Eight_Pieces_for_Four_Timpani
Eight Pieces for Four Timpani
Composition by Elliott Carter
Eight Pieces for Four Timpani is a collection of short pieces by Elliott Carter for solo timpani – four drums played by one musician. Six of the pieces were composed in 1949. Two new pieces were added in 1966, and the rest were revised in collaboration with percussionist Jan Williams. Carter wrote the pieces as studies in tempo modulation and the use of four-note chords. They are a collection rather than a suite, as Carter suggested no more than four be performed at once. The pieces make heavy use of extended techniques, including playing with the back end of the timpani sticks, varying the beating spot on the drumhead, glissandos, and sympathetic vibration.