Music

For percussion

This work was commissioned by Justin DeHart with funding from Creative New Zealand and premiered by him on 30 June 2024 at Canterbury University.

About the work

The title, the edge of dread and dance, comes from Claire Beynon’s poem, There is a place.

There is a place between uphill
and down, on the edge of dread
and dance.

Instrumentation

The piece was written using specific instruments belonging to Justin DeHart.

Triangle, bell tree, mark tree, Almglocken (F4, F#4, G4), 3 cymbals (ll-h), wind gong, small tamtam, large tamtam, Thai gongs (D3, E3–B3, C4–B4, C5–D#5, G5), crotales (D#4–G4, A4–B4)

Vibraphone

8 wooden planks (l-h, no specific tuning), 2 log drums (higher and lower), a pair of bongos, a pair of congas, 18 inch rototom (or bass drum)

More traditional instruments could replace the less usual instruments – for example, wood and temple blocks could replace the wooden planks.

Performance notes

Tempo markings are approximate, not mandatory and rubato is possible within sections. The sections where the time signatures are cancelled are to be played at the performer’s discretion as far as tempo is concerned.