Instrumentation 

Percussion I

Almglocken (5)*

Bells

Concert Bass Drum*

Flower Pots (2)

Indian Nana Bells

Metal Trash Can

(a la Sesame Street)

Toms - low to med. (4)

Percussion II

Almglocken (5)*

Conga Cajons (4)

Crotales*

Metal Pipes (4)

Vibraphone*

(w/ motor)

Sand Blocks

Percussion III

Crotales*

Marimba

Metal Pipes

Vibraphone* 

(w/ motor)

Xylophone

Percussion IV

Bongos (2), Congas (2) 

Brake Drum (5)

Concert Bass Drum*

Metal Pipe (tuned)

32 oz. Tin Can (dry)  

Triangle

* These instruments are shared with other parts

Program Notes

The title, X, is not intended to signify the Roman numeral for the number 10 or the 24th letter of the alphabet or the civil rights activist, Malcolm.  However, it is reflective of the text of an 19th-century Salvation Army hymn entitled Christ is All, as “X” is also the Greek symbol for Christ (Χριστός). Herbert Howard Booth, the son of William Booth (founder of The Salvation Army church), penned the verses of the hymn, and W. H. Williams wrote the words to the chorus. The Salvation Army is a religious and social movement that began in Victorian England, founded to provide social service for and spread the Christian message to who they viewed as the lowest in society: the homeless, the poor, the alcoholics, the harlots, etc. Sonically, in this work, I wanted to evoke the hustle and bustle of mid-19th century London, propelled, in part, by the industrial revolution, including the darker side of that era: widespread drunkenness, hopelessness, and despair.  Much of the work is rhythmically complex, and timbrelly harsh and metallic. As the composition progresses, the hymn slowly enters in and ultimately takes over. It's serene and peaceful, musically evoking the sacred notion that while we live in a world full of darkness, there is light, hope, and peace, as the hymn suggests.