Output details

'Caliban’s Dance' for percussion solo

I composed Caliban’s Dance in homage to my composition teacher Xenakis and his solo percussion work Rebonds. The inspiration for the title stems mainly from watching dancer Michael Clark, who choreographed and performed the role of Caliban in Peter Greenaway’s film Prospero’s Books (1991).

The work begins simply, introducing the main rhythmic cell. It then undergoes a long and elaborate development (B section) through the presentation of a series of violent juxtapositions of texture (C section), timbre, and rhythm to reach a saturated conclusion (Coda and Finale). It is, in fact, the effect of these juxtapositions on the movement’s initial stability that eventually determines the work’s structure. The work’s construction follows a singular course of ever-increasing complexity and density.

As in all my works, the sense of dramatic progression, including surprising moments in the formal development and the sound quality at every instant, is reached through the creation of previously unknown acoustic spaces. A progressive metamorphosis from one playing method to another accentuates the organic aspect of the sound.

Caliban’s Dance focuses on acoustic research and developments in the domains of accents, timbre, polyrhythm and register. It also demonstrates technical challenges such as multiple bounce rolls, one-hand tremolos or desynchronized playing. The trajectory of the music is that of two seemingly opposing forces which gradually achieve synthesis through an incredible effort of the part of the performer. It is a technically challenging and complex work for the percussionist to navigate.

Jointly commissioned by French percussionist Laurent Mariusse and the instrument company Selmer, Caliban’s Dance was premiered at the Selmer Auditorium in Paris (June 2009) and the score was published by Alphonce Productions in November 2009.