related works
Red, white and blues : Dutch new blues pieces, for piano, volume 1
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Piano
Scoring:
pf
Rotary Vertigo II : Version for large ensemble / Nubim Soyoung Kim
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Large ensemble (12 or more players)
Scoring:
picc fl cl sax-a sax-b h tpt 2trb tb perc g-e g-eb synth
Kentavros : for wind ensemble, piano and double bass, 1991 / Calliope Tsoupaki
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Large ensemble (12 or more players)
Scoring:
fl sax-a sax-t sax-b1330 pf cb
First floor : for wind instruments, 2 double basses, piano and percussion, 1989 / Maarten Altena
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Large ensemble (12 or more players)
Scoring:
2222 2220 perc pf 2cb
composition
Dancing to an orange drummer : for ensemble, 1993 / Vanessa Lann
Other authors:
Lann, Vanessa
(Composer)
Description:
The title Dancing to an Orange Drummer comes from the expression "moving to the beat of a different drummer." The piece was inspired by the challenge of moving to a new country (in this case, the Netherlands), and for the composer this meant feeling, and enjoying, the very different beat and energy of new people, places and customs. Lann uses two contrasting elements that gradually merge: simple melodies in the brass begin the work, against a repeated rhythmic pattern in the other instruments. The two groups do clash with each other, but eventually the brass instruments take over aspects of the rhythmic pattern, while the others imitate the brass melody. This climaxes in a new unity in orchestral sound by the end of the piece. The original big band version of this work was written in 1993 for the Dutch ensemble De Ereprijs; the version for symphony orchestra was completed on request of the Boston Pops Orchestra on the occasion of their performance in May 2015 in Symphony Hall (Boston, USA).