Speaking drums for orchestra

four poems for percussion and orchestra

Commissioned by Foundation Prince Pierre de Monaco

Description

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

 

Text: Sándor Weöres and Jayadeva

 

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:
Duration:
20 minutes
Date:
2012/2013

Publisher information

Schott Music Mainz
https://www.schott-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 orchestra
Concerto		20'perc21111 2110 211 66642

2 Flutes (2nd doubling Piccolo)

Oboe ( doubling cor anglais)

Clarinet in A

Bass Clarinet

Bassoon

2 Horns in F (metal-mute, sord. ord.)

Trumpet in Bb, (straight, wawa)

Trombone (straight, wawa, soft)

Harp

Celesta ( also Piano)

 

Percussion I:

Glockenspiel

Vibraphone (one for both

players)

Crotales

Cencerros / Cowbells

3 Cymbals

Sizzle Cymbal

Grelots

2 Bongos (high pitched)

Vibra Slap

2 hand-size stones to be held in the hand

 

Percussion II:

Vibraphone (one for both

players)

5 Gongs

Triangle

Tam-tam (low)

Tambourine with bells

2 Bongos (high pitched)

Bass Drum

Vibra Slap

2 Korean flagstones (freely suspended)

 

6 Violins I

6 Violins II

6 Violas

4 Violoncellos

2 Double basses

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

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

Weimar University Orchestra
Barnabás Fekete, perc.
Weimarhalle – 2023

P. Eötvös & M. Grubinger: interview, 2016

Martin Grubinger, percussion
Berliner Philharmoniker – Berlin, 2019

Peter Eötvös & Martin Grubinger, 2019
Photo: János Posztós