Dominican Cycles

Jeremy Brunk

General Info

Year of Published: 2008
Publisher: Media Press Music
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Duration: c.
Cost: Score and Parts - $35.00   |   Score Only - $0.00

Instrumentation

Player 1: Maracas 1
Player 2: Maracas 2
Player 3: Maracas 3
Player 4: Guiro 1
Player 5: Guiro 2
Player 6: Guiro 3
Player 7: Pandeiro 1
Player 8: Pandeiro 2
Player 9: Pandeiro 3

Program Notes

Dominican Cycles, for percussion ensemble, includes score and parts. Inspired by Brunk’s travel and study of folkloric drumming traditions in the Dominican Republic, Dominican Cycles 1 & 2 encompasses the deconstruction and juxtaposition of drumming patterns from several musical styles that would otherwise not be combined. For nine percussionists.

Review

Media Press Music’s website description of “Dominican Cycles” is an effective summary of the work: “Inspired by Jeremy Brunk’s travel and study of folkloric drumming traditions in the Dominican Republic, ‘Dominican Cycles 1 & 2’ encompasses the deconstruction and juxtaposition of drumming patterns from several musical styles that would otherwise not be combined.” This two-movement work explores traditional musical material in differing, and often opposing, manners. The composer provides clarity on instrumentation choices and pitch relationships between similar instruments, as well as a key to aid in interpreting the notation.

The opening measures begin with a sixteenth-note groove, which is overtaken by a triplet-based groove, which is then overtaken by a second sixteenth-note groove. As the piece progresses, the composer introduces quintuple and septuple rhythms, metric modulations, shifting time signatures, and more. The effect is striking; as a new polyrhythmic subdivision “takes over,” the tempo appears to be changing, but the underlying pulse remains the same.

This work requires independence and confidence from all performers; everyone must lock into their rhythmic subdivision immediately for the effect to communicate. Brunk has obviously put a lot of thought into the work, and his care for the source material and overall presentation is apparent.

Works for Percussion by this Composer

Ensemble Works

Composition 75 - 4 Players
Dominican Cycles - 9 Players
Evolution - 12 Players