Three Timpani Pieces

David Macbride

General Info

Year of Published: 2021
Publisher: Media Press Music
Difficulty: Professional
Duration: c.
Cost: $15.00

Movements

1. Prelude
2. Sweet
3. Tears

Instrumentation

Timpani

Program Notes

Review

Plenty of rehearsal facilities around the world either suffer from discouraging difficulties in moving timpani through doorways or simply a lack of four complete drums in a set. Needless to say, I was excited to see a David Macbride composition written in 2001 for only three drums to help with this dilemma. “Three Timpani Pieces” is a solo for the top three drums, written in three movements for Brian Short at the Hartt School of Music.

Each movement’s title reflects an overarching theme of the piece while also indicating the stylistic differences between each part. “Blood” centers around rolls, with melodic interest created through glissandi on all drums, rhythmic interest created using figures within a roll similar to Christopher Deane’s “Prelude I,” and timbral interest fashioned through the use of various playing areas on the drums a la Elliott Carter. “Sweat” is the most intense movement, with an emphasis on quick rhythms and fast-changing, uncommon meters. “Tears” employs four mallets throughout and a reappearance of the many glissandi of the first movement.

There are some major obstacles to overcome if you are interested in tackling this three-movement solo. Some of the most glaring complications are the ranges required of each drum. Although some timpani boast an octave, most drums can settle nicely around a perfect fifth. Macbride frequently uses an extended range within the tuning requirements—for example, the 29-inch drum is expected to play both a D below the staff and a C in the middle. Another small nuisance is the printing. The first two movements are photocopied from a previous handwritten copy, making it tricky to see certain notation details.

Those issues aside, check out “Three Timpani Pieces” if you have difficulty moving a 32-inch drum through slim doors and need a full length, senior- or graduate-level timpani solo chock-full of glissandi and quick tuning changes around interesting rhythmic motifs.

Recent Performances

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Works for Percussion by this Composer

Mallet Solo

A Special Light – Glockenspiel; with Piano
As Before – Marimba Solo
Ever-Inward – Vibraphone
Find meat on Bones – Marimba
Peterborough Chorale – Marimba
Meditation (Macbride) - Glockenspiel
Triptych(Macbride) – Marimba

Snare Drum Solo

Full Circle

Timpani Solo

Three Timpani Pieces

Multiple Percussion Solo

Chamber Field
Envelop
Music for Pot Lids
Point Lobos Shore Trail
Not Cooking
Trinity

Percussion Ensemble

AMANAPLANACANALPANAMA – Percussion 11
Face – Percussion Duet
Flam - 8 Players
For Four – Percussion Quartet
Inside the Ring – Percussion Quartet; with Piano
Nothing in Tow – Percussion Duet
One on Five – Percussion Quintet
Quadrumane – Percussion Quartet
Quiet – Percussion Septet
Split – Percussion Trio
Timing – Percussion Duet
Track Three – Percussion Trio
XYWAYZ – Percussion Duet; with Piano

With Other Instrument

Americanisms – Percussion Duet; with Narrators
Gageego – Multiple Percussion Solo; with Flute; with Piano
IOIO – Percussion Duet; with Orchestra
Murder – Multiple Percussion Solo; with Flute
Shape Notes – Percussion Duet; with Flute
Ssh... – Percussion Quartet; with Audience
To___ – Percussion Solo(Piano); with Voice