Bulking Up (2001, 10')

for percussion quartet. Commissioned and premiered by Tetraktis Percussione, Italy 2001. Recorded in their CD “Drama”.

PROGRAM NOTES

I remember, when I was a child, staring and listening to bands such as Deep Purple and Black Sabbath in total awe, waiting for the long and sweaty drum solos. Years later I was listening to different types of solos, (by jazz drummers such as Max Roach or Buddy Rich), but my awe was exactly the same. So, finally, I became a jazz drummer, which seemed the perfect thing to do. Eventually though, I realized that writing music for other people was more fun than playing my own solos. "BULKING UP", written for and dedicated to Tetraktis Percussioni, is a version for percussion quartet (with some variations) of my previous duo "PUMPING UP". In both pieces I wanted to bring forth the raw and primeval energy of the percussion instruments, amiably forcing the performers to show off and "flex their muscles".

PROGRAMMA DI SALA

Ricordo ancora che da bambino guardavo (e ascoltavo) a bocca aperta gruppi come i Deep Purple o i Black Sabbath, aspettando con ansia i lunghi e atletici assoli di batteria. Anni dopo ascoltavo assoli di tipo diverso, (di batteristi jazz come Max Roach o Buddy Rich), ma ero sempre a bocca aperta. Finii con l'avere un'idea geniale: diventare io stesso un batterista jazz. Alla fine pero' mi convinsi che era piu' divertente scrivere musica per gli altri. BULKING UP (che nel gergo del body building sta ad indicare l'aumento della massa muscolare) e' un arrangiamento per quartetto (con molte variazioni) del mio precendente duo PUMPING UP. In entrambi i pezzi ho cercato di ricreare l'energia un po' selvaggia degli strumenti a percussione, obbligando amichevolmente gli esecutori a mettersi in mostra e "gonfiare i muscoli".