Roland Szentpali

K-1

The title of this work, K-1, refers to the Japanese martial art of the same name. I am not a fan of these sports, but when Steve Rosse - known for his powerful tuba playing - asked me to write something for 6 trombones and 2 tubas, I spontaneously thought of wild, cruel and rough-sounding music. I imagined two tuba players (the fighters) playing short notes as if they were beating each other, with some notes in between being taken over by the bass trombones (the allegorical coaches), who instruct the fighters in the ring with frenetic shouts. The 4 tenor trombones (the allegorical listeners) have a completely different musical expression: sometimes simply noise, but also shouting depending on the tension of the fight. The piece is well suited for additional theatrical performance: the fighters march in, eye to eye, each round beginning and ending with a gong strike, until finally the 'towel is thrown in'. The music is not 'beautiful' but full of energy and fervor, just like the sport called K-1. Roland Szentpaly, April 2012, Hong Kong Written for and recorded on CD by Steve Rosse, Sergio Carolino and The Wild Bones Gang: TnT