Rich Chwastiak - New England Conservatory Masters Percussion Performance - RUS' - Scott Stinson

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Percussionist Rich Chwastiak performing RUS', a work for solo percussion, tape and video. RUS' is a composition by Dr. Scott Stinson, Professor of Theory and Composition at the University of Miami.

Video and Editing by Michael Weiss
Audio by Corey Schreppel and Mike Kemp

Program notes:
Rus' -the Slavic work for Viking- referring to the descendants of a Scandinavian warlord class, which invaded and then began ruling large areas of modern day Russian and Ukrainian territories beginning as early as the 8th century.
Musically it was my intention from the beginning to write a composition that reflected the contrast of the "Pagan- Viking" world with the transforming experience of Orthodox Christianity beginning around the year 1000. The all-important sound of the Russian "bell" became the primary musical source material for the work. Multiple derivates of bell sounds combined with Orthodox chant and a choral setting of "It is meet" by Dmitry Bortnansky (1751-1825) are used to define this Christian element in the work. This world was shattered at the beginning of the 20th century with the overthrow of the existing social order, the banning of all religious practice (thus in a sense a return to Paganism) and the brutal assassination of the entire Royal family by the communist regime in July of 1917. Orthodox Christianity would reemerge in Russia once again after the fall of the Communists during the 1990's.
The Viking world is represented by the bass drum and smaller wooden frame drum (characteristic of Northern European cultures) as well as the brake drum and vocal and animal sounds meant to signify "the Viking horde".
Visually, I chose the iconic image of "St Gregory slaying the dragon" as the primary visual motive for the work. The various icons of "St Gregory" appear during the "bell" based musical opening of the work, and reappear (as a visual recapitulation) to always signify a return of the opening material in some form. The "birth" of Christianity is signified not just by the Christ icon but also by the principle surviving icons of Andrei Rublev (1370-1427).
The work was written for percussionist Richard Chwastiak, a descendant of the Rus', and premiered by him on December 5, 2008.
Scott Stinson

Category:

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[badazzpresidents23]

Is this an original?

[rchwastiak]

@badazzpresidents23 This is the second performance of "Rus", which was written for my by composer Scott Stinson of the University of Miami. Hope you enjoyed the performance!

[badazzpresidents23]

@rchwastiak I did. Very much so.  Were all of the sounds electronically produced?

[rchwastiak]

@badazzpresidents23 YES! also sounds were done electronically by the composer

[badazzpresidents23]

@rchwastiak What instruments/equipment is he using?

[rchwastiak]

@badazzpresidents23 I believe he was working in MIDI using Logic. Not exactly sure about the sounds he chose. I do know many of them are recorded church bells heavily processed with filters etc.

[badazzpresidents23]

@rchwastiak Also, if you don't mind me asking, are there any good sites for info on music schools and how to get into them?

[rchwastiak]

@bobpodrum Thanks so much!

[rchwastiak]

@pauken2 Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it!

[bobpodrum]

Bravo, wonderful playing and creative video.