Fast Radio Bursts

The title of “Fast Radio Bursts – A Polyrudimetrical Etude” references an astrophysics concept referring to a strong, sudden burst of electromagnetic radiation. This is reflected in the music through the playback’s spacious timbres and the fast, technical, quasi-improvisatory snare drum part. Lasting just over four minutes, the piece travels through nine brief sections identified by varying polyrhythmic material, beating implements, and musical styles.

The rhythmic material makes up a bulk of the work’s difficulty, with constant changes in meter and “tuplets,” all lining up with the backing track. Additional challenge lies in the notation: There are myriad beating implements, sounds, and techniques required of the performer, and thus the sheet music utilizes many different noteheads and directional notation symbols. The part is completely idiomatic, flows well, and feels good to play, but it will take the performer some time to become comfortable with the notation and various implement techniques.

Overall, “Fast Radio Bursts” is an exciting and unique new work for snare drum, further expanding the ever-growing repertoire for percussion and electronics. Maximilian Schwarz achieves a nice variety of sounds and styles on a single snare drum, creating a work as challenging as it is fun to play.

—Dr. Marco Schirripa, Assistant Professor of Percussion at Central Michigan University