The Music of Martin Butler

Going with the Grain (1991, solo marimba, fl(+picc).cl(+bcl)-vln.vla.vlc) was conceived as a miniature marimba concerto and, while there are extended periods when the marimba acts as soloist, there are also significant points where the perspective is rapidly reversed as elements from the background leap to the fore. [eg. movt I, bar 32:see below]

The first movement is constructed of a series of what Butler calls ‘rhythmic modules’ – there is no overall metre and players are given small figures which are repeated a specific number of times, or indefinitely until the next module. What could be muddle is in fact a highly effective piece of scoring, thanks to precise dynamic markings. The result is a clear instrumental texture that is slightly blurred around the edges. Next

Martin Butler: Going with the Grain, movt I, bar 32 © Oxford University Press
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