Sisyphe – Sylvain Kassap

Description

Sisyphe – Sylvain Kassap

Piece for one timpani in 5 independent movements.

Score available in hard copy or for download.

“The timpani, the heart of the orchestra, the end of the Sacre, Carter’s studies…. The bass and resonance… This instrument has always fascinated me, and I’ve even worked on making it an extension of my clarinet!
I chose to take up André Boucourechliev’s cherished concept of the open work and confront a percussionist with a single timpani, the largest.
The musician can choose his or her path from a series of cards to be arranged as he or she sees fit. But each card is an ascent to be repeated, ending in an inexorable descent. Will he be able to ward off fate?
Sisyphe attempts to explore all that the instrument has to offer in terms of materials, nuances, sounds and resonances…
Each of the five cards can be considered as a study, since they all deal with a subject, a playing mode: the different possible strokes, from playing with the hands to the drumsticks; the addition of metals,
of the voice; the most tenuous vibrations, the most violent outbursts… Each card also requires constant work on the pulsation.” – Sylvain Kassap.

Sisyphe was first performed by David Joignaux on June 9, 2024 in Charleville-Mézières as part of a concert by the duo Percepts.