Emmanuel Sejourne (b.1961)
Venin (1992)
6 minutes
2 players
Instrumentation: 2 snare drums
Program Note: French composer and percussionist Emmanuel Séjourné is head of the percussion department at the Conservatoire de Strasbourg. He has composed solo, chamber and orchestral works; musical theater, dance and film music; and music for television networks in France and Germany. Séjourné’s works are largely percussion-oriented. His major works include Concerto for Marimba and String Orchestra, Concerto for Vibraphone, Martian Tribes for percussion quartet, Losa for marimba and vibraphone duo, and Sosso-Bala for eight percussionists. Some of Séjourné’s pieces are very clever, “groovy,” and “catchy.” Venin calls for two snare drummers with body movements required of both players. The piece starts with dramatic facial expressions that give an impression of “turning on and off” from the eyes and mouth. Robotic gestures include lifting legs, turning the head left and right, and spinning the body to create a kind of dancing behind the drums in this theatrical piece. –Nian Shee Yon