Bonham
Subtitle: For Eight Percussionists
General Info
Year: 1988 / 1989
Duration: c. 6:40
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - £40.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
Timpani (5 drums)
Percussion I-VII (7 players), including:
- Bass Drums (2)
- Bongos (4)
- Castanets
- China Cymbal
- Claves
- Conga
- Cowbell
- Drumset
- Hi-hat
- Kick Drum
- Suspended Cymbals (2: medium and large)
- Snare Drum
- Tom-toms (2)
- Guiro
- Log Drums (2)
- Mahler Hammer
- Maracas
- Ratchet
- Snare Drums (2)
- Suspended Cymbals (2)
- Tam-tams (2: 1 very large)
- Tambourine
- Tenor Drum
- Timbales (2)
- Tom-toms (8: 1 set of 4 high to medium, 1 set of 4 medium to large)
- Vibraslap
- Wood Blocks (2: 1 piccolo)
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Scored for a percussion ensemble of eight players, Bonham is an ode to rock drumming and drummers, most particularly Led Zeppelin's legendary drummer, the late John ("Bonzo") Bonham. The core ostinato of the score, played by the drum set, is reminiscent of Led Zeppelin's When the Levee Breaks, although there are references to other Led Zeppelin songs as well, such as Custard Pie and Royal Orleans. In addition, two other sources are cited: The Butterfield Blues Band (Get Yourself Together) and Bo Diddley, whose adoption of the traditional "hambone" rhythm added so much to the distinctive style of his material.
Completed in Fairport, New York on November 13, 1988, Bonham was commissioned by the New England Conservatory of Music through funds provided by the Massachusetts Arts Council. It was first performed in April of 1989 at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston by the Conservatory Percussion Ensemble conducted by its Music Director, Frank Epstein, to whom the work is dedicated.
- Program Note from publisher
Media
- Audio: Reference recording. Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (David Zinman, conductor)
- Audio CD: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (David Zinman, conductor) – 1995
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- New England Conservatory Percussion Ensemble (Frank Epstein, conductor) – April 1989 *Premiere performance*
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Berceuse Infinie (2017)
- Bonham (1988/1989)
- Karolju (arr. Mattei) (1990/2023)
- Ogoun Badagris (1976)
- Supplica (2013)
- Wolf Rounds (2006)