Peter Schickele

Percussion Sonata No. 3 Maverick

Peter Schickele and Garry Kvistad have enjoyed a long friendship; which led to Schickele's 1997 Percussion Sonata No. 2 for the Nexus Percussion Ensemble. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Woodstock; NY's 'Maverick' concert series; Garry and his wife Diane; and the Woodstock Chimes Fund; commissioned another work from Schickele. The composer writes: 'The third Percussion Sonata has the standard three movements; the first movement is a lively Toccata; the second a quiet; ambling Romanza; and the finale; titled Vaudeville; contains a bunch of theater music; some of it reminiscent of the xylophone pieces played in vaudeville acts (the quartet's Bob Becker showcases those pieces in a masterly way); some of it reminiscent of old-time rock'n'roll; and some of it reminiscent (to me) of the music that Nino Rota wrote for Fellini's films.'