Block (1996)
multi-percussion solo
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Nick Fox, percussion
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PROGRAM NOTE
Block, for solo percussion, is scored for three small drums and three pieces of metal. Twelve motivic cells are each iterated four times (transformed according to the classic twelve-tone forms) across the span of the work’s eight minutes. Other notable features include triplet-based fractional (“broken”) meters, simultaneities of as many as four notes, and “backward” grace-notes that occur after the primary notes. Block was commissioned by percussionist Tony Oliver, who premiered the work in New York City in 1997.