Reaching No Aim - Jonah Sendlin [DIGITAL]

Reaching No Aim, written for nine percussionists and piano, is a story of question and answer. A conversation occurs between parts, with unisons, call and response, and a continuous weaving and dovetailing throughout. Toward the end of the piece, the pianist is given the opportunity to improvise over a simple chord progression, but a written solo is provided if desired.

Genre: Percussion Ensemble | # of Players: 10
Series: N/A
Level: Intermediate | Duration: 7:15

Instrumentation
Conductor's Score (8.5"x11" spiral bound)

Glockenspiel: High Concert Tom [shared with Xylophone]
Xylophone: 2 High Concert Toms
Vibraphone 1: 2 Low Concert Toms
Vibraphone 2: Low Concert Tom [shared with Vibraphone 1]
Marimba 1: 4-octave*
Marimba 2: 4-octave
Marimba 3: 5-octave*
Piano
Percussion 1: Cajón, Concert Bass Drum
Percussion 2: Cymbals: Hi-Hat, Splash, Suspended, China

* Marimba 1 & 3 may share one 5-octave instrument.

Program Notes
Reaching No Aim, written for nine percussionists and piano, is a story of question and answer. A conversation occurs between parts, with unisons, call and response, and a continuous weaving and dovetailing throughout. The first part of the piece is considered the question. After the opening themes, instruments call out to one another, as they all try to find their way. However, not all questions have simple answers. The middle portion of the piece becomes much more complex, both rhythmically and harmonically. This “breakdown” is where answers can be derived from, as the complexities naturally resolve into the third part of the piece, the answer. The answer is expressed through a piano solo, which grows in intensity until the closing theme. Considering everything learned, there is a feeling of new understanding and an awoken power. The last minutes of the piece feel very ethereal, as the quest to answer the question has been completed.