Two Linens

So Percussion Group performing, 01/27/2002

Two Linens, composed in 1995, is a work in two movements to be performed by three or four percussionists simultaneously playing on one marimba.

The title of the work suggests its texture. The piece makes use of repetitive patterns which evolve and distort as the piece progresses. Both movements employ locally complex and intricate rhythms which interlock and layer to yield a larger level rhythmic pulsing. Like a woven fabric, each movement has a knotted and variegated surface which fuses to reveal a complete whole.

In addition to these purely musical considerations, the piece is very much about live performance. In the first movement, one of the players stands along the backside of the instrument playing only the 'black' notes, and throughout the performance the percussionists cross mallets, adjust positions, and literally rub elbows while coaxing a block of wood to sing.