Adam Schoenberg Losing Earth

Percussion Concerto

Commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas, Music Director, with the support of Mr. Kevin Osinski and Mr. Marc Sinykin, with additional support provided by Ms. Claudine Cheng and the Jessie Cheng Charitable Foundation.

Wind Ensemble transcription commissioned by Northwestern University (Mallory Thompson, conductor), University of Michigan (Michael Haithcock, conductor), Michigan State University (Kevin Sedatole, conductor), University of Texas at Austin (Jerry Junkin, conductor), University of British Columbia (Robert Taylor, conductor), and University of California, Los Angeles (Travis J. Cross, conductor)

Instrumentation

3 Flutes (2nd and 3rd doubling Piccolo)

2 Oboes

1 English Horn

1 Eb Clarinet

3 Clarinets in Bb

1 Bass Clarinet

2 Bassoons

1 Contrabassoon

1 Soprano Saxophone

1 Alto Saxophone

1 Tenor Saxophone

1 Baritone Saxophone

4 Horns in F

4 Trumpets in C (1st and 2nd doubling Bb Piccolo Trumpet)

2 Trombones

1 Bass Trombone

1 Euphonium

1 Tuba

Electric Bass Double Bass Harp Electronics Piano

Solo Percussion

Timpani (plays Sizzle cymbal at end)

6 Percussion

Percussion 1: Xylophone (3.5 octave), Vibraphone (shared with Perc. 2 and 3), Temple Blocks, Bongos, Tin-Cans, Tam-Tam, Concert Bass drum (part of surround Bass drums, played on stage, also shared with Perc. 3), Roto Sound (7”, 8”, or 9”)

Percussion 2: Vibraphone (shared with Perc. 1 and 3), Marimba (4 octave) 5 tuned (any of the highest pitches) small Thai “nipple” gongs, Lowest D Thai “nipple” gong, Tin-Cans, Ratchet, Snare Drum, Graduated Bass Drum (part of surround Bass drums in hall), Pais te Roto Sound (7”, 8”, or 9”)

Percussion 3: Glockenspiel, Vibraphone (shared with Perc. 1 and 2), Concert Bass drum (shared with Perc. 1), Guiro, Graduated Bass Drum (part of surround Bass drums in hall), Paiste Roto Sound (7”, 8”, or 9”)

Percussion 4, 5, and 6: Graduated Bass Drums, Paiste Roto Sound (7”, 8”, or 9”). These players are in the hall for the entire duration of the performance.

Transposed Score

Duration: ca. 25 minutes

World premiere: November 11, 2022 by the Northwestern Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Mallory Thompson conducting, at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Evanston, IL www.adamschoenberg.com

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Solo Percussion notation (“Frankenstein” Marching Set and “Frankenstein” Drum set):

Temple bl. Snare dr.

Kick dr.

Rim shot Bongos

Ribbon Crashers Granite bl.

Solo Percussion also includes: Xylophone (3.5 octave), 13 tuned gongs (Thai Nipple Gongs: G3, A3, B3, C#4, D4, E4, F#4, G4, A4, B4, C#5, D5, E5), amplified Cajón, Djembe, Tambourine, Resonant metal found objects, Prayer Bowls (various sizes), and Rice bowls (2 or 3) filled with different levels of water and placed on top of piccolo timpani

Soloist Diagram

Surround Sound Bass Drum line notation:

Five graduated bass drums (different pitched bass drums) and concert bass drum: (when juxtaposed with splits)

Percussion 3

Percussion 6

Percussion 2

Opening of concerto would be:

Percussion 5

Percussion 4

Percussion 1

Bass Drum)

Surround Sound Bass Drum line and Roto Sound stations/map:

Percussion 1 stays on stage for entire concerto (plays concert bass drum as part of surround bass drum line, as well as the Roto Sound at the end)

Percussion 2 begins in surround station through m. 41. Immediately following downbeat hit in m. 41, player quickly walks to the stage to begin playing at m. 65 (player will have about 50-seconds to get to the stage) At. m. 460, player must return to surround setup and be ready to play at m. 501 to the end of the piece

Percussion 3 begins in surround setup through m. 146. Must be on stage to start playing at m. 261. After m. 325, player returns to surround sound bass drum station to play again at m. 382. After m. 393, player returns to stage again and must be ready to play at m. 443. At m. 460, player returns to surround setup for end of piece. Must be ready to play by m. 501.

Percussion 4, 5, and 6 stay at their respective stations the entire duration of the concerto.

Percussion 2-5: These players should be placed in the balcony (not on the orchestra floor with the audience, as that is where the soloist will be marching in), either all on the same level, which will make it easier to coordinate with the conductor, or on different levels.

Performance notes:

Losing Earth is an interactive percussion concerto. The piece begins with five graduated bass drums (five different pitched bass drums), with Perc. 3 beginning on the highest pitch (notated G5, soprano), followed by Perc. 6 (E5, alto), Perc. 2 (C5, tenor), Perc. 5 (A4, baritone), and Perc. 4 (F4, bass). Perc. 1 is on stage the entire time and plays the lowest pitch (D4) on the concert bass drum. B4 represents “tutti” playing.

Players 4, 5, and 6 stay in their surround stations for the entire duration of the performance. Players 2 and 3 go back and forth between stations (paying special attention to Perc. 3, as this player has to go back and forth a few times).

All six percussion players and soloist end the work by playing a Paiste Roto Sound. The Roto Sound discs, although no longer in production, but still available to rent, traditionally come in three sizes: 7”, 8”, and 9”. The ideal situation is to use all three sizes. For example: Perc. 1 (9”), Perc. 2 (9”), Perc. 3 (8”), Perc. 4 (7”), Perc. 5 (8”), Perc 6. (7”), Soloist (9”).

The soloist has three stations that represent the three main sections of the piece:

Part one is a “march,” and the soloist begins marching from the back of the hall starting at m. 64. A “Frankenstein” marching set is being used (must contain a Kevlar Marching Snare, and then either field tenor drums and/or bongos, as well as two granite blocks and a ribbon crasher) When the “march” portion ends at 105, the soloist will walk onto the stage and begin playing a Djembe and amplified Cajón*, and finally a snare drum.

Part two features a vibraphone with a rack of resonant metal found objects, prayer bowls (various sizes), rice bowls (2 or 3 with different levels of water that are placed on top of a piccolo timpani and struck while simultaneously using the pedal gliss), as well as 13 tuned gongs.

Part three utilizes xylophone, kick drum, 5 temple blocks, 2 granite blocks, snare drum, bongos, tambourine, and ribbon crasher.

The following text is embedded in the soloist’s part, as well as the score: m. 64:

"Frankenstein” Marching set: get ready to march! [Enter hall from back of audience on orchestra floor (far left corner from your POV or far stage right corner if you're looking from the stage). Slowly march along the back aisle behind the audience. Turn left and proceed down the right (stage left) side aisle. When you get to the very first row, turn left again and march along the front facing aisle to the middle of the hall (your back should be facing the conductor's back so you both are in the exact middle). Make sure to get to this point for m. 99 when your improvisation begins.] m. 99

At this moment you will be on the floor in the middle of the front row aisle. Your back will be directly facing the conductor's back so you are dead center. Improvisation begins! (Super virtuosic improvisation. Show off your marching skills!) m. 105 m. 131 m. 148

Do not play from mm. 105-115. Walk with your "Frankenstein” Marching set to stage right steps. Walk onto stage. Unload "Frankenstein Set" and make your way to the Djembe and amplified Cajón.

Continue with Djembe and Cajón, but now improvise around bass line to m. 138.

Choose any objects that can be hung on a rack and played with your finger(s) and/or soft mallets. These objects must ring/sustain for several seconds. Examples include: Tuned gongs (any pitches), resonant metal found objects, and prayer bowls. Additionally, you can employ Rice Bowls (2 or 3) with different levels of water placed on top of a piccolo timpani while simultaneously using the pedal gl iss Improvise freely, letting each sound breathe. [Feel free to change the objects for each performance, so that this moment is unique each time.] m. 405

Tambourine continues (Improvise complementary groove with kick, not too busy!) m. 460

Utilize all of the “Frankenstein” Drum set (kick, snare, bongos, granite blocks, ribbon crasher and temple blocks. Make an awesome, hip, and groove-oriented beat!

*amplified Cajón: If an amplified Cajón is not available, then you can make a traditional Cajón amplified by placing a microphone inside the box of the Cajón. The amplification will then come through the house PA system. The amplification should not be adjusted during the performance.

Program Note

On August 1, 2018, The New York Times Magazine published Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change. After reading this haunting article, I could feel myself becoming fearful of our future. Of what was to come. We’ve been aware of global warming for quite some time, but I was suddenly beginning to wonder how this would ultimately affect my children. Would they survive? Would the earth survive?

When I was first commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony to write this piece, I began to think about the history of percussion and how it can be traced back to the beginning of time. It is the most earthy and grounded of instruments, and in many cultures is considered to be the heartbeat of music. With the ability to make rhythm, keep time, and create melody, drums were a way for our ancestors to communicate love and joy, danger and survival. They have also traditionally been at the center of oral history, with percussionists being the storytellers. Second only to the human voice, this instrument has watched the earth endure all of its phases, including the devastation that is now beginning to emerge because of global warming. Losing Earth pays homage to this history.

The piece begins with a march that is meant to represent the mundane existence of our day to day. The experiences that we ine vitably take for granted, as we become absorbed in our daily lives. But as the march progresses, disruptions begin to occur. These rhythmic breaks represent the natural occurrences and/or disasters that are affecting our cities and towns on a daily basis. Living in Southern California, we experience about 10,000 earthquakes every year, most of which go completely unnoticed until they reach a certain magnitude. Our endless sunny days seem to now idle somewhere between extreme heat/drought and torrential downpours. And in the past few years we have been plagued by countless brushfires that have devastated many of our coastal communities beyond repair. These natural disturbances seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity as a result of climate change. Only when nature begins alerting us to the problem, are we suddenly forced to stop and finally pay attention.

After the march-like section comes to a screeching halt, we enter the second section of the piece, which represents the inevitable loss of our beloved coastline. With our sea levels quickly rising, will the majority of this land be under water in a couple of decades? Will the cliffs of Santa Monica suddenly become beachfront property? Although it may be a grim and bleak reality that we are facing, I wanted to create a movement that captured what it would be like if Mother Nature reclaimed our beaches, and we all simply faded into the ocean. The vibraphone sets up a slow, oscillating world that is meant to reflect a sense of being underwater. This is a very atmospheric and dreamy section, featuring multiple string divisi and gentle winds and brass.

As the second section comes to an end, a dark texture slowly emerges and helps transition us to the third and final section of the concerto. This represents the imminent call to action that is needed in order to try and save what is left of our world. We’ve already lost so much time, and we don’t know how much more we have left, or if anything can even be done to reverse the damage we have caused. But if we have any hope of surviving, and repairing what exists, then we must take immediate action. Section three is the “Scherzo” of the concerto, and is super fast, featuring highly virtuosic mallet writing with simultaneous kick drum, temple blocks, granite blocks, and other wood and metal. The music is both relentless and aggressive. But like all of my music, I strive to create a sense of hope and optimism towards the end. A somewhat pop-oriented chord progression and groove emerges, and a number of intertwining melodies enter soon after. The sense of promise then slowly fades away, and we momentarily return to the opening of the piece. Creating a cyclical timeline that mimics the different stages of our lives and that of our earth.

Losing Earth is written for and dedicated to Jake Nissly. A dear friend, fellow father, and one of the greatest living percussionists in the world.