Cowell-Ostinato Pianissimo (SP)-X/P/PN

Ostinato Pianissimo by Henry Cowell may be played by eight percussionists; woodblocks, tambourine and guiro may be taken by one player. Only one professional player is needed; this is for xylophone. The "ostinato" of the title refers to the invariant, cyclical rhythms of different lengths assigned to each player. The beginning of the repeat in each section is marked by a cross over the note in each part.

This piece requires string piano, which is a term Cowell coined to collectively describe pianistic extended techniques in which sound is produced by direct manipulation of the strings instead of (or in addition to) striking the piano's keys.

Instrumentation:
String Piano (1st player)
String Piano (2nd player)
8 Rice Bowls (Jala Tarang)
Xylophone
2 Woodblocks
Tambourine (no rattles), Guiro
2 Bongos
3 Drums
3 Gongs (low, medium, high)