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2017 The Percussion of Michael W. Udow: Composer Portrait and Performance Analysis of Selected Works Brian C. (Brian Christopher) Baldauff

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COLLEGE OF MUSIC

THE PERCUSSION MUSIC OF MICHAEL W. UDOW:

COMPOSER PORTRAIT AND PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF SELECTED WORKS

By

BRIAN C. BALDAUFF

A Treatise submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music

2017 Brian C. Baldauff defended this treatise on November 2, 2017. The members of the supervisory committee were:

John W. Parks IV Professor Directing Treatise

Frank Gunderson University Representative

Christopher Moore Committee Member

Patrick Dunnigan Committee Member

The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and certifies that the treatise has been approved in accordance with university requirements.

ii

To Shirley.

iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This document and degree would not have been possible without the support, guidance, and patience of numerous extraordinary individuals.

My wife, Caitlin for her unwavering encouragement.

Dr. John W. Parks IV, my major professor, Dr. Patrick Dunnigan, Dr. Christopher Moore, and Dr. Frank Gunderson for serving on my committee.

All my friends and colleagues from The Florida State University, the University of Central Florida, the University of Michigan, West Liberty University, and the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point for their advice and friendship.

My parents Sharon and Joe, and all my family members for their love.

And Michael Udow, my teacher and friend.

iv TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Figures ...... vii Abstract ...... x

INTRODUCTION ...... 1

1. BIOGRAPHY OF MICHAEL W. UDOW ...... 2 1.1. Junior and Senior High School ...... 2 1.2. Early Compositions ...... 5 1.3. Undergraduate Studies ...... 6 1.4. Fulbright Award and Study in Poland ...... 11 1.5. The Blackearth Percussion Group ...... 13 1.6. Graduate Studies and England ...... 14 1.7. Equilibrium Dance and Percussion Duo ...... 16 1.8. Early Teaching Positions ...... 17 1.9. Influence of Keiko Abe and Japan ...... 18 2. METHODS ...... 20 2.1. Method of Analysis ...... 20 2.1.1. Terminology ...... 21 2.1.2. Contributing Elements ...... 21 2.2. Procedures ...... 22 3. TIMBRACK QUARTET ...... 23 3.1. Background ...... 23 3.2. Timbrack Quartet Setup ...... 28 3.3. Sources of Shape ...... 30 3.3.1. General Design ...... 30 3.3.2. Primary Elements ...... 30 3.3.3. Punctuations ...... 32 3.4. Sources of Motion ...... 35 3.4.1. Surface Material ...... 35 3.4.2. Processes of Continuation ...... 36 3.5. Performance and Pedagogical Considerations ...... 39 4. THE CHARM ...... 42 4.1. Background ...... 42 4.2. Text Source Material ...... 43 4.3. Ringing Changes ...... 46 4.4. Costumes and Theatrical Effects ...... 48 4.5. General Characteristics ...... 48 4.6. Sources of Shape ...... 50

v 4.6.1. General Design ...... 50 4.6.2. Primary Elements ...... 50 4.6.3. Punctuations ...... 52 4.7. Sources of Motion ...... 54 4.7.1. Surface Rhythm Material ...... 54 4.7.2. Processes of Continuation ...... 58 4.8. Performance and Pedagogical Considerations ...... 59 5. TOPSY-TURVY ...... 61 5.1. Background ...... 61 5.2. Instrumentation ...... 61 5.3. General Characteristics ...... 63 5.4. Sources of Shape ...... 65 5.4.1. General Design ...... 65 5.4.2. Primary Elements ...... 66 5.4.3. Punctuations ...... 69 5.5. Sources of Motion ...... 73 5.5.1. Surface Rhythm Material ...... 73 5.5.2. Processes of Continuation ...... 76 5.6. Performance and Pedagogical Considerations ...... 79

APPENDIX ...... 81

ANNOTATED LIST OF WORKS ...... 81

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 104

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ...... 106

vi LIST OF FIGURES

1.1 Original membership Tone Road Ramblers with Michael Udow, 1981 ...... 8

1.2 From Mutatis Mutandis by Herbert Brün ...... 12

3.1 Herbert Brün, In and…and Out, bars 52-58 ...... 24

3.2 Arrangement of instruments created by Michael Udow for In and…and Out ...... 24

3.3 Wodiczko Frame Diagrams ...... 26

3.4 Timbrack Instrument Configuration ...... 27

3.5 Timbrack Instrument Placement ...... 28

3.6 Timbrack Quartet, Arrangement ...... 29

3.7 Frequency band distribution in Timbrack Quartet ...... 29

3.8 Timbrack Quartet, bars 22-24, Opening Thematic Material ...... 31

3.9 Timbrack Quartet, bars 112-114, Return of Thematic Material ...... 31

3.10 Timbrack Quartet, bars 13-16, Dynamic Arrangement ...... 32

3.11 Timbrack Quartet, bar 25, Punctuation ...... 33

3.12 Timbrack Quartet, bars 59 and 60, Punctuation ...... 33

3.13 Timbrack Quartet, bars 70-72, Figure in , Punctuation ...... 34

3.14 Timbrack Quartet, bars 108-110, Unison Statement ...... 34

3.15 Timbrack Quartet, bars 80-82, Implied Overlapping Meters ...... 36

3.16 Timbrack Quartet, bar 105, Sixteenth-Note Complementary ...... 36

3.17 Timbrack Quartet, bars 22-24, Composite Rhythm ...... 37

3.18 Timbrack Quartet, bars 26-28, players 2, 3, and 4, the composite forms the unison rhythm composed in bars 22-24 ...... 37

3.19 Timbrack Quartet, bars 62-69, Polyphonic texture of wood block and almglocken melody/countermelody ...... 38

vii 3.20 Timbrack Quartet, bars 63-69, Extracted Rhythm of Almglocken Melody ...... 38

3.21 Timbrack Quartet, bars 47-49, Two- and Three-Note Groupings ...... 41

4.1 Jonathan Haas and his seventy-inch timpano ...... 42

4.2 Arrangement of performers in The Charm ...... 49

4.3 The Charm, bar 65, Text at Rehearsal Letter J ...... 51

4.4 The Charm, bars 54-55, Independence between Chimes and Soloist ...... 52

4.5 The Charm, bars 62-64, Cadence Punctuation at Letter I ...... 53

4.6 The Charm, bars 37-38, First Appearance of the Witches’ Chant ...... 53

4.7 The Charm, bars 78-81, Witches’ Chant Restatement ...... 54

4.8 The Charm, bars 82-85, Extension of the Final Witches’ Chant, Dies Irae ...... 54

4.9 The Charm, bars 1-5, Text Relationship to Melody ...... 55

4.10 The Charm, bars 18-19, Change-Ringing Patterns, “back rounds” ...... 56

4.11 The Charm, bars 54-59, Combination of Ringing Patterns, “back rounds,” and “rounds” ...57

4.12 The Charm, bars 48-49, Interlocking Rhythmic Texture ...... 59

5.1 Chinese Opera ...... 62

5.2 Korean ...... 64

5.3 Topsy-Turvy, bar 1, Lighting Instructions ...... 65

5.4 Topsy-Turvy, bars 5-6, A Section Theme ...... 66

5.5 Topsy-Turvy, bar 29, Thematic Deviation ...... 67

5.6 First fourteen partials for the fundamental pitch C2, circled pitches represent whole-tone scale ...... 69

5.7 Topsy-Turvy, bar 32, Primary Punctuation ...... 70

5.8 Topsy-Turvy, bars 60-61, Secondary Punctuation and Transition ...... 70

5.9 Topsy-Turvy, bar 74, Korean and Almglocken ...... 71

viii

5.10 Topsy-Turvy, bars 99-101, Transition and Resolution ...... 72

5.11 Topsy-Turvy, bars 275-277, Final Three Bars ...... 73

5.12 2-3 rumba clave ...... 74

5.13 Topsy-Turvy, bar 6, Sixteenth Grouping ...... 74

5.14 Topsy-Turvy, bars 75-78, Almglocken Dyads ...... 75

5.15 Topsy-Turvy, bar 6, 9/8 Thematic Pattern ...... 76

5.16 Topsy-Turvy, bar 26, Thematic Voicing ...... 76

5.17 Topsy-Turvy, bars 33-36, Implied Meter ...... 77

5.18 Topsy-Turvy, bars 113-114, Source Rhythm ...... 78

5.19 Topsy-Turvy, bars 115-124, Diminution Through Meter Changes ...... 78

5.20 Topsy-Turvy, bars 163-165, Pattern Exchange ...... 79

ix ABSTRACT

This treatise focuses on the percussion music of pioneering performer, pedagogue, and composer Michael Udow, Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan from 1982 to 2011.

Michael Udow occupied a unique position as performer, teacher, and composer. His access to a vast personal and academic instrument inventory coupled with dedicated students allowed for high-quality workshops and performances of his compositions, producing numerous examples of new/unique sound sources and instrument setups/combinations.

Areas of focus include a brief biography of Professor Udow, performance analyses of three works selected as examples of his eclectic compositional style, and finally a comprehensive list of Dr. Udow’s works for solo percussion and chamber percussion ensembles. Pedagogical and performance issues are addressed at the conclusion of each analysis to encourage compelling interpretations of Udow’s music.

x INTRODUCTION

Michael Udow is one of the most influential and iconic percussion performers, composers and educators of the 20th century by any measure. Known mostly for his tenure as

Professor of Percussion at the University of Michigan, he collaborated with leading performers and pedagogues from all over the world, obliterating traditional lines of genre and discipline. As an alumnus of the UM program, I am honored to share a glimpse into the life and signature works for percussion with artists both inside and outside the percussion community.

The biographical material was gleaned through Skype interviews, email exchanges, and personal recollection from my time as a graduate student in Ann Arbor. Through interviews,

Udow shared reflections upon a career that spans almost sixty years, including insights into major collaborations which shaped his artistic and world views, his compositional influences and processes, and the influence of world cultures upon his music and philosophy. Applied study with Professor Udow provided a unique perspective and inspired me to learn more about his life.

Performing his music in concerts and recording sessions made a huge difference in the way I and many others view the intersections between artistic disciplines.

All figures, including images, score examples, and transcriptions are fully permitted as noted in the permissions, and Professor Udow has reviewed and confirmed all biographical details as factual and accurate. Through this document, I hope to honor the legacy of Professor

Udow and illuminate the importance of his creative output and his lasting influence upon those fortunate enough to work with him.

1 CHAPTER 1

BIOGRAPHY OF MICHAEL W. UDOW

1.1 Junior and Senior High School

Michael William Udow was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1949 to Jack Udow, Vice

President of Harry Suffrin’s, a company specializing in men’s clothing and fashion, and

Madeline Udow, a primary school teacher. He began percussion studies with Detroit drummer

“Doc” Mayer in fifth grade, and while the specifics surrounding these lessons were forgotten,

Udow remembers that Mayer provided a solid background in snare , , and drum set. Many small clothing companies were being bought by larger corporations during this time, and eventually Jack was forced to sell his business and relocated the family from Detroit to

Wichita, Kansas. After moving to Kansas, the young Udow began applied study with Robert

Lee, a graduate student at Wichita State University, and soon after Udow’s elementary school music teacher encouraged him to audition for the Wichita Youth . Udow cites his first rehearsal of Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsody as the event that sparked his interest in orchestral playing.1

Udow attended the Interlochen Summer National Music Camp (now called the

Interlochen Arts Camp) during the summer of 1963. At Interlochen, Udow performed under conductors Larry Dittmar ( teacher at Huron High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, retired) and Bernard Steiner (Director of Bands at the University of Wisconsin – Parkside, retired).2 He remembers these conductors as great music educators and positive influences on his development. Udow also participated in the , conducted by Jack

1 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 2, 2015. 2 Judy McGovern, “In Kenya, he struck up a band,” MLive Blog, entry posted January 6, 2008, http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/01/in_kenya_he_struck_up_a_band.html (accessed November 8, 2017). 2 McKenzie, a pioneering percussion educator who would have a significant and lasting impact on

Udow, ultimately recruiting him to attend the University of Illinois.3

While at Interlochen, business decisions required Udow’s family to relocate once again, this time to Elkins Parks, a suburb of Philadelphia. His formative experiences in Philadelphia from ninth grade onward shaped his career, as he met performers, conductors, and teachers that would have a huge impact on his development. By way of Philadelphia Orchestra percussionist

Alan Abel, Udow was introduced to Russell Hartenberger, a student of Philadelphia Orchestra timpanist Fred Hinger at the Curtis Institute of Music. During lessons, Hartenberger provided insight into the Hinger approach of playing, which proved to be an important introduction to the “Philadelphia” sound.4

After a few months of lessons Hartenberger invited Udow to the Settlement Music

School in Philadelphia to join the intermediate percussion ensemble (where Alan Abel served as

Director of Percussion and conductor of the advanced percussion ensemble). Udow’s ensemble met once per week, so Hartenberger suggested they continue lessons at the school on days the ensemble rehearsed. Udow recalls being greeted at the door by Sol Schoenbach, former Principal

Bassoonist for the Philadelphia Orchestra and executive director of the Settlement Music School after taking the bus, the subway, and then the trolley to Fourth and Queens in downtown

Philadelphia. The ever-patient Hartenberger was the perfect teacher for Udow at this juncture in his career, as an interest in sports often encroached upon Udow’s lesson preparation.5

As a member of the Settlement Music School percussion program, Udow was offered opportunities to perform with Alan Abel’s advanced ensemble when the repertoire called for

3 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 2, 2015. 4 Ibid. 5 Ibid. 3 additional players. Some members of this ensemble eventually became legends in percussion performance and pedagogy, including William Cahn (founding member of NEXUS), John

Soroka (Principal Percussion, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, retired), and Richard Brown

(Rice University). Udow joined Abel’s advanced ensemble as an extra percussionist, providing the opportunity to work with high-quality players during his formative years.6

In 1964 Udow was offered the opportunity to perform as an extra musician with the

Delaware Valley Philharmonic Orchestra alongside students from the Curtis Institute of Music and Temple University, as well as freelance professionals from the area. The ensemble also toured, which offered Udow a glimpse into the lifestyle of the professional orchestral musician.7

His final two years of high school were spent as a full-time student at Interlochen under the tutelage of Jack McKenzie. Percussion ensemble was integral to McKenzie’s curriculum and he programmed creatively, exposing Udow to contemporary solo repertoire including Knocking

Piece by Ben Johnston, which he would eventually perform for Johnston as a professional.

McKenzie was also a composer, and exposed students to works like Pinball for percussion ensemble and dancers. Pinball served as Udow’s introduction to collaborative performance with dancers, a facet of his composition which figures in many large-scale compositions for mixed ensembles. In addition to traditional percussion ensemble repertoire of the time, consisting mostly of orchestral transcriptions, McKenzie programmed music by John Cage, Lou Harrison, and Henry Cowell as well as new works by university students such as the landmark Three

Brothers (1951) by Michael Colgrass. During Udow’s senior year, UIUC graduate student

Michael Ranta was invited to Interlochen to conduct the percussion ensemble and perform a solo recital, which featured 27’ 10.554” for a Percussionist by John Cage. This experience, coupled

6 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 2, 2015. 7 Ibid. 4 with the aforementioned, were certainly formative for the young Udow as both composer and performer.8

1.2 Early Compositions

Jack McKenzie suggested to Udow that he attempt some composing during his second summer at Interlochen in 1964. Udow remembered performing a work by McKenzie titled Suite for Sideman and Handclappers and used this as inspiration for his first composition, Suite for

Jazz Drums and Handclappers, which was performed on a student composer convocation that summer, sowing the seeds for continued composition studies.9

Composer Warren Benson was in residence at Interlochen through the 1959

Contemporary Music Project funded by the Ford Foundation. He taught a composition class called Learning Through Creativity, and Udow eagerly enrolled. His first assignment was to compose a piece using only objects in the room, such as chalkboard erasers, trash cans, etc. in the spirit of Cage’s “Found” instrument philosophy employed in the three Constructions and

Living Room Music.10

Udow’s second work, Four Constructions, shows influence from a variety of sources, including Benson—but admittedly not from John Cage, as Udow had not heard of the first of the

Constructions composed in 1939. The piece was premiered at Interlochen by fellow percussionists Garry Kvistad, Barry Grossman, Gene Sittenfeld, and the composer. Several techniques required in Four Constructions, such as throwing coins in a washtub and rudimental

8 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 2, 2015. 9 Ibid. 10 Ibid. 5 drumming were reflections of the ever-broadening sound palettes of his teachers and experiences.11

1.3 Undergraduate Studies

After graduation from Interlochen, Udow attended the University of Illinois, Urbana-

Champaign studying with Jack McKenzie in the Fall of 1967. One of Udow’s most important opportunities was immediately presented with the John Cage Musicircus on the UIUC campus.

The event took place on November 17 at the University Stock Pavilion, and was the first performance of its kind organized by John Cage.12 There were seven platforms arranged in the pavilion, like a seven-ring circus. In the center of the platforms stood a sound sculpture, which audience members could play during the evening. The Merce Cunningham dance company was in residence for the concert the following night at Assembly Hall and participated in the performance. During Udow’s rendition of the Morton Feldman King of Denmark for solo percussionist, two of the Cunningham dancers climbed onto a platform and improvised dance movements to his pianissimo gestures on stage. As previously discussed, Udow had studied Ben

Johnston’s Knocking Piece while a student at Interlochen, and was given the opportunity to perform the work at the Musicircus with internationally-acclaimed Jocy de Oliveira.

Udow and de Oliveira rehearsed the piece with Ben Johnston coaching prior to the event.13

Udow’s UIUC performance studies continued under the direction of Thomas Siwe in

1969, who later became Chair of the Percussion Division at Illinois. Among his many accomplishments as a pedagogue, Siwe established a Doctoral program for applied percussion

11 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 2, 2015. 12 University of Illinois Music and Performing Arts Library, “John Cage at UIUC,” https://www.library.illinois.edu/mpal/about/exhibits/johncage/, (accessed November 8, 2017). 13 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 6 studies at UIUC in 1975 (Michael Udow would become the first to earn this degree in 19780).14

It is also important to note that McKenzie and Siwe followed the legendary Paul Price, who established the first for-credit university percussion ensemble course in the United States.15

While at UIUC Udow studied with several prominent composition professors, including

Thomas Fredrickson and Edwin London [Director of the Contemporary Chamber Players (CCP), a faculty ensemble in which Udow occasionally performed]. London’s music reflected his quirky character, and was full of musical puns and humor. One of his pieces titled Christmas

Music 1970 was composed for the CCP and featured Udow dressed as Santa Claus. London chose the nom de plume Bjorne Enstabile as the composer for the piece, which reads “born in a stable.” Udow’s fondness for occasional lightheartedness in compositions may definitely be traced to his experiences with London.16

Two of Udow’s music theory professors were of particular influence. Morgan Powell, jazz trombonist, composer, and founding member of the chamber group Tone Road Ramblers

(TRR), was one of Udow’s theory instructors. Figure 1.1 shows the original members of this group with Udow pictured in the back row, center, next to Powell (left). Participation as a performer and composer in TRR offered Udow the opportunity to socialize at Powell’s home after weekend jazz performances. These interactions with other composers and musicians were certainly treasured learning experiences.17

Gordon Binkerd, Harvard-educated composer and student of Walter Piston, was another of Udow’s composition professors. Udow remembers Binkerd announcing on the first day of

14 Rick Mattingly, “2011 Hall of Fame, Thomas Siwe,” Percussive Notes 49, no. 6 (November 2011): 16. 15 Frederick D. Fairchild, “PAS Hall of Fame: Paul Price,” Percussive Arts Society, http://www.pas.org/about/hall-of-fame/paul-price (accessed November 8, 2017). 16 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 17 Ibid. 7

Figure 1.1 – Original membership of the Tone Road Ramblers with Michael Udow, 198118

class that the only person to execute counterpoint correctly was J.S. Bach, and that no one else remaining in the class would fare as well. The class enrollment was cut in half on the second meeting. Udow states that this course had a great impact on his use and understanding of counterpoint.19

Udow also collaborated with German-born composer Herbert Brün (1918-2000). A pioneer in electro-acoustic composition, Brün was invited to join the faculty at UIUC in 1962 where he began research on composition with computers.20 Udow was a performer on several of

Brün’s recorded works, including Trio for , Double , and Percussion (1964) and Nonet

(1969). This early interaction was seminal, as Udow would spend a considerable amount of time studying with him during his graduate studies.21

18 Morgan Powell, “Tone Road Ramblers Photos,” http://www.morganpowellmusic.com/photos/tone-road-ramblers-photos/ (accessed August 7, 2017). Used by permission. 19 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 20 Herbert Brün Biography, http://www.herbertbrun.org/BrunBio.html (accessed November 3, 2017). 21 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 8 In 1968, Udow was offered a section percussion position with the Santa Fe Opera, a position for which he did not audition, but accepted though a phone call from the personnel manager. Since this ensemble only exists during the summer months, Udow could accept and perform with the SFO while continuing his study at UIUC. This would mark the beginning of a near-forty-decade collaboration between musicians, dancers, and technicians from around the world. He recalls attending the dress rehearsals and witnessing the drama on stage as a young musician, which allowed him to view the production from both the performer and audience perspective.22

Udow’s interest in unique sound sources led to a valuable experience when he learned of a retired vaudeville drummer located in Cincinnati who was selling a collection of instruments.

Udow arranged for his roommate, Robert Rosen to drive him to Cincinnati to pick up the instruments, which included Chinese toms, thin UFIP cymbals, and old flanged Chinese cymbals, which were rare and one-of-a-kind. He raised the money to purchase these instruments by offering his services as a consultant and performer to composers and dancers. In return for the financial support from his sponsors, Udow agreed to work with these artists on collaborative projects. This was advantageous for both parties, as the sponsors were allowed access to Udow’s experiences and collection of instruments. One such sponsor, Salvatore Martirano, inventor of the Sal-Mar Construction, invited Udow to set up his percussion instruments in Martirano’s living room, where he and Udow would improvise. He would also show Udow his latest instrument inventions and perform new computer music compositions.23 The Sal-Mar

Construction was an electronic using transistors and logic circuits to drive analog modules, such as voltage-controlled oscillators, amplifiers, and filters. The performer,

22 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 23 Ibid. 9 usually Martirano, would sit behind a horizontal console of two hundred-ninety-one lightable touch-sensitive switches to dial sequences of numbers that interacted with other sequences, forming a tree of interlocking data corresponding to the performer’s choices. This data manifests in musical sound through a series of twenty-four spatialized audio channels.24

It was around this time that Udow composed his most widely-known composition,

African Welcome Piece (1970), historically significant as one of the earliest Western percussion ensemble pieces to include a choir. He enrolled in an African music survey course at UIUC, taught by ethnomusicologist Bruno Nettle, who introduced Udow to the rhythms and various styles of music from this continent. William Amawaku, a master Ewe drummer from Ghana and

UIUC graduate student, co-taught this course with Nettle. Amawaku taught African drumming styles and techniques, though the university did not own authentic African instruments (students had to learn on conga drums and other substitutions). Udow asked Amawaku for guidance while composing this percussion ensemble piece for traditional Western percussion instruments using the African Ewe rhythms, and after reviewing the work for authenticity, approved of what Udow composed. The instruments for African Welcome Piece include tom toms, snare drums, , bongos, timpani, and agogo , all instruments commonly found in modern percussion inventories. The optional choir sings a series of syllables Udow invented to sound like African chant, which was also approved by Amawaku. The choir is divided into two groups, each singing similar syllabic phrases, beginning in a call-and-response style and ending in unison.25 The

24 Illinois Distributed Museum, “Salvatore Martirano,” https://distributedmuseum.illinois.edu/articles?aid=54ffa3bc039a0a9c7895e8df (accessed November, 3 2017). 25 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 10 syllables used by both groups are: “Yea-a, A sa si da Ya, bo see da, da Ya Ya, bo see da, da

Ya bo see da da, Ba ya do see die Ya.”26

1.4 Fulbright Award and Study in Poland

During the fall of his senior year (1970), Udow both auditioned for the New Orleans

Philharmonic and applied for a Fulbright award to study in Poland, which was organized by

Józef Patkowski, founder of the Experimental Studio of the Polish Radio.27 Patkowski was in the United States on a Fulbright award to study electronic music at various studios, spending almost a full semester at UIUC. Patkowski, at the suggestion of Herbert Brün, approached Udow after a concert and suggested he apply for a Fulbright award to compose at the electronic studio in Warsaw. Patkowski had been a classmate of Krysztof Penderecki and Witold Lutosławski and offered Udow the opportunity to interact with these two composers at various gatherings. Udow had performed in the premiere of Penderecki’s opera The Devils of Loudun in Santa Fe, which led to some interaction with the composer prior to the Fulbright. Udow was awarded the

Fulbright in summer of 1971 after he won and accepted the NOP position. He decided to perform with the orchestra for a year and reapply for another grant, which he was awarded in 1972. After he was awarded the Fulbright again the following year, he and his fiancé Nancy, a dance student at Illinois, married and moved to Warsaw for the year.28

Udow composed Acoustic Study #1 (1973) and Acoustic Composition #1 (1973) while in

Poland. These were written for what would become the Blackearth Percussion Group, founded by members Allen Otte, the Kvistad brothers Garry and Rick, and Chris Braun. The Acoustic

26 Michael W. Udow, African Welcome Piece, (Coral Gables, FL: University of Miami, 1973). 27 Adam Mickiewicz Institute, “Jósef Patkowski,” http://culture.pl/en/artist/jozef-patkowski (accessed November 8, 2017). 28 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 11 Study #1 was composed first and meant as an introduction to the graphic and spatial notation forms used in the Acoustic Composition #1, also bearing the influence of Brün’s new Calcomp computer plotter.29 Introduced in 1959 and one of the first computer graphics output devices sold, the Calcomp plotter was not invented for musical composition, but instead for engineering

(specifically military) purposes such as the creation of maps and technical illustration. The machine uses a mounted pen and moveable drum to create drawings from sets of data inputted to a connected computer.30 Brün created instructions using the FORTRAN computer language, operated from an IBM 7094 series computer to create many of his graphic scores, including

Mutatis Mutandis (1968).31 Michael and Nancy Udow performed Mutatis Mutandis 21 as a duet on their respective senior recitals at UIUC (Figure 1.2 shows a page from this score).32

Figure 1.2 – From Mutatis Mutandis by Herbert Brün33

29 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 30 Dan Ryan, A History of Computer Graphics (Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2011): 21-22. 31 Herbert Brün, “Composer’s Input Ouputs Music, 1969,” http://ada.evergreen.edu/~arunc/brun/ciom.html (accessed November 4, 2017). 32 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 33 Herbert Brün, Mutatis Mutandis (Sharon, VT: Sonic Art Editions, 1968/199). Copyright Sonic Art Editions. Used by permission of Smith Publications, Sharon, Vermont. 12 The influence from Brün is evident in the construction instructions for creation of new instruments (included in the score). Brün’s lectures and writings, focused on the role of the artist in society, challenged Udow to consider the influence of capitalism on the creation of art, specifically the commercial manufacture of instruments. The graphic symbols in Acoustic

Composition #1 and subsequent interpretations could enable performance of the piece anywhere in the world, using whatever instruments were readily available.34

The electronic tape part for Acoustic Composition #1 was created at the Polish Radio

Experimental Studio in Warsaw. The sounds were a mixture of musique concrète and oscillator- generated sounds.35 Bohdan Mazurek, composer and sound design engineer at the Polish Radio

Experimental Studio, assisted Udow in creating these from unlikely sound sources such as various tin cans (closed on both ends and filled with various amounts of water, then suspended from a wooden frame by rubber bands, which created a portamento effect when struck with a soft mallet).36

1.5 The Blackearth Percussion Group

After returning from Poland, Udow joined the Blackearth Percussion Group (BPG), founded by Allen Otte, the Kvistad brothers Garry and Rick, and Chris Braun. Tom Siwe had offered the group a residency at UIUC, and later Allen O’Connor, percussion instructor at

Northern Illinois University, offered the fledgling BPG a rehearsal space and one untenured faculty position for the group members to share in residence. BPG faculty responsibilities

34 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 35 Ibid. 36 Filip Lech, “In Memory of Bohdan Mazurek, Composer of Electronic Music (1937-2014),” http://culture.pl/en/article/in-memory-of-bohdan-mazurek-composer-of-electronic-music-1937- 2014 (accessed November 8, 2017). 13 included teaching lessons, but allowed them time to tour and a permanent rehearsal space.

Shortly thereafter Chris Braun left the group to pursue jazz performance.37

The group rehearsed daily in the basement of the percussion house at NIU, with each taking responsibility for various facets of organizational and financial importance. Udow remembers that he and Allen Otte were responsible for booking performances, Garry Kvistad managed the finances for the group and took care of the vehicle records and bookkeeping, and

Rick Kvistad handled publicity and marketing for the group, creating brochures and other advertising materials.38

This time was difficult for Udow and Nancy, as he felt “married” to both his new wife and to Blackearth. Finding work for Nancy as a dancer proved impossible in DeKalb, and organizational unrest grew among group members over artistic direction and repertoire. Udow contacted his mentor Thomas Siwe and expressed his concerns, after which Siwe informed

Udow about a Creative Arts Fellowship which could fund graduate study at UIUC. After much deliberation, Udow left BPG and returned to his alma mater in the fall of 1974.39

1.6 Graduate Studies and England

Thomas Siwe was awarded a sabbatical for the first year of Udow’s graduate study, which involved travel to Asia to work with the Japan Federation of Composers. Siwe’s sabbatical offered Udow the opportunity to gain teaching experience as applied instructor for the undergraduate students. Additionally, his BPG appointment at NIU had allowed him to take

37 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 38 Ibid. 39 Ibid. 14 classes without charge, which transferred to his MM program at Illinois, allowing him to graduate with his Master’s degree after one year.40

In addition to resumed composition studies with Herbert Brün, Udow also worked to produce performances of Stalks and Trees and Drops and Clouds, Plot, and Touch and Go.

These three pieces were the program of his master’s recital, performed in the Art and

Architecture gallery at UIUC for three successive nights. The instruments were arranged in the gallery and scores were hung on the walls for the audience to view. The unspecified nature of the instruments for these pieces allowed Udow freedom to construct many of them from scratch. In an interesting aside, the lack of security in the building required Udow to sleep in the gallery during the week of performances to protect the instruments.41

Upon completion of his graduate coursework, Udow was offered a job at the University of Oklahoma but declined, as Nancy had been offered a dance position at Dartington College of the Arts in England. While at Dartington, Udow formed the Barton Workshop trio with trombonist James Fulkerson and pianist Stephen Montague. Nancy’s appointment offered the resources to develop pieces for their new percussion and dance duo. Their early repertoire was formed during this period and they eventually toured extensively throughout Europe, the United

States, and Canada.42

Nancy was employed at Dartington College from 1976-1978. While in England, Udow took advantage of the time he had to prepare recitals and his thesis document, A Rhythmic

Sourcebook for Actors, Dancers, and Musicians. In 1978 Udow was offered a position at The

40 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 41 Ibid. 42 Ibid. 15 University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), which coincided with the passing of Udow’s father and Nancy’s mother, prompting them to return to the United States permanently.43

1.7 Equilibrium Dance and Percussion Duo

The Udows co-composed fourteen works for music and dance over thirty years and toured extensively throughout Europe, the United States, and Canada. Upon their return to the

United States, they continued to perform at universities and music festivals across the country.44

Many of Udow’s compositions for percussion and non-percussion instruments were influenced by his work with Nancy. A few include Dream (1973) for solo and optional actor as an example of a non-percussion work featuring choreography and theatrical elements.

The only piece Udow composed while performing with the Blackearth Percussion, Don’t Look

Back (1976) for and dancer, was written for Barbara Stegg and Nancy during his time at

NIU. The piece Limits (1977) was composed as a cross-disciplinary work for actors, dancers, and musicians, and Four Movements for Percussion Quartet (1974) was the second work written for

Blackearth and contains instructions for theatrical activation of the percussion instruments.45

Udow was challenged to develop notation that communicated his ideas of actuation and choreography. Pole Wrapping (1976) was composed in England for Mary Fulkerson, the dance teacher sharing duties with Nancy at Dartington College. This piece contains very detailed instructions for the creation of the fabric needed and movement throughout, and the accompanying tape part may be created using simple sound effects played by a non- percussionist. This harkens to the early John Cage and Lou Harrison pieces where trained

43 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 44 Ibid. 45 Ibid. 16 percussionists were not essential to perform the parts.46 Black Shogun (2003) was composed originally for solo tap dancer and three percussionists. The piece contains instructions to the accompanying percussionists for movement and choreography in addition to vocalizations. The version for solo percussion also makes use of these theatrical elements for the ensemble players.47

1.8 Early Teaching Positions

The Blackearth residency at Northern Illinois University included an applied instruction component, allowing group members to teach undergraduate percussion majors.48 Two of

Udow’s students at NIU were Stacey Bowers, who would eventually perform with BPG, and

James Campbell, Professor of Music in Percussion at the University of Kentucky, past

Percussive Arts Society President, and Drum Corps International Hall of Fame inductee.49

Upon return to the United States from England, Udow began teaching at the University of

Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) as the assistant to percussion faculty member Charmaine Asher-

Wiley, who founded the percussion program in 1959 and retired in 1992.50 Asher-Wiley directed the top percussion ensemble and Udow conducted the second ensemble and taught applied lessons. Most students at the university played in both percussion ensembles, so Udow interacted on some level with the entire percussion studio. The students at UMKC brought a very diverse

46 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 47 Michael W. Udow, Black Shogun (Dexter, MI: Equilibrium Press, 2003). 48 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 49 University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts, “James B. Campbell,” http://finearts.uky.edu/music/faculty-staff/james-b-campbell (accessed November 8,2017). 50 Dr. Meghan Aube, “Women Pioneers of Percussion in the United States,” Percussive Notes 51, no. 1 (January 2013): 44. 17 set of talents to the program, and Udow remembers many of them to be great drum set players, in particular. His Timbrack Quartet, Reality I, and Illusion I were composed for this ensemble.51

While teaching in Missouri, a program called Learning Through Arts, originally founded in Texas and designed to bring artists from various disciplines in to the public schools, was piloted in Kansas City. An early cross-discipline program, Learning Through Arts was focused upon the fourth- and fifth-grade levels, and encouraged reinforcement of math and science through artistic presentation. The artists would interact in the classrooms for a period of three to four weeks and conclude the program with a presentation for the entire school. The Udows would demonstrate rhythmic sequences on and teach counting methods and number sequences through dance.52

Udow took a position at Penn State University during the 1981-82 school year before replacing the iconic Philadelphia Orchestra percussionist Charles Owen in Fall of 1982 at the

University of Michigan. His time at Michigan was marked by an incredible amount of creative activity, national and international recognition of his performing, teaching and composing, and a litany of percussion alumni who continue to influence the art form.53

1.9 Influence of Keiko Abe and Japan

Udow’s travels to Japan, China, and Korea had a lasting impact on his philosophy as an artist. The art and cultural nuances he experienced through these international exchanges influenced his ever-changing philosophies concerning , rhythm, the vertical layering of rhythms, and use of beat cycles. Topsy-Turvy provides a prime example of this exoticism to be

51 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 52 Ibid. 53 Ibid. 18 discussed with analysis in subsequent chapters. While the instrument choices and structure are globally based (both Western and non-western), Udow maintains his characteristic assimilation of divergent influences in singular style.54

International virtuoso and percussionist Keiko Abe, who pioneered the evolution of solo marimba literature and the instrument itself, became a frequent collaborator after meeting Udow during her 1981-82 solo recital tour of American universities. Udow’s second opportunity to interact with Abe was during the Percussive Arts Society International

Convention of 1984, hosted by the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Subsequently Udow first visited Japan in 1984 for the Interlink Festival organized by composer Toshi Ichiyanagi, performing chamber works with Japanese musicians, including Triple Duo by Elliott Carter and other works by Japanese composers Ichiyanagi, Toru Takemitsu, and Maki Ishii. The ensembles participated in coaching sessions with the Japanese composers and were offered opportunities to interact socially with them during the festival, providing many opportunities for Udow to enjoy their vivid personalities and learn from their experiences.55

In 1986, Udow invited Abe to visit the University of Michigan and perform concerts with the University of Michigan Percussion Ensemble. The experience inspired her to invite the ensemble to tour Japan with her and composer Kaoru Wada during the Spring of 1988.56

Udow retired from the University of Michigan in 2011, with U of M percussion alumni

Joseph Gramley (Silk Road Ensemble), and later Jonathan Ovalle taking over the program.

Udow and Nancy currently live in Longmont, Colorado where he continues to compose and conduct guest artist residencies across the United States.

54 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 55 Ibid. 56 Ibid. 19 CHAPTER 2

METHODS

2.1 Method of Analysis

First published in 1970 and expanded in 2008, Jan LaRue’s Guidelines for Style Analysis serves as the analytical method used throughout this document. The three stages of analysis consist of background, observation, and conclusions.

The general method for observation includes:

1. Constructing a plan to study musical elements at various magnifications,

2. Attempting to understand functions and interrelationships by identifying

significant aspects of each piece, and

3. Evaluating the music and accomplishments of the composer as presented.

Much may be illuminated concerning a composer’s style from their generation of shape and motion, defined as points of significance related to phrase endings, culminating activities, and the general formal design. The goal is to identify Udow’s singular compositional style across his catalog of works to date.

The specific pieces chosen for this study represent a diverse cross-section of Udow’s percussion music. Individual pieces will be passed through an analytical spectrum consisting of four Contributing Elements: sound, harmony, melody, and rhythm; and three Basic Dimensions: large, middle, and small.57 Observations will be made regarding the influence of these

Contributing Elements to the motion and shape of each piece.

57 Jan LaRue, Guidelines for Style Analysis. 2nd Edition, ed. Marian Green LaRue (Michigan: Harmonie Park Press, 2011). 20 2.1.1 Terminology

1. Punctuation: Used in replacement of the traditional term “cadence” to indicate a point of

closure. Closure implies cessation of motion, while punctuation suggests continued

motion through contrast of tension and resolution, states created by musical activity

before and after the point in question.

2. Surface Rhythm: Designated to identify rhythmic constructions, such as phrase rhythm

and harmonic rhythm.

3. Continuation: Exploration of motion, including repetition, development, response, or

change.58

2.1.2 Contributing Elements

1. Sound: Observations of sound group under three headings: Timbre, Dynamics, and

Texture/Fabric.

2. Harmony: As a style-analytical element, harmony comprises all relationships of

successive vertical combinations. Observations will include the main functions of color

and tension, stages of tonality and variant structures of stability/instability, and modes of

part/voice exchange and counterpoint.

3. Melody: For purposes of style analysis, melody refers to the profile formed by any

collection of pitches, including various types of noise. Observations will include range,

melodic motion, and pattern development.59

58 Jan LaRue, Guidelines for Style Analysis. 2nd Edition, ed. Marian Green LaRue (Michigan: Harmonie Park Press, 2011). 59 Ibid. 21 4. Rhythm: The element of rhythm can include surface rhythms in addition to textural,

harmonic, and contour rhythms. Observations will include patterns of change, meter,

, and the various fabrics of rhythm presented.60

2.2 Procedures

Observations of the music are filtered through a spectrum of characteristics that include four Contributing Elements and three Basic Dimensions. The four Contributing Elements include sound, harmony, melody, and rhythm as aforementioned. The three Basic Dimensions are large, middle, and small. Significant observations will be recorded as they pertain to each of the four

Contributing Elements and where they function most prominently.61

Conclusions are drawn about both the composition and process of growth related to motion and shape. Motion is described in contributions to the flow of the piece and shape will provide contributions to the processes of punctuation and continuation. Performance and pedagogical considerations complete each analysis chapter and offer useful observations for performers and teachers.62

Cursory observations of additional works will be used to formulate final conclusions as necessary, combined with the detailed analysis of the three selected pieces. An annotated list of

Udow’s percussion compositions is included in the Appendix, current with the date of this document.

60 Jan LaRue, Guidelines for Style Analysis. 2nd Edition, ed. Marian Green LaRue (Michigan: Harmonie Park Press, 2011). 61 Ibid. 62 Ibid. 22 CHAPTER 3

TIMBRACK QUARTET

3.1 Background

Timbrack Quartet was composed in 1978 while Udow was teaching at the University of

Missouri-Kansas City, and received its premiere at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls on

January 12, 1979. This performance took place during a three-day residency with his wife and

Equilibrium Duo dance partner Nancy. Other works composed by Udow were featured during this residency and include Bog Music, Two Transparent Structures, Four Movements for

Percussion Quartet, and African Welcome Piece.63

As mentioned, the composer Herbert Brün was a huge influence upon Udow. Consider the following from program notes from Brün’s In and…and Out (1974): “Timbrack refers to an instrument configuration and corresponding notation system wherein a number of percussion instruments of disparate timbral qualities are arranged in the physical approximation of a keyboard.” Brün continues in the score: The notation for this set-up (percussion) uses what looks like pitch notation to indicate which instruments to strike, not the resulting sound. The percussionist is asked to select the instruments, decide the arrangement, and construct the set- up.”64 The strong visual correspondence of the music to the physical setup is meant to facilitate efficient learning and execution of the piece. Figure 3.1 is a score excerpt from the Brün. The percussion part resembles material for pitched mallet percussion instruments.

In his article for Percussive Notes Research Edition, Vol. 18, No. 2: Winter 1981, titled

“Visual Correspondence Between Notation Systems and Instrument Configurations,” Udow

63 John Baldwin, “Drumming Around,” Percussive Notes 17, no. 3 (Spring/Summer 1979): 23. 64 Herbert Brün, In and…and Out, (Sharon, VT: Smith Publications, 1995). 23

Figure 3.1 – Herbert Brün, In and…and Out, bars 52-5865

includes an image of the setup configuration he designed for the Brün in 1974.66 The setup consists of various objects, including frying pans, wood blocks, cowbells, a , a temple block, and other instruments. The arrangement is in the shape of an F-major scale, beginning on F and ending on E.

Figure 3.2 – Arrangement of instruments created by Michael Udow for In and…and Out67

Udow was introduced to instrument design while in Poland, and of the artists he befriended at the Polish Radio Experimental Studio was Krzysztof Wodiczko.68 Wodiczko was

65 Herbert Brün, In and…and Out, (Sharon, VT: Sonic Art Editions, 1995). Copyright Sonic Art Editions. Used by permission of Smith Publications, Sharon, Vermont. 66 Michael W. Udow, “Visual Correspondence Between Notation Systems and Instrument Configurations,” Percussive Notes Research Edition 18, no. 2 (Winter 1981): 23. 67 Ibid., 23.

24 working with aforementioned American percussionist Michael Ranta on the development of a structure he called an all-purpose percussion stand. This was essentially a modular frame structure that would allow the performer unlimited variety of setup configurations. It was constructed of rods forming a series of modular squares that could be removed from the frame to create a working space or “corridor” inside the structure. Two requirements from Wodiczko:

One, the user should have the possibility to vary continuously the instrumental set-up by replacing, adding, or subtracting instruments, and Two, all methods of fixation of percussion instruments (hanging, solid fixation, suspension, support) should be taken into consideration.

The emphasis is on the user’s needs and imagination rather than on the architectural object itself, which should serve as a musical and explorative endeavor.69 Although this structure was never physically realized, diagrams provide insight concerning how the structure could offer solutions for logistically-challenging pieces. While living in England, Udow collaborated with Peter

Spenlove, chief research designer for the Premier Drum Company in Leicester, England on the design and construction of an instrument he would call the Timbrack. This instrument, completed in 1977, is a “four-octave” multiple percussion console in the layout of a mallet . Thirteen different wooden and metallic objects, each duplicated at least once, for a total of forty-eight individual are mounted to a standard Premier marimba frame.70 These included Wooden Elements [two each of marimba bars, nabimba bars (from a five-octave rosewood instrument invented by J.C. Deagan with the sound of a buzzing reed

68 Michael W. Udow, interview by author, online via Skype, March 12, 2015. 69 Jean-Charles François, “Percussion Sound Sculpture,” Percussive Notes Research Edition 18, no. 3 (Summer 1981): 47-48. 70 James A Strain and Otice C. Sircy, “From the PAS Museum Collection – Timbrack,” Percussive Notes 47, no. 2 (April 2009): 72. 25 instrument), bars, claves, wood blocks, temple blocks, and wood cylinders71] and

Metallic Elements (eight bars, four bars, eight tubes, six cylinders, four cowbells, and four clock gongs72). Each of the instruments is paired with a corresponding tuned resonator pipe, thus amplifying the sound.

Figure 3.3 – Wodiczko Frame Diagrams 73

71 James A Strain and Otice C. Sircy, “From the PAS Museum Collection – Timbrack,” Percussive Notes 47, no. 2 (April 2009): 72. 72 Ibid., 72. 73 Jean-Charles François, “Percussion Sound Sculpture,” Percussive Notes Research Edition 18, no. 3 (Summer 1981): 47-48. 26 This rack was originally designed for Udow’s third realization of Herbert Brün’s solo percussion work Stalks and Trees and Drops and Clouds.74 While the notation of Brün’s piece was not set in the chromatic keyboard style, the layout of the instruments and sound resources available on this Timbrack allowed the creation of a unique interpretation of the piece. Once completed, Udow and other composers wrote works specifically for this instrument. Dutch composer Jan Dhont composed Miniatures for Timbrack in 1977 and Udow wrote pieces for the

Equilibrium Dance and Percussion Duo utilizing it. The Timbrack is currently housed in the

Percussive Arts Society museum collection, donated by Udow in 2008.75 Figure 3.4 shows an image of the constructed instrument from the performer side. Notice the various resonator lengths, corresponding with the frequency of each individual idiophone. Figure 3.5 was extracted from Udow’s article “Visual Correspondence Between Notation Systems and Instrument

Configurations” (1981) and shows the specific arrangement of each idiophone, labeled accordingly.

Figure 3.4 – Timbrack Instrument Configuration 76

74 James A Strain and Otice C. Sircy, “From the PAS Museum Collection – Timbrack,” Percussive Notes 47, no. 2 (April 2009): 72. 75 Ibid., 72. 76 Ibid., 72.

27

Figure 3.5 – Timbrack Instrument Placement Key 77

3.2 Timbrack Quartet Setup

The configuration for the instruments in Timbrack Quartet draws inspiration from these works and concepts of design, particularly In and…and Out by Brün. The layout of the instruments on the four Timbrepads, or group of instruments set up in the configuration of a keyboard. He lists the instruments in the score and abbreviates their names for inclusion in the setup diagram.78 Figure 3.6 shows the setup configuration provided in the score. The physical location of each instrument aligns with the pitch location on the staff, but the actual pitch will not correspond with the sound produced, similar to the Timbrack instrument described above.

77 Michael W. Udow, “Visual Correspondence Between Notation Systems and Instrument Configurations,” Percussive Notes Research Edition 18, no. 2 (Winter 1981): 23. 78 Michael W. Udow, Timbrack Quartet (Dexter, MI: Equilibrium Press, 1978). 28 Instrument List A – Almglocken CB – FP – Cast Iron Frying Pan TB – Temple Block WB – Wood Block C – Clave

Figure 3.6 – Timbrack Quartet, Idiophone Arrangement 79

Additionally, a diagram for the distribution of the instruments by relative frequency is included in the score. This is an example for the distribution of the almglocken, notated on the F,

A, and C spaces in the treble staff, arranged low to high. The other instruments in the setups are distributed among the players in the same way, from low to high (see Figure 3.7).80

Figure 3.7 – Frequency band distribution in Timbrack Quartet 81

79 Michael W. Udow, Timbrack Quartet (Dexter, MI: Equilibrium Press, 1978). 80 Ibid. 81 Ibid. 29 Udow suggests positioning the quartet downstage-center, in a configuration. The tempo for the piece is marked at quarter-note equals one hundred and forty- two beats per minute. No tempo changes occur and there are one hundred and fifty-one bars in the piece.

3.3 Sources of Shape

3.3.1 General Design

Composed in a three-part form with a coda, the opening section consists of a repeated three-bar metric pattern in 3/4, 3/8, and 4/4. This metric scheme returns at bar 109, completing the ternary form. The transition from the opening section to the extended 8/8 meter (bars 25 through 43) signals a breakdown of the opening metric pattern and utilizes variation in the musical material. This creates a period of unstable activity in the piece and creates a momentary departure from the strict ABA-Coda structure. The middle section and coda material is composed in 8/8, creating flexible options for beat grouping, with the coda beginning in bar 133, performed in unison by all four players. This is the longest use of unison playing and creates a strong monophonic texture to end the piece.

3.3.2 Primary Elements

The elements of sound and rhythm function as the primary driving forces in musical motion and shape throughout this piece. Due to the lack of exact pitches, the tuned almglocken and relative pitch frequencies of the other idiophones form general timbre and sound profiles and

30 do not reflect traditional melodic composition, as variable nature of instrument selection among different ensembles and performers would render any traditional diatonic analysis questionable.

The complete surface rhythm inventory consists of half-, quarter-, eighth-, and sixteenth- notes, along with their respective dotted variants. The fabric is punctuated by contrasting areas of rhythmic unison and polyphonic interlocking parts. Rarely do solo moments for individual players occur; the opening section (bars 1-21) and again briefly at the end (bars 112-114) illustrate exceptions. Large dimensional shape is formed through a return of the opening rhythmic theme in these later solo entrances. The rhythm of bars 112 and 113 are identical to bars 22 and 23. Bar 114 could be the rhythmic outline of bar 24, creating a memory of this rhythmic material. As viewed in Figures 3.8 and 3.9, while the rhythms are clothed in different , they are a clear return to the opening.

Figure 3.8 – Timbrack Quartet, bars 22-24, Opening Thematic Material

Figure 3.9 – Timbrack Quartet, bars 112-114, Return of Thematic Material

Reliance on alternating patterns of forte/fortissimo and piano are noteworthy when considering the opening twenty-four bars (six examples of extreme dynamic change are observed, see example in Figure 3.10). A later example of effective dynamic use occurs from bars 73 through 108. Here, claves are used exclusively and written at a dynamic of piano, which decreases to pianissimo after bar 79. The accumulation of rhythmic density among the four

31 players implies a crescendo through this section, but the tension builds towards the end of this section and the transition to the final section of the piece. The forte unison phrase that follows

(bars 108 through 111) creates striking contrast and a lasting impression as the piece concludes.

Figure 3.10 – Timbrack Quartet, bars 13-16, Dynamic Arrangement

3.3.3 Punctuations

The first punctuation of the piece occurs on the downbeat of bar 25 (see Figure 3.11) and signals the transition to the middle section in 8/8 meter. Here, the meter changes briefly to 8/8 for one bar before returning to the established pattern of 3/4, 3/8, 4/4 from the opening section. A dynamic of fortissimo on the downbeat serves as culmination of the preceding crescendo in bar

24. This is immediately followed by a subito piano on the second eighth-note of the bar and then a return to forte in bar 26. This bar functions as a foreshadowing of the extended middle section in 8/8.

The second point of punctuation occurs in bars 59 through 62. This phrase serves as a moment of contrast from the previous rhythmic texture created by the almglocken from bars 47

32

Figure 3.11 – Timbrack Quartet, bar 25, Punctuation

through 58. All instruments except frying pans are used in these bars, and sounds alternate quickly between wood and metal timbres. Further impressions of shape are created through increased rhythmic activity compared to surrounding phrases. Figure 3.12 shows the first two bars, 59 and 60. This phrase is composed in unison and is identical in all four parts.

Figure 3.12 – Timbrack Quartet, bars 59 and 60, Punctuation

The material from bars 63 through 69 contains a polyphonic texture of almglocken and wood block sounds. The motion created here is punctuated by a distinct moment of change at bar

70 and lasting through bar 72. These three bars (see Figure 3.13) are played on claves by all four players and feature a terraced dynamic effect. A likely pivotal moment in the piece, the final tremolo of this punctuation phrase arrives just before the midpoint in the piece. This is also the loudest written dynamic marking in the piece and the only time a marking of fff is used.

33

Figure 3.13 – Timbrack Quartet, bars 70-72, Tremolo Figure in Claves, Punctuation

The unison almglocken tremolo in bar 108 signals another point of punctuation and acts as the transition from the 8/8 material back to the opening metric pattern of 3/4, 3/8, 4/4 (see

Figure 3.14). The following three bars (109 through 111) act as the point of punctuation. Like the phrase in bars 59-62, these three bars utilize almost the entire instrumental range of the

Timbrepads, minus the frying pans and the highest claves.

Figure 3.14 – Timbrack Quartet, bars 108-110, Unison Statement

The final punctuation and closure of the piece comes at the end through a long crescendo from the end of bar 138 to the final note. The last note is marked , important as this is the only note in the piece with this surface articulation marking.

34 3.4 Sources of Motion

3.4.1 Surface Rhythm Material

Viewed as independent parts, the surface rhythm material composed for each player is not particularly complex when compared with contemporary works, such as Pléïades for six percussionists by Iannis Xenakis, also composed in 1978. As outlined earlier, the rhythmic units mostly consist of binary groupings – half, quarter, eighth, and sixteenth-note variations. No nested rhythms or complex partials of beat patterns are written. The complexity in this music is demonstrated through the combination of parts and creative use of meter.

Bars 73 through 107 provides example of this illusion of simplicity. By combining the parts vertically, a situation of increased intensification emerges and establishes a complex, contrapuntal state of rhythm. Implied meters cycle over bar lines and provide momentum as the density increases. For example, beginning in bar 80, player two begins implying a 5/8 pattern while player three is playing a 6/8 grouping (see Figure 3.15). This becomes increasingly complex and each player’s implied meter changes as the section progresses. The surface rhythms become more active as sixteenth-note syncopations are added to the texture, culminating in bar

105 where only note of the bar is missing from the total composite (see Figure 3.16). Tension builds growth and forward motion until the release in bar 108 with the previously mentioned almglocken tremolo and punctuation.

The fabric of the piece is mostly polyphonic with moments of monophonic texture creating sharp contrast in key places. The opening twenty-four bars and the coda of nineteen bars

35

Figure 3.15 – Timbrack Quartet, bars 80-82, Implied Overlapping Meters

Figure 3.16 – Timbrack Quartet, bar 105, Sixteenth-Note Complementary Rhythms

consist of the longest durations of monophonic writing. Two additional locations coincide with the two phrases previously discussed from bars 59-62 and 109-111. These brief moments of unison texture are powerful in the shape of the piece and the rapid return to a polyphonic texture carves a lasting impression of growth as the music moves forward.

3.4.2 Processes of Continuation

The alternation of unison lines and solo statements from bars 1 through 24 is broken in bar 25 with the first point of punctuation. The music continues in bar 26 with a drastic change in texture through the mutation of previous material. In bars 26 through 28, players two, three, and 36 four are all performing interlocking rhythms, that when viewed as a composite, form the unison rhythm from bars 22 through 24. Figure 3.17 shows the composite rhythm and Figure 3.18 illustrates the separated interlocking parts written in bars 26-28. During this phrase, player one provides rhythmic dissonance by playing constant quarter-notes. Layered over the 3/8 bar, this quarter-note rhythm shifts the pulse from the downbeat to the offbeat, increasing the sense of instability. The mutation of material from the opening section, combined with the diminuendo in bar 31 creates motion in this transitional section.

Figure 3.17 – Timbrack Quartet, bars 22-24, Composite Rhythm

Figure 3.18 – Timbrack Quartet, bars 26-28, players 2, 3, and 4, the composite forms the unison rhythm composed in bars 22-24

Continuation from the second major punctuation begins in bar 63 with a change in dynamic from a relative forte to piano. Bars 63 to 69 contain the only notation in the piece that utilizes extensive accent markings (see Figure 3.19). The countermelody created in the passing of the almglocken among all four players creates musical interest and motion toward the punctuation in the unison clave at bar 70.

37

Figure 3.19 – Timbrack Quartet, bars 62-69, Polyphonic texture of wood block and almglocken melody/countermelody

Figure 3.20 – Timbrack Quartet, bars 63-69, Extracted Rhythm of Almglocken Melody

In Figure 3.20, the composite rhythm created by the almglocken countermelody is provided. Note that each bar contains a slightly different rhythm, with no two identical. This lack of exact repetition among bars is typical of Udow’s writing style and appears throughout the piece.

The punctuation in bars 109 through 111 is followed by strict counterpoint. Beginning in bar 112, a fabric of imitation is established as player three enters first with a melodic theme based on the rhythm from bars 22-24. Next, players four, two, and one enter in that order with the same melodic material. The slight differences in their melodies occur in the final bar of each

38 statement through a swapping of musical sounds. The number of wooden instruments also differs among players, but only in these final bars.

3.5 Performance and Pedagogical Considerations

In addition to the specific setup configuration provided, Udow also lists suggestions for mallets and page turn accommodations. Relatively hard rubber mallets with a thin wrap of yarn or moleskin should produce a fairly-even timbre through the entire range of metallic and wooden objects at both soft and loud dynamics.

In addition to the specific location on stage, other setup considerations include the physical ordering of the players. A typical string quartet model with player one on stage right and the other players following in sequential numbering would facilitate logical ordering for clear communication. Music stands should be low enough to allow all performers to easily see each other for cues and part alignment. This presents an opportunity for a group of developing percussion students to increase their chamber music skills.

Due to the diverse array of materials in each individual setup, developing an even touch on the instruments is crucial to a successful performance. In addition to finding the best possible mallet, each player will need to develop a consistent quality of sound across the range of instruments, careful not to add false accents. This becomes especially important in mixed phrases with both metal and wood timbres. The most obvious example comes in the final nineteen bars where each player uses every sound source in their setups. The physical location of instruments in the keyboard configuration could be helpful in facilitating evenness. Since this configuration is familiar to most percussion students and performers, the location of each instrument related to

39 the score notation could ease the reading process and allow for more focus on mallet placement and touch.

Vertical alignment of the many interlocking rhythms creates challenges regarding execution. The presentation of the composite rhythm as a unison thematic statement in bars 22-

24 makes success in these bars critical to the shape of the piece. Each player must have the same internal pulse established and all should be able to align their individual parts with the constant quarter-notes of player one. The added challenge of the diminuendo in bar 31 poses additional difficulty as the tendency will be to slow down as dynamic decreases. Performers must be diligent in their attention to the pulse. Communication and showing of the physical pulse through body movement could serve as helpful in this phrase and would be allowed through efficient ensemble setup.

In the 8/8-meter section, bars 47 through 58 will require attention to the grouping of two and three eighth-notes in each bar (see Figure 3.21). If each player performs with exact evenness on each note, the pulse is in danger of being lost. A slight weighting of each group will result in a composite that is outlined in the clave rhythms written in bars 49, 51, 54, and 58. Notice the groups of two eighth-notes passed among players two, three, and four in bar 49 create the composite outlined by player one in the clave rhythm. Combined with the timbres, this section has potential for a high level of musical interest and activity prior to the punctuation at bar 59.

40

Figure 3.21 – Timbrack Quartet, bars 47-49, Two- and Three-Note Groupings

41 CHAPTER 4

THE CHARM

4.1 Background

The Charm is a theatrical work for “Monster Drum,” six bass , and optional actor(s). The piece was commissioned by Jonathan Haas and composed for his seventy-inch timpano. Udow recalls “The first time I saw a picture of Jonathan’s monster drum, Scene I/Act

IV of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth came to mind. This famous scene, set in a cavern where in the middle stands a boiling cauldron with three witches hovering over it, seemed to be a logical springboard.” Figure 4.1 shows Jonathan Haas pictured in front of this drum.

Figure 4.1 – Jonathan Haas and his seventy-inch timpano82

Haas states on his website that the drum is nearly six feet wide, four feet tall, and seventy inches in diameter. He discovered the kettle in an Aspen cow pasture, where it had been used in the manufacturing of Swiss cheese at the turn of the century. He presented the prototype of this

82 Jonathan Hass, “Photos,” http://www.aboutjonathanhaas.com/photos.html (accessed August 17, 2017). Used by permission. 42 instrument at the 2003 Aspen Music Festival and unveiled the finished instrument at the

Percussive Arts Society International Convention in November of the same year.83

Udow composed the piece in 2005 and recorded it with the New University

Classical Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Jonathan Haas. Robert C. Kelly performed the solo monster drum part and Anna Kepe spoke the part of the three witches. The recording was released by Udow on Footprints, a double-disc compact disc release, recorded in 2005 during a winter sabbatical leave from his position at the University of Michigan. Udow spent this sabbatical in residence at several universities and conservatories throughout the United States where he offered coaching sessions and feedback prior to the recording of each piece. The double-disc was issued on the Equilibrium label in 2006 (EQ81).84

4.2 Text Source Material As stated previously, text from The Charm was taken from the witches scene in William

Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The scene is set in a cavern where in the middle, stands a boiling cauldron. The three witches enter speaking. The soloist represents all three witches and in doing so should shift voice types accordingly to represent each of the three characters. The voices could also be spoken by one, two, or three different actors.

First Witch (voice 1) Thrice the brinded cat hath mew’d.

Second Witch (voice 2) Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.

Third Witch (voice 3) Harpier cries ‘Tis time, ‘tis time.’

83 Jonathan Haas, “Biography,” aboutjonathanhass.com, http://www.aboutjonathanhaas.com/bio.html (accessed August 17, 2017). 84 Michael W. Udow, Liner Notes to Footprints, multiple performers, Equilibrium EQ 81 (CD), 2006. 43 First Witch Round about the cauldron go: In the poison’d entrails throw. Toad, that under cold stone Days and nights has thirty-one Swelter’d venom sleeping got, Boil thou first in’ the charmed pot.

All Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Second Witch Fillet of a fenny snake, In the cauldron boil and bake; Eye of newt and toe of frog, Wood of bat and tongue of dog, Adder’s fork and blind-worm’s sting, Lizard’s leg and howlet’s wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

All Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Third Witch Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf, Witches’ mummy, maw and gulf Of the raven’d salt-sea shark, Root of hemlock digg’d i’ the dark, Liver of blaspheming Jew, (Udow offers the word Shrew as an alternative) Gall of goat and slips of yew Silver’d in the moon’s eclipse, Nose of Turk and Tartar’s lips, Finger of a birth-strangled babe Ditch-deliver’d by a drab, Make the gruel thick and slab: Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron, For the ingredients of our cauldron.

All Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

44 Second Witch Cool it with a baboon’s blood, Then the charm is firm and good.

The meter and arrangement of the text is paramount to the design of The Charm.

Shakespeare wrote many of his plays primarily in an unrhymed version of iambic pentameter called blank verse, in which lines of text contain ten syllables, divided into five pairs, known as iambs. An iamb is a metrical unit made up of one unstressed syllable, followed by one stressed syllable (de-DUM).85 The text used in The Charm was taken from a scene in Macbeth that invokes the supernatural. Often, Shakespeare would change the meter used for the text of these types of characters (examples include the fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the three witches in Macbeth). In these cases, trochaic tetrameter was used, which stresses the opposite orientation of the iamb (one stressed syllable, followed by an unstressed syllable). Instead of ten syllables per line, there are eight, divided into four feet of trochees. Example: Fire burn and cauldron bubble. The bold syllables represent the stressed part of each pair of syllables. In some lines of text, Shakespeare does not complete the eight-syllable pattern, leaving the final unstressed syllable absent. This incomplete form is called catalectic (a metrical line of verse lacking one syllable in the last foot) and comprises most of the lines used in The Charm; for example, Round about the cauldron go. Here, seven syllables are written in the trochaic tetrameter pattern, with the eighth syllable missing from the line. This creates a rhythmic flow with accent on the quarter-note downbeat in 4/4 meter.86 Udow takes advantage of this throughout the piece and uses it in various permutations.

85 Kim Ballard, “Prose and Verse in Shakespeare’s Plays,” The British Library, https://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/prose-and-verse-in-shakespeares-plays (accessed August 23, 2017). 86 Amanda Mabillard, “Trochaic Tetrameter in Shakespeare,” Shakespeare Online, http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/macbeth/macbethfaq/witchmetre.html. 45 4.3 Ringing Changes

At three points in the piece, the tubular (chime) pitch patterns are based on procedures of ringing changes, the art of English ringing. This art has origins in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. The process of learning to ring involves a lengthy practice period where the player must learn the physical and musical components involved.87 In a typical ringing room (the space where bell-ringers access controls for performance), the ropes from the bells would fall in a circle. They are rung in a clockwise manner, beginning with the smallest or highest bell, the treble. The sequence of ringing would continue in descending pitch sequence until the lowest bell, the tenor, is rung. This sequence is known as ‘rounds’, i.e. 1, 2, 3,

4, 5, etc. The timing gap between each bell must be of consistent duration, setting up the rhythm.88 Ringing changes involves slowing down some bells and speeding up others to vary the striking order. The rules of change-ringing call for no bell to move more than one position in the change at a time, though more than one bell can move position in each change.89

Example: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 2-1-4-3-6-5-8-7

The use of individual chime tubes in The Charm streamlines the process and allows the performers to concern themselves with the musical and theatrical aspects of the piece. Udow includes discussion of influence from this art on the composition in his forward notes, presented in the score.

Two main procedures for ringing changes exist. The first, and most simple, is for one of the ringers, the “conductor,” to call a pair of bells to exchange places in the order of a new

87 Ron Johnston, Bell-Ringing: The English Art of Change-Ringing (London: Viking, 1986). 88 Ibid. 89 Ibid. 46 change. This is referred to as call-changes.90 The second, and more complex, involves the ringers memorizing patterns of changes in varying complexity known as ‘methods’. The methods are sequences of changes which dictate when each pair of bells changes order.91

Besides the verbal calling of changes, there are four conventions distinguishing call- change-ringing from change-ringing: 1) Any method must begin and end in rounds, 2) No bell can move more than one position between adjacent rows, 3) As many pairs of bells as possible should change over between each pair of rows, and 4) No row should be repeated in any method.92 The simplest of methods on any number of bells is called ‘plain hunting’ or ‘original’ and is outlined below using six bells.93

1-2-3-4-5-6 - ‘rounds’ 2-1-4-3-6-5 2-4-1-6-3-5 4-2-6-1-5-3 4-6-2-5-1-3 6-4-5-2-3-1 6-5-4-3-2-1 - ‘back rounds’ 5-6-3-4-1-2 5-3-6-1-4-2 3-5-1-6-2-4 3-1-5-2-6-4 1-3-2-5-4-6 1-2-3-4-5-6 - ‘rounds’

The line in the block of changes traces the path of the treble bell (this line is widely known as the ‘blue line’). In the block of twelve changes that comprise plain hunting on six bells, the treble moves smoothly from the front of the row to the back, striking twice in each pivotal position. Each of the other bells follows suit, except starting on a different point in the

90 Ron Johnston, Bell-Ringing: The English Art of Change-Ringing (London: Viking, 1986). 91 Ibid. 92 Ibid. 93 Michael W. Udow, The Charm, A Theatrical Work for Monster Drum and Six Bass Tubular Bells (Dexter, MI: Equilibrium Press, 2005). 47 method.94 Learning to ring the ‘blue line’ creates a more efficient learning environment for performers and could aid in memorizing the patterns in The Charm.

The Charm makes use of this method at rehearsal letters B (partial), D (partial), and in complete form at rehearsal letter G. Udow does not compose the music using the technique in exact traditional representation, rather he alters traditional usage by employing partial sequences or presenting the complete method in syncopated rhythmic form.

4.4 Costumes and Theatrical Effects

The soloist represents all three witches in the Shakespeare story and should be dressed in appropriate costume. The six other percussionists are asked to dress as witches and/or wizards. If a separate actor or actors are employed to read the lines in place of the soloist, they should also dress in costume and be seen on stage. This version could provide a more dramatic reading of the script, while simultaneously offering greater performance flexibility for the soloist.

4.5 General Characteristics

Udow provides a list of alternative instruments in the score, which includes: Japanese O-

Daiko, Chinese Dagu Atanggu Ganggu, Ghanaian Atumpan, or a Western with a thick

.045-millimeter head. Any significantly large drum with thick heads would suffice. The tubular bells (chimes) should be bass tubular bells. If necessary, the chime parts may be played one octave higher on standard chimes, but the deeper tone of the lower octave is desired.95

94 Ron Johnston, Bell-Ringing: The English Art of Change-Ringing (London: Viking, 1986). 95 Michael W. Udow, The Charm, A Theatrical Work for Monster Drum and Six Bass Tubular Bells (Dexter, MI: Equilibrium Press, 2005). 48 Included in the score is a diagram for instrument arrangement on stage (see Figure 4.2).

Udow asks for the chimes to be placed spatially as far away from one another as possible while still able to achieve precise ensemble rhythm.96 The order of the chimes is crucial to the performance of the change-ringing sets and should be followed.

Figure 4.2 – Arrangement of performers in The Charm97

Due to the theatrical nature of this work, Udow requests for the music to be memorized or concealed from the audience. In place of the soloist speaking the text, substitute actor(s) could be used. The vocals will need to be amplified through a wireless microphone and fed through a digital effects processor to alter the vocal quality, creating a ghoulish effect while still maintaining clarity of the text.98

A key of F minor is established through the choices of chime pitches. Four different numerical are given with a range from approximately 76 beats per minute to approximately 120 beats per minute.

96 Ibid. 97 Ibid. 98 Ibid. 49 4.6 Sources of Shape

4.6.1 General Design

Seven different musical sections, interrupted by three iterations of the witches’ chant, result from textual and musical clues. The text proves crucial to the construction of formal structure and rhythmic flow of the piece. Each iteration of the witches’ chant “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble” signals a moment of change, enhanced musically by the orchestration in these moments. Repeated three times, each statement is proclaimed in unison by all performers, including the six chime players. Musical material varies widely among these three statements. The first features chimes only on the downbeat, the second contains alternating F-minor and G-diminished chords, and the final statement is accompanied by a melodic line descending from C to G, hinting at the dominant in F minor.

The melodic material played by the chimes from the first section repeats in exact imitation in the final section, creating a sense of finality and closure to the piece. To strengthen this sectional relationship, instructions for improvisation by the soloist and emphasis on large physical gestures and flourishes leave a lasting impression of shape through memory and closure.

4.6.2 Primary Elements

The text is the driving force behind formal design. The elements of rhythm and sound function as the primary musical forces. Syllabic emphasis of the text reinforces the rhythmic motion. Harmony and melody are secondary as contributing forces, however, the combination of the chosen pitches and melodic lines composed strengthen textual meaning, serving in a more

50 supportive role. The choice of six bass chimes as the only instrumental accompaniment provides an ominous sound to the piece.

The rhythmic vocabulary is based on binary and duple rhythms. Of course, the choice of improvised rhythmic material selected by the soloist could alter this observation in performance.

The trochaic tetrameter that dominates the text has bearing on the performance of the musical material with heavy emphasis on downbeats in a stressed/unstressed pattern setting the tone and reinforcing the rhythmic flow. An example (see Figure 4.3) at the beginning of rehearsal letter J illustrates the flow of the text, composed in this meter. The chime players through this section play on the first beat of each bar, reinforcing this flow and adding harmonic support.

Figure 4.3 – The Charm, bar 65, Text at Rehearsal Letter J

The musical fabric carves a memorable shape, highlighted by alternating sections with and without text. Most sections that feature text do not contain chimes. This might be for enhanced intelligibility of the spoken words, but it also serves to underline contrasts within the piece. The fabric of the first 53 bars consists of relatively brief passages, alternating with and without text. A significant change to this pattern occurs in the fourth and fifth sections of the piece, beginning at bar 54, rehearsal letter G. Figure 4.4 shows the beginning of this section. A more polyphonic texture is created by allowing the chimes and soloist to function as independent

51 units. Rehearsal letter H enhances texture further through the additive process in the chime parts, layered under the solo improvisation. The drama is enhanced at rehearsal letter J with the return of a homophonic texture. Here, the chime parts become harmonic support and very sparse, culminating in a strong unison conclusion of the text at rehearsal letter K.

Figure 4.4 – The Charm, bars 54-55, Independence between Chimes and Soloist

4.6.3 Punctuations

Three places of momentary punctuation exist in the three iterations of the witches’ chant and serve as important markers. Phrase endings at rehearsal letter A and one bar before letter B signal less important punctuations, but contribute to the shape of the opening material. These phrase endings return at the end of the piece, reinforcing a large dimensional shape.

The single harmonic punctuation takes place from rehearsal letter I to J. Effectively in contrast with the prior section, the soloist is removed from the texture, leaving the chimes to play alone and strengthen the focus on the harmonic material. The first bar of this phrase is repeated three times (possibly a link to the superstition surrounding the number three in Macbeth and other literary sources), and then continues with a unison rhythmic statement, concluding in an imperfect authentic cadence in F minor (see Figure 4.5).

52

Figure 4.5 – The Charm, bars 62-64, Harmonic Cadence Punctuation at Letter I

The three occurrences of the witches’ chant help confirm the emerging shape. The first two statements are each two bars long and frame the third large section of the piece from bars 39 through 51. Unison chanting of the text from the whole ensemble intensifies this sinister effect and is reserved for these moments (see Figure 4.6). The second statement stands in contrast from the first through use of the chimes. At rehearsal letter F, the chimes alternate F-minor and G- diminished chords on each beat. This stands apart from the first chant when the chimes played only on the first downbeat of the phrase, completing the previous section.

Figure 4.6 – The Charm, bars 37-38, First Appearance of the Witches’ Chant

Rehearsal letter K presents the final iteration of the witches’ chant and features an extension of the phrase through a solo spoken line by the Second Witch. This third unison chant statement is faster in metronome mark (approximately 86 BPM) than the previous two

(approximately 76 BPM), however the rhythm is slower and provides a feeling of expansiveness

53 and overall emphasis. Compare the example in Figure 4.7 of rehearsal letter K with Figure 4.6 of the first chant statement. Also, because the couplet is stretched over four bars instead of two, the rhythmic values used in this final statement are half the speed of the first two chant phrases. This affirms emphasis and significance of the phrase. The next four bars (82-85) create an extension of this longer eight bar phrase. The musical material here is important as the melody in the chimes, performed as duo with the text is a quote from the Dies Irae. Structural shape is further emphasized by the delay of the penultimate word by (see Figure 4.8).

Figure 4.7 – The Charm, bars 78-81, Witches’ Chant Restatement

Figure 4.8 – The Charm, bars 82-85, Extension of the Final Witches’ Chant, Dies Irae

4.7 Sources of Motion

4.7.1 Surface Rhythm Material

Stress provided by the text enhances motion throughout the piece. The first bar is a solo statement of text. Through following the catalectic (incomplete form) trochaic tetrameter, emphasis is placed on the first syllable of the poetic foot. 54 Example: “Thrice the brinded cat hath mew’d.”

As stated earlier, Shakespeare used this metric rhythm when evoking supernatural characters. The rhythm of this text places emphasis on the downbeats and establishes a pattern of weighted quarter-notes, felt in four. The chime melody that follows this first bar of text creates contrast through rhythmic feel. A half-note melodic rhythm begins in bar 2, established though the groupings of half-note and two quarter-note patterning. This creates perceived alternation of

4/4 and 2/2 patterns from bar 1 through 17 (see Figure 4.9).

Figure 4.9 – The Charm, bars 1-5, Text Relationship to Chime Melody

The use of the change-ringing patterns by the chimes first appears at rehearsal letters B and D (see Figure 4.10). Motion is achieved through the building of tension and excitement by increases in tempo toward the first chant statement at letter E. The first set of chime patterns at letter B is marked at approximately 108 beats per minute, with the second set at letter D increases to approximately 120 beats per minute. The meter changes to 12/8 at letters B and D which allows for each pattern of six quarter-notes to fit in one bar, but more importantly it suggests to the soloist that the improvisation must be structured around dotted quarter-notes.

Udow provides the instruction “Rhythmically improvise over a dotted-quarter-note based beat.”

This instruction is found at both letters B and D in the solo part.

55

Figure 4.10 – The Charm, bars 18-19, Change-Ringing Patterns, “back rounds”

Rehearsal letter G is the final appearance of the change-ringing patterns and presents the pitch material clothed in more syncopated and complex surface rhythms (see Figure 4.11). The meter is presented in a compound signature of 5/8 + 3/4, adding up to an 11/8 composite. The soloist is provided with instructions to “improvise in a 4/4 Latin groove over the 11/8 bells.” The written presentation of the compound signature, instead of simply using 11/8, strengthens the beat grouping Udow suggests at the beginning of this section, (2+3) + (2+2+2). The pattern of rounds leads directly to the back rounds, combining the initial two settings of these patterns introduced earlier at letters B and D, in separate presentations. This is the only full realization of the “plain hunt” change-ringing method.

The elapsed time for each section in the piece is relatively brief. The longest individual section is rehearsal letter H to I. Here, a textural change occurs through an additive process. Six different rhythmic patterns are composed, one for each chime player. The score provides instructions:

56

Figure 4.11 – The Charm, bars 54-59, Combination of Ringing Patterns, “back rounds,” and “rounds”

“Each chime player improvisatorially selects and plays either one or several notes from their full pattern in measure 60. With successive repeats one should add to the previously played rhythmic cell selected from within the pattern. Eventually, build up the number of sounded pulses from the pattern until you are playing the full rhythmic pattern. As all six chime players have the potential to select different notes within their pattern to play each time, the composite result should continually vary until all players are playing their full pattern. When the ensemble arrives at that juncture, one player should cue the group to move on to measure 61 using the same approach utilized in playing measure 60. After the fully realized pattern of measure 61 is heard, one member of the chime ensemble should cue in rehearsal letter I.”99

Udow calls for the duration of this section to last approximately two minutes. The soloist improvises in a “quasi-Rumba Clave style” and both the solo and ensemble parts are composed in 4/4-meter contrasting with the compound signature from the previous section. The divergence

99 Michael W. Udow, The Charm, A Theatrical Work for Monster Drum and Six Bass Tubular Bells (Dexter, MI: Equilibrium Press, 2005). 57 in style, lack of text, and gradual increase in rhythmic activity leads to a buildup of tension and anticipation as the music approaches the point of punctuation at rehearsal letter I.

4.7.2 Processes of Continuation

In small dimensional observation, the phrase ending punctuations at letter A and one bar before letter B are followed with continuation through change. This change is created by alternating the musical elements of texture and rhythm, exemplifying continuation effects in the whole piece. Rapid alternation of text with chime material creates a strong feeling of forward motion.

The composed chime part at letter F demonstrates continuation by change through texture. The first statement of the witches’ chant is heard in the previous phrase, from letter E to

F. The chimes are absent from this chant phrase, except the first downbeat. The chimes create an interlocking texture at letter F, composed in a vertical arrangement (see Figure 4.12). This contrasts with the opening sections of linear motion. The stacked rhythms create a polyrhythmic texture for the soloist to improvise over at letter F.

The second statement of the witches’ chant ushers a return to the linear style of writing for the chimes at letter G, but differs in rhythm, meter, and ordering of patterns from the opening sections.

The harmonic punctuation resolving at rehearsal letter J signals closure. Momentum at letter J is created through mounting tension as the sparse chime notes allows focus on the sinister text. The chime players are combined in dyads through this section and play in whole-note motion. This sparse, homophonic texture prepares the unison statement of the final witches’ chant at letter K.

58

Figure 4.12 – The Charm, bars 48-49, Interlocking Rhythmic Texture

4.8 Performance and Pedagogical Considerations

Logistic challenges stem from stage arrangement of individual chime players, complicating the rhythmic precision necessary to execute the interlocking parts. A prime example is rehearsal letter G and the syncopated rhythm layered over the 11/8 meter. The additive process at rehearsal letter H necessitates knowledge of all the individual parts and how they create a composite from these individual rhythms. Communication through eye contact and physical pulse within the ensemble players will aid in successful performance.

While the ultimate selection of implements is determined based on the performance space and balance with the soloist and text, Udow calls for the chimes to be struck with two-inch diameter rawhide mallets. Of prime concern is the intelligibility of the text and clarity of the rhythmic material. The selection of the specific instrument for the solo “Monster Drum” part will also have bearing on the balance with the chimes. Other considerations for the solo player

59 include possible muffling added to the drum, tuning of the instrument, specific implements, possibly changing implements for various sections, and inclusion of gestural motions related to the theatrical nature of the piece.

Memorization of the change-ringing patterns will facilitate ease of performance in these sections and aid in productive rehearsals. The chime players should memorize the patterns in two discrete sets of “rounds” and “back rounds.” These patterns are written in the performance notes at the front of the score. Once the patterns are memorized, the performance of rehearsal letters B,

D, and G will be less daunting.

Clear understanding of the text is necessary for meaningful performance. The sound reinforcement system used and subsequent “tuning” of this system to balance with the other musical forces should be considered with as much care as the actual performance of the notation.

Consider positioning an engineer in the house to mix the performance and adjust in real-time when necessary.

60 CHAPTER 5

TOPSY-TURVY

5.1 Background

Topsy-Turvy, commissioned by Gang-Ku Lee and the Akademie Percussion Ensemble of

Seoul, was completed in January of 2008. Lee requested an exciting drumming work to close their spring 2008 concert touring program. Udow writes in the program note:

“One goal I had was to compose a rhythmically energized work that continually subverted the comfort zone common in most of the world’s popular dance , while captivating, rather than losing the interest of the sophisticated listener.”100

The Akademie Percussion Ensemble (APE) is a South Korean professional percussion ensemble founded in 1993 by Gang-Ku Lee. Members include active percussionists, many trained abroad in places like Germany, Japan, and the United States. As the premier professional chamber percussion group in South Korea, they perform annually in both traditional and educational performance settings, providing informative concerts to educate the audience about the medium of percussion music. In addition to their touring and concert schedule, they operate a preparatory program for developing percussionists.101

5.2 Instrumentation

This piece is a percussion quartet consisting of various wooden and metal idiophones and . Udow provides the following instrument lists in the score for each player, including possible substitutions.

100 Michael W. Udow, Topsy-Turvy for Percussion Quartet (Dexter, MI: Equilibrium Press, 2008). 101 Gang-Ku Lee, “Equilibrium Recordings: Akademie Percussion Ensemble, Vol. 2,” Equilibrium, https://www.equilibri.com/album/EQ87/?item=performers (accessed August 14, 2017). 61 1. Three pair of Chinese Opera Cymbals (see Figure 5.1) – [the large dome/thick style –

non-flanged at the edge], approximate diameters designated for the small pair (8-10

inches) to be hand-held by straps. The straps are taken off the remaining four cymbals

which consist of a medium pair of 10-12 inches, and a large pair measuring 13-15 inches.

Each is placed upside-down on a cymbal stand with the inside of the cup of the

dome facing up. Five high wood blocks (played with small, medium-hard

wooden ball mallets).

Figure 5.1 – Chinese Opera Cymbals

2. Four drums on sturdy stands (low to high – preferably, thick skin heads like four different

pitched Japanese Taiko, or Latin tumba-conga--bongo, or four Jongo with four

different head tensions) played with wooden sticks, six almglocken played with hard cord

mallets and arranged in ascending order within a one octave range starting from Middle

C, D, E, G-flat, A-flat, and B-flat (tuned Chinese cloud gongs or some kind of tuned

ringing metallic instrument with complex overtones could be substituted – but

62 instruments like vibraphone or Japanese Rin should be avoided). If it is not possible to

have tuned almglocken, it would be better to substitute interesting sounding ringing metal

bowls, even if not pitched as indicated. Different sized Tibetan singing bowls, or thick

aluminum salad or cooking bowls).

3. Four drums on sturdy stands (low to high – preferably, thick skin heads like four different

pitched Japanese Taiko, or Latin tumba-conga-quinto-bongo, or four Jongo with four

different head tensions) played with wooden sticks. Player three’s drums should be tuned

a bit lower in pitch to each of player two’s drums. Six almglocken played with hard cord

mallets and pitched beginning with D-flat, a semitone above Middle C, and ascending

within one octave with E-flat, F, G, A, and B (Tibetan singing bowls would be a possible

substitute).

4. Five wood blocks – (deep/low tone; played with medium sized, medium-hard-rubber ball

shaped mallets that will also sound well on the five Korean gongs), five Korean Gongs

(flat face with ca. 2-inch lip). The sound of each gong should have a strong initial low

tone, then the higher partials predominate created a fractured tone quality with the low

tone slowly raising or lowering in pitch, a portamento up or down (see Figure 5.2 for

image example).102

5.3 General Characteristics

Topsy-Turvy is a percussion quartet composed for membranophones and mixed idiophones of wood and metal. Exact instrumentation and possible substitutions are provided in

102 Michael W. Udow, Topsy-Turvy for Percussion Quartet (Dexter, MI: Equilibrium Press, 2008). 63

Figure 5.2 – Korean Gong

the background information. No stage diagram is included, although a general square configuration might aid communication among the performers.

The neutral percussion clef is used in all parts, except for the almglocken lines from rehearsal letters G to L when the pitched music is notated in treble clef. The specific pitches used in the almglocken parts consist of two whole-tone scales, one semitone apart. Player two begins on middle C and ascends to B-flat and player three begins on D-flat, a semitone above middle C, and ascends to a B-natural.

Meter consists of an inventory of eight different time signatures: 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 3/8, 5/8,

7/8, 9/8, and 8/16. Three different tempos are indicated in the piece, beginning with quarter-note equals 126 beats per minute, slowing to quarter-note equals 100 beats per minute in the middle section, and then increasing to quarter-note equals 132 beats per minute for the final sections to the end.

64 5.4 Sources of Shape

5.4.1 General Design

In the program notes, Udow defines a brief introduction and three main sections as the structure of the piece. These are labeled as Introduction, first A, B, and second A. Upon inspection, the second A section may be divided into additional units based on several factors, including the lack of thematic material immediately after the B section, new thematic material during the 2/4 section, and the returning metric structure during the final return of the A section material.

The introduction consists of four bars of sixteenth-note groupings in 4/4 meter, beginning with player three alone. Each bar is repeated, with the fourth bar played a total of twelve times.

A long crescendo is made through both the addition of players in each bar and by written instructions to crescendo poco a poco. Instructions are provided to begin with the lights off and slowly raise them during the crescendo to letter A (see Figure 5.3). This might contribute sensory emphasis to the auditory crescendo effect.

The first section begins at rehearsal letter A and is characterized by the alternating metric pattern of 4/4 and 9/8. Fifty-eight bars form this section, split into two twenty-eight bar segments and a two-bar transition. The B section begins at rehearsal letter G (bar 63) and is characterized by a stark texture change underlined by the almglocken and slower tempo.

Figure 5.3 – Topsy-Turvy, bar 1, Lighting Instructions

65 The introduction of the Chinese opera cymbals creates a marked change in sound from the previous sections of music. Letter J directs focus to player three as a process of diminution aids in creating accelerated motion toward the new 2/4 material. A module of mixed-meter bars signals the entrance of this new section in 2/4 at rehearsal letter L (bar 137). The mixed-meter module returns at rehearsal letter N (bar 210) and reintroduces the 4/4-9/8 metric pattern and rhythmic theme groupings from the first A section. The same two twenty-eight bar segments from the first A section appear here, but with varied musical material. To conclude, the suggested revision to Udow’s formal plan would be: Introduction-A-B-Transition-C-A1.

5.4.2 Primary Elements

Rhythm and sound stand out as the primary elements used to create shape, as in his other works. Melodic and harmonic pitch material only appears in the B section through pitched almglocken. This contrast in sound, combined with changes in tempo and dynamic highlight the

B section in the shape of the piece.

At rehearsal letter A, player two defines the basic rhythmic theme through surface rhythm groupings. Presented over the course of the two-bar meter scheme of 4/4-9/8, the rhythmic groupings in sixteenth-notes are: 3+3+4+3+3 and 3+3+4+3+3+2 (see Figure 5.4).

Figure 5.4 – Topsy-Turvy, bars 5-6, A Section Theme

This two-bar pattern persists for most of the A section. The two twenty-eight bar segments of the A section can each be viewed as twenty-four bars, plus a four-bar phrase

66 punctuation. Changes in the patterns of players two and four signal the end of the first twenty- four bars. Figure 5.5 shows how player two deviates from the thematic rhythm in Figure 5.4 to four groups of four sixteenth-notes, accents on the downbeats. Player four has two defining markers; accents on the wood block change position to the offbeat and the gong resolves from the bar before with accent. This is the first accent written for the gongs in the piece. Changes in the texture define the shape of the two A sections.

Figure 5.5 – Topsy-Turvy, bar 29, Thematic Deviation

An interesting cultural influence exists through use of Korean gongs by player four. The gong is used to mark time in many different types of traditional Asian musical styles. In Topsy-

Turvy, player four strikes a gong on almost every downbeat in the 4/4 bars. In the B section, the gong is used to mark the ends of melodic phrases performed by players two and three on the almglocken. This use of the gong as a “marking device” is representative of the assimilation of global musical styles by Udow and a nod to the commissioning group for this piece.

In the program notes provided by Udow, he states “The ‘B Section’ of this work is the

‘tipping of my hat’ to the influential American composer, Henry Cowell.” This nod to Cowell is 67 displayed through Udow’s choice of instrumental sounds and pitch material in this section of the piece. Cowell was deeply interested in studying the music of many world cultures, including the

Gamelan styles from Java and Bali. Through a fellowship awarded by the John Simon

Guggenheim Foundation, Cowell was afforded the opportunity to travel and conduct research in world music at the Phonogramm-Archiv in Berlin, Germany. He arrived in Berlin in October,

1931. As part of his research, Cowell spent two hours daily studying Javanese performance and theory with Raden Mas Jodjana, a distinguished young Javanese musician.103 While Udow does not call for traditional Gamelan instruments, the use of the ringing metallic almglocken is reminiscent of the gong sounds used by these groups. The sound palette used through this section calls to mind the soundscape produced by the Indonesian Gamelan ensembles.

The second influence from Cowell is viewed through Udow’s choice of pitch sets in the almglocken. Players two and three each use a collection of six bells in the configuration of a whole-tone scale. Player two begins on Middle C and ascends to B-flat and player three begins a semitone above on D-flat and ascends to B-natural. In his book, New Musical Resources, Cowell described the formation of chords in contemporary music using three different methods: 1) A system of chords built in fifths and their inversions, fourths, and diminished fifths, 2) A familiar system based on thirds, and their inversions, and 3) A system based on the next higher overtones after thirds – namely, seconds, both major and minor. The overtones from the seventh to the fourteenth partials above the fundamental (if the twelfth, which occurs in a lower octave, is omitted) form a whole-tone scale, which is thus seen to have a sound acoustical foundation (see

Figure 5.6).104

103 Joel Sachs, Henry Cowell: A Man Made of Music (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012). 104 Henry Cowell, New Musical Resources (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1930). 68

Figure 5.6 – First fourteen partials for the fundamental pitch C2, circled pitches represent whole-tone scale

5.4.3 Punctuations

The first A section moves in a continuous, high-energy disposition, creating an environment with few points of heavy punctuation. The first twenty-four bars from rehearsal letter A end with a change in activity from players two and four, signaling the first punctuation in the piece. Deviation from the theme by player two, variation in the wood blocks, and a marcato downbeat accent in the gongs combine to express forward motion as shown in Figure 5.5. In bar

32, descending gong pitches lead to the at rehearsal letter D when the next twenty-eight bar segment begins. Further confirmation of punctuation is presented by player one through the accents on the final three eighth-notes in bar 32 and the use of different drums by player two (see

Figure 5.7).

After a second twenty-four bar segment, the four-bar area of punctuation occurs again, leading to the most dramatic change in texture, dynamic, and tempo so far. The final bar of this four-bar punctuation phrase differs from the first statement in meter (see Figure 5.8). Rare unification of multiple players occurs in the 8/16 grouping (bar 60) of 3+3+2 and creates drive toward the B section. The subsequent unison eighth-notes on the wood blocks of players one and four slow in tempo and decrescendo to the B section, rehearsal letter G. The removal of players two and three from this texture creates a moment of respite.

69

Figure 5.7 – Topsy-Turvy, bar 32, Primary Punctuation

Figure 5.8 – Topsy-Turvy, bars 60-61, Secondary Punctuation and Transition

A regular meter pattern creates a powerful contrast with the previous A section through symmetrical phrase lengths and a refreshing simplicity of structure and rhythm. Because the stacked whole-tone scales in the almglocken produce a bi-tonal texture, the phrase punctuations are not traditional harmonic cadence points. Instead, they become brief moments of repose, marked by the Korean gongs (see the example in Figure 5.9 of bar 74). Although the gongs are not specifically pitched, the complexity of overtones will provide a provocative, perhaps

70 unsettling sound when heard with the almglocken pitch material. Interestingly, all five Korean gongs are written for at least once from letters G to H.

Figure 5.9 – Topsy-Turvy, bar 74, Korean Gongs and Almglocken

Beginning at rehearsal letter H and proceeding to letter I, the music increases in tempo through accelerando as players two and three alternate melodic eighth-note figures. The punctuation on beat three of bar 101 leaves a feeling of ambiguous resolve, prompting continuation at rehearsal letter I. Player two resolves on an E and player three on an A, stacked as a perfect fourth. Figure 5.10 shows both the alternating repeated eighth-note patterns and the resolution before letter I.

The high-energy music returns through an eighth-note pickup into rehearsal letter I. After a transition period, the next change in texture occurs at bar 137. The 2/4-meter pattern is established and thematic focus shifts from player two to three on lower pitched drums. This section is framed by mixed-meter modules on both sides. The nine-bar module follows the meter pattern 5/8 - 3/8 - 2/4 - 2/4 - 3/8 - 5/8 - 2/4 - 2/4 - 2/4. These two modules create a frame around the C section of the piece, highlighting the shape.

71

Figure 5.10 – Topsy-Turvy, bars 99-101, Transition and Resolution

The return to A occurs at rehearsal letter O (bar 219). The form imitates the two twenty- eight bar segments of the first A section, complete with the rhythmic theme groups of player two and the same four-bar punctuations to close each segment. The substitution of the Chinese cymbals for the piccolo wood blocks is a significant change from the first A section and creates variety in sound. The piece closes with a final punctuation, repeating the 3+3+2 pattern in crescendo rhythmic figures by players one, two, and four (see Figure 5.11). Player three asserts independence through this final phrase and performs a counter rhythm to the other three players.

The lighting instructions at the end call for a blackout on beat 2, after the final downbeat. This is in opposition to the opening fade-in, although much more abrupt.

72

Figure 5.11 – Topsy-Turvy, bars 275-277, Final Three Bars

5.5 Sources of Motion

5.5.1 Surface Rhythm Material

Udow’s complexity is created through layering and the polyrhythmic structures he creates by combining these rhythms. As an example, the sixteenth-note unison crescendo of the introduction provides forward momentum toward a polyrhythmic layering at rehearsal letter A.

Here, players one and four play quarter-notes for the next two bars, which on their own do not provide a lot of motion. The thematic beat groupings of player two and the syncopated counter theme of player three interact to create a complex texture that provides the motion forward. The pattern of meters established at letter A also provide movement by augmenting the more typical

4/4 feel with the 9/8 bar at the end of the pattern.

The arrangement of the sixteenth-note groupings in the thematic material provides a feeling of forward push to the next phrase, similar to what one might experience listening to a 2-

3 rumba clave pattern where the final note of the “3” side could be construed as a pickup note to

73 the next phrase (Figure 5.12).

Figure 5.12 – 2-3 rumba clave

In Topsy-Turvy, Udow groups the 9/8 bar – the second bar of the 4/4-9/8 pattern – by using 3+3+4+3+3+2. By leaving the group of two sixteenths at the end, a feeling of forward momentum is created at the end of each two-bar pattern (see Figure 5.13). This is a strong supplier of motion.

Figure 5.13 – Topsy-Turvy, bar 6, Sixteenth Grouping

The B section material, beginning at rehearsal letter G (bar 63) is rhythmically less complex than the previous section. Eight four-bar phrases are composed between the markers of the ritard and accelerando. The wood blocks contrast with the almglocken to create two independent musical lines of wood and metal sounds. The fourth phrase in this section (bars 75 through 78) represents a peak in activity through the constant flow of eighth-notes created by the composite wood blocks and the marked increase in dissonance by the almglocken dyads (see

Figure 5.14). Each half-note on beats one and three contain minor second intervals between the two almglocken players. This increased dissonance continues until rehearsal letter H (bar 95) when the accelerando begins.

74

Figure 5.14 – Topsy-Turvy, bars 75-78, Almglocken Dyads

Beginning at rehearsal letter A, regular accents are written on the low drum notes and marcato accents are used for any notes on the other three drums. As the section progresses, more of the thematic accents are played on drums other than the low drum, using more of the range in the instrument setup. To correspond with the movement of drums, the accents begin to change to marcato until a point of saturation is reached with all melodic notes played on drums one, two, or three and marked as marcato accents. This corresponds with the four twenty-eight bar segments discussed previously as markers of shape. Figure 5.15 shows bar 6, the first 9/8 bar in the thematic pattern. Figure 5.16 shows the first example of saturation through accents and drum voicing in bar 26.

75

Figure 5.15 – Topsy-Turvy, bar 6, 9/8 Thematic Pattern

Figure 5.16 – Topsy-Turvy, bar 26, Thematic Voicing

5.5.2 Processes of Continuation

The first punctuation before rehearsal letter D is followed by a decrescendo, providing momentary release of tension through volume. Motion is continued through the superimposed meter pattern of player one leading to rehearsal letter E. Composed in groupings of four sixteenth-notes, the meter pattern is three bars of 3/4 and five bars of 5/4 (see Figure 5.17). This is played over the written 4/4-9/8 pattern and ends at rehearsal letter E, with the variety of beat groupings and independence of ensemble voices creating a strong feeling of motion. The layering of implied meters over the written meter is characteristic of Udow’s style and establishes a dense, contrapuntal texture.

The B section continues from the previous material through change in instruments, tempo, texture, and meter. The two-bar transition before rehearsal letter G slows the tempo through the unison eighth-note lines of players one and four, marked rit. in the score. Combined with the new metallic sounds of the almglocken, the wood blocks take on a fresh role as a

76

Figure 5.17 – Topsy-Turvy, bars 33-36, Implied Meter

composite countermelody. As noted earlier, the intervals between the almglocken melodies become more dissonant as the section advances. The rhythm of these two parts establishes player two as the melody and player three as accompaniment. Player two has a more active rhythmic line, compared with player three. Intervals of sixths, fourths, and thirds make up most of the vertically aligned parts until the fourth phrase. As illustrated in Figure 5.14, the intervals

77 between the two players become increasingly dissonant. From this point on, they are aligned in minor second resting places until the accelerando into the new section at letter I.

After the transition, the Chinese Opera Cymbals initiate fresh sound material at letter I.

At letter J (bar 113), player three begins a process of diminution through meter changes, which leads to the first module of mixed-meter bars before the C section arrives at letter L. Beginning in 4/4, player three states a short theme of sixteenth-based rhythms. These are used to create motion through diminution beginning with the 3/4 bar (115) and ending at bar 124. Figure 5.18 shows the first two 4/4 bars. Figure 5.19 illustrates the diminutive process, accomplished through changing meters. This creates a feeling of acceleration, moving the piece toward the new 2/4 section at letter L.

Figure 5.18 – Topsy-Turvy, bars 113-114, Source Rhythm

Figure 5.19 – Topsy-Turvy, bars 115-124, Diminution Through Meter Changes

Letter L begins a new section and features player three in the soloist role. Players one and four are accompaniment and alternate playing downbeat and offbeat patterns. Player two marks phrases with strong downbeats through this section. Figure 5.20 shows an example of players one and four changing places, marked by player two. These shifts and phrase markings correspond to the rhythmic lines played by player three. 78

Figure 5.20 – Topsy-Turvy, bars 163-165, Accompaniment Pattern Exchange

A return of the mixed-meter module from letter K appears at the close of the 2/4 section and signals the 4/4-9/8 pattern from the original A section. Udow keeps the same formal structure of two twenty-eight bar segments intact from the first A, but varies the musical material in significant ways, with the most obvious being Chinese cymbals in place of the piccolo wood blocks. The lower pitched wood blocks of player four are more active and feature more accents and variety of rhythms than the previous A section. Varied musical material creates interest and diversification from the opening section of the piece.

5.6 Performance and Pedagogical Considerations

The tuning of the two sets of drums provides clarity in the thematic material. For example, in the first A section, the theme is presented by player two with a counter theme played by player three. Both these patterns are played on drums and the clarity of independent parts would be in danger of becoming lost should the drum tuning be too close. The primary concern

79 in choosing the drum pitches and relative intervals should be clarity of line and degree of independence desired by the performers.

Specific tuning of the drums is not required, although attention to the intervals between each set could prove musically satisfying. Considering the specific requests of the almglocken tuning, players two and three might tune their drums in accordance with their individual almglocken.

Choosing implements appropriate to the venue for performance should be considered, as well as determining the most balanced blending of sounds within the ensemble and relative volumes of the players in accordance with the marked dynamics will determine the maximum loudness of individuals. The techniques called for on the Chinese cymbals are non-Western, and must be practiced to gain control of rhythmic precision and accuracy of note lengths.

80 APPENDIX

ANNOTATED LIST OF WORKS

Suite for Jazz Drums and Handclappers (1965)

Instrumentation Soloist Standard Drum Set

Ensemble Four players, each using hand claps. Parts are designated as Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass. The pitch of the claps must correspond to these specifications.

Notes The musical content of the piece is very basic and would be appropriate for middle school percussionists. The drum set part is marked ad lib throughout and only simple figures are written as suggestions to the performer.

Four Constructions (1966, revised 2006)

Instrumentation Player One Claves, Triangle, five Iron Pipes, Tam Tam, Coins and Galvanized Metal Washtub, Bass Drum, , Tom Tom, five Brake Drums Player Two Small Guiro, five Brake Drums, Gong, Bongos, two Lower-Pitched Toms, Bass Drum, (small) Player Three (small bird shot), four Temple Blocks, Suspended Cymbal, Triangle, Large Cast School Steeple Bell (with two tones – two deep toned suspended steel pipes would be a good substitute), Timbales, two Higher- Pitched Drums, Crash Cymbals, Suspended Cymbal (large), five Wood Blocks, Bongos, two Lower-Pitched Toms Player Four five Wood Blocks (placed on a thin pad which in turn rests on the low bars of a 4.3 octave marimba), Large Triangle, Small Triangle, five Elephant Bells, Conga, Tom Tom, five Brake Drums

Notes Divided into four movements (constructions) that individually explore different timbre elements, listed as “Wood,” “Metal,” “Skin,” and “Mixture.” Specific instructions for sound production are provided and the musical content is appropriate for a middle school or high school level ensemble.

81 Two Transparent Structures (1969)

Instrumentation Soloist 4.3 Octave Marimba Percussion One E Crotale, Tam Tam, Tom Tom Percussion Two Chimes, two Triangles, two Timpani Percussion Three five Coffee Cans, two Log Drums Percussion Four Small Triangle, Thin Suspended Cymbal, Concert Bass Drum

Notes Composed in two movements for marimba solo and percussion quartet accompaniment. Interesting effects include the use of chime and triangles suspended directly above the timpani heads. Udow composed this piece while attending the University of Illinois and dedicated it to his teacher, Thomas Siwe.

Electric Silence (1970, revised 2014)

Instrumentation Soloist Bass-Baritone Voice Percussion One , Large Tam Tam, E-Flat Crotale, Suspended Cymbal, Chee Foo Flanged Cymbal, Snare Drum Percussion Two Large Bass Drum, Large Tom Tom Chamber Ensemble Flute/Piccolo, Bass , , , Piano, , ,

Notes Composed for bass-baritone voice and chamber ensemble. This piece was composed shortly after the assassination of John F. Kennedy and premiered by members of the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra with John Reardon as soloist. Udow writes for many effects and unusual performance practices, including rolls on the strings of the piano with mallets and piano string scraping with a brass mallet.

82 Seven Textural Settings of Japanese Poetry (1970)

Instrumentation Percussion One Medium Tam Tam, Vibraphone, two Button Gongs, two Timpani (28” and 29”), High Frequency Wood Block Percussion Two Large Tam Tam, Musical Saw, Claves, four Chee Foo Cymbals Ensemble two , Bass Clarinet, two in B-Flat with Felt and Harmon Mutes, six , four , and Female Voice (spoken)

Notes Udow was the recipient of a Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) student award for this composition. He composed the poetry to imitate the style of a Noh or Kabuki actor and uses various effects in the chamber ensemble to heighten textual meaning.

Understanding (1970)

Instrumentation Eight Parade Drummers (Score calls for as many as possible, minimum of eight) Six Soloists, unspecified instruments Conductor Tape

Notes This is a percussion theatre piece with a graphically-composed score, utilizing black and white paintbrush strokes as notation. Score instructions include specifications for costumes, lighting, and notes on performance practice. Suggestions are provided for the solo instruments regarding timbre and duration. The tape part is created by the musicians, specifically for each performance.

African Welcome Piece (1970)

Instrumentation: Percussion One: Tom Toms Percussion Two: Timbales Percussion Three: two Snare Drums Percussion Four: Bongos Percussion Five: Timpani (four drums) Percussion Six: Agogo Bells (two sets) Percussion Seven-Twelve: Bull Roarers and Rattles

Percussion One through Six also play Spagane (wooden clappers of the Honga people of South Africa), and there is an optional choir

83 Notes This work contains improvisation for the percussionists. The optional chorus joins during the final section of the piece, singing repeated syllables created by Udow to imitate African language. Udow’s aim in composing the piece was not to duplicate an existent African musical type, but rather to extract the essentials of the musical style, molding it into a unique experience for Western percussionists. Two unique instruments are called for, the Bull Roarer and Spagane. Bull Roarers are slats of wood tied to a rope which make an intermittent roaring sound when swung through the air and Spagane are wooden clappers. Instructions for building these instruments are included in the score.

Concerto for a Percussionist with String Ensemble (1971)

Instrumentation Soloist (three separate pods of instruments, one for each movement) Pod No. One Chimes, Orchestra Bells, Dobaci (B1, C2, G2), two Brake Drums, Large Tam Tam Pod No. Two Marimba, Bass Drum, Bamboo Wind Chimes Pod No. Three Vibraphone, Finger Cymbals (pair), Crotale (D3), Snare Drum, String Ensemble: May be a string quartet, or multiples thereof up to the size of a string orchestra without contrabasses.

Notes Udow provides specific instructions for the soloist related to actuators and performance techniques. Sounds include bowed chimes, playing on marimba resonators, playing with finger cymbals on vibe bars, and placing a snare drum tuned to G2 under the vibes for sympathetic vibration.

Acoustic Study #1 (1973)

Instrumentation Multiple Percussion Solo, exact instruments are not specified.

Notes A booklet is included with the score that provides instructions on interpreting the graphic symbols, including the construction and/or acquisition of instruments.

Acoustic Composition #1 (1973)

Instrumentation Multiple Percussion, one to five players possible. Tape

84 Notes This piece was composed for and premiered by the Blackearth Percussion Group in 1973. The accompanying audio was composed in 1972 at the Experimental Studio of the Polish Radio in Warsaw. The score is composed using graphic notation on a timeline, with each stave lasting one-minute in duration. The included booklet provides instructions for the creation and use of sound sources for the instruments. The selecting of instruments is based on six groups: timbre, pitch, duration potential, attack-decay, vibrato, and intensity.

Fracture (1973)

Instrumentation Solo Percussion Vibraphone, , Bass Drum (with Pedal), Glass Wind Chimes, , Bamboo Wind Chimes, and Tam Tam

Notes Udow calls this “a piece for one hand and two feet,” with the two feet manipulating the vibraphone damper pad and pedal bass drum. Instructions for use of a cluster mallet on vibes and activating harmonics are provided.

Music for (1974)

Instrumentation Possibilities include Marimba, Vibraphone, Organ, Piano, , or

Notes The music is composed in three main sections and Udow instructs the performer to add tremolos as desired. The final section contains two-part counterpoint in the style of an invention by J.S. Bach.

Four Movements for Percussion Quartet (1974)

Instrumentation Player One: Maracas, Guiro, Sandpaper Blocks, Handclaps Player Two: Maracas, Guiro, Sandpaper Blocks, Handclaps Player Three: Maracas, Guiro, Sandpaper Blocks, Handclaps Player Four: Maracas, Guiro, Sandpaper Blocks, Wine Bottle

Notes The four performers are instructed to set up in a string quartet-styled semi-circle, each movement contains theatrical elements.

85 Duet for Percussionist and Dancer (1974)

Instrumentation Percussionist High (right hand), Low Maraca (left hand), Wood Block fastened to a foot pedal Dancer

Notes This piece was composed for the Equilibrium Dance and Percussion Duo.

Pole Wrapping (1976)

Instrumentation Dancer, prerecorded tape to be performed by four sound effects players. Instruments for the recorded part include: stones, voice, water dripping, camera shutter, two desk bells, and sandpaper blocks.

Notes Choreography was composed by Karen Watts and the sound score by Michael Udow. The sounds are composed through both graphic and proportional notation. Instructions for creating the tape part are very specific, including the sound of the recording space and duration of the tape.

6 X 6 Scanning (1977)

Instrumentation Solo Percussion, to be played on a set of six objects (similar or dissimilar).

Notes This work was co-composed with visual artist Christopher Watts. A square grid of six by six boxes is included in the score, and the numbers 1 through 6 are given in various permutations within the grid. The box is scanned in various ways, generating a variety of sequences for performer interpretation. Time values are also assigned through the readings and different configurations are offered in the score, offering many possible variations and outcomes.

Barn Burner (1977)

Instrumentation Percussion, two Tom Toms (high and low) and a pedal Bass Drum Trombone Piano

Notes The score is composed using alternating 3/4 and 6/8 meters with the pedal bass

86 drum outlining the metric rhythm throughout. Udow provides instructions that the percussion part can also be used as a stand-alone solo piece.

Figures (1977)

Instrumentation Percussion Sandpaper Blocks, Poles, Snare Drum, two Tom Toms, Wood Block mounted on a Foot Pedal Dancer

Notes This piece was composed for the Equilibrium Dance and Percussion Duo, Nancy Udow, choreographer.

Limits for Three Actors, Dancers, and/or Musicians (1977)

Instrumentation Unspecified

Notes This work was composed for the groups Somedancers, Inc., Blackearth Percussion Group, United Mime Workers, and New Verbal Workshop, and dedicated to Nancy Udow. The score is composed in graphic notation using a combination of shapes and shadings within the shapes. Time is indicated on the score in ten-second intervals from left to right.

Old News (1977)

Instrumentation , B-Flat or Piccolo Trumpet in A (alternate version) Percussion: three Snare Drums and Chimes

Notes March-like rhythms are juxtaposed with twelve-tone lyrical melodies in this piece. Having in the military drumming traditions from the American Revolutionary War, the percussion part includes standard snare drum rudiments and would be accessible to a high school or college undergraduate student. The trumpet part is more challenging and would require a more advanced player.

Bog Music (1978)

Instrumentation Soloist Vibraphone, Temple Blocks, Wood Blocks, Cowbells, Almglocken, twelve Tom Toms

87 Percussion One Triangle, Chimes, Water Glasses, Rice Bowls, Brake Drums, Chinese Cymbal Percussion Two Musical Saw, Dobaci Bowl, Timpano, Log Drums, Brake Drums, , Slapstick Percussion Three Triangle, Button Gong, Cymbal, Timpano, Paint Can, Steel Pipes,

Notes Awarded First Prize in the Percussive Arts Society’s composition contest of 1978, Bog Music was dedicated to Karen Ervin and premiered by her and the percussion group Tintabulum at PASIC in Tempe, Arizona (1978). The soloist plays different instruments for each movement, including a Timbrepad, positioning the idiophones in the arrangement of a keyboard instrument. The third movement is for twelve drums, also arranged in a chromatic keyboard set-up.

Cycle, Retrace, Progress, Be Still (1978)

Instrumentation Percussion, Vibraphone or Piano Dancer

Notes This piece was composed for the Equilibrium Dance and Percussion Duo. The score requires that the performer obtain the choreography on video from Nancy Udow. It may be performed as a vibraphone solo, as an alternative to the duet version.

Timbrack Quartet (1978)

Instrumentation Player One three Almglocken, three Cowbells, two Wood Blocks, two Claves, Temple Block, Cast Iron Frying Pan Player Two three Almglocken, three Cowbells, two Wood Blocks, two Claves, Temple Block, Cast Iron Frying Pan Player Three three Almglocken, three Cowbells, two Wood Blocks, two Claves, Temple Block, Cast Iron Frying Pan Player Four three Almglocken, three Cowbells, two Wood Blocks, two Claves, Temple Block, Cast Iron Frying Pan

88 Notes Each player uses a Timbrepad.

A Bird Whispered, “Your Children are Dying” (1979)

Instrumentation Soloist Marimba (4.0 octave), Chimes, Handclaps Ensemble four crotales (C, D, E, and F), four Graduated Slapsticks, Handclaps, Marimba (all share with soloist)

Notes This piece is a percussion quintet and composed in three sections. It begins with the four off-stage performers each playing one of the crotales, gradually moving to the stage at the end of this section. The final section features all five players on the same marimba, and the music imitates the sound of an African mbira or thumb piano.

Vistas for Bass Clarinet and Percussion (1979)

Not available.

Reality I. and Illusion I. (1980)

Instrumentation Six Pairs of Claves (graduated in pitch)

Notes These separate works are composed for five percussionists and one non-optional conductor. In Reality I., the conductor conducts the percussionists each playing a pair of claves. In Illusion I., the five percussionists conduct individual metric patterns while the conductor plays claves. Each percussionist conducts a unique metric scheme in Illusion I, following suggestions for beat patterns by the composer.

As the Wind Colors (1980)

Instrumentation Twelve Performers, four Metal Canoes, eight Canoe Paddles, four Gongs or Tam Tams (one in each canoe)

Notes This theatre composition was commissioned and premiered by the Random Aesthetic Ranch in Minneapolis. The location for the piece should be an inner- city lake and details for creating costumes are included in the score. Each of the

89 four canoes enters the lake from a different direction on the compass, designating a north, south, east, and west canoe.

Remembrance for Solo Percussionist and Wind Ensemble or Orchestra (1980, Revised 2012)

Instrumentation Soloist Musical Saw, Japanese Rin, Kin, Dobaci and Colorful Ringing Metallic Timbres, Vibraphone, five Korean Gongs, thirteen Graduated Drums with Skin Heads and relatively high tension Ensemble Percussionist (One Player) Medium Tam Tam, Large Thunder Sheet, three Chinese Opera Gongs, Tambourim, Agogo Bells, Deer Hoof Rattles, Piccolo Wood Block, and Whistle Orchestra 2+Picc, 1+Cor Ang., 2+Bass, 2, 4, 3, 2+Bass, 0+1 Perc, Str.

Wind Ensemble: Picc, 2 FL, Alto FL, Ob, Eng Hn, 3 Bb CL, Bass CL, S. Sax, A. Sax, T. Sax, Bar. Sax, Bass Sax, 6 Bb Tpts, 4 Hn, 3 Trb, Bass Trb, 2 Euph, 2 Tb, CB, 1 Perc. (see above)

Notes Composed in 1980, this piece won third place in the Percussive Arts Society composition contest in 1985. The soloist arranges the setup in the configuration of a chromatic keyboard (from C to C) and is allowed opportunity to improvise during certain sections of the piece.

Music for Cross-Cultures No. 1 (1983)

Instrumentation Twelve Percussionists, Instrumentation is listed corresponding to each section. Section One: Body Percussion Sounds Section Two: and Section Three: Membranophones and

Notes This piece was commissioned by George Frock and composed for the University of Texas Percussion Ensemble. The score was composed strictly through text. Diagrams are included, detailing set-up and movement for the players between sections.

Threnody II (1983)

Instrumentation Percussion (One Player), Chimes, Vibraphone, Timbrack, Amplified Cymbal, Plate Gongs, two-headed Bass Drum (22” with two Foot Pedals), two sets of

90 Wooden Slapping Blocks

Flute, Chimes Clarinet in B-Flat and Bass Clarinet B-Flat Trumpet, Vibraphone, two Wood Blocks, Pedal Bass Drum Trombone Tape

Notes This piece was composed for the Tone Road Ramblers. Instructions for mounting and amplifying the cymbal, including wrapping a string from a bass bow around the threaded cymbal stand to use as an effect on the amplified cymbal are included in the score. Other members of the ensemble also play percussion instruments during the piece, including the trumpet and flute players.

Threnody (1985)

Not Available.

Shadow Songs I (1986)

Instrumentation Twenty-One Percussionists, four Timpani, Vibraphones, 4.3 Octave Marimba, 3.0 Octave Marimba, 3.5 Octave Xylophone, Two , Chimes, Bongos, Timbales, four Tom Toms, Bass Drum, two Suspended Cymbals, two Tam Tams

Notes The melodic material for this piece is derived from Over the Moon composed by Udow for the Equilibrium Dance and Percussion Duo. Techniques employed include bowing of vibraphones and tam tam and striking the chimes lightly with a brass mallet to create harmonics. The nine mallet parts and twelve other parts can be prepared separately until the final rehearsals.

Rock Etude #7 (1986)

Instrumentation Section One, Vocalizations Section Two, All Players on one 4.3 Octave Marimba Section Three Player One: four High-Pitched Tom Toms Player Two: two Suspended Bell Plates, two Peking Opera Gongs Player Three: four Medium-Pitched Tom Toms Player Four: two to three Bass Drums, Player Five: four Low-Pitched Tom Toms

91 Notes This piece is an adaptation of a Rhythmic Vocal Etude (originally titled Rock Etudes) composed by , a composer, performer, and educator based in Colorado. Udow arranges this version for percussion quintet.

The Contemporary Percussionist (1986), co-composed with Christopher Watts

Instrumentation Various Multiple Percussion Setups

Notes This is a method book of twenty multiple percussion solos. Udow composed the music for this collection of pieces with inspiration from the visual art work of Christopher Watts, an artist from England. In the etudes, Udow introduces the student to various possibilities of set-up arrangements, instrument combinations, and sound sources. Each etude contains detailed instructions for instrument set-up and implements. Discussion and use of the timbre staff occurs in specific etudes which increase in challenge as the book progresses.

Shadow Songs II (1987)

Instrumentation Percussion Soloist Xylophone, Vibraphone, Crotales, Japanese Rin, Roto-Toms (E, B, and F-Sharp), Thai Gong (E-Flat, Low) Violin Soloist String Ensemble

Notes A stage diagram is included for placement of soloists and ensemble members. Tonal improvisation is required for the percussion soloist.

Shadow Songs III (1987)

Instrumentation Percussion Soloist Xylophone, Vibraphone, Crotales, Japanese Rin, Roto-Toms (E, B, and F- Sharp), Thai Gong (E-Flat, Low), Large and Small Almglocken, Angklung, Chinese Cloud Gongs Violin Solo String Ensemble

Notes Commissioned by Misha Rachlevsky and the Renaissance Chamber Orchestra at Orchestra Hall in Detroit, MI. The music was written for advanced solo performers and include tonal improvisation.

92 Inside-Out with a Secret P.S. (1987), published by Sonic Art Editions, Sharon, VT

Instrumentation Snare Drum Solo

Notes This piece was composed for a collection of snare drum pieces commissioned by Stuart Saunders Smith titled The Noble Snare, and published in Volume Two of the series.

Shadow Songs IV (1988)

Instrumentation Soloist: 5.0 Octave Marimba Player One: Vibraphone, Dan Dan – Talking Drum (or Quinto) Player Two: Vibraphone, Conga Player Three: Vibraphone, Quinto (High Conga) Player Four: Marimba, African Double Bell Player Five: Marimba, Shekere (or ) Player Six: Bass Marimba, Bass Tumba (or Very Low Conga)

Notes Shadow Songs IV was dedicated to Keiko Abe and composed for solo marimba and three to eight percussionists.

Dance for J.P.C. (1988)

Instrumentation Any multiple of four percussionists.

Notes This piece was commissioned by Akira Komaki of the Japan Percussion Center (J.P.C.), composed as a percussion quartet (or multiples of four percussionists) for unspecified sound sources. Suggestions for various setups and sound sources are included.

Sandsteps I (1988)

Instrumentation Percussion Solo or for Two to Three Players

Notes Instrumentation is left to the performer; the score is meant to function as a “.” The second section of the piece is offered as a free improvisation with additional instruments introduced during the final section. Sandsteps I is also published in a second version for percussion and alto duet.

93 Thoughts from Almost Near Somewhere (1988)

Not available.

Sandsteps II (1989)

Instrumentation Percussion Vibraphone, four or five Tom Toms (Tuned to B Harmonic Minor), and Wood Block with Foot Pedal Ensemble Alto Flute, Bass Clarinet, , Trombone, Bass Trombone

Notes This is a chamber piece composed for the Tone Road Ramblers.

Flashback (1990)

Instrumentation Player One: Vibraphone, Medium Chinese Gong Player Two: 4.3 Octave Marimba (amplified), Low Chinese Gong Player Three: 4.5 Octave Marimba (amplified) Player Four: Glockenspiel, two Sets of Hi Hats (13” and 15”), five Peking Opera Gongs, and seven Tom Toms Optional CD Playback

Notes Commissioned by the Atmos Percussion Quartet consisting of Bruce Chaffin, Flossie Ierardi, William Kerrigan, and Karen McCabe and premiered at the 1990 Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Philadelphia. Udow states that the concept and impetus for this work comes from the composer’s admiration for the energy of master musicians Alan Abel, Gary Burton, and Percy “Mr. Bones” Danforth.

Dinosaur Dance (1991)

Instrumentation Solo Timpani Percussion One: Glockenspiel Percussion Two: Vibraphone Percussion Three: Chinese Cymbal, Chimes, three Bongos Percussion Four: five Suspended Ringing Metallophones and three Medium-dry Metallophones

Notes Commissioned by Jonathan Hass and the Drumfire percussion ensemble, a group

94 in residence at Lincoln Center in New York that programmed concerts consisting entirely of Udow’s compositions.

Lightning (1991)

Not Available.

Toyama (1993)

Instrumentation Handclapping or any number of unspecified instruments in multiples of two

Notes Composed for Keiko Abe, Toho Gakuen School of Music and the University of Michigan Percussion Ensembles. The entire work is based on a single one- measure rhythmic motive and is intended to be memorized for performance. This creates a phase-shifting effect that continues until the patterns are again aligned in unison and the piece concludes.

Dreams from a Bayou, Long Ago, but Not Forgotten (1996)

Instrumentation Vibraphone, Wind Gong, Hawk Bell Anklets Flute (also plays Ankle Rattle)

Notes Composed for Jessica Johnson (flute) and Payton MacDonald (percussion) and recorded on their album, Verederos, released in 1999 on Equilibrium Records.

The Enchanted Land (1996)

Instrumentation Percussion (Two players) Vibraphone, five Resonant Medium-High Frequency Wooden Tones, 4.3 Octave Marimba, ca. 31-inch Timpano, ca. 18-inch Thin Suspended Cymbal, seven Resonant Ringing Metal Objects with complex overtones, five Resonant Medium-Low Wooden Tones, Glockenspiel

Notes Suggestions for the wooden tones include combinations of log drums, slit drums, and/or low frequency wood blocks.

95 Coyote Dreams (1997, revised 1999)

Instrumentation Soloist 5.0 Octave Marimba (ideally amplified) Percussion One two Shime-daiko (substitute Bongos), Vibraphone, five Piccolo Wood Blocks, Musical Saw (bowed) Percussion Two two Taiko (substitute ), Vibraphone, five Almglocken, Amplified Cymbal Percussion Three O-Daiko (substitute Large Native-American Drum, Large Chinese Drum, or Concert Bass Drum muted with felt), five Log Drums, three Rin (Cup Bells) on 26” Timpano, Bass End of Soloist’s Marimba, and Resonant Wooden Box (open at one end and mounted on a snare drum stand)

Notes Commissioned by Ron Samuels, President of Marimba One, for Katarzyna Mycka; premiered by Mycka and the University of Southern California Percussion Ensemble, Erik Forrester, director, at the 1997 Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Anaheim, CA. Interesting sounds include Percussion One and Two playing on the bars of the vibraphones using small Tibetan cymbals.

Tennei-Ji (1999)

Instrumentation 5.0 Octave Marimba (4.3 possible with alterations)

Notes Based on a collection of poetry composed by Udow in Japan during June of 1997 after a morning visit to Tennei-Ji (Tennei Temple) in the hills above Hikone, Japan. Specific beaters include sets of four yarn mallets, two thin wood dowel rutes, one thicker wooden dowel rute, two notched dowel rasping sticks, and four rattle mallets. The required props include a simple non-descriptive mask and attire to complete the transformation of the performer. Performance notes are offered including details for suggested lighting effects.

The Shattered Mirror (1999)

Instrumentation Percussion Ensemble, nine players Synthesizer Piano Dancers Soprano, Tenor, Baritone vocal soloists

96 Chorus SATB

Notes The percussion-only version of the opera, premiered in November of 1999 at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Orlando, Florida. The premise is global mythology based on the Meaning of Myth, by Dr. Joseph Campbell. The characters Sun, Moon, and Wind venture on a search for the meaning of life.

Zig-Zag (2000)

Instrumentation Player One Mouksho Wood Blocks, Rattles or Shaker(s), Animal Sound Effects (Seashore, Forest, and/or Jungle Instruments), Samba Whistle, High Bongo or Shimi-daiko, Quinto or Taiko, and O-daiko Player Two Mouksho Wood Blocks, Ocean drum, Animal Sound Effects (Seashore, Forest, and/or Jungle Instruments), Samba Whistle, Bongo (lower in pitch than Player One), and Conga or Taiko (lower in pitch than Player One), O-daiko (shared with Player One)

Notes This piece was composed for University of Michigan students Daniel DeSena and David Tolen. The players are instructed to enter in the dark and travel to their setups, with a tight spotlight opening slowly on each player, holding their smallest Mouksho block and a wooden mallet, beginning to play as the light grows brighter.

Schizoid (2001)

Instrumentation 4.3 Octave Marimba 3.0 Octave Vibraphone

Notes Schizoid was composed for and premiered by former University of Michigan students Mayumi Hama and Chris Froh.

Black Shogun I (2003)

Instrumentation Soloist Tap Dancer Percussion One Ben Sasara, Medium Mouksho Wood Block, four Chinese Opera Gongs

97 (Low to High), Shimi-daiko (or Bongo), Small Chinese Opera Cymbals, Keyboard Instrument (Vibraphone or MalletKat) Percussion Two Low Mouksho Wood Block, Large Low Chinese Temple Block, Chinese Opera Cymbals (Large), Taiko, and Steel Pan or MalletKat Percussion Three O-daiko, High Mouksho Wood Block, Large Kin and three Additional Kin, Musical Saw, and Sleigh Bells Stereo Playback System for CD Audio

Notes Composed in 2003 and performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention the same year. Udow states: “The piece grew out of reflections about both the Samurai and Shoguns during the Edo period in Japan and the people of Africa who were enslaved and brought to the Americas to work the plantations. There is no attempt to equate the two cultures in a direct way. It is the observations during the journey on the pathway of life, the michi – the path, that takes on personal meaning as one allows an attempt at making connections and sense out of one’s life and history. This is the meaning, for me, of Black Shogun.”

The Shattered Mirror Suite (2003)

Instrumentation Percussion Ensemble, nine players Synthesizer Piano Dancers Soprano, Tenor, Baritone solo vocalists Chorus SATB

Notes The percussion ensemble suite is based upon the opera.

Apparition (2004)

Instrumentation Soloist (Player Four): five Timpani Player One: Glockenspiel Player Two: Vibraphone Player Three: 5.0 Octave Marimba Player Five: Bongos, Bass Chimes (A3, A-Flat3, ) sounding below Middle C Player Six: , Vibraphone Player Seven: Bass Drum, Wooden Box, Tam Tam

Notes Commissioned by Jonathan Hass and composed for solo timpani and six

98 additional percussionists. The premiere was given by , former timpanist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Versions of this piece exist for timpani solo and wind ensemble, orchestra, and chamber ensemble of piano reduction and two percussionists accompanying the timpanist.

Timelines (2004)

Instrumentation Soloist Field Drum, Large Snare Drum, Medium Snare Drum, Small Snare Drum, Piccolo Snare Drum, three Suspended Triangles Player Two Glockenspiel, Colonial Rope Bass Drum (medium pitch), Triangle, Caxixi, Tumba Player Three Crotales (two Octaves), Four Roto-Toms (D, E, F-Sharp, G), Triangle, two Tumbas Player Four Vibraphone, Triangle, Caxixi, Bongo (high) Player Five Vibraphone, Colonial Rope Drum, Triangle, Shekere, Bongo (low) Player Six Bass Chimes, Triangle, Shekere, Chinese Opera Gong (high pitch), Rudimental Bass Drum (might also be a Colonial Rope Bass Drum) Player Seven 4.3 Octave Marimba, Triangle, Shekere, Chinese Opera Gong (low) Player Eight 4.3 Octave Marimba, Triangle, Agogo, Chinese Opera Cymbals (high) Player Nine 4.3 Octave Marimba, Colonial Rope Drum, Triangle, Genkue (African Iron Double Bell) Chinese Opera Cymbals (low) Player Ten 5.0 Marimba, Shaman Bells (high), Triangle, Yoruba Dan Dan (Hourglass Drum), Bongo (high) Player Eleven 5.0 Octave Marimba (shared with Player Thirteen), Shaman Bells (low), Triangle, Bongo (low) Player Twelve 5.0 Marimba, Colonial Rope Drum, Triangle, Quinto Player Thirteen 5.0 Octave Marimba, Colonial Rope Drum, Triangle, Conga Player Fourteen Timpani (four or five drums), Triangle, Brazilian Surdo Player Fifteen Large Tam Tam, Concert Bass Drum, Korean Bender Gong, Colonial Rope Bass Drum (low pitch), Musical Saw (bowed)

99 Notes Commissioned by John Evans and the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra (Florida), and dedicated to Alan Abel.

Rio Grande Riffs (2004), Steel Pan Version

Instrumentation Steel Pan Ensemble: Lead, Double Seconds, Double Tenors, , Triple Cellos, Tenor Bass, and Bass Pans Engine Room : Drum Set, Iron, Hand Drums

Notes This piece was composed at the request of Jim Royle for his student pan ensemble in Connecticut. Udow notes that the work is a quirky hodge-podge of a Middle- Eastern/Afro-Cuban/ Caribbean melting pot. In selecting instruments for the Engine Room, there are no imposed limitations to timbre selection or integrated rhythm selection. Rolls may be added to the pan parts for enhanced inflection.

Rio Grande Riffs (2005), Percussion Ensemble Version

Instrumentation Player One: 5.0 Octave Marimba (shared with Player Four) Player Two: Vibraphone Player Three: 4.5 Octave Marimba Player Four: 5.0 Octave Marimba (shared with Player One) Player Five: Chimes, Glockenspiel, Xylophone, Iron Player Six: Hand Drums (Darabuka or Congas) Player Seven: Drum Set

Notes This version was commissioned by Don Liuzzi and the students of the Curtis Institute of Music. Udow asks for bass chimes to be used, if available. The same performance notes are offered from the steel pan version.

White Dwarf (2005)

Instrumentation Soprano or Mezzo Soprano Voice, Toy Baby Cry Percussion One: Glockenspiel, Pair of Cymbals, Pop Gun Percussion Two: Vibraphone, 5.0 Octave Marimba (shared with Percussion 4), Slapstick Percussion Three: Pair of High C Crotales, 5.0 Octave Marimba (shared with Percussion Four), Korean Gong, Concert Bass Drum Percussion Four: 5.0 Octave Marimba, Low D3 Thai Gong

100

Notes The text for this piece is a setting of poetry by John Updike.

The Charm (2005)

Instrumentation Soloist: Monster Drum (originally composed for a 70-inch Timpano, but could substitute various large drums with thick heads) Six Percussionists: Tubular Bass Chimes (F, G, A-Flat, B-Flat, C, and D) Optional Actor(s) to speak the Witches’ Text

Notes Commissioned by Jonathan Hass for his 70-inch monster kettle drum.

Black Shogun II (2006)

Instrumentation Percussion Soloist Chinese Cloud Gongs (Middle C, up one octave plus a minor sixth to A- Flat), five Medium/Small Tam Tams (Non-Knobbed: Korean, Chinese, Japanese), five Chinese Single-Headed Drums (medium to high), Frame Drum or other drum using finger technique of the player’s choice Percussion One Ben Sasara, Medium Mouksho Wood Block, four Chinese Opera Gongs (low to high), Shimi-daiko (or Bongo), Small Chinese Opera Cymbals, Keyboard Instrument (Vibraphone or MalletKat) Percussion Two Low Mouksho Wood Block, Large Low Chinese Temple Block, Chinese Opera Cymbals (large), Taiko, and Keyboard Instrument (Steel Pan or MalletKat) Percussion Three O-daiko, High Mouksho Wood Block, Large Kin and three additional Kin, Musical Saw, and Sleigh Bells CD Audio Playback System

Notes This piece is a reimagining of Black Shogun I replacing the tap dancer with a percussion soloist. Udow offers substitutions in the score for difficult to find instruments. The solo part was composed for Ian Ding (former percussionist with the Detroit Symphony) and premiered by Ding in 2006.

Topsy-Turvy (2008)

Instrumentation Player One

101 three Pairs of Chinese Cymbals, five High Piccolo Wood Blocks Player Two four Drums with Thick Skin Heads (Taiko, Chinese Toms, Congas, etc.), Almglocken (Middle C, D, E, G-Flat, A-Flat, B-Flat) Player Three four Drums with Thick Skin Heads (Taiko, Chinese Toms, Congas, etc.) that are slightly lower in pitch than Player Two’s Drums), Almglocken (D-Flat, E-Flat, F, G, A, B) Player Four five Wood Blocks with a Low Tone/Pitch, five Korean Gongs with portamento Up or Down

Notes This piece was commissioned by Professor Gang-Ku Lee for the Akademie Percussion Ensemble of Seoul, Korea.

Moon Shadows for Solo Multiple Percussion and Wind Ensemble (2009)

Instrumentation Solo Percussionist A-Flat Thai Gong, Vibraphone, Chinese Cloud Gongs (C-C1), Almglocken (Chromatic Octave E-E1), four Piccolo Mouksho Wood Blocks, Chinese Wood Block actuated by a Foot Pedal, Japanese Rin (E, F, G-Flat, G, A-Flat, B-Flat, B, C1, D-Flat1, D1), Los Alamos Rocket Nose Cone, six Low Almglocken (C, E, F, A, B, c, e), Javanese or Thai Angklung (E, F, A, B, c, e), Hawaiian Pui Ili (bamboo rute), two (c2, c-Sharp2), three Roto-Toms (A, B, c), two Tom Toms (ca. 15” and 16”), Japanese O-Daiko, Large Japanese Kesu ()

Wind Ensemble

Four Ensemble Percussionists: Percussion One Glockenspiel, Bongos, High Wood Block, Slapstick (high pitch), Iron Skillet (ca. 8-10-inch diameter), Large Chinese Lion Cymbal, Handbells (C1, D1) Percussion Two Crotales, Xylophone, Quinto, Medium High Wood Block, Chinese Opera Gong (high pitch, bending upward), (E1) Percussion Three Vibraphone, Concert Bass Drum, Conga, Medium-Low Wood Block, Medium Tam Tam, Slapstick (medium-high pitch), Handbell (F1) Percussion Four Chimes (Bass Chimes), Tumba, Low Wood Block, Chinese Opera Gong (medium-pitch, bending downward), Handbell (C-Sharp1)

102

Notes This piece was dedicated to Michael Haithcock and the University of Michigan Symphony Band, premiered in 2009 in Ann Arbor. The main melodic material was derived from themes based on ten Japanese haiku about the moon.

Moon Shadows for Solo Multiple Percussion and Orchestra (2012)

Notes Please see above for annotation. This version is scored for orchestra with identical parts for the solo percussionist.

Stepping Stones (2015)

Instrumentation Player One: 5.0 Octave Marimba Player Two: 5.0 Octave Marimba, two Chinese Opera Gongs (small and medium), two Small Chinese Cymbals mounted on a hi hat stand

Notes This piece was composed as gift for marimba virtuosos Eriko Daimo and Pius Cheung.

Hoodoos (2016)

Instrumentation Player One Glockenspiel (F2-C5), Crotale (F-Sharp 4), two Brake Drums, Samba Whistle, Chinese Cymbal (ca. 14”), Opera Gong (bending up), Tam Tam (ca. 10”), Tamborim de Samba, Whistle Player Two Vibraphone, six Small Thai Button Gongs (C-Sharp 4, A4, B4, D5, E5, F- Sharp 5), (ca. 7”), Chinese Opera Gong (bending down), two Maracas, Timpano (26”), , Chocalho, Puita (Roncador, a low Brazilian )

Notes Commissioned by the Duo Sá de Percussão from Brazil. Hoodoos are tall, thin spires of rocks that rise from the bottom of an arid drainage basin.

103 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aube, Dr. Meghan. “Women Pioneers of Percussion in the United States.” Percussive Notes 51, no. 1 (January 2013): 38-46.

Baldwin, John. “Drumming Around.” Percussive Notes 17, no. 3 (Spring/Summer 1979): 23.

Brün, Herbert. In and…and Out. Baltimore, MD: Sonic Art Editions, 1974/1995.

Cowell, Henry. New Musical Resources. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1930.

François, Jean Charles. “Percussion Sound Sculpture.” Percussive Notes Research Edition 18, no. 3 (Summer 1981): 40-70.

Haas, Jonathan. “Biography.” Aboutjonathanhass.com. http://www.aboutjonathanhaas.com/bio.html (accessed August 17, 2017).

Johnston, Ron. Bell-Ringing: The English Art of Change-Ringing. London: Viking, 1986.

Julian-Jones, Rachel. “Notational Nomenclature for Multiple Percussion.” Percussive Notes 46, no. 2 (April 2008): 18-27.

Kite, Rebecca. Keiko Abe: A Virtuosic Life: Her Musical Career and the Evolution of the Concert Marimba. Leesburg, VA: GP Percussion, 2007.

LaRue, Jan. Guidelines for Style Analysis. 2nd Edition. Edited by Marian Green LaRue. Michigan: Harmonie Park Press, 2011.

Lee, Gang-Ku. “Equilibrium Recordings: Akademie Percussion Ensemble, Vol. 2.” Equilibrium, https://www.equilibri.com/album/EQ87/?item=performers (accessed August 14, 2017).

Mabillard, Amanda. Trochaic Tetrameter in Shakespeare. Shakespeare Online. http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/macbeth/macbethfaq/witchmetre.html. (accessed August 17, 2017).

Mattingly, Rick. “2011 Hall of Fame, Thomas Siwe.” Percussive Notes 49, no. 6 (November 2011): 14-17.

Ryan, Dan. A History of Computer Graphics. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2011: 21-22.

Sachs Joel. Henry Cowell: A Man Made of Music. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012

104 Strain, James A. and Otice C. Sircy. “From the PAS Museum Collection – Timbrack.” Percussive Notes 47, no. 2 (April 2009): 72.

Udow, Michael W. Interview by Brian Baldauff. Online via Skype. March 2, 2015.

Udow, Michael W. Interview by Brian Baldauff. Online via Skype. March 12, 2015.

Udow, Michael W. Acoustic Composition No. 1 for 1-5 Percussionists and Tape. Dexter MI: Equilibrium Press, 1977.

Udow, Michael W. The Charm, A Theatrical Work for Monster Drum and Six Bass Tubular Bells. Dexter, MI: Equilibrium Press, 2005.

Udow, Michael W. “Equilibrium Percussion Compositions, Percussion Music by Michael Udow.” Available from http://www.equilibri.com/ percussion_musicCompositions.php. Accessed 5 June 2013.

Udow, Michael W. Liner Notes to Footprints. Multiple performers, Equilibrium EQ 81, CD, 2006.

Udow, Michael W. Timbrack Quartet. Dexter, MI: Equilibrium Press, 1978.

Udow, Michael W. Topsy-Turvy for Percussion Quartet. Dexter, MI: Equilibrium Press, 2008.

Udow, Michael W. “Visual Correspondence Between Notation Systems and Instrument Configurations.” Percussive Notes Research Edition 18, no. 2 (Winter 1981): 15-29.

105 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Brian Baldauff is currently serving as Assistant Professor of Percussion at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point where he teaches applied lessons, percussion methods and pedagogy courses, and directs the UWSP percussion ensemble. Prior to teaching at UWSP, he was Assistant Professor of Percussion and Director of Athletic Bands at West Liberty University in West Virginia.

Brian performs recitals, clinics, and masterclasses across the United States. He has presented at music educator conferences on a multitude of topics including mallet percussion pedagogy, accessory percussion techniques, and solo and ensemble literature. As a member and co-founder of the Denkyem Percussion Group, he performed and taught classes in Costa Rica through the “Promising Artists of the 21st Century” program operated by the North American

Cultural Center. Upcoming performances include an appearance as guest artist at the 2018 Music for All National Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana.

As an active member of the Percussive Arts Society, Brian served as President of the

West Virginia State Chapter from 2012-2016. He may be heard as a performer on The Florida

State University’s Volume One (2009), the University of Michigan Symphony Band’s Raise the

Roof (2007), and Timelines by Michael Udow (2008). Brian’s debut solo marimba album was released in January of 2018.

Brian holds the Doctor of Music degree from The Florida State University, Master of

Music in Percussion Performance from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor’s degree in

Music Education from the University of Central Florida. His primary teachers include Dr. John

W. Parks IV, Jeffrey Moore, Joseph Gramley, and Dr. Michael W. Udow.

106