Benedict Mason (1954)

Nodding Trilliums and Curve Lined Angles (1990)

for four solo percussionists and ensemble

electronic work

  • General information
    • Composition date : 1990
    • Duration : 20 mn
    • Publisher : Chester Music, Londres
    • Commission: Birmingham Contemporary Music Group avec des fonds du West Midlands Arts
Detailed formation
  • soloist : 4 percussionists
  • 1 flute (also 1 piccolo), 1 oboe, 1 clarinet, 1 bassoon, 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone, 1 piano (also 1 electronic/MIDI keyboard/synthesizer [DX7] ), 1 violin, 1 second violin, 1 viola, 1 cello, 1 double bass

Premiere information

  • Date : 19 October 1990
    Location :

    Grande-Bretagne, Birmingham, Adrian Boult Hall


    Performers :

    le Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, direction : Elgar Howarth.

Table of contents

  1. Xylophones. A fats toccata movement.
  2. Rattles. A slower movement. Players sometimes play faster or slower than the conducted tempo.
  3. Drums. More abrasive and unstable- tempo always speeding up, slowing down or abruptly changing.
  4. Toys. Whistles, ocarinas and spinning tops
  5. Claves. Percussion players set 4 different pulses, sometimes speeding up or slowing down. A fifth pulse is added by the conductor.
  6. Vibraphone. A gentle final featuring the natural ‘out of tune’ notes of the horns echoed in the synthesizer and the strings.