Schmidt, William: Three Aspects of a Fu-Dog for 6 Trumpets and 3 Percussion

Artikel-Nr.: 081-212
46,79
Preis inkl. MwSt., zzgl. Versand


As an Asian art collector and an old hand at collecting fu-dogs I felt compelled to represent their images in a musical context. The fu-dog is the mythical East Asian dog/lion, used to guard temples, palaces and important buildings. The size and shape of the fu-dog is commensurate with its guardian role. Some are very large, being several times lager than the human form.

I represent their meanings with the scales, harmonies and rhythms of each respective country, using Western instruments resembling the sound of their indigenous instruments. Each country and culture has its own characteristic fu-dog. For this composition I chose the fu-dog of three countries, representing them in their own movement:

1. Japan - called Shishi - uses tom-toms, snare drum, wood blocks and timpani;

2. China - called Rui Shi (Buddhist spirit lion) - uses temple blocks, wood blocks, bell tree, cambals, tam-tam, guiro and cow bells;

3. Indonesia - called Lion of Fo - uses vibraphone, xylophone and marimba to emulate the gamalan orchestra, plus tom-toms, bass drum and timpani.

I chose the trumpet (using 3 C and 3 Bb trumpets here) because it is the quintessential ceremonial instrument, in particular when used at the entrance to a building, like the fu-dog guarding the palace. The trumpet enunciates clearly because of the heraldry tradition, and so too is the fu-dog a herald. The use of various mutes adds to the trumpet's color spectrum, in coordination with percussion instruments for the three countries represented.

Diese Kategorie durchsuchen: Percussion Trio und and.Instrumente