(b.1960)
George Benjamin is one of the outstanding composers of his generation. Born in 1960, Benjamin started to play the piano at the age of seven, and began composing almost immediately. In 1976 he entered the Paris Conservatoire to study with Olivier Messiaen (composition) and Yvonne Loriod (piano), after which he studied under Alexander Goehr at King's College Cambridge. His first orchestral work, Ringed by the Flat Horizon, was played at the BBC Proms when he was just 20; from the first it achieved a remarkable international performance record, as did two subsequent works, A Mind of Winter (1981) and At First Light (1982). Antara (1987) was a commission from IRCAM to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Pompidou Centre in 1987 and the Three Inventions for Chamber Orchestra was written for the 75th Salzburg Festival in 1995.
George Benjamin Composition Timpani and Percussion Requirements
Antara
No timpani + 2 percussion
1) 6 anvils low to high, spring coil, 4 x sizzle cymbals, 3 x roto toms, tubular bells A4 & F5 2) 6 anvils low to high, spring coil, orchestral bass drum, 3 x roto toms, tubular bells A3 & B3, 2 pairs maracas
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At First Light
No timpani + 1 percussion + 1 celeste
4 suspended cymbals, 2 triangle, 2 octaves crotales, gong, vibraphone, guiro, maracas, whip, temple bell, ping pong ball, wine glass, large newspaper, tam tam, snare drum, celeste
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Dance Figures
Timpani + 4 percussion + 1 celeste
15 temple bells (L-VS), 2 guiros, tam tam, 2 ratchet, orchestral bass drum, 2 snare drums, glockenspiel, clash cymbals small, 2 anvils, fishing reel, A3 & C4 tuned cowbell, vibraphone, whip, vibraslap, tambourine, 2 log drums, alarm bell, celeste
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Dream of the Song
No Timpani + 2 percussion
Glockenspiel, 2 vibraphones, 2 gongs, 2 suspended cymbals
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Duet
Timpani + 3 percussion + celeste
1) xylophone, tubular bells, (shared with player 3), 2) marimba, large claves, 3) orchestral bass drum, 3 temple blocks, tubular bells, clash cymbals (small) - celeste
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Fanfare for Aquarius
No Timpani + 1 percussion
Tambourine, 2 octaves crotales, bongos, whip, clash cymbals
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Into the Little Hill
No Timpani + 1 percussion
Cimbalom (doubling percussion) clash cymbals (large), very large guiro, whip crotales E4 and B4 (written)
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A Mind of Winter
No Timpani + 1 percussion
Triangle x 2, suspended cymbal x 3, snare drum
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Octet
No Timpani + 1 percussion + celeste
Xylorimba, glockenspiel, 2 octave crotales, suspended cymbal x 2, triangle, temple blocks - celeste
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Olicantus
No timpani + 2 percussion + 1 celeste
Vibraphone, tubular bells, celeste
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Palimpsest 1
No Timpani + 3 percussion + celeste
2 xylophones, 5 snare drum, 2 whip, orchestral bass drum, celeste
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Récit de tierce en taille
No Timpani + 3 percussion + celeste
Glockenspiel x 2, orchestral bass drum - celeste
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Ringed by the Flat Horizon
No timpani + 5 percussion + 1 celeste
4 timpani, snare drum, sizzle cymbal, orchestral bass drum, temple blocks, 5 bongos, glass chimes, whip, 5 suspended cymbals, glockenspiel, tam tam, triangle, vibraphone, xylophone, tubular bells, clash cymbals, celeste
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Sometime Voices
Timpani + 4 percussion + celeste
Xylophone x 3, timpani, tam tam, orchestral bass drum x 2, 3 glockenspiels - celeste
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Sudden Time
Timpani + 5 percussion
4 sets sleigh bells, 9 temple bells, 2 whips, 2 vibraphones, bass bow, 2 suspended cymbals, 5 tambourine, 10 mini tabla, 2 glockenspiel, 4 guiros, 5 bongos, 16 crotales, 3 tom toms, 2 orchestral bass drums, 2 roto toms
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Three Inventions for Chamber Orchestra
No timpani + 2 percussion + 1 celeste
2 vibraphones, glockenspiel, 5 suspended cymbals, 2 octaves crotales, 3 bongos, washing board, 2 piccolo snare drums, 2 orchestral bass drums, 4 low gongs C,C#,D,D#, 2 tam tam, celeste
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Written on Skin
No Timpani + 4 percussion
Glockenspiel, 2 octaves crotales, lead steel pan, 2 tubular bells, 5 tuned cow bells, vibraphone, gong, 2 small timpani, 6 mini tablas, 3 bongos, 2 snare drums, 2 tenor drums, tumba, orchestral bass drum, small claves, 3 mokubios, 4 temple bells, sleigh bells, maracas, pebbles, guiro, whip, sandpaper blocks, typewriter, small triangle, untuned cowbell, clash cymbals, (2 pairs), 5 suspended cymbals, tam tam, glass harmonica
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