Oathbreaker

for percussion quartet

Program Notes:

Oathbreaker is a work shaped by the fractured morality of the ‘DnD’ fantasy archetype of the fallen Paladin, or the Oathbreaker, and the raw physical force of percussion. Influenced by the visceral sound world of John Luther Adams’ work “Earth and the Great Weather” (1993), this work explores unstable rhythmic structures through a varied meter sequence of 3-5-7-9-11, with inversions of this sequence.

Pedagogically, Oathbreaker is an original work designed to introduce some of the advanced textures, pacing, and ensemble challenges in John Luther Adams' music.

Performance Notes:

Instrumentation: 2 pairs of bongos, 5 toms, 1 impact drum (or low tom), 2 concert bass drums

(F-A-C-E-G refer to the spaces in treble clef, written low to high)

• Player One (sticks, hands, felt/mallets)

  • G: High Bongo

  • E: Low Bongo

  • C: High Tom

  • F: Medium Tom

• Player Two (sticks, hands, felt/mallets)

  • G: High Bongo

  • E: Low Bongo

  • C: Medium High Tom

  • F: Medium Low Tom

• Player Three (felt/mallets, concert BD rollers)

  • C: Low Tom

  • F: Concert Bass Drum

• Player Four (felt/mallets, concert BD rollers)

  • C: Very Low Tom, or Impact Drum

  • F: Concert Bass Drum
    

Notes: Bongos should be tuned as a 4-note ‘chord’, with P1 having the highest pitch and second lowest pitch. P2 should have the second highest pitch and lowest pitch. P1+P2 toms should be tuned in a similar scheme. P4 bass drum should be tuned lower than P3; the two drums should compliment each other. Performers should  have a very tight setup with Players 1+3 directly facing Players 2+4. (below)