Review by www.percussionmusiconline.com
6&8 is a Solo for Drum Set written by composer Tobias Brostrom.
Tobias
Brostrom was born in 1978 in Helsingborg, Sweden. Following four years
of percussion studies at the Malmo Academy of Music, he embarked on the
pursuit of a Masters degree in composition, studying with the Swedish
composer Rolf Martinsson and the Italian composer Professor Luca
Francesconi.
A
percussionist himself, Tobias has composed many works for percussion.
He has also composed electro-acoustic music, music for film and dance,
chamber music and orchestral works including Transit Underground,
Crimson Skies, Crimson Seas, Octal Arch and Arena Percussion Concerto
No. 1, which was composed for Johan Bridger. Numerous soloists,
ensembles and orchestras, including Hakan Hardenberger, Gavle Symphony
Orchestra, Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra of
Norrlandsoperan, Malmo Symphony Orchestra, Aurora Chamber Orchestra,
Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra, Musica Vitae, Third Coast
Percussion Quartet, Malleus Incus, Gageego, Esclats Percussion Quartet
and BIT20 have performed his works. Tobias' solo and chamber music has
been performed throughout Europe, the USA and Asia. He was awarded
scholarships from the Royal Academy of Music, Stockholm from 2004-2006
and from the Swedish Performing Rights Society in 2006. In 2004 he was
awarded the Rosenborg-Gehrman composition scholarship. His music is
published by Edition Svitzer and Keyboard Percussion Publications.
The piece is composed for hi-hat, kick bass drum and snare drum and is published by Edition Svitzer:
"6&8 borrows most of its material from West African drum
traditions, in particular from Gambia. In 2001 I spent three weeks in
the small village Tumani Tenda, and at the organized village-camp I had
the opportunity to meet representatives from four distinct West
African/Gambian musical cultures: Mandinka (cora, ballafon), Wollof
(drums/singing), Susu (djembeh, dundun-bah, singing and dance), and Fula
(flute, callabash, riti, and acrobatics).
Susu and Wollof, which both share a strong tradition in drumming,
were my primary inspirations. Susu is originally from Guinea Conacry and
is closely related to Mandinka. All of these once disparate cultures
are now found all over West Africa due to the circulatory effects of
war, tourism, trade and nomadism. Susu was refined under the
administration of president Sechko Touray in Guinea Conacry when music
schools for all children were established.
The rhythms in 6&8 are traditional beats and breaks (particularly
in the style of Susu), here developed and modernized. Call and reply,
for instance, is characteristic of Wollof - originally a way of
communication, they are the messengers and storytellers. In 6&8 the
bass drum imitates the DunDun-Bah (the Susu bass drum) and the hi-hat
acts as a simplified clave usually played on a bell that is connected to
the DunDun-Bah."
For more information on this piece and thousands of others, please visit www.percussionmusiconline.com
