Three double basses
Touch Wood(hit string)
Performance
9 April 2021 · Conrad Prebys Concert Hall · University of California, San Diego
About
About the work
Touch Wood (hit string) explores the fusion of three double basses performed exclusively with mallets. Two instruments surround a centrally positioned bass, creating an ensemble in which pitched resonance and wooden percussion become inseparable.
The performers investigate a wide spectrum of sounds produced by striking strings, wood, and the body of the instrument. Rather than functioning primarily as a bass instrument, the central double bass performs broad gestural material that emphasizes physical movement and resonance over precise pitch.
The work treats the three instruments as a single expanding resonant object, blurring distinctions between percussion and string performance through shared gesture and timbre.
Three double basses become a single resonant instrument through striking, gesture, and shared timbre.
Score
Study score
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Performances
Performance history
UC San Diego Bass Ensemble
Conrad Prebys Concert Hall · University of California, San Diego · La Jolla, California, USA
Premiere