Constellations I

Item details

Description +
- Duration: approx. 5 min.
  
  Preface
  When composing “Constellations I”, I first started to search for interesting new sounds to create on any marimba’s corpus, regardless of its design of construction. While experimenting with different mallets, I also came across a new concept of mallet arrangement. By using a high contrast in hardness in only one pair and mirroring it to the other hand, I could now play both the percussive sounds (which require a very transparent attack) and the marimba plates with both hands, or simultaneously in one hand.
  
  The piece consists of multiple parts, exploring possibilities of incorporating a “set-up approach” to the instrument. Each part emerges out of a different composing technique, including free atonality, bitonality, serial music or classical harmony, forged together by a pressing atmosphere as well as “rhythmical cadenzas”, guiding to new polyrhythms or rhythm shifts. In the end, the piece resolves in a reharmonized reprise of the intro, using lighter sound effects generated by hands and body to create an echo-like character.
  
  After playing the finished composition to my girlfriend, she visualised the piece as an image of a “technical drawing”, which eventually inspired me to come up with the name “Constellations”. The roman letter I foreshadows the possibility of a potential “answer” to this work.
Instrumentation +
- Marimba
Watch+
- Constellations I by Maximilian Wolfgang Schwarz
About the composer +
- Maximilian Wolfgang Schwarz (*1997 in Vienna) is one of the most versatile percussionists of his generation. The multi-award-winning multi-percussionist and drummer has been performing on major international stages for many years, either as a soloist or as a guest with renowned ensembles such as Elbtonal Percussion or the CBPercussion Group at spectacular festivals and projects. In addition to selected works of contemporary classical music, his constantly growing solo repertoire primarily includes his own compositions. Max Schwarz cultivates a hybrid compositional style consisting of classical compositional approaches from different eras and cultures, his own serial concepts and electronic production. His avant-garde pieces are published by Edition Svitzer (Copenhagen); he also regularly produces for television, film and theatre.
  
  As part of the jury of the ‘Stellar Composition Competition’ (2nd prize for Constellations I), percussion luminary Dame Evelyn Glennie praised the piece with the following words: ‘It's the best piece I have ever come across that explores sound effects on the marimba in a really musical way. It is the essence of the piece rather than an ‘addition’. Maximilian is absolutely superb and the video work is really well done.’
  
  As a drummer, he fuses driving grooves, elements from world music and complex polyrhythms with live electronics. With this characteristic style, he is part of the world music/electronica trio maTrigal. Max Schwarz is currently studying classical percussion with Prof. Alexej Gerassimez at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich in the postgraduate programme ‘Excellence in Performance’. In 2023/2024 he toured Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Spain.
Reviews +
- "It’s the best piece I have ever come across that explores sound effects on the marimba in a really musical way. It is the essence of the piece rather than an ‘addition’. Maximilian is absolutely superb and the video work is really well done."
  
  - Dame Evelyn Glennie
  
  ____________
  
  Review (Percussive Notes, February 2022)
  
  This unaccompanied four-mallet marimba solo also employs the marimba frame as part of its sound and timbral resource. This solo is quite avant-garde in its presentation, and a set of detailed performance notes provides a good interpretive outline of this 12-section structure.
  
  Additionally, there is a “no-clef” staff for the special sound effects of the marimba frame. (This reviewer recalls an era in the 1980s when such percussionists as Michael Udow utilized a specially equipped, or modified, vibraphone known as a timbrack to achieve similar contrasting timbres.) Marimbists will need to acquaint themselves with special notations of striking everything from the resonators to the marimba frame in order to render a smooth, satisfying performance. Structurally, the piece moves from a pointillistic (or sparse) effect to a very demanding arpeggiated effect about two-thirds through the composition, ending with sparse sounds, similar to the opening section.
  
  Receiving 2nd prize in the 2021 Stellar Composer Competition, this solo would be appropriate for a graduate-level solo recital.
  
  —Jim Lambert
Credits +
- Front Cover graphics and layout: Renate Lutter
  Photo: Reiner Nicklas
  Engraving: CPH Engraving
  Printed in Copenhagen, Denmark
  Copyright © Edition SVITZER
  www.editionsvitzer.com

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