Mathematics

Composer Name

General Info

Year: 1972
Duration: c. 3:10
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Canada
Cost: Score and Parts - $0.00 | Score Only - $0.00

Movements

Instrumentation

Multiple Percussion: Variable Instrumentation

Program Notes

Mathematics is the complete incidental music to the 1972 play of the same name by Toronto playwright and actor, Hrant Alianak. The graphic score is written for solo percussion. The music has no melody, harmony, counterpoint or even much in the way of rhythm. Instead, it is primarily texture and a way to demarcate the action on stage. Because of this, the work may not necessarily make for an interesting live performance on its own, since it is rather static and predictable in nature.

The play consists of two antagonists, one male and one female, who are positioned stage left and stage right and invisible throughout the performance. What takes place is that each character throws a precisely designated object from the wings to a particular part of the stage at specific intervals of five seconds. There are six scenes. The objects thrown by the female are represented by metallic percussion sounds, freely chosen by the performer. The objects thrown by the male are represented by wooden percussion sounds, also freely chosen by the performer. The scene changes are marked by a pitched note, freely chosen again, on piano or any mallet percussion instrument. A vibraphone was used for the original production.

My music for Mathematics was one of several collaborations with this talented playwright during the early 1970s. We also collaborated with the music for Alianak's play Tantrums (Tantrum IV was recorded by the composer and playwright for Furiant Records) and Noah's Kiosk. Any percussionist wishing to perform Mathematics is highly encouraged to do this complete with the actual play, since the props and "characters" are rather easy to assemble. In a sense, one can consider both play and music as a "theatre piece" in the avant-garde usage at that time. It was in the spring of 1972 premiered at the Theatre Passe Muraille in Toronto.

Errata

Awards

Commercial Discography

Mathematics is featured on the Albany Records CD, Percussionique, the complete percussion works of Michael S. Horwood (TROY1122), recorded by the Toronto Percussion Ensemble and released in July 2009. In addition to Mathematics, Dynamite, Fragments, Little Bow Piece, Piece Percussionique No. 1, Piece Percussionique No. 3, Piece Percussionique No. 4, Piece Percussionique No. 5, Piece Percussionique No. 6 and The Shadow of Your Drum are also featured on the CD.

Recent Performances

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Works for Percussion by this Composer

Additional Resources

References