Ruby: Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra - Revision history

Rubyng2004: /* Programme Notes */

2025-07-06T02:32:37Z

Programme Notes

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:32, 5 July 2025
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	== Programme Notes ==		== Programme Notes ==
	Ruby forms the final part of a triptych of works written for the percussionist Colin Currie. The first, Parallel Lines, for percussion and piano, was written in 1999, followed by Snowblind, for percussion and strings, written in 2002. While the first two works are almost exclusively for tuned percussion, Ruby incorporates an un-tuned kit set-up, but the emphasis is still on the tuned instruments. In fact, the contrast between the rhythmic and colouristic properties of the un-tuned and the melodic and harmonic possibilities of the tuned is one of the underlying ‘arguments’ of the work. So, along with the familiar muscular sonorities of the drum kit, Colin has material with which he can engage with the orchestra’s harmonic framework in a lyrical manner. After all, this is what one might expect from a concerto for any other instrument, so why not for percussion? One might also expect some theatrical leaping from one instrument set to another and, while there are some quick changes for Colin to make, these are for purely musical reasons and not meant as some hackneyed dramatic effect.		Ruby forms the final part of a triptych of works written for the percussionist [[Colin Currie]]. The first, [[Parallel Lines]], for percussion and piano, was written in 1999, followed by [[Snowblind]], for percussion and strings, written in 2002. While the first two works are almost exclusively for tuned percussion, Ruby incorporates an un-tuned kit set-up, but the emphasis is still on the tuned instruments. In fact, the contrast between the rhythmic and colouristic properties of the un-tuned and the melodic and harmonic possibilities of the tuned is one of the underlying ‘arguments’ of the work. So, along with the familiar muscular sonorities of the drum kit, Colin has material with which he can engage with the orchestra’s harmonic framework in a lyrical manner. After all, this is what one might expect from a concerto for any other instrument, so why not for percussion? One might also expect some theatrical leaping from one instrument set to another and, while there are some quick changes for Colin to make, these are for purely musical reasons and not meant as some hackneyed dramatic effect.

	Ruby is in a conventional three-movement form (basically: medium - slow - fast) but one where the three sections form an overall arc shape. The first two movements have two tempos each, which are incorporated (along with the material) into the third, with the final passage being in the same tempo as the opening. Almost all the material of the work is derived from the soloist’s two ostinatos and the trumpet figure and string chords from the beginning of the first movement. There are prominent roles for the first flute, trumpet, piano and double bass, which, along with Colin, form a ‘concerto grosso’ group in the third movement.		Ruby is in a conventional three-movement form (basically: medium - slow - fast) but one where the three sections form an overall arc shape. The first two movements have two tempos each, which are incorporated (along with the material) into the third, with the final passage being in the same tempo as the opening. Almost all the material of the work is derived from the soloist’s two ostinatos and the trumpet figure and string chords from the beginning of the first movement. There are prominent roles for the first flute, trumpet, piano and double bass, which, along with Colin, form a ‘concerto grosso’ group in the third movement.

Rubyng2004 at 02:29, 6 July 2025

2025-07-06T02:29:31Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:29, 5 July 2025
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	[[Joe Duddell]]		[[Joe Duddell]]
	== General Info ==		== General Info ==
	Year of composition: 2002 - 2003		Year of composition: 2002 - 2003 <br/>
	Publisher/Label: [[Schott Music]]		Publisher/Label: [[Schott Music]]<br/>
	Difficulty: Advanced		Difficulty: Advanced<br/>
	Duration: 00:25:00		Duration: 00:25:00<br/>
	ISMN: 979-0-2201-2488-4		ISMN: 979-0-2201-2488-4<br/>
	Cost: €27.99		Cost: €27.99<br/>

	== Movements ==		== Movements ==
	1. Flowing		1. Flowing<br/>
	2. crotchet = c. 42		2. crotchet = c. 42<br/>
	3. crotchet = c. 112		3. crotchet = c. 112<br/>

	== Instrumentation ==		== Instrumentation ==
	=== Solo ===		=== Solo ===
	Mallets: [[Vibraphone]] & [[Marimba]] & [[Crotales]]		Mallets: [[Vibraphone]] & [[Marimba]] & [[Crotales]]<br/>
	Cymbals: 7 Tuned Gongs		Cymbals: 7 Tuned Gongs<br/>
	Others: [[Drum Set]]		Others: [[Drum Set]]<br/>
	=== Orchestra ===		=== Orchestra ===
	Woodwinds: [[Piccolo]] & 2 [[Flute]]s & 2 [[Oboe]]s & [[English Horn]] & 2 [[Clarinet]]s in A & [[Bass Clarinet]] & 2 [[Bassoon]]s & [[Contra Bassoon]]		Woodwinds: [[Piccolo]] & 2 [[Flute]]s & 2 [[Oboe]]s & [[English Horn]] & 2 [[Clarinet]]s in A & [[Bass Clarinet]] & 2 [[Bassoon]]s & [[Contra Bassoon]] <br/>
	Brass: 4 [[French Horn]] & 3 [[Trumpet]] & 2 [[Trombone]] & [[Bass Trombone]]		Brass: 4 [[French Horn]] & 3 [[Trumpet]] & 2 [[Trombone]] & [[Bass Trombone]]<br/>
	Percussion: [[Timpani]]		Percussion: [[Timpani]]<br/>
	Strings		Strings<br/>

	== Programme Notes ==		== Programme Notes ==

Rubyng2004: Created page with "Joe Duddell == General Info == Year of composition: 2002 - 2003 Publisher/Label: Schott Music Difficulty: Advanced Duration: 00:25:00 ISMN: 979-0-2201-2488-4 Cost: €..."

2025-07-06T02:28:32Z

Created page with "Joe Duddell == General Info == Year of composition: 2002 - 2003 Publisher/Label: Schott Music Difficulty: Advanced Duration: 00:25:00 ISMN: 979-0-2201-2488-4 Cost: €..."

New page

[[Joe Duddell]]
== General Info ==
Year of composition: 2002 - 2003
Publisher/Label: [[Schott Music]]
Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: 00:25:00
ISMN: 979-0-2201-2488-4
Cost: €27.99

== Movements ==
1. Flowing
2. crotchet = c. 42
3. crotchet = c. 112

== Instrumentation ==
=== Solo ===
Mallets: [[Vibraphone]] & [[Marimba]] & [[Crotales]]
Cymbals: 7 Tuned Gongs
Others: [[Drum Set]]
=== Orchestra ===
Woodwinds: [[Piccolo]] & 2 [[Flute]]s & 2 [[Oboe]]s & [[English Horn]] & 2 [[Clarinet]]s in A & [[Bass Clarinet]] & 2 [[Bassoon]]s & [[Contra Bassoon]]
Brass: 4 [[French Horn]] & 3 [[Trumpet]] & 2 [[Trombone]] & [[Bass Trombone]]
Percussion: [[Timpani]]
Strings

== Programme Notes ==
Ruby forms the final part of a triptych of works written for the percussionist Colin Currie. The first, Parallel Lines, for percussion and piano, was written in 1999, followed by Snowblind, for percussion and strings, written in 2002. While the first two works are almost exclusively for tuned percussion, Ruby incorporates an un-tuned kit set-up, but the emphasis is still on the tuned instruments. In fact, the contrast between the rhythmic and colouristic properties of the un-tuned and the melodic and harmonic possibilities of the tuned is one of the underlying ‘arguments’ of the work. So, along with the familiar muscular sonorities of the drum kit, Colin has material with which he can engage with the orchestra’s harmonic framework in a lyrical manner. After all, this is what one might expect from a concerto for any other instrument, so why not for percussion? One might also expect some theatrical leaping from one instrument set to another and, while there are some quick changes for Colin to make, these are for purely musical reasons and not meant as some hackneyed dramatic effect.

Ruby is in a conventional three-movement form (basically: medium - slow - fast) but one where the three sections form an overall arc shape. The first two movements have two tempos each, which are incorporated (along with the material) into the third, with the final passage being in the same tempo as the opening. Almost all the material of the work is derived from the soloist’s two ostinatos and the trumpet figure and string chords from the beginning of the first movement. There are prominent roles for the first flute, trumpet, piano and double bass, which, along with Colin, form a ‘concerto grosso’ group in the third movement.

The vast majority of my titles are borrowed from other sources and are completely abstract (as is the majority of the music). Ruby was a joke that stuck, and anybody with a rudimentary grasp of rhyming slang can work it out! The work is dedicated to Colin Currie. As a critic once remarked, Colin is ‘a musician first, percussionist second’ and for those of us all too familiar with derogatory ‘drummer’ jokes, this is both high and well deserved praise.

== Recent Performance ==
<embedvideo service="youtube"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soSYSV65ryU&list=RDsoSYSV65ryU&start_radio=1 </embedvideo>

== Works for Percussion by this Composer ==
{{Duddell, Joe Works}}

== Reference ==

[[Category: Concerto Works]]
[[Category: Multiple Percussion Concerto Works]]