Rrose Plays James Tenney Having Never Written A Note For Percussion

Rrose’s debt to experimental music has never been more obvious than on September 20, 2012, when he performed James Tenney’s “Having Never Written A Note For Percussion” live in Washington, DC. The simple yet colossal piece is one of that American composer’s most famous works, requiring the performer to play one percussive instrument constantly, taking it from the quietest point to the loudest and back again. Done well, it’s a fascinating exploration of tone, volume and decay, and a showcase for drone music’s unusually transportive powers. “Never Having Written A Note For Percussion” has always been a personal favourite of Rrose’s. He was struck with the inspiration to try it out after touring a disused trolley tunnel beneath downtown DC, where the possibilities of “seemingly endless and unpredictable reverberations” seemed like the perfect environment for Tenney’s composition. He made a 32-inch gong played with two mallets the central device of his performance, creating a towering leviathan of sound capable of the softest highs and the deepest lows.