Louis Andriessen
Workers Union (1975)
Two or more players
Any number of percussion players
Instrumentation: Any loud sounding instruments
Approx. 20’
Workers Union was originally written for the orchestra De Volharding (Perseverance), in which I myself figured as a pianist at that time.
This piece is a combination of individual freedom and severe discipline: its rhythm is exactly fixed; the pitch, on the other hand, is indicated only approximately, on a single-lined stave.
It is difficult to play in an ensemble and to remain in step, sort of thing like organising and carrying on political action.
-Louis Andriessen (1990)
Annotated by Tyler Flynt