H.O.R.S.E.

H.O.R.S.E. for percussion duo

Jonathan Blumhofer

Instrumentation Open – both players should have access to a variety of unturned, resonant instruments (bells, bowls, gongs, etc.) as well as a set of drums (bass drum, snare drum, tom-toms, log drums, etc.). The only required instruments are cowbells for the final Coda and a bass drum for Player 2 in Movement 4. Otherwise, specific instruments are up to the discretion of the performers.

Performance Note H.O.R.S.E. is the result of a commission from Nate Gworek, who asked me to write a concept piece using non-traditional notation and open instrumentation. Having never composed a serious score along such parameters, I was initially thrown for something of a loop.

Shortly after Nate broached the idea for the piece, though, I found myself watching the 2015 NBA Finals. As a kid growing up outside Chicago in the late-1980s and throughout the ‘90s, I had avidly followed the ups and downs of Michael Jordan and Co. and, as a teenager, developed a great love for basketball. Aside from the games, one of my indelible basketball memories from around 1992 or ’93 was commercial Jordan and Larry Bird made for McDonald’s that involved the game of H.O.R.S.E. and a series of increasingly ludicrous shots by each (including one from the top of the Sears Tower). Watching the 2015 Finals and the notinconsiderable acrobatics of Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and others, I found myself again thinking of that ad and the game, which, when applied to Nate’s injunction for a “piece built around an idea [you] come up with one day,” seemed suddenly to have musical possibilities.

So my own H.O.R.S.E. takes the idea of the basketball game – one player taking and making a “challenge shot,” the other copying it or, if they miss, coming up with one of their own – and applied it to a composition for two percussionists. The score calls for considerable freedom and improvisation, though its broad parameters are notated. It falls into five movements, the odd numbered ones of which are sets of variations on a given theme. Between these variations comes a pair of interludes, the first for drums and the second for bass drum and gongs.

I imagine that no two performances will be quite alike: much of the musical content (including pitch, rhythm, sometimes dynamics, and instrumentation) is left to the discretion of the performers. The challenge – which I’m sure the best percussionists are up to – is to make something satisfying of the musical outline they’ve been given. As a composer, it’s a bit nerve-wracking to leave so many elements, as it were, to chance; but therein lies the adventure and sense of fun of this experiment.

Jonathan Blumhofer Worcester, MA September 2015

Instructions for Performers As noted above, the instrumentation is for the most part open. The “resonant, unpitched” instruments should be of a variety of sizes, pitches, resonances, and timbres – as a rule, the more complex and “interesting” the sound (especially for the lower-sounding instruments), the better. The drums can be of a wide range of types, either played by hand or with sticks. At the start of the Second movement (Interlude #1), a “rim shot” is indicated; if a snare drum is available, it should be played on that. Otherwise, improvise a sound that approximates a “rim shot” on any other type of drum.

Each movement proceeds without pause into the next. However, there should be a clear delineation between the end of Movement four and the start of Movement five (Interlude #2 and Free improvisation, respectively). The Free improvisation should be led by Player 2; all other variation movements are led by Player 1. The exact duration of each variation is somewhat dependent on the resonance of the instruments available – times given are for minimum duration.

In Movement 1, both players play the theme in unison. The first variation incorporates any four or five pitches from the theme in a pattern/order of Player 1’s choosing; Player 2 responds by repeating said pattern. Subsequent variations incorporate two more pitches in a new pattern or embellishment of the previous variation.

After the first two introductory drum fills in Movement 2, dynamics should be varied in subsequent fills. The final “dueling fills” section should be like a couple of brash trash talkers going at it (think Jordan and Gary Payton).

Each of the Movement 3 variations by a very short pause, like a Luftpause.

In Movement 4, gongs can be bowed, scraped, played with an assortment of sticks – whatever creates a compelling sound/shape.

I’m particularly partial to the sonority that comes from rubbing a Superball on a tam-tam; that wouldn’t be unwelcome (from time to time) in this movement.

Movement 5 should draw on the themes as well as aspects of variations previously heard. Players should feel improvise new material, as well, “inspired by” figures previously played or heard. Make sure the cowbells in the Coda make lots of noise.

The precise tempo is left to the discretion of the performers. Just remember that nothing should ever drag.

for Nate Gworek

H.O.R.S.E. for percussion duo

Jonathan Blumhofer (2015)

First movement (Theme and Variations #1) Unis.

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Untuned, resonant percussion (bells, bowls, etc.)

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Variation #1 (ca. 10-15") (on 4 or 5 pitches)

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Variation #2 (ca. 12-17") (add 2 more pitches)

Variation #3 (ca. 15-20") (add 2 more pitches)

Variation #3 leads directly to the first movement Coda, which should fall in and out of synchronization between the players

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Coda

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Player 1 drops out and moves to drums.

Player 2 continues wild improvisation until...

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Second movment (Interlude #1) Drums

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(rim shot)

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(Stop! - Player 2 to drums)

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Variation #1 (ca. 10") (on H & O patterns)

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(vary dynamics in subsequent fills)

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short fills (ca. 1.5-3" each)

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Codetta (unison) (Last fill before Codetta is together)

dueling fills (ca. 10-15")

Third movement (Theme and Variations #2) Unis.

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short fills (ca. 1.5-3" each)

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Variation #2 (ca. 12") (on R, S, & E patterns)

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Variation #3 (ca. 18") (on H, O, R, S, E patterns)

At the end of Variation #3, Player 2 continues improvisation on given rhythms, gradually becoming increasingly disjunct and louder.

Player 1 moves to collection of gongs (e.g. suspended cymbal, tam-tam, low gong - though you can have as many at your disposal as you'd like). When ready, proceed with Movement #4.

Copyright © 2015 by Jonathan Blumhofer. All rights reserved.

H.O.R.S.E.

2

Fourth movement (Interlude #2) Gongs

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(ca. 10")

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Fifth movement (Free improvisation)

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Free improvisation on the themes of movements 1 & 2 (ca. 1'-2'30") Player 1: untuned, resonant percussion Player 2: drums and other instruments

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Coda Unis.

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Cowbells (Repeat 5x, falling in and out of synch with each other)

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Worcester, MA - Stowe, VT 28 July - 9 August 2015