TOP SPIN (2011)

TOP SPIN (2011)

for percussion trio

instrumentation: 3perc
duration: 10 minutes
première: June 28, 2011, Hochschule für Musik Mainz, Festival MainzMusik, Germany
Ensemble Modern: Rumi Ogawa, David Haller, Slavik Stakhov – percussion

Commissioned by Ensemble Modern

TOP SPIN

score preview

TOP SPIN

(full recording)

Ensemble Modern: Rumi Ogawa, David Haller, Slavik Stakhov – percussion
Recording published on CD – Changeover by WERGO
Studio recording from the ComputerStudio at the University of Music Karlsruhe
Directed by Rainer Lorenz

Additional performances

February 6, 2020, Reaktorhalle München, Germany
Ensemble Oktopus München
February 6, 2019, Schwere Reiter München, Germany
Mathias Lachenmayr, Michael Leopold, Wolfram Winkel
January 21, 2019, Slovenian Philharmonic, Ljubljana, Slovenia
SToP percussion group
November 11, 2014, Stara Elektrarna Ljubljana, Slovenia
SToP percussion group
April 10, 2017, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Germany
Ensemble Modern: Rumi Ogawa, David Haller, Slavik Stakhov – percussion
December 10, 2016, Deutschlandfunk Köln, Germany
Ensemble Modern: Rumi Ogawa, David Haller, Slavik Stakhov – percussion
March 10, 2016, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Germany
Ensemble Modern: Rumi Ogawa, David Haller, Slavik Stakhov – percussion
May 30, 2015, Hamburg, Rolf-Liebermann-Studio, Germany
Ensemble Modern: Rumi Ogawa, David Haller, Slavik Stakhov – percussion
May 27, 2015, Haus der Deutschen Ensemble Akademie, Frankfurt, Germany
Ensemble Modern: Rumi Ogawa, David Haller, Slavik Stakhov – percussion
February 19, 2015, Martin-Gropius-Bau Berlin, Germany
Ensemble Modern: Rumi Ogawa, David Haller, Slavik Stakhov – percussion
October 23, 2014, Accademia Tedesca Roma Villa Massimo, Italy
Ensemble Modern: Rumi Ogawa, David Haller, Slavik Stakhov – percussion
February 7, 2013, Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, Germany
Ensemble Modern: Rumi Ogawa, David Haller, Slavik Stakhov – percussion

VIDEO

TOP SPIN: Full recording
Ensemble Modern: Rumi Ogawa, David Haller, Slavik Stakhov – percussion
Studio recording from the ComputerStudio at the University of Music Karlsruhe
Directed by Rainer Lorenz
TOP SPIN: Full recording
Ensemble Modern: Rumi Ogawa, David Haller, Slavik Stakhov – percussion
Studio recording from the ComputerStudio der Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe
Directed by Rainer Lorenz

ABOUT

TOP SPIN is a continuation of my series of compositions bearing tennis-related titles. As an avid tennis player myself, I attempt in each of these works to portray in music my own personal impressions of the aspect of the game described in each work’s title. In tennis, a topspin describes the forward revolutions imparted upon tennis ball when a player’s shot brushes the ball from below, causing the ball to dip earlier and more dramatically than would otherwise be the case.

TOP SPIN presents the novel setup of three similar sets of percussion instruments arranged on a circular table. Aside from their sizes (one large, one medium, one small), these sets are identical, consisting of the unusually simple combination of three hand drums, three wooden bars and three metal tubes. In addition, a “spring drum” is hung from a stand next to each table-top setup. Three percussionists play these setups, switching at various, defined points from one setup to another, playing the instruments from neighbouring setups and moving at varying speeds around the table. The result is a veritable “match situation” in keeping with the work’s title and the character of the entire tennis cycle.

Vito Žuraj (trans. Alwyn Tomas Westbrooke)

TOP SPIN is a continuation of my series of compositions bearing tennis-related titles. As an avid tennis player myself, I attempt in each of these works to portray in music my own personal impressions of the aspect of the game described in each work’s title. In tennis, TOP SPIN describes the forward revolutions imparted upon tennis ball when a player’s shot brushes the ball from below, causing the ball to dip earlier and more dramatically than would otherwise be the case.

TOP SPIN presents the novel setup of three similar sets of percussion instruments arranged on a circular table. Aside from their sizes (one large, one medium, one small), these sets are identical, consisting of the unusually simple combination of three hand drums, three wooden bars and three metal tubes. In addition, a “spring drum” is hung from a stand next to each table-top setup. Three percussionists play these setups, switching at various, defined points from one setup to another, playing the instruments from neighbouring setups and moving at varying speeds around the table. The result is a veritable “match situation” in keeping with the work’s title and the character of the entire tennis cycle.

Vito Žuraj , trans. Alwyn Tomas Westbrooke

Changeover (2015)

Published by WERGO

Ensemble Modern, hr‑Sinfonieorchester
Slovenian Philharmonic, Matthias Pintscher, Johannes Kalitzke

recorded pieces (SACD+DVD):
HAWK-EYE, RESTRUNG, CHANGEOVER, RUNAROUND, TOP SPIN

Villa Massimo zu Gast in Berlin