Speaking drums for percussion solo

four poems for percussion solo

Commissioned by Foundation Prince Pierre de Monaco

Description

First performance of the original version:
29 September 2013
Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Andrey Boreyko
Daniel Ciampolini, percussion

Version for percussion solo: Leonie Klein

First performance of the version for percussion solo:
27 January 2022, Karlsruhe
Hochschule für Musik
Leonie Klein, percussion

Text: Sándor Weöres

Talking whilst playing the drum is not something unique. We can find it in traditional Indian percussion, and in jazz when musicians accompany their play with “Sprechgesang”. This piece goes the opposite way: It begins with the percussionist speaking nonsensically, the emphasis on the rhythm, which he then passes on to his instrument. Like the pure, childish joy of repeating the same word in a different tune, the soloist teaches his instrument to speak until the drums start to talk themselves.
The work was inspired by a poem by Sándor Weöres, where each sentence has a more complex form than the one before. Rhythms form words, words form sentences, and sentences create a narrative.
/Ann-yi Bingöl/

Synopsis

Parts:

I Tanzlied /Dance songs
II Nonsens Songs
III (Passacaglia: Intrada, Saltarello, Bourré, Passepied, Gigue, Allemande, Finale)

POEMS

1. Satz / First movement DANCE SONG

Poem by Sándor Weöres, original title: Táncdal (Dance Song/ Tanzlied)

panyigai panyigai panyigai
ü panyigai ü
panyigai panyigai panyigai
ü panyigai ü

kudora panyigai panyigai
kudora ü
panyigai kudora kudora
panyigai ü

kotta kudora panyigai
kudora kotta ü
kotta panyigai kudora
panyigai kotta ü

ház panyigai kudora
ü kudora kotta ház
kudora ház panyigai
ü panyigai ház kotta

Read further

2. Satz/ Second movement NONSENSE SONGS

– First poem original title:

ARANY KÉS FOROG (Goldene Messerklinge dreht im Herzen)

naur glainre iki
vobe gollu vá
tian pliteí keumu tié
hom vonnon mi

– Second poem, original title:

BARBÁR DAL (Barbarisches Lied / Barbarian song)

Ole dzsuro nanni he
ole csilambo ábábi he
ole buglo iningi he
lünlel dáji he! jaman!

3. Satz/ Third movement PASSACAGLIA

(Intrada-Saltarello-Bourée-Passepied-Gigue-Allemande-Finale)

Original title: Polyrhythmia

Lalitala vangala tápari sílana kómala malaja szamiré
mad hukara níkara karambita kókila kúdzsita kundzsa kutiré
Harir iha viharati szaraszava szanté
n ritjati juvatidzsanéna szamam szakhi virahidzsanaszja duranté

Performances

3 Mar, 2025

Hamburg, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking Drums

Conductor: Thomas Guggeis

Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg

Hamburg, Elbphilharmonie, Großer Saal

2 Mar, 2025

Hamburg, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking Drums

Conductor: Thomas Guggeis

Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg

Hamburg, Elbphilharmonie, Großer Saal

14 Oct, 2024

Darmstadt, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking Drums

Conductor: Harry Ogg

Staatsorchester Darmstadt

Darmstadt, Staatstheater, Großes Haus

13 Oct, 2024

Darmstadt, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking Drums

Conductor: Harry Ogg

Staatsorchester Darmstadt

Darmstadt, Staatstheater, Großes Haus

14 Apr, 2024

Kaoshiung, Taiwan

Weiwuying Music Festival

Eötvös: Speaking Drums

Weiwuying International Music Festival 2024

Conductor: Pascal Rophé

National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra

Taipei, National Concert Hall — nationale Erstaufführung

7 Apr, 2024

South Korea, Tongyeong

Korea Music Festival

Eötvös: Speaking Drums

Korean Symph. Orch.

20 Mar, 2024

Graz, Austria

Eötvös: Speaking Drums

Conductor: Wolfgang Wengenroth

KUG-Orchester

Graz, Congress, Stefaniensaal

10 Feb, 2024

Potsdam, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking Drums

Conductor: Duncan Ward

Kammerakademie Potsdam

Potsdam, Nikolaisaal

8 Nov, 2022

Berlin, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Conductor: Gustavo Gimeno

Orchestra: Staatskapelle Berlin
Martin Grubinger, percussion

Philharmonie Berlin
more info >

7 Nov, 2022

Berlin, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Conductor: Gustavo Gimeno - Staatsoper Berlin

Orchestra: Staatskapelle Berlin
Martin Grubinger, percussion

Philharmonie Berlin
more info >

27 Jan, 2022

Karlsruhe, Germany

Eötvös / Klein: Speaking Drums

First performance of percussion solo version
Hochschule für Musik
Leonie Klein, percussion

23 Nov, 2019

Karlsruhe, Germany

Eötvös: Levitation, Speaking drums

Eötvös: Levitation
Eötvös: Speaking drums
Concert: 23 November, Karlsruhe, Germany

21 Nov, 2019

Geneve, Switzerland

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
cond: Julien Leroy
Venue: Victoria Hall

31 Oct, 2019

Budapest, Hungary

Eötvös: zeroPoints, Speaking drums, Per Luciano Berio

Martin Grubinger, percussion
Cond: Peter Eötvös
National Philharmonic Orchestra

Müpa

23 Sep, 2019

Hannover, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Staatsorchester Hannover
cond: Kevin John Edusei
Simone Rubino, percussion

22 Sep, 2019

Hannover, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Staatsorchester Hannover
cond: Kevin John Edusei
Simone Rubino, percussion

15 Mar, 2019

Dresden, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Staatskapelle Dresden
Chrstoph Gedschold, conductor
Simon Etzold, percussion
15 March, 2019, Dresden, Germany

2 Mar, 2019

Berlin, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Martin Grubinger, perc.
Conductor: Zubin Mehta

1 Mar, 2019

Berlin, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Martin Grubinger, perc.
Conductor: Zubin Mehta

28 Feb, 2019

Berlin, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Martin Grubinger, perc.
Conductor: Zubin Mehta

22 Jun, 2018

Firenze, Italy

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Simone Rubino, percussion
Gergely Madaras, conductor

18 May, 2018

Strassbourg, France

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Orchestre Philharmonique de Strassbourg
Martin Grubinger, percussion
Marco Letonja, conductor

17 May, 2018

Strassbourg, France

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Orchestre Philharmonique de Strassbourg
Martin Grubinger, percussion
Marco Letonja, conductor

5 May, 2018

Potsdam, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Conductor: Antonello Manacorda
Kammerakademie Potsdam, Nikolaisaal

1 Dec, 2017

Leipzig, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking Drums

Conductor: Andrés Orozco Estrada
Percussion: Martin Grubinger
Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Venue: Gewandhaus, Großer Saal

30 Nov, 2017

Leipzig, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking Drums

Conductor: Andrés Orozco Estrada
Percussion: Martin Grubinger
Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Venue: Gewandhaus, Großer Saal

19 Nov, 2017

Antwerpen, Belgium

Eötvös: Speaking Drums

Conductor: Elim Chan
Percussion: Martin Grubinger
Orchestra: Antwerp Symphony Orchestra
Venue: Koningin Elisabethzaal

18 Nov, 2017

Brugge, Belgium

Eötvös: Speaking Drums

Conductor: Elim Chan
Percussion: Martin Grubinger
Orchestra: Antwerp Symphony Orchestra
Venue: Concertgebouw

26 Mar, 2017

Heidelberg, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Juanjo Mena
Martin Grubinger, percussion

24 Mar, 2017

Zürich, Switzerland

Eötvös: Halleluja - Oratorium balbulum, Speaking drums

Conductor: Peter Eötvös
Martin Grubinger, percussion
Orchestra: Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich
Venue: Tonhalle, Zürich

23 Mar, 2017

Zürich, Switzerland

Eötvös: Halleluja - Oratorium balbulum, Speaking Drums

Swiss premiere
Conductor: Peter Eötvös
Martin Grubinger, percussion
Orchestra: Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich
Venue: Tonhalle, Zürich

22 Mar, 2017

Zürich, Switzerland

Halleluja - Oratorium balbulum, Speaking Drums

Swiss premiere
Conductor: Peter Eötvös
Martin Grubinger, percussion
Orchestra: Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich
Venue: Tonhalle, Zürich

20 Mar, 2017

Innsbruck, Austria

Eötvös: Speaking drums

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Juanjo Mena
Martin Grubinger, percussion

16 Mar, 2017

Munich, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Juanjo Mena
Martin Grubinger, percussion

14 Mar, 2017

Regensburg, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Juanjo Mena
Martin Grubinger, percussion

12 Mar, 2017

Essen, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Juanjo Mena
Martin Grubinger, percussion

3 Jun, 2016

Berlin, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin
conductor: Marko Letonja
percussion: Martin Grubinger

6 May, 2016

Prague, Chech Republic

Eötvös: Speaking Drums, zeroPoints

Martin Grubinger, percussion,
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

5 May, 2016

Prague, Chech Republic

Eötvös: Speaking Drums, zeroPoints

Martin Grubinger, percussion,
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

4 May, 2016

Prague, Chech Republic

Eötvös: Speaking Drums, zeroPoints

Martin Grubinger, percussion,
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

18 Mar, 2016

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

HR Sinfonieorchester
conductor: Vasily Petrenko
percussion: Martin Grubinger
Venue: Frankfurt am Main, Alte Oper

17 Mar, 2016

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

HR Sinfonieorchester
conductor: Vasily Petrenko
percussion: Martin Grubinger
Venue: Frankfurt am Main, Alte Oper

3 Feb, 2015

Rome, Italy

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Martin Grubinger, percussion
Cond.: Peter Eötvös
Santa Cecilia Orchestra

2 Feb, 2015

Milano, Italy

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Martin Grubinger, percussion
Cond.: Peter Eötvös
Santa Cecilia Orchestra

1 Feb, 2015

Rome, Italy

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Martin Grubinger, percussion
Cond.: Peter Eötvös
Santa Cecilia Orchestra

31 Jan, 2015

Rome, Italy

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Martin Grubinger, percussion
Cond.: Peter Eötvös
Santa Cecilia Orchestra

22 Nov, 2014

Paris, France

Eötvös: Cello Concerto Grosso, Speaking drums, DoReMi

Eötvös: Cello Concerto Grosso (Jean-Guihen Queyras, vcl)
Eötvös: Speaking drums (Martin Grubinger, percussion)
Eötvös: DoReMi (Goto Midori, vl) - French premiere
Boulez: Notations

Conductor: Peter Eötvös
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France

Auditorium de Radio-France

25 May, 2014

Braunschweig, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Camerata Salzburg,
Martin Grubinger, percussion
John Axelrod

24 May, 2014

Hamburg, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Camerata Salzburg,
Martin Grubinger, percussion
John Axelrod

22 May, 2014

Tokyo, Japan

Eötvös: Speaking drums, The gliding of the eagle in the skies, zeroPoints

Martin Grubinger, percussion
Cond.: Peter Eötvös
NHK Orchestra

18 May, 2014

Rosenheim, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Camerata Salzburg,
Martin Grubinger, percussion
John Axelrod

17 May, 2014

Vienna, Austria

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Camerata Salzburg,
Martin Grubinger, percussion
John Axelrod

16 May, 2014

Salzburg, Austria

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Camerata Salzburg,
Martin Grubinger, percussion
John Axelrod

16 Feb, 2014

Cologne, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Mahler Chamber Orchestra
cond.: Eötvös
Venue: Cologne Philharmonia

15 Feb, 2014

Dortmund, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Mahler Chamber Orchestra
cond.: Eötvös

14 Feb, 2014

Essen, Germany

Eötvös: Speaking drums

Mahler Chamber Orchestra
cond.: Eötvös

29 Sep, 2013

Monte Carlo, Monaco

Eötvös: Speaking drums

new percussion concerto first performance

Daniel Ciampolini, percussion
Cond.: Andrey Boreyko
Orchestre Philharmonic de Monte Carlo

Details

Genre:

Concerto

Duration:

20 minutes

Date:

2021

Publisher information

Schott Music Mainz
https://www.scott-music.com/en/speaking-drums-no280361.html

Orchestration

TITLE Dur. Soloists & choir fl ob cl bcl bn hn tpt tbn tba perc pf hp vn1 vn2 va vc db Other Tech

Speaking drums for percussion solo
Concerto 20' perc 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Triangle

Setting

Setup

Further information

Zu trommeln und dabei zu sprechen ist nichts Neues. Man begegnet dem nicht selten in der indischen Perkussion sowie bei vielen Jazzmusikern, die ihr Klavierspiel mit Sprechgesang begleiten.

Dieses Stück realisiert den umgekehrten Weg, lässt den Schlagzeuger erst sinnfreie Texte sprechen. Die Emphase liegt auf dem Textrhythmus, den er im Laufe des ersten Satzes auf seine Instrumente überträgt. Vergleichbar dem Zustand der kindlichen Entdeckungsfreude beim Sagen und Wiederholen des gleichen Wortes in verschiedenartiger Melodie, lehrt der Solist im ersten Satz seinen Instrumenten das Sprechen, bis die Trommeln selbst zu plaudern beginnen.

Als Basis dient jeweils ein Gedicht von Sandor Weöres, das zunehmend komplexer vorgetragen wird. Die Rhythmen formen Worte, die Worte bilden Sätze, und die Sätze gestalten eine Erzählung…

/Ann-yi Bingöl/

Sound

Recordings

Videos

hr-Sinfonieorchester, Martin Grubinger – 2016

Weimar University Orchestra
Barnabás Fekete, perc.
Weimarhalle – 2023

Hochschule für Musik, Leonie Klein, perc
Cond.: Peter Eötvös, Karlsruhe – 2019

P. Eötvös & M. Grubinger: interview, 2016

Martin Grubinger, percussion
Berliner Philharmoniker – Berlin, 2019

Peter Eötvös & Martin Grubinger, 2019
Photo: János Posztós