...before and after love....

Program Note

…before and after love….was commissioned in 2025 by the Ju Percussion Group as the first in a series of five works. The work is inspired by 5Rhythms, a movement meditation practice devised by Gabrielle Roth in the late 1970s. It draws from indigenous and world traditions using tenets of shamanistic, ecstatic, mystical and eastern philosophy.

This work is a response to the first of the 5 Rhythms;Flowing. This state encompasses birth, being, body, but also fear. It encourages us to follow the flow of our own energy. In doing so, we remain equally open to the inner and outer worlds.

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‍Complete Instrument List

3 vibraphones

3 marimbas (5-octave)

1 Glockenspiel

Crotales (notes G#, A, B)

Tubular Bells

3 snare drums (varied)

9 Suspended cymbals (wool mallets and sticks)

6 Toms (16’/14’/13’/12’/10’/10’)*

3 High Roto-toms*

2 Mid-High Roto-toms*

1 Mid-Low Roto-tom*

3 Low Roto-toms*                            

Bass Drum (shared)

Triangle (shared)

Finger Cymbals(shared)*

3 Waterphones*

3 Spring Drums*

3 Rainmakers (Rain Sticks)*

Shekere (mounted)*

Shaker*

2 Artillery Shells (or equivalent metal objects)*

*Audio samples provided

Instrumentation by Player

P1             Vibraphone 1,Suspended Cymbal (wool mallets)

P2             Vibraphone 2(mallets and bow), Crotales G#, A, B (bow), Bass Drum (shared)

P3             Vibraphone 3 (mallets and bow),Glockenspiel (shared), 2xSuspended Cymbals (wool mallets, and sticks), HighRoto-tom, Low Roto-tom

P4             Marimba 1, Glockenspiel (shared), 2xSuspendedCymbals (wool mallets, and sticks), Waterphone, Low Roto-tom

P5             Marimba 2, Waterphone, Spring Drum,2xArtillery Shells (metal objects)

P6             Marimba 3, Mid-HighRoto-tom, Spring Drum, Rainmaker (rain stick)

P7             6xToms (16’/14’/13’/12’/10’/10’)played by mallets, 2xSuspended Cymbals (wool mallets, and sticks), Waterphone,Spring Drum, Rainmaker (rain stick)

P8             Snare 1, High Roto-tom, Shekere(mounted), Bass Drum (shared), Spring Drum, Rainmaker (rain stick)

P9             Snare 2, High Roto-tom, Mid-HighRoto-tom, Mid-Low Roto-tom, Low Roto-tom, 2xSuspended Cymbals (wool mallets, and sticks), Tubular Bells (shared), Triangle (shared), Finger Cymbals (shared)

P10          Snare 3, Tubular Bells (shared),Triangle (shared), Finger Cymbals (shared), Shaker

Performance Notes

·      The Roto-toms are to be played with a savage, almost violent, energy.

·      The Artillery Shells can be replaced by two similar sounding metallic objects.

·      The Waterphones, Rain Sticks, and Spring Drums are generally marked ‘forte’ in the score. This is not an indication of dynamics relative to other instruments sounding at the same time; rather it is an indication that the maximum sound possible should be produced when performing these instruments, as they are generally quiet compared to other percussion.

·      The performers are encouraged to listen carefully to the audio samples and reproduce the gesture, sound, register, and intensity of performance as closely as possible.

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Audio samples and further performance notes:

The audio samples are provided for the following reasons;

1.         To give an accurate idea of the exact sound of certain instruments that the composer was imagining when composing the work

2.         To give an idea of the performance gesture (and resulting sound) for the waterphone, spring drum, and rain stick

3.         To demonstrate the intensity with which the roto-toms are to be played, and the desired sound for each of the drums

·      WATERPHONE

o   01 P5 m9-10 Waterphone (applies to similar passages in P4, P5, P7)

·      SPRING DRUM

o   02 P5 m35-44 SpringDrumEmulate the shape and sound of this passage as possible.

o   03 P7 m39-44 SpringDrum(applies to similar passages in P5, P6, P7). When rotating the spring drum, the ‘twang’ of the spring should not be activated. Only the resonating sound of the drum.

o   The three springdrums should be of various sizes.  

·      RAINMAKERS (Rain Sticks)

o  04 P6 m2-11 Rainmaker

o   05 P7 m81-86 Rainmaker(applies to similar passages in P5, P6, P7)

o   The three rainmakers should be of various sizes/sounds.

·      6 TOMS (16’/14’/13’/12’/10’/10’)

o   06 P7 m147-170 Toms These toms are played with mallets throughout. The sound should be punchy and clear, with a very wide range of dynamic and gradation between unmarked notes and those with double accents.

·      ROTO-TOMS

o  07 P8 m107-115 High Roto-tom

o  08 P9 m108-117 Mid-High, Mid-low and Low Roto-tom

o  09 P6 m108-110 Mid-High Roto-tom

o  10 P4 m109-113 Low Roto-tom (3 phrases)

o  11 P3 m111-114 High Roto-tom (2 phrases)

o  12 P8 m144-147 High Roto-tom

o  13 P9 m162-163 High, Mid-low, Low Roto-tom

o  14 P3 180-181 Low Roto-tom

·      FINGER CYMBALS

o   15 P9 m159 FingerCymbal (applies to similar passages in P9, P10)

·      TRIANGLE

o  16 P10 m52 Triangle (applies to similar passages in P9, P10)

·      SHEKERE (mounted)

o  17 P8 m152-163 Shekere

·      SHAKER

o  18 P10 m169-173 Shaker

·      2 ARTILLERY SHELLS (or equivalent metal objects)

o  19 P5 m173-176 High Artillery Shell

o  20 P5 m179-183 Low Artillery Shell

o  21 P5 m184-187 Both Artillery Shells

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