Tower-DNA (SP-5)-Cro/P

DNA by Joan Tower for percussion quintet. This piece was written as a way of capitalizing on the notion of DNA, and its role as the building block of all biological life. Deoxyribonucleic acid, as we know it chemically, is an elegant form, made up of double helixes and double strands in an endless spiraling ribbon. Using this feature as a starting point, the piece is built around pairs of instruments which are featured prominently throughout; hi-hats, castanets, timbales and snares appear in duos, and like the base pairs in DNA conspire to make a whole work. The fifth percussionist is primarily a soloist, an outsider to the pairs - playing on temple blocks, tambourine, and congas - until he joins the other players in trio, quartet, and quintet passages.

Instrumentation:

Player 1 - 3 suspended cymbals, hi-hat, medium triangle, maracas, medium piccolo woodblock, bass drum, timbales

Player 2 - medium tambourine, Chinese cymbal, high piccolo woodblock, tenor drum, timbales, snare drum, E natural crotale

Player 3 - small tambourine, small suspended cymbal, sleigh bells, large ratchet, 5 temple blocks, 2 congas, Eb crotale

Player 4 - large tambourine, Chinese cymbal, low piccolo woodblock, 2 castanets (mounted), tenor drum, snare drum

Player 5 - 3 suspended cymbals, hi-hat, small triangle, tam tam, 3 small maracas, 2 castanets (mounted), bass drum, D natural crotale