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Tyranny of the Urgent - Kit Mills [DIGITAL SET]
Genre: Percussion Ensemble
# of Players: 6
Level: Medium | Duration: 6:40
Publisher: C. Alan Publications | Copyright: 2020
Download mp3 | Click on images to left for score sample
Rating:
Price:
$40.00
Item #:
27350D
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Notes & Instrumentation
On the surface, The Tyranny of the Urgent appears to begin and end calmly, but these quiet moments bookend a series of episodes of increasing volume, unrest, and urgency. Scored for six percussionists, there are moments of beauty scattered throughout the work, this is a colorful, programmatic work for young players.
Genre: Percussion Ensemble | # of Players: 6
Level: Medium | Duration: 6:40
Instrumentation
Player 1: Snare Drum, Marimba (4-octave)*
Player 2: Marimba (4-octave)*, Suspended Cymbal, Triangle
Player 3: Vibraphone, Suspended Cymbal, Tam-Tam
Player 4: Snare Drum, Bells, Suspended Cymbal
Player 5: 4 Timpani, Finger Cymbals
Player 6: 4 Concert Toms, Bass Drum
*The marimba may be shared by Players 1 & 2
Program Notes
A prominent psychologist has commented that everyone in modern society exhibits the symptoms of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). We are highly distracted and distractible, often frantically busy, veering from one emotional extreme to another, while being gullible consumers of every passing cultural fad, whether it be a flashy technological device or equally flashy postmodern ideology. We are unrooted creatures of the moment, and it is this inability to be rooted, to rest unshaken on a solid foundation, that is described by the phrase "the tyranny of the urgent."On the surface, The Tyranny of the Urgent appears to begin and end calmly, but these quiet moments bookend a series of episodes of increasing volume, unrest, and urgency. Scored for six players and co-commissioned by two local high school percussion ensembles, my idea for the piece's extramusical theme came from simply standing and observing students at these and other schools. While I have tried to place moments of beauty within the work, The Tyranny of the Urgent should be understood as a message of warning.
- K.M.
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Product Reviews
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Percussive Notes New Literature Review
It is always satisfying to find literature that combines the melodic capabilities of keyboard instruments and the groove elements of drums into a single composition. This can certainly be found with “Tyranny of the Urgent.” It is a balanced work that neatly incorporates several of the musical skills that young percussionists need to learn.
The piece begins from nothing with the snare drums trading rolls that ebb and flow at low dynamics, accompanied by strategically placed cymbal hits and scrapes. The primary melody enters delicately from the marimba and is gradually supported, echoed, harmonized, and embellished by the other pitched instruments. After this theme is fully developed, the keyboards step back and let the timpani and concert toms take over with their interpretation of the same melodic material. Once everyone has had a turn with the main theme, the tables turn as a groove suddenly kicks in between the snares, triangle, and other battery. Easily the most challenging technical section in the piece, the snares play a specific combination of muted and unmuted strikes, rim-knocks, and stick clicks. Luckily, it is repetitious, making it much more manageable for the performers. The ensemble then reaches the climax, as the main theme and the groove combine to create the full realization of the music. Each element complements the other beautifully, making for a satisfying playing and listening experience. The piece ends as it began, returning to the ether with subtle echoes of the melody under triangle and cymbal sounds that drift further and further away.
The instrumentation and technical requirements are feasible considering that it was written for high-school groups. Even though there are moments of full harmonic writing, the fact that only one of each of the keyboards is required makes this work accessible for most school programs. The techniques required are just as rational. Each player only needs a pair of mallets, and all the instrument changes are done with a reasonable amount of time to accomplish. Kit Mills even wrote performance notes for each part, advising how to perform certain sections, such as the snare groove. With delicate playing, beautiful melodic and harmonic writing, a fun groove, and a satisfying merger of all the major sections, “Tyranny of the Urgent” has almost everything that percussion ensemble teachers would want for their students. This new sextet is a wonderful piece for a group of young, well-rounded percussionists.
Kyle Cherwinski
Percussive Notes
Vol. 59, No. 6, December 2021 Kyle Cherwinski on Jul 6th 2022
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