Balissat Jean

Attempting to evoke the four elements in music allows the composer to experiment with contrasting atmospheres, specially in the use of the percussion. The earth, concrete, powerful, hymn-like, makes use of the physical, almost primitive effect of bass drum, timpani, tom-toms and bongos. In the following movement the composer portrays water, streaming down from the hills and meandering in the meadows, pliant and fluid. The mallets (vibraphone, marimba and xylophone) come to the fore here, as they do also in the next movement, the air, where they become trasparent and ethereal, blending with the sound of the muted cornets. Fire, alternately mysterious, spell - binding, terrifying and destructive, forms the last movement of the suite and makes use of the varied effects provided by drums, mallets, cymbals, tam-tam and woodblocks as well as the whole range of brass instruments.

Lista utworów:
Gli Elementi (Balissat Jean)