Tintinnabulation for percussion sextet (2008) | Compositions

Instrumentation: perc(6):I=2congas/4bongos/lg log dr/flat gong/Chinese opera gong/wood drum; II=guiro/maracas/2susp.cym/tgl/slap stick/alto nipple gong/3tom-t/alto SD/picc.wdbl; III=bass nipple gong/splash cym/high SD/claves/ratchet/darbouka/timbale/tom-t; IV=sop.nipple gong/talking drum/shaker/med SD/lg tam-t/sm tam-t/Japanese wdbl/sm log dr; V=5tpl.bl/2wdbl/tenor nipple gong/low SD/3pipes; VI=4almglocken/2wdbl/BD/hammer/tom-t/bari.nipple gong
Buy Score: Hendon Music (Boosey & Hawkes)
Manuscripts: Paul Sacher Stiftung

Premiere: Dec 2, 2008/ New England Conservatory Percussion Ensemble / Frank Epstein, conductor/ Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, MA

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From 100 to 103: The Wisdom of Elliott Carter

March 24, 2016

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Tintinnabulation clip

When the wonderful percussionist, Frank Epstein, suggested I write a percussion piece for his group of six players, a section of the orchestra I had often used as an independent entity, I agreed. Deciding not to use pitched percussion (marimba, vibraphone, etc.) I chose a large range of different sounding instruments. The work is in three important sections—wood, metal and skin—each of the six players has some instruments from each group. These instruments often can be played in different ways, for example with different mallets on different surface locations.

The piece was composed in New York City, begun in the fall of 2007 and finished on April 19, 2008.

– Elliott Carter

Recordings (2)

New England Conservatory Percussion Ensemble: American Music for Percussion 2
Naxos 8.559684 (2011)
New England Conservatory Percussion Ensemble, Frank Epstein, conductor
Music of Elliott Carter, Volume Eight - 16 Compositions (2002-2009)
Bridge Records 9314 A/B (2010)
Martin Owen, horn | BBC Symphony Orchestra, Oliver Knussen, conductor | BBC Singers | New England Conservatory Percussion Ensemble, Frank Epstein, conductor | Leigh Melrose, baritone (+16)