(b.1961)
After studying in Australia, Brett Dean travelled to Germany in 1985 and became a member of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as a viola player. In addition to his orchestral career Dean gave performances as a soloist including numerous first performances. Brett Dean began his compositional career in 1988 initially as an arranger. His work included improvisation for radio and film projects in Australia and he became established as a composer in his own right through worldwide performances of the ballet One of a Kind (Nederlands Dans Theater, choreographer Jiri Kylian) and by his clarinet concerto Ariel’s Music, which won an award from the UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers. Many of his composotions have been inspired by the paintings of his partner Heather Betts. Since 2000 Brett Dean has lived in Australia as freelance composer with leading interpreters of his music including Sir Simon Rattle, Markus Stenz, Simone Young, Frank Peter Zimmermann and Daniel Harding.
Brett dean Composition Timpani and Percussion Requirements
Amphitheatre
Timpani + 3 percussion
1) 3 roto toms, 2 octaves crotales, tenor drum, snare drum, tubular bells, marimba, xylophone, clash cymbals, 2) 7 tuned gongs, 2 tam tams, (medium, large, Chinese cymbal, 4 suspended cymbals, snare drum, 3) 4 tom toms, large orchestral bass drum, 2 suspended cymbals, Chinese cymbal, snare drum, vibraphone, steel drums
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Amphitheatre (Version for reduced orchestra)
Timpani + 3 percussion
1) 3 roto toms, 2 octaves crotales, tenor drum, snare drum, tubular bells, marimba, xylophone, clash cymbals, 2) 7 tuned gongs, 2 tam tam, (medium, large), Chinese cymbal, 4 suspended cymbals, snare drum, 3) 4 tom toms, large orchestral bass drum, 2 suspended cymbals, Chinese cymbal, snare drum, vibraphone, steel drums
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Ariel's Music
Timpani + 3 percussion + celeste
1) 4 suspended cymbals, 4 tom toms, 4 wood blocks, tabor, 2 triangles, (small and large), ratchet, 2) 4 tom toms, tubular bells, orchestral bass drum, snare drum, tam tam, glockenspiel, whip, suspended cymbal, 3) 4 suspended cymbal, 2 octaves crotales, tambourine, 5 tom toms, celeste
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Beggars and Angels
Timpani + 4 percussion + celeste
1) vibraphone, xylophone, glockenspiel, roto-toms, sizzle cymbal, 2 Chinese cymbals, rainpipe, ratchet, 2 bongos, snare drum, 2) drum kit, tubular bells, clash cymbals, 3 Chinese cymbals, large orchestral bass drum, tambourine, 4 tuned metal plates, 3) 3 tam tams, 5 tom toms, 2 Chinese cymbals, 5 suspended cymbals, whip, 2 triangles, snare drum, tenor drum, tambourine, 3 wood blocks, roto-toms, cabassa, 4) marimba, 3 triangles, 2 octaves crotales. snare drum, large orchestral bass drum, tubular bells, 2 metal lids, 3 wood blocks, ratchet, 2 Chinese cymbals, 5 tuned metal plates, celeste
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Between Moments
No Timpani + 3 percussion
1) vibraphone, small tam tam, small suspended cymbal, glockenspiel, 2) clash cymbal, large tam tam, tam tam, large suspended cymbal, glockenspiel, 3) orchestral bass drum, medium suspended cymbal, field drum, glockenspiel
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Bliss (Opera)
Timpani (doubling percussion) + 3 percussion + celeste
Timpani) small triangle, large suspended cymbal, 1) vibraphone, tam tam, 2 octaves crotales, tambourine, 7 cowbells, 3 tuned gongs, sizzle cymbal, Chinese cymbal, lion's roar, seed rattle, 2) drum kit (snare drum, kit bass drum, hi-hat, 4 tom toms, 3 bongos, suspended cymbal, sizzle cymbal, 4 wood blocks, glockenspiel, 1 tuned gong, whip, tam tam small, whirly tube, 3) marimba, orchestral bass drum,2 triangles, (large and small), ratchet, rainmaker, 2 tuned gongs, tubular bells, glockenspiel, vibraslap, bell tree, police whistle, duck call, celeste
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Ceremonial
No Timpani + 4 percussion + celeste
) timpani, orchestral bass drum, rattle, aluminium foil, 2) vibraphone, 2 octaves crotales, gongspiel, tuned gongs (F2,G2), seed rattle, 3) marimba, 5 octave marimba, tam tam, 2 Chinese cymbals, 3 suspended cymbal, 4) marimba, large Chinese tom tom, 2 tom toms (medium, high), 2 bongos (high), 2 triangles (small), 3 Chinese opera gongs, celeste (2nd violins also play small bells, sleigh bells, key tree, small containers of stones, toy bells
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Dispersal
Timpani (doubling percussion) + 3 percussion + harmonium
Timpani) whip, tambourine, 1) xylophone, vibraphone, glockenspiel, 2 triangles, large orchestral bass drum, 2) marimba, 2 octaves crotales, brake drum, tambourine, piece of corrugated iron, 3) snare drum, 4 suspended cymbals, sizzle cymbal, 2 tenor drums, bongos, pedal bass drum, tam tam, tubular bells, harmonium
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Moments of Bliss
Timpani + 4 percussion + celeste
1) vibraphone, snare drum, sizzle cymbal, triangle, 3 gongs, 7 cowbells, 2) large tam tam, 5 tom toms, 3 bongos, 4 suspended cymbals, sizzle cymbal, whip, marimba (shared with player 4), glass chimes, tambourine, tuned gong, whirly tube, 3) small tam tam, xylophone, glockenspiel, snare drum, lion's roar, 4 tubular bells, tuned gong, 4) orchestral bass drum, marimba, drum kit, glockenspiel, 2 triangles, 1 octaves crotales, tuned gong, celeste
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Parteitag - Music for Orchestra
Timpani + 5 percussion
1) vibraphone, glockenspiel, 2 octaves crotales, tam tam medium, very small suspended cymbal, 2) 4 tom toms, snare drum, pedal bass drum, 4 suspended cymbals, (crash, ride, medium Chinese, sizzle), Chinese opera gong, 3) glockenspiel, 5 tuned gongs, snare drum, pedal bass drum, 3 suspended cymbals, (crash, ride, large Chinese) Chinese opera gong, tam tam large, rain maker, 4) suspended cymbal small, steel drums (2 pans), 2 octaves crotales, 5) glockenspiel, 4 tom toms, orchestral bass drum, snare drum, pedal bass drum, 3 suspended cymbals (crash, ride, small Chinese) Chinese opera gong, small tam tam + 4 whirly tubes & 6 wine glasses to be played by the oboists and members of the string section
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Pastoral Symphony
No Timpani + 2 percussion
1) 4 tom toms, 4 suspended cymbals, snare drum, pedal bass drum, bongos, 2 roto toms, 2 octaves crotales, marimba, triangle, tam tam, 2) vibraphone, xylophone, glockenspiel, 2 octaves crotales, small Chinese cymbal, orchestral bass drum, aluminium foil, thundersheet + flexatone x 3 played by brass and woodwind players
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Shadow Music
Timpani (doubling percussion) + 1 percussion
Timpani) tambourine, Chinese cymbal, temple bells, orchestral bass drum, 1) vibraphone, tom tom, triangle, wood block, snae drum, talking drum, orchestral bass drum, suspended cymbal, Chinese cymbal, tam tam, maracas, whip, glockenspiel, 2 octaves crotales + to be played by other members of the orchestra, water gongs, suspended cymbal, bowed crotale
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Vexations and Devotions
Timpani (doubling percussion) + 3 percussion + celeste
Timpani) Chinese cymbal, 1) vibraphone, glockenspiel, 5 tubular bells, snare drum, hi hat, pedal bass drum, 2 tom toms, Chinese cymbal, tam tam, wood block, 2) 2 octaves crotales, gongspiel (1 octave:C3-C4), orchestral bass drum, bongos, tambourine, rainmaker, suspended cymbal small, flexatone, 3) marimba, glockenspiel, tom tom, suspended cymbal, mark tree, whip, flexatone + members of the choirs also play 6 tuned bells, 4 water gongs and 5 aluminium foils
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Viola Concerto
Timpani + 3 percussion + celeste
1) vibraphone, 5 tom toms, snare drum, vibraslap, 2 triangles, sandpaper blocks, 2) xylophone, small tam tam, 3 Chinese cymbals, 5 suspended cymbals, orchestral bass drum, tambourine, 5 tuned gongs, 3 crotales, 3) marimba 2 octaves crotales, wood block, temple bell, Chinese cymbal, large tam tam, cowbell, whip, celeste
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Water Music
No Timpani + 4 percussion
1) tam tam, vibraphone, timpani, 2 suspended cymbals (small and large), glockenspiel, snare drum, orchestral bass drum, tuned gong 2) tam tam, sizzle cymbal, small suspended cymbal, 3) 2 octaves crotales, small bells, medium suspended cymbal, mark tree, medium thundersheet, 4) 2 octaves crotales, small bells, large suspended cymbal, large thundersheet, (all percussion play water bowls in different sizes and water gongs)
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