Tremor

In the course of a lifetime spent in the Los Angeles basin, the experience of being wakened by the violent rocking, rolling, and pitching of one's house becomes, in a way, almost commonplace. Hardened Southern Californians view earthquakes much in the way Mid-Westerners view the tornado: if you can keep your distance, the view is exhilarating.

Along with the voice, percussion is the most natural and basic of human musical expressions. In writing a percussion piece of any type, the temptation to take a few swipes at life's irritations, even at Nature herself, is almost irresistible. I found the character of the marimba perfect for just such an expression. The idiomatic rolls and tremolos, along with the thunderous quality of the lower register, led me to the primary motives for the work which consist of just such materials. In the work, an introductory passage blends tremolo figures with more steady, rhythmic patterns in playful, and sometimes surprising juxtapositions. Following this introduction, the main body of the work consists of driving rhythms with increasingly persistent and unpredictable accents, and a growing 32nd-note "tremor" figure which gradually overwhelms the other material. A return of the quiet, coloristic effects from the opening allows for a brief respite, but this, too, is overcome by the rhythmic drive and the ensuing "tremors." Finally, the piece gently subsides into quiet. Tremor was commissioned by percussionist Janice Potter and was premiered in November, 1994, at The Juilliard School, New York.

E.M.