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4 years ago

View from Olympus (Preview)

by John Psathas | Double Concerto for Percussion, Piano and Orchestra Commissioned by percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie, View From Olympus (2001) is one of Psathas’s landmark works. This award-winning double concerto takes listeners on a journey through the world of Greek percussion styles and playing techniques. Its three movements feature an adapted transcription of improvised Greek violin music, a tender tribute to the composer’s children, and a depiction of the legendary Mænads celebrating their god Dionysos with song, music and dance.

Fragment, a duet for

Fragment, a duet for vibraphone and piano which is thematically related to movement II, may be performed as an encore to the concerto at the discretion of the soloists. This work is printed in the soloists’ parts, and the score and part are also available separately from the publishers (PE076). View From Olympus is dedicated with the utmost love and gratitude to my wife and children, my parents and my sister. John Psathas, 2001 The composition of View from Olympus was funded as original research by Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and completed during the composer’s sabbatical leave in 2000, which was taken in the northern Greek village of Nea Michaniona. The composer acknowledges his gratitude to percussionist Petros Kourtis for introducing him to the world of Greek percussion styles and playing techniques. View from Olympus was commissioned by percussionist Evelyn Glennie, and first performed by her and Philip Smith (piano), with the Hallé Orchestra conducted by Mark Elder at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, on 26 July 2002. The occasion was the Royal Gala Finale Concert of the ‘Pulse’ International Festival of Rhythm, during the Manchester Commonwealth Games. View from Olympus was the recipient of the SOUNZ (Centre for New Zealand Music) Contemporary Award at the 2002 APRA Silver Scroll Awards. Performance notes Orchestral Percussion • All instruments may be shared between Percussion 1 and 2 • Cymbals: all crashes must be hard throughout • Vibraphone: motor off throughout Harp • The instrument should be positioned near the piano, both to ensure audibility and to better effect rhythmic synchronisation of the two instruments PE073 – vi

C C C C C Solo Percussion Legend: Simtak C C C $ # low med. high # # Y Steel Drums Y Y $ Drum Station – drums C kick drum $ ì C C C C C C C C Drum Station – cymbals foot-closed foot-open hi-hat í 4 toms 4 octobans í ì ì ì ì open trash splash crash cymbals china crash Wind chime station $ C C C C C À C Ã C À C Ã C wind chimes mid-range wash mark tree high trill bell tree open closed triangle open closed finger cymbal • All instruments: no amplification is to be used • Finger cymbals: bottom half must be fixed • Steel drums: if unavailable, the part may be played on the marimba • Vibraphone: motor off throughout • Wind chimes: outdoor-style, suspended, with long decay. A minimum of two sets is required, with possibly a third set positioned near the steel drums for the end of movement I. Solo Piano • The instrument must be amplified for the duration of movements I and III, and the amplification should be reduced for movement II. It is not desirable to have two speakers at the edge of the stage amplifying the piano – a single medium-sized speaker should be placed under or near the piano, facing the audience. The need for foldback will be determined by the acoustic conditions of each performance. Double Basses • Instruments require low-C extensions Conductor • It is the composer’s intention that the conductor should play cow bell in movement I and PE073 – vii

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