| The
Noble Snare: compositions for unaccompanied snare drum
Whenever
I listened to a snare drum roll, I was struck by the complexity
of the sound itself. Far from a non-pitched instrument, the
snare drum sounded like an ocean of sound - virtually every
pitch represented - with subtle waves and currents. The snare
drum has always seemed to me to be full of possibilities as
a solo instrument.
In
1987 my initial idea was to publish one volume of snare drum
solos - to "elevate" the snare drum to the level
of a solo concert instrument. I asked many leading composers
if they would be interested in writing for snare drum, hoping
there would be enough positive responses to make a book.
The
response was so enthusiastic and so immediate! It was as if
the idea were there in the air waiting for someone to initiate
it and coordinate it. And so there are 4 volumes of snare
drum solos, each piece distinct and expressive.
These
4 volumes should be thought of as an anthology of snare drum
music. They are ungraded as to difficulty and not grouped
in any kind of style. Each piece is presented in a different
penmanship to enhance the sense of different statements -
distinct musical worlds with the snare drum.
-
Sylvia Smith, executive editor
The Noble Snare
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