Parsons' Piece
General Info
Year: 1968 / rev. 1974
Duration: c. 11:45
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: SchirmerEC (E.C. Schirmer/Ione Press (permanently out of print)
Source: American Music Center; New York Public Library
Cost: Score and Parts - $0.00 | Score Only - $0.00
Movements
Instrumentation
Multiple Percussion: tam tams, susp. cymbals, almglocken, tom-toms, bass drum
Program Notes
Review
PARSONS' PIECE was written for the percussionist Bill Parsons when he was working with the Center for New Music at the University of Iowa in 1968. It is a very complex piece that explores the subtle differences in textures, colors, attack, timbre and sonorities that can be achieved by the various combinations of the given instrumentation which is 3 gongs, 3 cowbells, 3 drums and 3 cymbals. The mallet changes are constant and are indicated by various shaped note heads while the attack rhythm is indicated clearly above the line staff. The changes in termpo also serve to enrich the composition's subtle nature. The timbral richness in the piece is achieved through the dynamic shadings of a given chord, i.e., the cowbell is indicated "p" with a hard beater, the cymbal "mf" at the dome with a soft beater while the gong is struck with a brush at the center. Dampening is also to be strictly observed. Given the subtle nature of PARSONS' PIECE and its attention to detail, the piece is quite difficult and I would recommend it only for the mature performer. If the performer doesn't bring out these differences the piece can be lack-lustre, while a good performance demonstrates the luminous quality of the work. It consists of two parts, the second of which is not to be performed without the first. - Michael Rosen, October 1980[1]
Errata
Awards
Commercial Discography
William Parsons, percussion. Music & Arts CD 675 (1991).
Recent Performances
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Works for Percussion by this Composer
Duo (Hibbard) - Vibraphone; Clarinet
Gestures (Hibbard) - Percussion Duo; Flute; Double Bass
Intersections I, II - Percussion Quintet; Woodwind Quintet; Piano
One Round....And Another One - Vibraphone; Piano (2)
Parsons' Piece - Multiple Percussion
Schickstück - Vibraphone
Additional Resources
References