Eight Pieces for Four Timpani (one player) for Timpani

Year
1950 (rev. 1966)
Duration
22'
Category
Instrumental

Notes

Public performance: The printing order of these eight pieces was chosen largely to facilitate page turns, hence this order is not meant to suggest the order of performance. The group of eight is a collection of pieces from which not more than four are ever to be played as a suite in public. The order of these should he chosen to produce the maximum of variety, possibly according to the following suggestions:
(a)   If pedal timpani are available, III and/or VI may be included.
(b)   IV, V, VII and VIII can be used as beginning or ending pieces, while I, II, III and VI can be performed between them.
(c)   When played in sequence, it is important that not more than one pitch be carried over from one piece to the next hence some may be transposed.

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Associated Music Publishers

Manuscripts

Paul Sacher Stiftung

Parts

	Title	Dedication
1.	Saëta	to Al Howard
2.	Moto Perpetuo	to Paul Price
3.	Adagio	to Jan Williams
4.	Recitative	to Morris Lang
5.	Improvisation	to Paul Price
6.	Canto	to Jan Williams
7.	Canaries	to Raymond DesRoches
8.	March	to Saul Goodman

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Journée Elliott Carter

December 11, 2018

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Eight Pieces for Four Timpani clip

The Canto and Adagio of this set of Eight Pieces for Four Timpani (One Player) were written in 1966, while the other six were composed in 1949. In those days, these six were found difficult, if not impossible to play effectively, but, as time passed interest in them and performing skills grew, so I decided to publish the set complete, as four of them had been widely circulated in manuscript, in 1966. At that time, they were revised with the help of the percussionist, Jan Williams, of the New York State University at Buffalo. In gratitude for his advice, the Canto and Adagio were composed for him and included the set. Unlike the other, each of which is a four-note piece based on different tunings of the drums, these two employ the possibilities of the pedal-tuned chromatic timpani.

The six from 1949, besides being virtuoso solos for the instrumentalist, are studies in the controlled, interrelated changes of speed now called “metric modulation,” and generated ideas carried further in my First String Quartet begun at the same time and completed shortly afterwards. Each piece is dedicated to a performer who showed an interest in the works in their early days:

I. Saeta (1949/1966) – Al Howard – An Andalusian song of improvisatory character sung during an outdoor religious procession, usually at Easter; said to be the descendent of a rain ceremony during which an arrow (saeta) was shot into the clouds to release the rain

II. Moto Perpetuo (1949/1966) – Paul Price – A rapid patter of notes of equal length, broken up into phrases of constantly changing accentuation, played with special, small, light drum sticks.

III. Adagio (1966) – Jan Williams – Uses pedal tuned timpani to produce vibratos, harmonics and glissandos in dramatic outburst.

IV. Recitative (1949/1966) – Morris Lang – Short contrasting phrases, one of which is condensed into the irregularly repeated major third in the latter part and punctuated by another phrase that disintegrates

V. Improvisation (1949/1966) – Paul Price – The opening phrase furnishes materials for numerous variations with constant changes of speed.

VI. Canto (1966) – Jan Williams – Uses pedal tuned timpani played by snare drum sticks in a line that slides from one pitch to another.

VII. Canaries (1949/1966) – Raymond DesRoches – A dance of the XVI and XVII centuries, ancestor of the gigue, supposedly imported from the “wild men” of the Canary Islands; in 6/8 time with dotted rhythms-here fragmented and developed.

VIII. March (1949/1966) – Saul Goodman – Two march rhythms of different speeds are superimposed, one played with the butts, the other with the heads of the drum sticks. These produce musical ideas expanded in the middle section.

– Elliott Carter

Recordings (7)

Timpani Works Vol. 1: Solo
ALM Records ALCD-7254 (2021)
Shiniti Ueno, timpani
Carter, Ichiyanagi, Drouet & Solbiati: Contemporary Works for Timpani
Artalinna ATLA008 (2015)
Benoît Cambreling
The Music of Elliott Carter, Volume Four
Bridge Records 9111 (2001)
David Starobin, guitar | William Purvis, conductor | Susan Narucki, soprano | Speculum Musicae: Stephen Taylor, oboe; Allen Blustine, clarinet; Curtis Macomber, violin (+2)
Gert Mortenson: The Contemporary American "C"
BIS CD-52 (1995)
Gert Mortenson, timpani
Neue Musik für Schlagzeug
BIS LP-256 (1984)
Gert Mortenson, timpani
Sylvio Gualda: Percussion v. 2
Erato STU 71106 (1978)
Sylvio Gualda, timpani
First Recordings: Elliott Carter: Brass Quintet; Eight Pieces for Four Timpani
Columbia Odyssey Y 34137 (1976)
Morris Lang, timpani | The American Brass Quintet: Raymond Mase, trumpet; Louis Ranger, trumpet; Edward Birdwell, horn; Herbert Rankin, trombone; Robert Biddlecome, bass trombone