Treespeak
For percussion orchestra
$60.00
Difficulty: Medium Advanced
Duration: 12:00
The four movements of Treespeak: Spring(ing), Summer, Fall(ing), and Winter, are a cycle: a cycle of the seasons, or the “seasons” of a tree’s life span, which even parallels the life span of a human. The voice of the tree is spoken through the vibraphone, which brings this performer to the musical forefront throughout the work’s duration. The marimbas and xylophone are the bark, branches, and trunk; the timpani, chimes, and glockenspiel color the soul behind the vibraphone’s voice as the tree’s roots; and the percussion represent leaves: ever changing, falling, and blooming until the tree speaks no more.
Treespeak was commissioned by Wilbrand van Norel to be used as a required piece in the 2019 Open Nederlandse Slagwerk Kampioenschappen (ONSK) in The Netherlands.
(photo credit: greig davidson)