The Sword of Damocles for Marimba and String Quartet is a dramatic, powerful, and gripping work.
Play the piece by clicking the triangle button below! (Please keep page open while playing)
What others are saying:
“As always, Dave, a really cool piece with an excellent virtual realization. Mallet parts may be pretty straight forward to reproduce but the string quartet really shows off your skill with virtual instruments. The piece is also a very cool pairing and one that I think recitalists would enjoy. In fact, it’s kind of surprising to me that wind or perc solo/str4 isn’t a mainstay of chamber music. It seems to usually be str4 + piano. I think Mozart has a str4 + horn. I’m sure there are many others but there is certainly room for a piece as cool as this.” T. Champe
“That is a unique combination – I’ve never heard that before – and a really good composition. Also the performance is excellent. This is one of the things modern composers can do that would be unthinkable in Beethoven’s day – creating a piece for such unusual but well-complimented instruments. This is one approach that allows composers today – who live in a time already saturated with music – to do something truly new. Interesting also how it is not merely timbral difference – this shows how the unusual texture can create new ideas that aren’t quite like anything previous.” W. Kersten
“The instruments do fit marvellously together, contrasting at some passages, but evenso completing each on other spots. The sonic neutrality of the marimba opens so many possibilities. The only limitation is its overall volume, but in modern music this is hardly an issue anymore. In any case, in your work it is perfect as it is and you’ve captured its own specific sound to mix it into the ensemble as if it were always created for that purpose: so natural and loosely integrated without losing its apart playing style. That again is a master trick of yours. The playing technique is a challenge for the performer, but not impossible and it serves the composition very well (nothing searched, far fetched or exaggerated). Dave, another brilliant feather on your musical hat!” J. Wylin