opened and closed with two drum kit concertos- the first David Mancini’s Suite for Drumset. Simon Brittlebank was the soloist and began alone on stage with a small improvised solo passage. He followed this by outlining the groove on which the work is based during which the other members of the ensemble filtered onto the stage- beginning with the snare drum and the untuned players, followed by the timpanist and the pitched percussion instrumentalists. The other instruments were very effective in their supporting role, not least with the way in which they provided stab-like rhythms for Brittlebank to improvise to. The piece moved to new themes- using Agogo Bells and Cabasas- and also a very Samba reflective section. Brittlebank then moved to his improvised section, successfully demonstrating to the audience the calibre of his playing. An impressive soloist and opening, foreshadowing what was in store. 

   The department were obviously keen to demonstrate the versatility of their players and the repertoire available for Percussion ensembles and followed the Suite with Music for Pieces of Wood by renowned minimalist composer Steve Reich. Composer of works such as Electric Counterpoint, this piece contained trade marks of Reich such as his very gamelan influenced style and his focus on and detail to individual rhythms. A mention to Simon Brittlebank again, who moved from kit soloist to walking metronome as he kept the tempo solid throughout with his quaver pulse. The work passed one central rhythm around each of the other four differently pitched granite blocks, with players picking up and dropping out of the rhythm at various intervals. The work may not be everyone’s cup of tea but the students still managed to bring their own flare and imagination to it, including with their café style staging.    

   Cameron Sinclair’s Funk Loops is not a work known to everybody but was an impressive piece- both in its writing and performance on the night. Based on the minimalist ideas of Reich, the work for three Marimbas and Vibraphone showed another side to the diversity of the players and department at the Welsh College. Based around the signalling Vibraphone the piece moved effortlessly between sections. The Marimbas took the majority of the melodic role, passing the melody around, showing the capabilities of player and instrument in accompanying and solo roles. Whereas the job of the Vibraphone was to indicate the start of a new section, it was up to one of the Marimbas at any given time to maintain quaver and semiquaver pulses. As this figure was moved, the melodic lines of the other two Marimbas continued to interweave. An impressive piece showing interaction between performer and instrument as well as the four students playing the piece.        

   The finale of the first half was titled after an Hawaiian War God- Ku-Ka-llimoku (Christopher Rouse). Written in 1978 as a commission for the Syracuse Symphony Percussion Ensemble, the piece used the idea of Hawaiian chants- which use rarely more than two pitches. The combination of this and Western instruments adds the ferocity needed to represent a war God. Rouse commented that the piece ‘…is best viewed as a salvage, propulsive war dance.’ The piece lends itself well to young percussionists wanting to explore the timbres of all instruments and many different ways they can be played. Techniques such as playing claves pressed on a bass drum skin coupled with dynamic playing on instruments such as congas, timpani and a dark, eerie Marimba melody presented the audience with an atmospheric and brilliantly played war dance.          

   The second half began with a piece composed after a day dream about a wind-up toy. Dave Hollinden’s The Whole Toy Laid Down. Using a mixture of drums, tuned instruments, cymbals and timpani, the piece had it all- changes of tempo, movement between various instuments, unison sections and styles. The music also contained an almost question and answer style section between the left and right hand side setups. The contrast between the melodic and rhythmic lines gave the distinct impression of a wind-up tow as the piece came to an end.           

  The phrase less is more could certainly be used when describing Alan Keown’s Destinations. Based on various destinations in Africa and using four traditional African instruments- two conga sets and two sets of bongos- the piece included everything associated with African drumming. The cross rhythms and question and answer passages were very reminiscent of the ancient tradition of African drumming and reminded the audience that despite many modern pieces, the old traditions will take some replacing.          

  The evening had demonstrated many different combinations and numbers of players, but the most popular was the Percussion Quartet. Graham Fitkin’s Hook is a work used by many touring quartets and found in most music college’s percussion repertoire. The mixture of four Marimbas, cymbals, bass drums and roto-toms provided many differences in timbre and texture, with the piece being very rhythmic, with mostly chordal Marimba lines. The Roto-toms played an important role as the only instrument to be heard throughout, as the music gathered excitement. The role of the Marimbas was passed around considerably, leaving the audience to play a game of find percussionist playing the bass-line.         

   As with Destinations, the traditional Estonian folk tune Estilainen is a reminder that simple can be equally as effective. It offered a brilliant contrast to the preceding Hook as well the Concerto for Drumset that followed. The four Marimba tune consisted of three two-mallet rolling parts (one of which was the tune) as well as a moving bass-line. Beauty written and played, the piece offered everything that both musical and non-musical ears could appreciate: a lovely melody and the freedom for expression. The four players deserve huge praise for making such a simple piece so memorable in amongst a flurry of modern and busy music.           

  The evening came full circle as the second drum kit soloist was featured. Simon Blake undertook the task of playing John Beck’s Concerto for Drumset, as featured on Simone Rebello’s album A Secret Place and played by Ralph Salmins at Birmingham Conservatoire’s Day of Percussion 2007. However, Blake was obviously not in the least but phased by this as he gave a stunning account of himself. Moving between sticks and brushes and including a big-band style swing section the piece really showed all the players present on stage. In his cadenza, Blake used the kit to its full potential, showing its colour and his technique excellently. A fantastic last item.         

   The evening was, in no uncertain terms, a massive success and the playing of the students was of the highest order. However, playing aside, one of the most impressive things was how well the evening was presented- the speaking being shared out between students, the swiftness of stage resets and the way in which every one of the students presented themselves was a credit to the College and themselves. Their professionalism in every element of the performance was that of experienced, touring percussion soloist or ensemble. A simply superb evening.