MacDonald-Jor-(Tabla) OS

Jor by Payton MacDonald is for solo tabla and may also be realized as a solo multiple percussion pieces. The titles come from the second, part of the first half of a classical North Indian Hindustani instrumental raga performance. These pieces are fully written out, with no improvisation.

During this, the Jor section, a steady pulse is gradually established and the melodic phrases associated with the given raga are gradually revealed. This idea has been translated to solo percussion by focusing on the left hand drum (baya) and exploring the beautiful pitch changes that are possible by sliding the hand across the drum and pressing into the head. The rhythms are precisely written out, but the feeling is one of rubato and freedom.