University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Music Music 2018 AN ANALYSIS AND PERFORMANCE GUIDE OF STEVE REICH’S MALLET QUARTET Francisco S. Perez University of Kentucky, [email protected] Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.13023/ETD.2018.050 Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Perez, Francisco S., "AN ANALYSIS AND PERFORMANCE GUIDE OF STEVE REICH’S MALLET QUARTET" (2018). Theses and Dissertations--Music. 109. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/music_etds/109 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Music at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Music by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. I understand that I am solely responsible for obtaining any needed copyright permissions. I have obtained needed written permission statement(s) from the owner(s) of each third-party copyrighted matter to be included in my work, allowing electronic distribution (if such use is not permitted by the fair use doctrine) which will be submitted to UKnowledge as Additional File. I hereby grant to The University of Kentucky and its agents the irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty-free license to archive and make accessible my work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I agree that the document mentioned above may be made available immediately for worldwide access unless an embargo applies. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of my work. I understand that I am free to register the copyright to my work. REVIEW, APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE The document mentioned above has been reviewed and accepted by the student’s advisor, on behalf of the advisory committee, and by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), on behalf of the program; we verify that this is the final, approved version of the student’s thesis including all changes required by the advisory committee. The undersigned agree to abide by the statements above. Francisco S. Perez, Student Dr. James B. Campbell, Major Professor Dr. Michael Baker, Director of Graduate Studies AN ANALYSIS AND PERFORMANCE GUIDE OF STEVE REICH’S MALLET QUARTET DMA PROJECT A DMA Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Kentucky By Francisco Samuel Perez Beaumont, Texas Director: Prof. James B. Campbell, Professor of Percussion Lexington, Kentucky 2018 Copyright © Francisco Samuel Perez 2018 ABSTRACT OF DMA PROJECT AN ANALYSIS AND PERFORMANCE GUIDE OF STEVE REICH’S MALLET QUARTET Steve Reich’s music has had a profound effect on the contemporary percussionist’s repertoire. More recently, his Mallet Quartet (2009) has been one of the most performed works in the rising genre of mallet-keyboard quartets, which was featured in Third Coast Percussion’s 2017 Grammy-winning album Third Coast Percussion | Steve Reich. With Mallet Quartet, Reich codified this type of ensemble into the contemporary repertoire of percussion as evidenced through current commissions in progress by groups such as Sō Percussion and Third Coast Percussion. The purpose of this document is to delineate the trajectory (past and present) of the mallet-keyboard quartet and highlight the most important compositional characteristics found within Mallet Quartet. These characteristics include the use of canonical augmentations, large-scale tonal shifts, rhythmic modification, and developing variation. After this analysis, this dissertation provides a performance guide to Mallet Quartet which specifically address the practicalities necessary for a successful performance. Topics such as the setup of instruments, mallet considerations, approaches to challenges in part-reading, and common ensemble issues are discussed. KEYWORDS: Reich, Minimalism, Mallet Quartet ______________________________Francisco Samuel Perez Student’s Signature ______________________________March 2, 2018 Date ii AN ANALYSIS AND PERFORMANCE GUIDE OF STEVE REICH’S MALLET QUARTET By Francisco Samuel Perez ______________________________Prof. James Campbell Director of DMA Project ______________________________Dr. Michael Baker Director of Graduate Studies ______________________________March 2, 2018 Date ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To my loving parents, who have supported me every single day of my life. Copyright © Francisco Samuel Perez 2018 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements............................................................................................................iii List of Tables......................................................................................................................vi List of Figures....................................................................................................................vii PART ONE Chapter 1: Introduction and Overview.................................................................................2 Chapter 2: Biography of Steve Reich....................................................................................4 Chapter 3: The Development of the Mallet Quartet............................................................14 Chapter 4: An Overview of Mallet Quartet........................................................................20 Chapter 5: Movement I: Fast..............................................................................................24 Chapter 6: Movement II: Slow...........................................................................................36 Chapter 7: Movement III: Fast............................................................................................42 Chapter 8: A Performance Guide to Mallet Quartet...........................................................49 Chapter 9: Conclusion........................................................................................................72 PART TWO Program Notes....................................................................................................................76 Solo Recital............................................................................................................78 Chamber Recital.....................................................................................................84 Lecture Recital.......................................................................................................89 Appendix A........................................................................................................................90 Appendix B........................................................................................................................92 Appendix C........................................................................................................................94 Bibliography...................................................................................................................... 96 iv Vita.....................................................................................................................................99 v LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1: Selected Works for Mallet Quartet....................................................................10 Table 3.1: Works for Percussion by Steve Reich................................................................18 Table 4.1: Formal Structure, Mallet Quartet......................................................................23 Table 5.1: Formal Structure, Movement I...........................................................................24 Table 6.1: Formal Structure, Movement II.........................................................................37 Table 7.1: Formal Structure, Movement III........................................................................43 Table 8.1: Selected Works by Steve Reich Featuring Phase-Shifting.................................53 Table 8.2: Tempo Choices for Mallet Quartet Based on Professional Recordings.............55 Table 8.3: Mallet Selection Choices for Mallet Quartet.....................................................69 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 5.1: Original repeating phrase in Movement 1, mm. 1-2..........................................25 Figure 5.2: Rhythmic Similarities and Modifications of Phrase Between Marimbas..........25 Figure 5.3: Overlapping Rhythmic Phrase Between Marimbas..........................................25 Figure 5.4: Reich’s Transcription of Agbadza....................................................................26 Figure 5.5: African Bell Instrument, Gankoqui..................................................................27 Figure 5.6: Introductory Progression in Condensed Form, mm. 1-16.................................28 Figure 5.7: Durational Reduction and Hyperbeats of Canon Melody, mm. 17-23..............29 Figure 5.8: Ian Bates’ Table of Diatonic Relations.............................................................30 Figure 5.9: Tonal Trajectories in Movement I..................................................................32 Figure 5.10: Durational Reduction and Hyperbeats of Canon Melody B, mm. 45-50.........33 Figure 5.11: Durational Reduction and Hyperbeats of Canon Melody