Gaia - Concerto for Marimba and Sample Pad
Gaia juxtaposes acoustic instruments with electronic instruments the same way Mother Earth is currently comprised of
Nature and the technological creations of Man. Through the burning of fossil fuels and other types of pollutants, these creations of Man have slowly triggered a change in the climate on Earth that is affecting every natural part of the planet. The music outlines this with the incorporation of the Sample Pad along with the Solo Marimba. The soloist uses the Sample Pad to trigger pre-set electronic sounds ranging from electronic percussion, synthesized pitches, and voice- overs while simultaneously playing the Marimba. The concerto also features polyrhythms, polychords, and genre blending (orchestral, electronic, rock, traditional African, etc.) to highlight the unity of different elements that make up our World. Each movement features voice-overs (triggered by the Sample Pad) taken from a collection of speeches from the famed, young climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Gaia represents the struggle between the organic and inorganic and begs the question: can Man use its gift of consciousness and its creations to restore balance and save the world, or destroy it...
Gaia is a commission from percussionist Casey Sagolla-Slamp and the Triangle Brass Band in Raleigh, NC.
Movement 1: Overabundance
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Overabundance begins with an intro voice-over from Greta Thunberg warning humanity of the looming decisions it faces. As the ensemble enters, the music is comprised of African rhythms and instrumentation hinting at the birth of humanity in Africa when early humans were just as much a part of nature as the rest of life. The music then celebrates the magnificent and awe-inspiring energy of Mother Earth. That is until the electronics from the Soloist enters, cutting off the grandest section of the movement signifying Man’s creations taking advantage of the natural abundances of Earth. The soloist at that moment is triggering electronic percussion sounds with one hand while simultaneously playing the Marimba with the other. This is a manifestation of the juxtaposition of Organic and Inorganic elements and the growing struggle between them. In a burst of power the ensemble gradually comes back in as the forces of Nature are triumphant over Man’s affliction....for now. |
Movement 2: As the oceans grow
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As the oceans grow depicts the melting of the polar ice caps due to the sudden change in climate that is resulting in the rising water level and the loss of habitat for thousands of species. Greta begins this movement with a heart-breaking list of all the ways Mother Earth is suffering from the intrusion of Man. The use of metallic percussion at the beginning is a musical representation of the frozen glaciers. As the movement progresses less and less of these elements are present in the music and are slowly overtaken by the flowing of water signifying the melting of ice caps and the resulting rise of the oceans’ water levels. The overall density of the music grows and the register placement of the Solo Marimba gradually rises as the music progresses to punctuate this growth. |
Movement 3: Wrath or Redemption? (coming soon)
The 3rd Movement is still in production but will outline the wrath of Mother Earth as a result of climate change such as extreme weather, forest fires, viral pandemics, etc. It will then enthusiastically offer the question: will Mankind continue to provoke and ultimately be overcome by this wrath, or will it use its advanced intellect to redeem itself and restore balance to the Earth?
Sample Pad:
As stated above, the Sample Pad is used in conjunction with the Marimba by the soloist and it is recommended that it be mounted on a stand in front of the marimba between the lowest Bb and Db or between the Eb and Gb above that. The Sampling Pad has 9 different pads that are triggered by striking them with a stick or mallet. Each movement uses 2 to 3 different collections of sounds, or Files, which the soloist changes throughout the performance (indicated in score). Each file is labeled “Mvt. 1(1), Mvt. 1(2)” etc. and contain sounds ranging from voice-overs to electronic percussion and synths. All the performer needs is the pad itself channeled to an amplifier or monitor/speaker to balance with the rest of the ensemble; the music is also scored to aid in this balance. The Roland SPD-SX is recommended but any Sampling Pad with at least 9 different triggers will work.
The Sampling Pad uses its own notation to create consistency in the score:
Philosophy Behind Electronics:
The use of electronics in an orchestral setting is meant to bring listeners with an electronic music background into the world of orchestral music and vise versa. Almost every time a sound is triggered with the Sample Pad, the ensemble replicates this sound using an exact orchestration of acoustic instruments before or after the electronics.
The same way Gaia hints at the balance of Man and Nature, the use of electronics does not adhere to one genre but introduces the use of both in one setting opening up an endless bounty of possibilities that
Gaia only scratches the surface of; to which each party can benefit and thrive from in harmony.