Percussion Concerto: Beano
Instrumentation: 2 (I & II = picc & kazoo). 2 (I & II = kazoo). 3 (II & III =bcl). sop.sax. 2 (II = cbsn). - 4.3. (= slide whistles) 3. 0. - 3 prc. - solo prc. - strings.
Percussion: 1.) Xylophone, Almglocken (A3, D4, E4), Glockenspiel, Squeaky Dog Toys, Flexatone,Vibraslap, Plates (to smash), Nightingale Whistle, Dustbin Lids (played like crash cymbals),Temple Blocks, Cabasa, Brake Drum, Large Mouth Siren, High Maracas, Hi-hat
2.) Mouth Siren (large & small), Flexatone, 4 Motor Car Horns, Bass Drum, Castanets,Maracas, Tambourine, Slide Whistle (lowest note D), Dustbin Lids (played like crashcymbals), Train Whistle, Hi-hat, Bell Tree
3.) Drum Kit: (Snare Drum, Hi-hat, Small Opera Gong, Small Splash Cymbal, 2 Cow Bells,Bongos, Kick Drum), Police Whistle, Whip, Duck Call, Nightingale Whistle, Dustbin Lids(played like crash cymbals), Ratchet
Solo percussion:
Set up 1.) Marimba, Xylophone, 6 Temple Blocks (lowest pitch either large wood block orlog drum), 3 Cow Bells, Splash Cymbal, 2 Opera Gongs (small and medium), Bongos, 3Congas, 1 Small Cow Bell
Set up 2.) Trash Drum Kit: 4 Tin Cans (low to high), 3 Metal Pots (low to high), Large MetalDustbin, 2 Slapclap/Stacked Cymbals, 2 Dustbin Lids, 4 Plastic Buckets, Kick Bucket(played with pedal)
PROGRAMME NOTE
When I was young I inherited a large pile of my dad’s old Beano annuals which, torch in hand, I would consume with relishunder my bed sheets at night. There was something about the anarchic and wild nature of the comics that appealed to meas child and, if I’m being honest, continues to appeal to me as an adult. The onomatopoeic words that were delicious tosay out loud (Boing! Splat! Paarp! Sluurp!); the diverse range of colourful characters (the Bash Street Kids, Billy the Whizz,Bananaman, and Dennis and his dog Gnasher); the seemingly endless adventures and stories that saw our heroesovercome challenges, get into trouble (and sometimes deal with the consequences) all fed my imagination.
It’s not often I’m asked to write a piece of music that is, at its core, fun; but luckily I take writing ‘fun’ music very seriously!Beano Concerto is a colourful, whacky, fast-paced, tour-de-force for solo percussion and orchestra. The concerto featuresan array of unusual instruments for the soloist (opera gongs, tin cans, plastic buckets), but within the orchestra itself, ifyou listen carefully, you will also hear slide whistles, kazoos, dustbin lids, car horns, and even some squeaky dog toys!
The piece is in five movements without a break. Those movements are subtitled as followed:
1.) Crash! Bang! Wallop!
2.) Bananaman Takes Gnasher for a Walk...3.) Dennis Crashes In!
4.) Gnasher’s Big Solo! (Cadenza)
5.) Billy Whizz’s Mad Dash Down Bash Street!
