Release (Hollinden)

Composer Name

General Info

Year: 1995
Duration: c. 15:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Dave Hollinden
Cost: Score and Parts - $80.00 | Score Only - $0.00

Movements

Instrumentation

Player 1: marimba (low A), brake drum, bell plate, metal pipe, bamboo wind chimes, crash cymbal
Player 2: vibraphone, brake drum, bell plate, metal pipe, Tibetan prayer cymbals, crash cymbal
Player 3: marimba (low A), brake drum, bell plate, metal pipe, bamboo wind chimes, crash cymbal
Player 4: vibra-slap, sleigh bells, brake drum, auto spring, 2 cowbells, bell plate, metal pipe, 2 triangles, 2 crotales (c and f#), lg. tam-tam, crash cymbal, sizzle cymbal, Chinese cymbal
Player 5: lg. bass drum, field drum w/snares, cowbell, 4 tom toms, 2 congas, bongos, 2 small drums, glass wind chimes, mark tree, finger cymbals
Player 6: 2 timbales, tambourine, cowbell, log drum, 5 temple blocks, 3 wood blocks, clave, 3 timpani (30", 25", 23")
Player 7: sm. bass drum, field drum w/snares, cowbell, 4 tom toms, 2 congas, bongos, 2 small drums, glockenspiel
Player 8: tambourine, sleigh bells, brake drum, auto spring, 2 cowbells, bell plate, metal pipe, 2 triangles, 2 crotales (d and a#), sm. tam-tam, crash cymbal, sizzle cymbal, Chinese cymbal

Program Notes

Release was composed during a period of personal loss. The inspiration came first in the form of motives, followed rapidly by a rhythmic score and then orchestration for the ensemble. Embedded in the piece are both the darker and lighter aspects of loss and tragedy, a mingling of anger, fear, freedom, growth, etc., all of which should be emphasized in performance.^[1]

Review

This percussion octet requires an immense instrumentation, including three mallet instruments (vibes and two marimbas), a large assortment of wooden and metallic idiophones, and membranophones including three timpani. The score incorporates many features characteristic of Hollinden's music--"timbre-staff notation and setup" (instruments are configured to resemble the black and white keys on a piano, and the part is notated as if written for a keyboard-mallet instrument), unison performance of complex rhythms played by two or more players, and virtuosic solo writing. Release, which was composed, we are informed "during a period of personal loss," conveys an extreme range of emotions, clearly indicated in the labels affixed to various sections, such as "turbulent," "jarring," "raging," "numb" and "cathartic." It is a challenging new work that will test the mettle of mature college percussionists and certainly substantiate Hollinden's growing reputation as an effective and imaginative composer of music for percussion instruments.

John R. Raush, Percussive Notes, August, 1996^[2]

Errata

Awards

Commercial Discography

Release appears on the CD Slender Beams by Dave Hollinden and Andrew Spencer. ^[3]

Recent Performances

Northwestern University School of Music Percussion Ensemble, Evanston, IL, 1998
Percussion Ensemble of the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 1998
Percussion Ensemble Recital, New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, MA, 1997
Percussion Ensemble Department Recital, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 1996

To submit a performance please join the TEK Percussion Database

Works for Percussion by this Composer

Additional Resources

References

[1] ttp://www.davehollinden.com/release.html

[2] ttp://www.davehollinden.com/release.html

[3] ttp://www.davehollinden.com/cd_slenderbeams.html

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