It’s a world premiere chamber music piece making its Santa Barbara debut this week. But, what was supposed to be a wind quintet work by British composer David Bruce ended up using, of all things, a gong. And it's not just any kind of gong: it's a rare instrument known as a Thai button gong.
"We asked the composer to write a piece of music for us. It's a wind quintet. He managed to write a wind quintet for six people. We were...what? So, it's the standard instrumentation of flute, oboe, clarinet, and French horn. But he's added a Thai button gong," said Adrian Spence, Artistic Director for Camerata Pacifica.
"The sounds all the instruments make together, with the foundation of the gong underneath...it's one of the most beautiful songs. I haven't heard anything like it before," said Spence.
Bruce said the work called “Natural Light” is inspired by light from a stained glass window. But how did what was supposed to be a wind quintet end up as something with a Thai button gong?
"He was pretty cross with me at first, but with a bit of persuasion he came around to the idea," joked Bruce.
Thai button gongs are hammered by hand out of bronze. Picture something the size of a round metal trash can lid, suspended from a clothing rack on wheels. There’s a button area in the middle of the gong.
He talks about how the gong works in the piece. "It's sound created by a very gentle tap throughout the work," said Bruce.
The British composer was the former Composer in Residence at the Royal Opera House in London. Bruce knows how to compose music, but admits the gong is a bit of an adventure. He's actually playing it during the performances of his world premiere work, something he admits makes him a bit nervous.
Spence talks about what they hope people get from the piece. "When you come across a well-written piece of music, whether or not you are knowledgeable about classical music, it's going to resonate with you in certain ways," said Spence. He said there are parts of it that are actually comical.
Camerata Pacifica is presenting the work as part of a concert at the Colburn School in downtown Los Angeles Thursday night. Then, the world premiere work will be presented at the Music Academy of the West in Montecito Friday night.
