‘My father didn’t differentiate
between the Beatles and Mozart or whatever." Joe Duddell recalls
the path that led him to a BBC commission and a Prom première.
‘I saw a drummer on "Top of the Pops" – Fat Larry? He had
an amazing glittering drum kit. Mum took me for a lesson. I was hooked.’
And happy ever after. ‘Drummers never get tired of practising. Drummers
and guitarists never complain.’
The tones are proudly Mancunian.
Influences have included The Smiths, Steve Martland, Tippett, Stravinsky,
Steve Reich, Radiohead…’And a lot of Schubert recently.’
Er, yes. If the eclectic approach
doesn’t enlighten perhaps the new work’s title will: ‘Ruby’. Who or
what is Ruby? Duddell looks haunted. The piece was written for percussionist
Colin Currie, the brilliant Scot who was the first percussionist to
make the finals of the BBC Young Musician of the Year. Currie – Ruby
Murray. ‘Just a joke,’ he says sheepishly. ‘When I told Colin he said,
"That’s awful!" One of the rhythmic aspects comes from Indian
music so its doubly stupid. A lot of my titles have weird connections
that the person playing knows about. Private jokes…’
On Friday the newly invigorated
Bournemouth SO under the charismatic American Marin Alsop accompanies
the dynamic Currie. Percussion concertos tend to wheel out everything
including the kitchen sink as the soloist (usually E Glennie) belts
around the platform like une mouche au cul bleu. ‘It’s almost
am-dram, all that scurrying around,’ says Duddell disdainfully. ‘I’m
anxious to avoid that. I’m trying to reflect the more lyrical side of
percussion.’ Even so the score requires ‘three main set-ups. One based
on marimba, with bongos, temple blocks, cowbells…Another more metallic
set-up with vibraphone, cymbals, tambourine. Then a conventional kit,
tom-toms, drums, basically untuned…’ Not forgetting eight tuned gongs.
‘Not that much compared with other concertos,’ says Duddell apologetically.
‘It sounds a lot. And it takes up quite a bit of space.’ The ‘reasonably
large’ orchestra throws trumpet, flute, piano and solo double-bass into
relief.
Turning 31 this month, Duddell’s
fully occupied. Besides teaching at Exeter, his order book’s full. ‘Next
year I tackle a string quartet, with a poet, at Chatsworth, for the
Derbyshire Literature Festival. There’s another piece for Colin and
an LA guitar quartet – getting back to my rock roots.’ For Presteigne
(Wales) there’s a festival work for flute, harp and strings. ‘I’m always
doing two or three things at the same time.’ He sighs. ‘More jokes about
a ruby sizzling on a back burner…’
© Martin Hoyle
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