Fourth Inventions for Djembe and Sonata for Solo Drum no. 8 - Drum music. Dm 14 - my 94th album. Strident, difficult music for my signature Instrument.
In my work as a percussionist, particularly for the Drum, particularly for the polytonal Djembe, my ‘Signature instrument’ - I have developed 2 long running series that are especially important to me. The inventions and the solo sonatas run through my work from the very beginning. They cross each others paths on this album.
The 4th inventions are the 4th of 6 such sets - the notion of invention coming from Bach, of pulling riches from instrumental limitation - to wit concert music for a solo instrument. This couples here with the Eighth Sonata, the eighth of twelve. It is huge - orchestral in concept - Seminal - Henzenian - monumental in my life and work - a music I had only dreamt of.
Dm 14 is an album of two distinct halves - for the use of two natural acoustics. The Fourth Inventions, recorded at my Isabel studio - favours the natural metallic ping of the drum stroke. The Sonata for Solo Drum no. 8 by contrast was recorded in and to, the luxurious reverb of the W Dance Studio. A large open space in a redundant church - a high ceilinged stone room with a wooden floor - meaning I could play the acoustics. This made the Drum a naturally sustaining instrument, giving me duration as well as pitch, and the natural timbre of strike, damping and placement on the skin or rim. An additional richness comes from my stopping the bell of the drum like a French Horn, to give by degree about an octave change in pitch - like having a tuning pedal. This is the first of four albums featuring music from this space.
Fourth Inventions for Djembe nos. 1 to 6 - Rh 359 to 364. My 4th of six such sets - coming in quick succession from the Second and the third sets [Dm 13], in a new flowering of Drum music, after a long absence from my work. An important reawakening then in albums Dm 13 and Dm 14 rising at last to the challenge posed by my First set of inventions away back at Album Dm 6. The first inventions to to be cited in the New ‘Cambridge Companion to Composition’ - to be published in 2022.
The Invention sets are a long process of discovery of techniques and sonorities for my Signature instrument, the Djembe. Increasing in difficulty each time -both in performance and for an audience perception of the process. The fourth is more difficult than the third. The 5th more difficult than the 4th - till with the 6th set I reach a point where I have pushed as far as I can go - almost to the point of incoherence - do I lose the message in the method ? In this direction this really is the end. In like fashion - on Album Dm 25 - the Sonatas for Solo Drum nos. 11 and 12 - bring that series also to a cannonic end. Together these two drum Series form the Core of my drum work.
Sonata for Solo Drum no.8 - Rh 370 in five Movements marks a renewed interest in a form which became central to me There are now 12 Drum Sonatas, the cannonic number. The Drum Sonata appears at the very beginning of my work, in a flurry of Drum music, on the seminal album ‘Five Sonatas’ Dm 2. I had been playing for 30 years before I ever recorded, so I really hit the ground running and hit it very hard with these. The first five Dm Sonatas are a close set in themselves and an early high point for me. They set a very high bar for a 6th sonata. So Drum Sonatas nos. 6 & 7 [album Dm 10], by contrast, confuse their identities. No. 6 - Rh 159, is only subtitled as such - being called ‘High Abandon,’ the title track of that album. The 7th Dm Sn is subtitled ‘Silver’ being actually called ‘Sonata for Solo Drum no. 7.’ Silver after the small metal drum I played it on. Drum Sonatas 8, 9 and 10 form a third Generation at the scale of concert music. Nos.11 and 12 form a fourth conclusive generation- concluding the cannonic set of 12.
The Six invention Sets for Djembe
A structurally important Series of inventions for my signature instrument the Djembe Drum. The First inventions [Dm 6] is an early monument casting a huge shadow over my work until eventually I had five further sets in close succession - each tightening the difficulty - challenging myself and any future audience. Together with my other Drum Percussion series - the 12 Sonatas for solo Drum - form the core of my Drum Work.
- Inv. for Dj. in Group one - The Blue Cherry group -
[] Album Dm 6 - First inventions for Djembe
A cycle of inventions that just poured out of me live to tape. A cycle that surprised and delighted me and has stood as a signature set ever since. Cited as exemplary by the Professor of Composition at the RCM - Composer Ken Hesketh - and who am I to argue. It would be a long time before I’d attempt a second set.
First Inv. for Djembe nos. 1 to 7 - Rh 124 to 130
- Inv. for Dj. In Group 4 - The Inner Blue Group -
‘Don't it always seem to go’ - you wait around forever and then three come at once ?
[] Album Dm 13 - 2nd and 3rd Inv. for Djembe
Sec. Inv. for Dj. nos. 1 to 8 - Rh 343 to 349
Third Inv. for Dj. nos. 1 to 6 - Rh 350 to 354
[] Album Dm 14 - Fourth Inventions for Djembe and Sonata for Solo Drum no. 8
A very important album for the way my two percussion series’ - The Drum Sonatas and the Inventions for Djembe - meet on it - on their paths across my music.
Fourth Inv. for Dj. nos. 1 to 6 - Rh 359 to 364
- Inv. for Dj. In Group 5 - The Outer Blue Group -
Fifth and sixth inventions for Djembe - the most difficult of the sets Demanding quite some concentration both to play and to listen to.
[] Album Dm 22 - Fifth Inventions for Djembe.
The Fifth inventions are conceptually a little bit more difficult in that they have an Internal Set Structure - Sets A, B and C, or Parts 1, 2 and 3. This is not a silent structure, they represent stages of difficulty and importance and length in the overall Suite - Fifth Inventions. Physically these Sets are separated by longer silences - the distinctions are aurally quite perceptible. This ‘Set’ structure recalls my work as an Artist - where groups of pictures could also be in Formal Sets.
Fifth Inv. for Dj. [Set A] - nos. 1 to 5 - Rh 451 to 455
Fifth Inv. for Dj. [Set B] - nos. 6 i & ii to 8 - Rh 456 to 458
It’s a Conceptual Path - a ritual - an order of service - note that there 11 parts to count with no. 6 splitting itself into two parts 6i and 6ii. They are parts of the same Invention but take a significant pause in between two chains of the same thought.
[] Album Dm 24 - Sixth inventions for Djembe
The Final set in this long process of discovery of techniques and sonorities for my Signature instrument, the Djembe - increasing in difficulty each time in performance and for audience perception of the process. Here I reach a point where I push as far as I can go almost to the point of incoherence - do I lose the message in the method ? In this direction this really is the end. Album Dm 25 - the Sonatas for Solo Drum nos. 11 and 12 - bring that series to a cannonic end. Together these Series form the Core of my drum work.
The Twelve Drum Sonatas
- Dm Sns in Group 1 - The Blue Cherry Group -
[] Album Dm 2 - Five Sonatas
The first five sonatas, on one momentous album - a first Generation of the Sonatas - and a closed set in itself - were recorded at my 2nd and 3rd Sessions at the Marehay Studio and remastered at mine. They take the Catalogue numbers - ‘Rh P 08 - 12’ - where ‘P‘ stands for ‘Pre Rh 1’ - Pre my established catalogue order - long story. Dm Sn 5 was actually recorded before no. 1 [hence - Rh P 08] and named a little bit later, when I compiled the album. I think its position in the set is just So - as if it were ‘Given’ - as I used to say as a Visual Artist.
Early waters in a new Album Group and a mid Generation of the Drum Sonatas. At this point they are a little uncertain of their identity - Dm Sn no. 6 is only subtitled as such - being called ‘High Abandon.’ The 7th Dm Sn is subtitled ‘Silver’ after the small metallic drum I played it on - being actually named a ‘Sonata for Solo Drum no. 7’ ! Confusions of identity - which is a debate in itself. Also on the album are some small pieces - Voodle and two harmonic studies for a small drum.
High Abandon - Dm Sn no. 6 - Rh 159
Sn for solo Drum no. 7 - Silver - Rh 160
- Dm Sns in Group 4 - The Inner Blue Group -
The 3rd Generation of Dm Sns fall between two stools -
simply by the way the Album Groups cut the Album Catalogue into Chronologically slices. Hence Drum Sn. no. 8 fell to the Inner Blue Group - and nos. 9 and 10 to the Outer Blue Group. In these album groups, that is, at this time, Drum music flourishes again after a long absence from my work, with a wealth of new music.
Drum Sonata no. 8, is monumental by comparison with those before it. This is now concert music. The Drum Sonata has become a large scale form in my New Drum music. They are important statements of technique and gave me a new understanding of myself as a percussionist. Together with the 6 sets of Inventions the 12 Sonatas form the Core of my Drum work.
[] Album Dm 14 - Fourth Inventions for Djembe and Sonata for Solo Drum no. 8
A very important album for the way the two percussion series’ - The Drum Sonatas and the Inventions for Drum - meet In it - on their paths across my music.
Sonata for Solo Drum no. 8 - Rh 370 - in 5 mvts.
- Dm Sns in Group 5 - The Outer Blue Group -
[] Album Dm 15 Sonata for Solo Drum no. 9
Notable for its use of a wooden pole with the heavy natural acoustic including throwing it to the floor at the end.
Sonata for Solo Drum no. 9 - Rh 389
[] Album Dm 17 - Sonata for Solo Drum no. 10
Despite it’s diminutive size it is a powerful piece.
Sonata for Solo Drum no. 10 - Rh 411 - in Five Movements
[] Album Dm 25 Sonatas for Solo Drum nos. 11 and 12
I had long promised myself that I would complete a cannonic Cycle of Twelve - and with this late fourth Generation - I did.
Sonata for Solo Drum no. 11 - Rh 560
Sonata for Solo Drum no. 12 - Rh 561
There cannot be a Drum Sonata no. 13 because I have my cannonic 12 and they push the form as far as it can perceptibly go.
An early reorganization of my music research interests had defined my music into dedicated sets of Albums. This way things of a kin got heard together - as one type of album or another - by Genre - or Tranche as I styled them. In this case Dm, music for Drums of various kinds. By Convention Dm.
Beginning as a percussionist my first 7 albums are for Drums of various kinds, Drum music or Dm, my first area of research interest or Tranche. I soon realised there was a second area of percussion, as a generality over a specialism - percussion on anything other than Drums, Metal Percussion music, or MPm. The third of five is the Phase music, realised by tape looping and timing, Phm. The fourth, a genre of Electro Acoustic composition, Music for Strings, Electronics and Percussion, or MSEP. The last genre is Electronic music, Em, taking the longest processing detour from an original acoustic source.
Album numbers 76 to 95 form my fourth ‘Group’ - a 4th time division across my Genres, my Inner Blue Group. This builds on the foundational 'Blue Cherry Group' [where I had introduced my 5 areas of research interest] and the big 'New Horizon Group' - [where I explored to see where these five genres were leading me]. There then seemed to be a ‘band of gold’ across my discography. My Golden Band Group, that mark a particularly successful time for me. The albums that follow that, 76 to the end, are a ‘Blue Horizon’ - after the phrase’ blue sky research’ - the ‘Blue Horizon Group.’ For convenience, I divided this Huge area into the Inner and the Outer Blue Groups. So the Fourth Group is the Inner Blue Horizon - or Inner Blue Group.
Returning after a long absence from my work, there are two Dm albums in the Inner Blue Group - Dm 13 & 14.
[] Album Dm 13, Second and Third Inventions for Djembe, marks the return of Dm to my work after I left it away back in my New Horizon Group, with album Dm 12, Underdrum. I felt then there was little more I could add to the genre. I return here with a Second and a Third set of Inventions for Djembe. Something I’d thought unlikely, after my immense first set, back at the beginning of my work - at album Dm 6 - in my foundation group.
[] Album Dm 14 is a fourth set of such inventions, in quick succession - only days apart from the last. Something was in the air - a new Drum music - a new open punctuative, pattern based playing. Fourth inventions are coupled with Drum Sonata no. 8. At this point I take a renewed interest the Drum Sonata as a form - it becomes the core of my Drum music - alongside the inventions for Djembe. In the next Group up - my Outer Blue Group - I reach a 12th drum Sonata, the cannonic number.
Inner Blue Group - Dm []
DCM 076 - Em 29 - Auda
DCM 077 - MSEP 19 - Assign 1 - 4
DCM 078 - Phm 8 - Deep Pink
DCM 079 - Em 30 - Haus music
DCM 080 - Em 31 - Magic lily music
DCM 081 - MPm 10 - 1st and 2nd Da Su for Mp
DCM 082 - Phm 9 - Beriom 1 - 3 (6 Tromb.)
DCM 083 - MSEP 20 - War Skies Over London
DCM 084 - Phm 10 - Beriom 4 - 7 (4 & 5 Fl)
DCM 085 - Em 32 - Beriom 8
DCM 086 - Em 33 - Beriom 9
DCM 087 - Em 34 - Beriom 10
DCM 088 - Em 35 - Untitled
DCM 089 - Em 36 - Rothko Triptych
DCM 090 - Phm 11- Sound Prints
DCM 091 - MPm 11 - Kontact Dance
[] DCM 092 -Dm 13 - 2nd & 3rd Inv for Dj []
DCM 093 - Em 37 - Ober
[] DCM 094 -Dm 14 - 4th Inv Dj - Dm Sn no. 8 []
DCM 095 - MSEP 21 - Bela Whispers
The DCM album numbers list volumes in a [for the most part]
chronological edition - the ‘DCM Broadhurst Edition’ - Prepared for the British Library in 2021. The volumes or albums themselves were actually released as and when it was possible. The Edition though, was planned from the start to stand on the 'foundation Stone' of the Blue Cherry group.
The Rh catalogue, numbers my individual works in order of Completion.
A work of beautiful, pointillist guitar from Martyn Heyne, the moving songs on “Electric Intervals” are made of tiny pinpricks of sound. Bandcamp New & Notable Nov 11, 2017
