The Mad Drummer

[Guest]

Just thinking…

I wonder if our orchestras became more, shall we say visual, when executing their fine art, would that aid our appreciation of their performance? If they somehow “seemed” more committed, instead of at times appearing to be simply going through the motions, so to speak, would that be more convincing? As here for example:-

Ladies and gentlemen, lads and lasses, guys and gals, boys and girls, I give you Mr Steve Moore, aka The Mad Drummer, whose clip had gone viral. Here he is with The Allrighters, playing Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top:

http://www.themaddrummer.com/mdhome.htm

I hope that clip hasn’t been posted before. Now, how about say the Berlin Philharmonic’s timpanist giving us such a performance say, in the March to the Scaffold from Berlioz’s SF? Sorry I don’t know many timpani solos, although I believe in one of Neilsen’s symphonies (don’t know which one, sorry, as I know nothing about this composer), isn’t there a part for solo timpanis there?

Sorry if I’m wrong, but any other suggestions please?

Mario

[Norfolk Born]

There's a right old ding-dong between two sets of timpani, placed at opposite ends of the orchestra, in the finale of Nielsen's 4th symphony. One recording from many years ago (can't remember which) featured a jazz drummer, who duly obliged with a display of riff shots.

[Norfolk Born]

...and there's a renegade snare drummer in the first movement of the 5th! Nielsen's symphonies are well worth investigating.

[Petrushka]

Nielsen 4 is the one with two sets of battling timpanists; the 5th has a part for solo side drum.

I always find that watching the commitment of BBCSO timpanist, John Chimes, either live or on TV is a joy in itself.

(Apologies, NB, crossed posts!)

[gradus]

Astonishing and very entertaining, thanks for posting it.
What is it with the BPO, a few weeks back I posted the lovely clip of the BPO percussionist producing an almighty cymbal crash in the final movt of Mahler 3.
Somewhat more contained but have you ever seen the remarkably animated Malcolm Martineau living the music when accompanying?

[Norfolk Born]

[QUOTE=Petrushka;138543]Nielsen 4 is the one with two sets of battling timpanists; the 5th has a part for solo side drum.

I always find that watching the commitment of BBCSO timpanist, John Chimes, either live or on TV is a joy in itself.

(Apologies, NB, crossed posts!)[/QUOTE]

No need to apologize - the more 'plugs' Nielsen gets, the better!

[Auferstehen2]

Extremely belated but nonetheless well-meant gradus, let me reciprocate by thanking YOU for that BPO clip. My wife, who is not into classical music, but has spent her entire life in childcare, found it fascinating, not just for the little rascal who couldn't contain himself waiting for that crash, but for his terrified neighbour as well who knew what was coming, but other than finger-plugging his ears, knew there was little he could do in preventing what was coming!

Mario

[Petrushka]

Extremely belated but nonetheless well-meant gradus, let me reciprocate by thanking YOU for that BPO clip. My wife, who is not into classical music, but has spent her entire life in childcare, found it fascinating, not just for the little rascal who couldn't contain himself waiting for that crash, but for his terrified neighbour as well who knew what was coming, but other than finger-plugging his ears, knew there was little he could do in preventing what was coming!

Mario

I watched Mahler 6 on the BPO Digital Concert Hall the other night and something similar happens at the huge hammer blows in the finale. A young woman sitting just behind the percussionist appears to be lifted out of her seat, hair flying, as the blow thuds home. At the second blow you can see the force of it seem to go through her entire body. I have no way of knowing whether she may have been deliberately placed there but it is viscerally stunning.

I'll see if there is a clip on youtube.

[ahinton]

Nielsen 4 is the one with two sets of battling timpanists; the 5th has a part for solo side drum.

I always find that watching the commitment of BBCSO timpanist, John Chimes, either live or on TV is a joy in itself.

(Apologies, NB, crossed posts!)

The opening of the coda to Shostakovich 4 also has a most wonderful extended ostinato between two timpanists which only really comes off well if the overall tempo is reasonably leisurely, each player uses a pair of hard sticks for clarity's sake and the whole underpinned with a sense of "mit schwung"; there's also an extraordinary and substantial cadenza for the one timpanist in David Matthews's Seventh Symphony.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Now, how about say the Berlin Philharmonic’s timpanist giving us such a performance

Like this, you mean?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dHOhpRr_Vc

... the trouble with battling Timps in the age of cheap photocopying is this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arqvnp6yUCg

... much better to make sweet music, as when the two Timpanists divide the opening theme of Jupiter between them.

[Petrushka]

I was present at the 1981 First Night of the Proms when the BBCSO under Rozhdestvensky were performing Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. During one of the wilder moments a drumstick went flying several feet up in the air and came crashing down to earth in rhe middle of the orchestra. Anyone else remember this?

FHG, great clips. Former BPO timpanist, Werner Thaerichen, wrote a piece called Battle of the Timpanists premiered under Karajan in, I think, 1984. Not sure if this is anything to do with it.

[Auferstehen2]

Agreed! fhg, thank you!

Mario

[MrGongGong]

and keeping up with my obsession with Niche Musics
here's something for the Classical Music afficionados !

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=4666

[Auferstehen2]

Been waiting patiently for your contribution MrGG, and as usual, you never fail to surprise. I've been wondering why no one has written anything for the timpani. Good to see I was wrong!

Any recommendations from the list?

Thanks,

Mario

[MrGongGong]

Been waiting patiently for your contribution MrGG, and as usual, you never fail to surprise. I've been wondering why no one has written anything for the timpani. Good to see I was wrong!

Any recommendations from the list?

Thanks,

Mario

Thanks

I've not bought this one (yet) i'm sure its a classic though !

There is also this

http://www.philipglass.com/music/compositions/concerto_fantasy_for_2_timpanists_orchestra.php

but I'm not holding out for it's greatness as everything since Einstein is a bit lame IMV (and a great shame I think, but you can't blame him for not wanting to drive a taxi for ever !)