David Lang's The Anvil Chorus: A Performer's Analysis

David Lang’s The Anvil Chorus:
A Performer’s Analysis

By: Tomm Roland

Originally submitted in partial fulfillment of the DMA in
Performance, SUNY Stony Brook
Spring 1998

The Anvil Chorus was composed by David Lang in 1991. In a relatively short
period of time it has become a standard work in most percussion soloists’ repertoire.
That is a remarkable achievement for a piece as young as The Anvil Chorus. Even more
remarkable is that there is nothing written about the piece. Due to the frequency of
performances of the piece one would think that there would be some articles about it
but that is not the case. The material presented here is a result of observations I made
while learning the piece, as well as careful score analysis and listening to the recordings
of Steven Schick1 and Evelyn Glennie. It is my goal to offer analytical insights on the
piece that will be useful to percussionists learning it for the first time, as well as to bring
new insights to those have performed the work previously.
The Anvil Chorus was commissioned by the Fromm Foundation and the premier
was given by Steven Schick, for whom the piece was written, at the Bang on a Can
festival in New York.2 David Lang (b. 1951) is the co-‐founder of the Bang on a Can
festival. He has been commissioned by several major orchestra including the Boston
Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony. He has received many
composition awards including the Rome Prize and a Kennedy Center/Freidheim
Award.3 He has said of his own writing, “All my pieces are narratives, not surface
narratives that tell you what you’re supposed to hear, but deeper narratives that tell
you how things are made.”4
The Anvil Chorus is inspired by blacksmithing in the Middle Ages. In those times
it was often necessary for a group of smiths to work together on one job. A single piece
of metal would be surrounded by a group of smiths and they would all hammer on the
metal together. In order to avoid hitting each other they would sing songs that would
help them establish patterns of alternating blows. Each smith would follow a particular
1
part of the rhythmic structure of the song and with each smith striking on different
beats they would stay out of each others way. It is not only the songs sung by the smiths
but the resulting “melodies” of the hammer strikes that are the inspiration for The Anvil
Chorus. 5
Overview: The Anvil Chorus is scored for thirteen idiophones and one
membranophone played by a single percussionist. Lang only specifies three of the
instruments while giving guidelines to the performer for the choices of the remaining
eleven. The unspecified instruments are to be metals which are divided into categories
of resonant and non-‐resonant with the non-‐resonant metals further divided into those
played with the hands and those played with the feet.6 All of these divisions result in
the metal instruments creating three distinct groups; three resonant metals, four non-‐
resonant metals played with the hands, and four non-‐resonant metals played with the
feet.7 The remaining instruments are: two wood blocks, and one bass drum played with
a foot pedal. Each group of instruments (with exception of the lone bass drum) should
be graduated in pitch. For the remainder of this paper the instruments used will be
referred to using the following abbreviations:
Resonant Metals (numbered from lowest in pitch to highest)
R1
R2
R3

Non-‐resonant Metals Played With Hands (numbered from lowest in pitch to highest)

NR1
NR2
NR3
NR4

Metals Played With Feet (numbered from lowest in pitch to highest)

2
F1
F2
F3
F4

Wood Blocks (numbered from lowest in pitch to highest)

WB1
WB2

Bass Drum

BD
Notation Key
Unlike many percussion solos The Anvil Chorus does not call for a variety of
beaters, the foot operated instruments are to be played with foot pedals and the
remaining instruments are to played with chime hammers.8 Standard notation is used
to delineate the instruments on the page, the upper staff is reserved for the wood blocks
and resonant metals while the lower staff notes the non-‐resonant metals and foot
sounds. There are only three time-‐signatures used in the piece; eight-‐eight, seven-‐eight,
and six-‐eight, and the piece is notated in eight-‐eight from m57 to the end.
3
There are six distinct sections to the piece with a brief interlude occurring
between section four and five. The total number a measures is 219, the sections are
divided9 as follows:
Section 1 mm0-‐56
Section 2 mm57-‐113
Section 3 mm114-‐133
Section 4 mm 134-‐146
Interlude mm 147-‐154
There are some constants throughout the piece that are of interest. The first is
that every foot sound is immediately followed by a non-‐resonant metal on the next
sixteenth-‐note beat, and furthermore, with the exception of section five, each foot sound
is paired with a specific non-‐resonant metal; F3+NR2, F2+NR1, F4+NR3, and F1+NR4.
Every time F3 sounds NR2 is played the very next sixteenth-‐note, every time F2 sounds
NR1 is played the very next sixteenth-‐note, and so forth. Each time a resonant metal
sounds, with exception of section four, it is in a series of eighth-‐notes played on the
beat. Those eighth-‐notes, save section five, are written with a decrescendo over the
entire length of the grouping.
All rhythms are binary: there are no “tuplets” and more specifically, all note
values are either eighth or sixteenth-‐notes. While there are beat groupings of different
and varying lengths happening at the same time, these juxtapositions create polymeter
and polytempi but never any obvious polyrhythms. In order for polyrhythm to be
present at least two rhythms must be clearly discernible simultaneously. The different
beat groupings in this piece are never set against each other in a way that makes each
rhythm very clear.
4
Section One: This section is broken into six phrases, four eight measure
phrases and two eleven measure phrases, the latter of the eleven measure phrases has a
two measure codetta. The beat grouping in the first section, as well as in most sections,
are groups of six, seven or eight eighth-‐notes. Lang changes meter from eight-‐eight to
seven-‐eight to six-‐eight as the beat groupings change only in this first section.
Beginning in Section Two he leaves the meter in eight-‐eight and the various beat
groupings happen independently of the bar line. It is likely that Lang only uses multi-‐
meter initially to set up the beat groupings in a more obvious way, abandoning multi-‐
meter once the idea of the different beat groupings has been firmly established. The
opening phrase (shown below) creates a theme that will be called Theme 1.
The theme is stated in the resonant metals with each measure alternating from R2 to
R1, with the group pattern (eighth-‐note groupings) being as follows:
8 8 7 8 8 7 7 7
Th. 1 is restated in the same voice two times creating a total of three phrases. The next
two phrases are variations of Th.1. The groupings have been reduced by an eight-‐note
and are in a different order, the group pattern being five measures that turn back on
them selves in mirrored symmetry which makes a palindrome of eleven measures. The
next phrase is the same group pattern with the numbers swapped, every seven is a six
and every six is a seven.
The group patterns are:
5
7 7 7 6 7 (7) 7 6 7 7 7
6 6 6 7 6 (6) 6 7 6 6 6
Precisely when the group patterns change the pitch order is expanded as well, each
group now cycles through all three resonant metals in the order of R3, R2, R1. Before
Th.1 returns for the final phrase in Section One a two measure codetta of six beats each
is added to phrase 5. This is necessary so the pitch order pattern can be completed
before the opening theme is restated. The last measure of phrase 5 ends with R3 so in
order to complete the pattern (R3, R2, R1)two more measures must be added. The last
phrase of Section One is a restatement of Th.1.
While the phrase structure is being laid out by the resonant metals the bass
drum, foot sounds, and non-‐resonant metals are gradually introduced. The opening
phrase (Th.1) is stated alone in the resonant metals. At the very beginning of phrase
two (see below) the first sounding of the F3/NR2 combination is heard, a single BD note
is interjected and a lone NR2 note is heard. By only bringing in one foot sound and one
non-‐resonant sound Lang is introducing the new sounds slowly to the listener, giving
ones ears an opportunity to focus on what is new. This way the listener will be able to
become familiar with the new sound and perhaps identify it more readily later in the
piece when things become much more jumbled.
Phrase 2
6
In phrase three the F2/NR1 pair is introduced, another single BD note and a
single note each of NR1 and NR2 are heard. The next phrase adds another new pairing,
this time the F4/NR3 pair. By keeping the sounds from the previous phrase and
bringing in new sounds slowly the listener will be able to hear the instruments apart
from each other a bit more clearly. Lang begins each phrase with the new pairing and
then later in the phrase sounds the new non-‐resonant sound alone. Each phrase is
effectively introducing the listener to a new “character” in the work
The frequency of the non-‐resonant notes is increased but only the sounds heard
thus far are used. The single BD note in phrase four occurs at the axis point of the
palindrome in the group pattern. Thus far each new phrase has added a new sound,
that trend stops with phrase five, the same sounds are heard as before and again the BD
note is at the axis point. While there is no particular pattern to the soundings of the
non-‐resonant metals the one constant is that no non-‐resonant sound is ever played
twice in a row, there is always at least one different non-‐resonant note before the same
one is played again.
That pattern is maintained during the restatement of Th.1 but it becomes more
serialized. The pattern of non-‐resonant sounds is; NR1, NR3, NR2, that pattern is
repeated with a BD note separating each statement. Note that the F1/NR4 pair is not
played in Section One, this gives a balance to the pitch material in each instrument
group, three foot sounds, three resonant, and three non-‐resonant pitches.
Section Two: As in the previous section there are two levels of activity here, the
top staff and the bottom staff. In contrast to Section One where the top staff was used
only for the resonant metals, the top staff is used solely for the wood blocks in this
7
section. Again, as in the previous section a theme is stated at the very beginning, this
will be called Theme 2.
In contrast to Th.1, Th.2 does not contain any pitch variation, only WB1 is used to state
the theme which is three measures in length. The idea of beat groupings as thematic
material is not used in this section and Th.2 is a rhythmic theme rather that a beat
grouping theme. The measure groupings define the phrases in this case, each three
measure statement of Th.2 is followed by X number of measures of variation and
fragmentation, each variation phrase is increased by one measure. The pattern of
theme statement and number of measures of variation is:
Th 4 Th 5 Th 6 Th 7 Th 8 Th 9
The theme can be broken down into motives which are the basis of the variation,
Motives A, B, C, D, E and F.
Motive A Motive B Motive C Motive D Motive E Motive F

Of these, Motive E is the most important, the motive spans three eighth-‐notes
and is always repeated in succession at least three times. Upon subsequent statements
of Th.2 it is repeated additional times, extending the theme. The repetition of the
motive coupled with the accent placed on the first note of the motive creates a three-‐
eight feel. This motive becomes a main idea in subsequent sections of the piece. As
stated above, each variation section is based on the individual motives of Th.2. Each
8
motive is stated in a different order than in the theme, in addition, not all motives are
necessarily stated in each variation which gives the variations a very fragmented feel.
Every two variation sections have the motives stated in the same order10, the order of
motives in each variation section is:
1-‐ A C A F A F F F D
2-‐ A C A F A F F F D
3-‐ D (A) C A F F A F F F D
4-‐ D (F) C A F F A F F F D
5-‐ C D A C A F F F B A F F F D
6-‐ C D A C A F F F B A F F F D
Each pattern is expanded by inserting additional motives into the previous pattern. The
final statement of Motive D in each variation section is played immediately preceding
the next restatement of Th.2, emphasis is added to the motive by placing it on WB2 and
by extending the motive’s amount of sixteenth notes with each statement.
With all the activity in the top staff it is hard to imagine much activity in the
bottom staff but there is plenty of action down in the bottom as well. Each non-‐
resonant metal has been assigned a pattern which dictates how often each sound is
heard. Each non-‐resonant metal is heard alone until another non-‐resonant metal
interrupts the previous one with it’s own statement which is in turn interrupted and so
forth. NR3 sounds every third sixteenth-‐note, NR1 every four sixteenth-‐notes, NR2
every five sixteenth-‐notes, and when NR4 is finally introduced it sounds every six
sixteenth-‐notes. Each non-‐resonant metal is preceded by a single note from it’s
respective foot sound partner and each interruption occurs in the middle of the non-‐
resonant pattern.
9
NR3 rhythm NR1 rhythm

NR2 rhythm NR4 rhythm

The effect created is that of four separate tempi that are constantly taking over from
one another. The various tempi are occurring while the top staff remains in the tempo
that the piece began in. The tempi given in quarter-‐note beats per minute are:
WB=108
NR1=108
NR2=86.4
NR3=144
NR4=72
Another factor that confounds the perception of tempo is that each voice is preceded by
a single sixteenth note on a foot sound which means that each tempo pulse begins on an
upbeat sixteenth note in comparison to the top staff tempo. This is why the NR1 can be
at the same tempo as the WB and still sound jumbled. The tempi confusion builds as the
section progresses because initially only NR2 and NR 1 are playing off each other, NR3
10
is not introduced until m69 and NR4 is finally introduced in m96, which is the first time
that NR4 and F1 have been heard in the piece.
Section Three: After the chaos of Section Two the relative stability of
Section Three is a welcome relief with a return to one steady tempo (108). Once again
the two staves have separate things happening but neither staff is as busy as in the
previous section. In the top staff the resonant metals return with an exact statement of
Th.1 with the codetta from phrase 5 in Section One tagged onto the end. After an eight
beat rest the theme undergoes the same type of transition as in the first section but
without the methodical pattern of groupings that was seen there but the melodic cycle
of the variation phrases from Section One is seen here. A one measure rest occurs after
the statement of Th.1 and it is exactly halfway through the section, the bottom staff is
also resting at the same point which provides a very obvious separation of the two
phrases.
In the bottom staff ideas from Section Two are utilized. Motive E from Th.2 is
given to the BD and F1/NR4 and stated repeatedly throughout the first phrase with
some quarter-‐note rests between statements.
Twice in the phrase there is a return to the polytempi idea but when the different
tempos occur they do not utilize another instrument, the only non-‐resonant metal in
11
Section Three is NR4. The first tempo shift pattern is the 144 pattern and the second is
the 72 pattern.
144 pattern 72 pattern

It is quite interesting how the three-‐eight pattern of Motive E sets up these tempo shifts.
In the three-‐eight pattern the NR4 sound in heard on the upbeat of beat two. When the
pattern is repeated the NR4 sound is heard every sixth sixteenth note which is the
pattern for the 72 tempo. When Lang sets up the 72 tempo he drops the BD and F1
sounds out to keep NR4 playing the same pattern it played in the three-‐eight.
Conversely, the 144 pattern is twice the beats from the 72 pattern so Lang simply
doubles the occurrence, every third sixteenth note, of NR4 . Each occurrence of the
polytempi begins at a piano dynamic and crescendos to forte which gives the feeling of
the new tempo rising up from nowhere to interfere with the current tempo until it is
interrupted by Motive E. For the second phrase of this section the bottom staff is
repeated exactly as in the first phrase. With the exception of the brief outbursts of
polytempi each staff is phrased in groups of eighth-‐notes, the patterns of eight, seven,
and six notes in the top staff juxtaposed against the heavy three-‐eight note patterns in
the bottom staff give a clear sense of polymeter, three-‐eight against eight-‐eight, etc.
Section Four: This section is separated from the previous one by a 13 beat rest
that serves more as a Grand Pause than a functional rest. Lang has indicated that this
section should be played slower but gives no metronome marking. With the exception
12
of one extra statement of Motive E the bottom staff is an exact restatement of what
occurs in the bottom staff in Section Three until it is interrupted by the Interlude in
m147. The top staff consists of the first appearance of running sixteenth notes in the
piece, played between the wood blocks and the resonant metals. It is indicated that the
wood blocks should be prominent here and that is because the wood block part begins
with an exact repeat of the final statement of Th.2 from Section 2 and continues to
exactly reproduce the wood block part, note for note and rest for rest, that closes
Section Two. The resonant metals fill in the sixteenth notes not played on the wood
blocks. The entire section is introduced by Motive D played on WB2. The example
below shows Th 2 alone and as it initially appears in this section.
If the wood block part from the bottom example is extracted from the remaining
sixteenth notes it matches Th 2 note for note. As noted above, the wood block part
continues to match the wood block from the last statement in Section Two.
Interlude: The driving sixteenth notes of Section Four give way to a very
open and mostly silent Interlude. The eight measures that make up the Interlude are
divided into four groups of two. Here there are no polytempi, no beat group patterns,
and no themes, only three short motives which recall the themes and main ideas from
all the previous sections. In the first two measures Motive E is again played on the BD
13
and F1/NR4 pairing, recalling the previous two sections, and is followed by silence. The
next two measures are exactly the same except that Motive D, played on WB2, sounds
the last two beats, recalling Th2 in Section Two, which is immediately followed by an
exact repeat if the first two measures. The last two measures begin with a seven beat
grouping played on R1, recalling Th.1 in Section One, followed by the same presentation
of Motive E as before and concludes in silence. Of the 64 beats in the interlude only
seventeen of them have sound, the majority of the section is silent. The Interlude acts
as a sort of aural sorbet, the silence gives one’s ears a chance to assimilate the previous
material before the piece progresses on and pushes to the end.
Section Five: There are once again different levels of activity present in this
section but everything is tied together in manner not seen in the previous sections. The
section begins with a subito tempo change to eighth-‐note equals 252, coupled with a
drastic drop in dynamics to pianissimo, which is followed by a gradual crescendo over
the entire section to fortissimo. This section has four large phrases each consisting of
four smaller phrases. The phrases are delineated by the material in the lower staff.
Running sixteenth notes are present from the very beginning to the very end of the
section, the sixteenths being played in strict alternation between resonant metals and
non-‐resonant metals. Rather than hearing groups of sixteenth notes Lang, by accenting
the beginning of each voice group, intends the listener to hear two sets of eighth-‐note
groupings which are offset from each other by a sixteenth note beat.
14
The top staff does have beat groupings but the groups are not structured in a way that
sets up any obvious phrases, the fact that the groupings are played against such obvious
phrases in the lower staff adds to the weakening of the group structure so that material
in the top staff functions in a subordinate role to the material in the bottom staff. There
is some familiar material presented however, the first two collections of beat groupings
are very close to Th.1 but some of the groupings are shorter than in Th.1. The pitch
material is indeed the same as Th.1, alternating R2 and R1, and the pitch material also
switches to the cycle, R3, R2, R1, as seen in the variation phrases from Section One. The
beat groupings here are not in any discernible pattern but when the original pitch
material returns there is indeed a full statement of Th.1 followed by a codetta. The
patterns in the upper voice are so obscured by now that the theme statement adds no
stability to the top voice.
In contrast to the upper staff, the lower staff material has very clear phrasing.
Here for the only time in the piece the pairings of foot sounds and non-‐resonant metals
are abandoned. The non-‐resonant metals are grouped into four small phrases of beat
groupings, each beat grouping is played on a different non-‐resonant instrument
utilizing the same pattern for each phrase, NR3, NR1, NR4, NR2.
Each small phrase has a foot sound played at the beginning of it and a different foot
sound is played each time, cycling though the four sounds in a recurring pattern, F4, F2,
F3, F1. Each cycle of foot sounds creates the larger phrases. The beat groupings of the
small phrases are developed in a very precise manner. In the initial grouping each
15
instrument has six beats, in every subsequent phrase an instrument drops one beat to
make a group of five. The five group is cycled through each instrument until all
presentations of the six, six, six, five group are presented. Then two groups are
shortened to five and cycled through, then three groups of five are cycled, until finally
there is one presentation of an all five group. The complete beat group pattern for the
non-‐resonant metals is:
6 6 6 6 5 6 6 6
6 5 6 6 6 6 5 6
6 6 6 5 5 5 6 6
5 6 5 6 5 6 6 5
6 5 5 6 6 5 6 5
6 6 5 5 5 5 5 6
5 5 6 5 5 6 5 5
6 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
The boxes represent the four phrases marked by the cycle of foot sounds. At the
beginning of the third large phrase an accellerando is indicated, that coupled with the
gradual crescendo give the entire section a big push that a creates a feeling of an
impending climax but Section Six interrupts to hold the climax off just a bit longer.
Section Six: This section begins with the indication “suddenly a lot slower”,
no specific tempo marking is given. As before, the resonant metal material is set against
the non-‐resonant metals and foot sounds material, in addition, a steady BD pulse is
16
added to the mix. Th.1 is stated in its entirety, Lang then takes the last six beat
groupings of the theme to created a truncated theme which is stated three more times.
Each statement of the truncated theme is further truncated by the subtraction of one
beat from each grouping. The groups are as follows:
Th.1 (8 8 7 8 8 7 7 7)
7 8 8 7 7 7
6 7 7 6 6 6
5 6 6 5 5 5
4 5 5 4 4 4
The final section is nineteen and a half measures long, the foot sounds and non-‐resonant
metal material in this section is an exact restatement of the first nineteen and a half
measures of the bottom staff in Section Two. This material is juxtaposed against even
eighth-‐notes in top staff (Th 1) which lends even more weight to the polytempi, and
even though the rhythms in the top voice are steady the beat groupings change with
such rapidity that no steady pulse is established and so there are again no clear
polyrhythms. In addition to all this a BD note is sounded every five eighth-‐notes which
creates a very steady five-‐eight pulse against which the eighth note groupings, creating
more polymeter and polytempi, are set against. With the exception of the decrescendo
of each eighth-‐note grouping, which occurs in every statement of the eight note
groupings, the entire section is played at the dynamic level of fortissimo. From the
second measure an accellerando is indicated and six measures from the end a molto
accellerando is indicated. The faster and faster tempo coupled with the high dynamic
make for a very exciting climax to the piece. The example below shows the final bars
beginning with the last truncated theme in the resonant metals. Note the double stop
17
between the BD and F4, this is the only double stop played by the feet in the entire
piece.11 The double stop is necessary to maintain the BD pattern of every five eighth-‐
notes.
Throughout the entire piece the upper staff and the lower staff represent
different material. Recalling Mr. Lang’s inspiration of blacksmith songs the two
separate sets of material make sense. The top staff can be thought of as the song that
the blacksmiths are singing to help them keep in sync while the lower staff represents
the individual hammering of the individual smiths. Lang obviously did not intend for
the piece to be blatantly programmatic but if the performer keeps some programmatic
ideas in mind when working on the piece it may help to give clarity to the individual
lines. The top staff has complete themes stated and in general the material is more
lyrical, song like, than that of the bottom staff. The material in the bottom staff is in
contrast more rhythmic, and fragmented. No themes are stated, only motive fragments
are used. The coupling of the foot sounds and non-‐resonant metals reinforces the
representation of individual smiths, each foot sound representing the individual and
each corresponding non-‐resonant metal representing the individuals work.
With this in mind each section can be thought of as representing various phases
of the smith’s work, forging a finished product which the piece itself represents. The
first section is dominated by the song with each smith slowly beginning to work at an
18
individual pace. Section Two sees the smiths begin to work in earnest, the hammering
happens more frequently but the song is neglected here, Th.2 being less lyrical than
Th.1. The song regains strength in Section Three and the hammering becomes more
cohesive, represented by the three-‐eight motive and single voice. As the song becomes
busier in Section Four (the running sixteenth notes) the hammering stays steady from
the previous section. The Interlude represents a brief respite before the smiths push on
to finish the task. Section Five sees more activity and the song becomes intertwined
with the hammering, the hammering becomes a sort of song itself. The final section has
the incessant hammering of section two coupled with the steady song headed for its
finish. The bass drum adds the element of steady progress to bring the work to a close.
When performing The Anvil Chorus it is very important to bring out the
individual lines. It is tempting to think of the piece as primarily groove driven, which it
is in some ways, but more importantly it is driven by the thematic material.. One aspect
of the piece that can help bring clarity to the individual lines is the instrumentation
chosen by the performer. It is important that the groups of instruments, four non-‐
resonant metals, three resonant metals, and four foot sounds, sound like a cohesive
instrument family. For instance, the instruments chosen for the non-‐resonant metals
should have similar timbre so that the biggest difference among the four instruments is
in pitch. In addition, the different instrument families should sound different enough
from each other so that they are readily distinguished by the listener.12 If the performer
takes care to present the various themes clearly and bring the voices together so that
there is a groove the performance will be a success.

19
Bibliography

Bang on a Can, Industry, Sony Classical, SK 66483

Evelyne Glennie, Drumming, Catalyst, 090-‐68195-‐2

Internet: http://www.schirmer.com/composers/lang_bio.html-‐a biography of various
composers published by Schirmer

Lang, David. The Anvil Chorus, Novello & Company Ltd. 1991

Steven Schick, Born To Be Wild, Newport Classic, LC8554
20
Notes

Steven Schick has recorded the piece three times, his solo CD Born To Be Wild, the
1
Bang On A Can CD Industry, and a live Band On A Can CD.

2 Steven Schick, Born To Be Wild, Newport Classic, LC8554

3 Internet: http://www.schirmer.com/composers/lang_bio.html

4 Bang on a Can, Industry, Sony Classical, SK 66483

5 Bang on a Can, Industry, Sony Classical, SK 66483

Due to the need for utilizing the feet to play four instruments many performers choose
6
to sit on a stool to perform the piece. Steven Schick performs the piece standing and
David Lang never intended for the performer to sit but since there are no specific
directions for set up given the performer is free to stand or sit as he or she pleases.

7 It has become performance practice to chose from both resonant and non-‐resonant
metals for the foot sounds.

8 As with most percussion pieces, the performer may choose to use different beaters
than specified in order to bring out the best possible sound from the instruments.

9 When considering the total number of measures in relation to the breakdown of the
various sections there are relations that are consistent with The Golden Ratio. The
point of the Golden Ratio of the entire piece falls at the beginning of section four which
is the first time running sixteenth notes occur in the piece. The Golden Ratio from the
beginning of the piece up to section five falls at measure 96 which is the first time in the
piece that the F1/NR4 pairing is heard. These Golden Ratios due not seem to be of
enough significance to lend weight to the formal design of the piece but they are there.

10 Although the second motive heard in the third and fourth patterns are different the
remaining motive statements are identical. Since only one motive statement is different
I decided to identify them as identical patterns

When performing the piece from a standing position is very likely the performer will
11
need to eliminate one of the notes in the double stop.

The instruments chosen by Steven Schick for his recording Born To Be Wild have
12
become a model for instrument choice among many percussionists performing the
piece. For his resonant metal sounds he chose three steel pipes, non-‐resonant sounds
are four brake drums, and foot sounds are two cowbells and two gongs.
21

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new insights to those have performed the work previously.

composition awards including the Rome Prize and a Kennedy Center/Freidheim

you how things are made.”4

membranophone played by a single percussionist. Lang only specifies three of the

referred to using the following abbreviations:

Resonant Metals (numbered from lowest in pitch to highest)

divided9 as follows:

sounds, with exception of section four, it is in a series of eighth-­‐notes played on the

entire length of the grouping.

rhythm very clear.

and every six is a seven.

The group patterns are:

phrase of Section One is a restatement of Th.1.

piece when things become much more jumbled.

one is played again.

will be called Theme 2.

measure statement of Th.2 is followed by X number of measures of variation and

fragmentation, each variation phrase is increased by one measure. The pattern of

theme statement and number of measures of variation is:

Th 4 Th 5 Th 6 Th 7 Th 8 Th 9

Motives A, B, C, D, E and F.

Motive A Motive B Motive C Motive D Motive E Motive F

motives in each variation section is:

final statement of Motive D in each variation section is played immediately preceding

sixteenth-­‐notes. Each non-­‐resonant metal is preceded by a single note from it’s

NR2 rhythm NR4 rhythm

some quarter-­‐note rests between statements.

the 72 pattern.

144 pattern 72 pattern

stability to the top voice.

groupings, each beat grouping is played on a different non-­‐resonant instrument

non-­‐resonant metals is:

beat from each grouping. The groups are as follows:

Th.1 (8 8 7 8 8 7 7 7)

each corresponding non-­‐resonant metal representing the individuals work.

there is a groove the performance will be a success.

metals for the foot sounds.

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sounds, with exception of section four, it is in a series of eighth-‐notes played on the

sixteenth-‐notes. Each non-‐resonant metal is preceded by a single note from it’s

some quarter-‐note rests between statements.

groupings, each beat grouping is played on a different non-‐resonant instrument

non-‐resonant metals is:

each corresponding non-‐resonant metal representing the individuals work.