A Slightly Evil Machine, scored for five non-pitched percussion instruments and lasting approximately eight minutes, was commissioned by The Society for Chromatic Art and percussionist Tony Oliver for premiere performance on June 6, 2006, in New York City. The work comprises five cycles of twenty-one motivically-related cells in a structural fast-slow-fast-slow-fast arrangement. Further, multiple "filters" are employed to produce smooth transitions between the individual cycles as event-density is increased or decreased gradually over time. The solo percussionist must navigate through near-constant variation of polyrhythmic background pulse to project the internal acceleration and/or deceleration of individual cells, and over the course of larger cycles. INSTRUMENTATION: The work is scored for five instruments, chosen by the performer according to the following guidelines: All instruments should have short decay after being struck, and all should have similar dynamic ranges. Further, the instruments must be graduated in pitch from low to high, according to staff position. High metal (example: lead pipe); High drum (example: bongo drum); Wood (example: large woodblock); Low Metal (example: large cowbell, dampened); Low drum (example: tom-tom or large roto-tom, dampened).

playing time about 7.5 minutes

1 bound playing part included

suggested retail price:
$20.00 USD plus shipping

• Complete PDF of Score (non-printing, opens in new window)(1.19mb)

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