Murmurations

Taking influence from the flying patterns of starling birds, Adam Bruce’s newest percussion trio plays right into the ebbing and flowing nature of these flocking displays. “Murmurations” features three snare drummers, each with a bass drum, along with the option to add two written piano parts. These parts can also be added as an electronic backing track, allowing for multiple options for performance. In addition, Bruce includes an optional video track demonstrating various avian formations to be played during an improvised interlude.

Sharing inspiration from Christopher Deane’s iconic “Vespertine Formations,” Bruce utilizes several similar techniques to help produce shifting sonorities across the drums. Rather than using marimbas, Bruce arranged the work for three sizes of drums: piccolo, snare, and field. Each player also uses a bass drum, but this could be done with one or three bass drums. By delaying entrances and incorporating quicker rhythms and subdivisions, “Murmurations” effectively creates imagery reminiscent of starlings flowing through the sky.

All three percussion parts are uniformly challenging. In the opening, each player rhythmically shifts between triplet diddles, sixteenth notes, and quintuplets. This pattern serves as a main theme to be recalled later. The middle section features an improvised brush passage to emulate the bird patterns that can be visually included in the performance. The final major section incorporates sextuplet patterns that split between the three players a? la bass drum threes.

The piano parts are a little sparser, with occasional patterns that help drive the music forward. Light, lyrical lines float above the rhythmic texture along with punching bass lines that come together to help bring melodic life and character to the piece.

With a performance time of around 61⁄2 minutes, “Murmurations” would be a good addition for an advanced high school or university ensemble, providing a respite away from the traditional flash and flair of percussion works, while also delivering an enjoyable performance with nuance and contours.

—Matthew Geiger
Percussive Notes
Vol. 61, No. 2, April 2023