Composer and electronic musician Matt McBane's Topography, written for cellist Ashley Bathgate and percussion sextet Mantra Percussion, is the “terrestrial companion” to 2022’s aquatic Bathymetry. The 45-minute piece evokes open spaces and natural landscapes through individual movements ranging from textural, ambient slow-movements, to pattern-based, contrapuntal fast-movements. Despite the subject matter being that of the earth, there is a flow to the interlocking rhythms, sometimes overlapping like waves. Topography calls for cello, synthesizer, piano, vibraphone, drum set and two percussionists, and builds on the intersection of acoustic and electronic sounds that McBane introduced on Bathymetry, with the percussion “orchestra” consisting of both standard and found percussion instruments as well as analog synthesizers (played live), piano and drum set, all played by the six percussionists. Cellist Ashley Bathgate and the members of Mantra Percussion (along with guest pianist David Friend) play Matt McBane's Topography, recorded live at National Sawdust on Dec. 6, 2023. More about the piece: nationalsawdust.org (by Vanessa Ague). "Topography 6 - Scales": ARTIST: Matt McBane & Sandbox PercussionWORK: Matt McBane: Bathymetry - Groundswell [1:05]RECORDING: BathymetrySOURCE: Cantaloupe MusicINFO: https://mattmcbane.bandcamp.com/album/bathymetry ARTIST: Ashley Bathgate, Mantra PercussionWORK: Matt McBane: Topography 1 - Pulses [5:39]RECORDING: Live at National Sawdust, Dec. 2023SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. INFO: mattmcbane.com | nationalsawdust.org ARTIST: Ashley Bathgate, Mantra PercussionWORK: Matt McBane: Topography 2 - Possible Patterns [10:36]RECORDING: Live at National Sawdust, Dec. 2023SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. INFO: mattmcbane.com | nationalsawdust.org ARTIST: Ashley Bathgate, Mantra PercussionWORK: Matt McBane: Topography 3 - Drones [8:11]RECORDING: Live at National Sawdust, Dec. 2023SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. INFO: mattmcbane.com | nationalsawdust.org ARTIST: Ashley Bathgate, Mantra PercussionWORK: Matt McBane: Topography 4 - Additive [5:28]RECORDING: Live at National Sawdust, Dec. 2023SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. INFO: mattmcbane.com | nationalsawdust.org ARTIST: Ashley Bathgate, Mantra PercussionWORK: Matt McBane: Topography 5 - Chorale [6:59]RECORDING: Live at National Sawdust, Dec. 2023SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. INFO: mattmcbane.com | nationalsawdust.org ARTIST: Ashley Bathgate, Mantra PercussionWORK: Matt McBane: Topography 6 - Scales [10:18]RECORDING: Live at National Sawdust, Dec. 2023SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. INFO: mattmcbane.com | nationalsawdust.org
Composer and electronic musician Matt McBane's Topography, written for cellist Ashley Bathgate and percussion sextet Mantra Percussion, is the “terrestrial companion” to 2022’s aquatic Bathymetry. The 45-minute piece evokes open spaces and natural landscapes through individual movements ranging from textural, ambient slow-movements, to pattern-based, contrapuntal fast-movements. Despite the subject matter being that of the earth, there is a flow to the interlocking rhythms, sometimes overlapping like waves. Topography calls for cello, synthesizer, piano, vibraphone, drum set and two percussionists, and builds on the intersection of acoustic and electronic sounds that McBane introduced on Bathymetry, with the percussion “orchestra” consisting of both standard and found percussion instruments as well as analog synthesizers (played live), piano and drum set, all played by the six percussionists.
Cellist Ashley Bathgate and the members of Mantra Percussion (along with guest pianist David Friend) play Matt McBane's Topography, recorded live at National Sawdust on Dec. 6, 2023.
More about the piece: nationalsawdust.org (by Vanessa Ague).
"Topography 6 - Scales":
ARTIST: Matt McBane & Sandbox PercussionWORK: Matt McBane: Bathymetry - Groundswell [1:05]RECORDING: BathymetrySOURCE: Cantaloupe MusicINFO: https://mattmcbane.bandcamp.com/album/bathymetry
ARTIST: Ashley Bathgate, Mantra PercussionWORK: Matt McBane: Topography 1 - Pulses [5:39]RECORDING: Live at National Sawdust, Dec. 2023SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. INFO: mattmcbane.com | nationalsawdust.org
ARTIST: Ashley Bathgate, Mantra PercussionWORK: Matt McBane: Topography 2 - Possible Patterns [10:36]RECORDING: Live at National Sawdust, Dec. 2023SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. INFO: mattmcbane.com | nationalsawdust.org
ARTIST: Ashley Bathgate, Mantra PercussionWORK: Matt McBane: Topography 3 - Drones [8:11]RECORDING: Live at National Sawdust, Dec. 2023SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. INFO: mattmcbane.com | nationalsawdust.org
ARTIST: Ashley Bathgate, Mantra PercussionWORK: Matt McBane: Topography 4 - Additive [5:28]RECORDING: Live at National Sawdust, Dec. 2023SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. INFO: mattmcbane.com | nationalsawdust.org
ARTIST: Ashley Bathgate, Mantra PercussionWORK: Matt McBane: Topography 5 - Chorale [6:59]RECORDING: Live at National Sawdust, Dec. 2023SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. INFO: mattmcbane.com | nationalsawdust.org
ARTIST: Ashley Bathgate, Mantra PercussionWORK: Matt McBane: Topography 6 - Scales [10:18]RECORDING: Live at National Sawdust, Dec. 2023SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. INFO: mattmcbane.com | nationalsawdust.org