Two marimba discs from American Modern
Posted by Jay Batzner in CD Review, tags: CD Review, chamber music, Jay Batzner, marimba, nakura, Paterson, percussionMakoto Nakura
Wood and Forest
works by Jacob Bancks, Kenji Bunch, Robert Pateron, Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez, and Michael Torke
American Modern Recordings
- The Trees Where I was Born for solo marimba – Jacob Bancks
- Duo for Viola and Vibraphone – Kneji Bunch (with Kenji Bunch, viola)
- Forest Shadows for solo marimba- Robert Paterson
- Arbor Una Nobilis for marimba and violin – Jacob Bancks (Jesse Mills, violin)
- Winik/Te’ for solo marimba – Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez
- After the Forest Fire for marimba, flute, and cello – Michael Torke (David Fedele, flute; Wilhelmina Smith, cello)
Robert Paterson
Six Mallet Marimba
music of Robert Paterson
American Modern Recordings
- Komodo
- Piranha
- Stillness (with Sarah Schram, oboe)
- Clarinatrix (with Meighan Stoops, bass clarinet )
- Duo for Flute and Marimba (with Sato Moughalian, flute and alto flute)
- Tongue and Groove (with Jeremy Justeson, alto saxophone)
- Braids (with Victoria Paterson, violin)
- Links & Chains (with Robin Zeh, violin)
- Fantastia (with Dan Peck, tuba)
Also released last week by American Modern Recordings, a disc of the music of Robert Paterson using Paterson’s unique six-mallet marimba technique (and featuring Paterson on marimba throughout). The addition of two more mallets is actually more subtle of a change than I expected. The texture is mildly thicker but what really comes through are more nuanced shapes on the inside voices rather than a bombastic “listen to all those notes!” kind of effect. The solo works Komodo and Piranha are great compliments to each other (Paterson wrote them to be so) in that Komodo fixates on the lower range of the instrument while Piranaha surfs and splashes nimbly in the upper register. I must confess that oftentimes I have difficulties with the form of solo marimba music since a lot of it sounds (to me anyway) as inspired by a stream-of-consciousness narrative that never connects with my ears. Paterson’s works do not suffer from this ailment, however, and his fluid forms are well communicated.
The bulk of the disc features the six-mallet marimba as an accompaniment instrument for a wide variety of performers: oboe, bass clarinet, tuba, violin, and flute. In each case, Paterson largely regulates the marimba to the background of the texture, providing harmonic support for facile and enjoyable melodic writing. Paterson is adept at mixing and matching the timbre of the marimba with these various instruments so it never sounds as if he is recycling materials or techniques from one piece to the next. The feature of the disc, after all, is the six-mallet technique. Paterson’s range of music expressions show variety in using six mallets, whether it be ominous dark chords with Stillness or the sultry bass lines of Clarinatrix and the middle movement of the Duo for Flute and Marimba. Nuanced arpeggiations are possible and displayed in the Duo as well as Tongue and Groove. I am particularly fond of Links & Chains for violin and marimba with its tightly woven accompaniment and edgy yet lengthy violin melody. I’m not sure how wide-spread the technique of using six mallets is but this disc and Paterson’s music show lots of potential for those willing to try.
Entries (RSS)