Gravity (Falling)

Clif Walker

General Info

Year of Published: 2023
Publisher: Tapspace
Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: 00:05:40
Cost: $50.00

Instrumentation

Player 1: Glockenspiel & Tam Tam
Player 2: Vibraphone 1
Player 3: Vibraphone 2 & Suspended Cymbal
Player 4: Chimes & 2 Brake Drums & Mark Tree
Player 5: Xylophone & Crotales & Roto-tom
Player 6: Marimba 1 & Triangle & Snare Drum (High)
Player 7: Marimba 2 & Triangle & Snare Drum (Medium High)
Player 8: Marimba 3 & Triangle & Snare Drum (Medium Low)
Player 9: Marimba 4 & Triangle & Snare Drum (Low)
Player 10: Timpani
Player 11: Zil-bel & Triangle & Steel Drum & Congas & Woodblock (Low) & Sizzle Cymbal
Player 12: Snare Drum & Ride Cymbal & Finger Cymbals & Woodblock (Medium Low) & 4 Concert Tom Toms
Player 13: Bongos & Ride Cymbal & Finger Cymbals & Woodblock (Medium High)
Player 14: Concert Bass Drum & Tam Tam & Woodblock (High) & Slapstick

Description

Gravity (Falling) by Clif Walker is a thematic percussion ensemble for fourteen percussionists and pianist. This medium-advanced piece is inspired by the act and sensation of sky diving. Walker notes that a typical skydive lasts between five to six minutes, with approximately the first 50 seconds spent in a free fall and the remainder of the time parachuting down. The piece opens by mimicking the free fall of a skydive with suspenseful cymbal swells and slowly descending, anxiety inducing cluster chords. Walker then segues the listener into serene parachute ride down to earth. Then a mixed meter section with chromatic, scalar, and intervalic descending lines paired with metric modulations in various percussive elements furthers the sense of disorientation. The descent continues until one final cymbal swell lands the skydiver back on the ground.

Gravity (Falling) requires performers to have great rhythmic control throughout the ensemble and would be an excellent piece for intermediate to advanced students to elevate their playing abilities in a percussion ensemble setting. While being a great display of chops and dexterity, this piece also offers subtle nuance for touch and expressivity in the more serene moments. Last, it is sure to be a crowd pleaser with its rich musical imagery and familiar subject matter.

Performance Notes

1. Steel Drum is optional. It may be substituted with a Malletstation or omitted altogether.
2. Instructions and/or stickings provided for a passage apply to all subsequent repeated or similar passages.
3. Limited pedaling instructions are provided for vibraphones, but generally pedaling is left to the discretion of the performers.
4. In measures 50 and 55, the chimes player is to play with a drumstick across four accidentals at the same time by holding the drumstick horizontal and striking the [[chimes with the side of the stick.
5. In the chimes part, when the instruction "w/felt" is given, one may use a felt-covered chime hammer or a softer rawhide chime hammer to provide a gentler attack.
6. In measures, 52-54 and 57-60, the marimba players play a recurring phrase on snare drums. The rhythms of these phrases may be approximated, going from slower to faster as they diminuendo.

Works for Percussion by this Composer

all hearts and minds be clear - Percussion Ensemble
Beacons - Percussion Ensemble (22)
Curious Surroundings - Percussion Ensemble (16)
Dad Dances - Percussion Ensemble (12)
Disguised - Percussion Ensemble 8-13 players
Fade (Free) - Drumset, Percussion Ensemble (11)
Gotham (1940) - Percussion Nonet
Gravity (Falling) - Percussion Ensemble (15)
Like a Giant Refreshed - Percussion Ensemble (12)
Shine - Percussion Octet
The Rule of Three - Percussion Ensemble (20), Bass, Piano
Treehouses - Percussion Ensemble (20)