Bon Temps (Percussion Quartet)

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1. Percussive Notes New Literature Review

   “Bon Temps” is a challenging, exciting, fun-to-play, and crowd-pleasing work that would go great on any percussion ensemble concert. Joe W. Moore III includes options for the “drums,” including toms, bongos, or timbales, but ultimately leaves the choice up to the player. The same goes for the resonant metals (or glass bottles, or pieces of wood). The notes before the piece state, “Remember to be creative when selecting your instruments. Be thoughtful about your choices in order to make your performance unique.” I always appreciate giving the ensemble the opportunity to choose their own sounds.
   
   The playing required is generally aggressive, the rhythm is highly syncopated, and the groove is beautifully “off-kilter” throughout. Score indications include “with abandon” and “groove!” There is an intensity needed to capture the spirit of the rhythmic interplay. From a rhythmic standpoint, the piece includes few true unisons between players, multiple time signatures (though generally 5/8 and 3/4), and advanced rhythms (including quintuplets, sextuplets with irregular accents, and dots and rests within beats in odd places). That said, the piece grooves hard in a, dare I say, John Cage-like manner. The ensemble would need to be comprised of four very rhythmically strong players who are not swayed by what others may be playing against their own part.
   
   I wholeheartedly recommend this piece for an advanced high school or college percussion ensemble that is looking for a rhythmic challenge as well as the chance to take ownership over their instrument, and thus sonic, selection.
   
   Justin Bunting
   Percussive Notes
   Vol. 59, No. 2, April 2021 Justin Bunting on Jun 16th 2022