Miller, J.-Chouchamayo (SP)-P

Chouchamayo by Jonathan Miller for percussion trio. Chouchamayo was an Aztec general who led thousands of Aztec warriors into battles that continued for years but eventually ended in victory for the Aztecs. Chouchamayo was killed in the final battle of the Tepanec war when he stopped to look at an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its mouth - the sam esign shown to Huitzilopochtli in 1111 AD as the location for the home of the Aztec people. This piece explores rhythmic characteristics in rapidly changing mixed meters. The middle section features marimbas in a quasi-aleatoric dialogue. The final section is a tour-de-force restatement and coda with some of the most original scoring for glockenspiel found in any work.

Instrumentation:
Percussion 1 - 4 woodblocks, 2 cowbells, snare drum, marimba, suspended cymbal, 3 brake drums, glockenspiel
Percussion 2 - 4 toms, marimba, 4 brake drums, bass drum, suspended cymbal, woodblock, snare drum
Percussion 3 - bass drum, tenor drum, 4 muted Chinese gongs