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Palta was composed in 1981 and premiered the following year in Toronto by the Nexus ensemble. Originally conceived as a concerto for the North Indian tabla with keyboard percussion accompaniment , the piece was later revised to include additional electronic instruments and steel pans, thus making it suitable as a solo vehicle for drum set as well.
Number of Players: 9
Difficulty: Grade 6
Instrumentation:
Player I: Solo Drums (such as tabla, multiple congas or drumset)
Player II: Crotales (2 octaves)
Player III: Glockenspiel
Player IV: Songbells (sub Vibraphone)
Player V: Vibraphone
Player VI: Steel Pan(s) (pair or double tenors, double seconds or a single tenor from C)
Player VII: Marimba
Player VIII: Keyboard (piano)
Player IX: Bass
Bob Becker's performing experience spans nearly all of the musical disciplines where percussion is found. He has been percussionist for the Marlboro Music Festival and timpanist with the Marlboro Festival Orchestra under Pablo Casals. For several years he toured as drummer and percussionist with the Paul Winter Consort. He has also performed and recorded with such diverse groups as the Ensemble Intercontemporaine under Pierre Boulez, the Ensemble Modern of Germany, the Schoenberg Ensemble of Amsterdam and the Boston Chamber Players. He has appeared as tabla soloist in India and has accompanied many of the major artists of Hindustani music. He is also a founding member of the Flaming Dono West African Dance and Drum Ensemble in Toronto. As a regular member of the ensemble Steve Reich and Musicians, he has appeared as soloist with the Israel Philharmonic, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic and the London Symphony and recorded for Deutsche Grammophone, EMI and Nonesuch.
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