Clockwork Lemon
for solo snare drum + hi–hat
(2007)
duration: 6’
GRT • 130
score available from
Rhythmscape
program note
This piece is an
exploration of rhythmic ratios. Some of these, like 2:3,
are standard syncopations but others, such as 5:8, are
quite unusual and even sound somewhat ‘wrong’. This is the
‘lemon’ factor. The irony is that in order to capture this
essence of ‘wrong’ they have to be played with clockwork
precision, hence the title 'Clockwork Lemon’. Of course, it
is also a playful reference to the film,
A Clockwork
Orange, directed
by the late Stanley Kubrick.
This piece for solo snare drum and hi–hat
was commissioned by Lyn, Tim and Kris Edward as a test
piece for the MSO snare drum award coordinated by Robert
Cossom.