I Riti – Ritual March for Percussion Quartet by Giacinto Scelsi

The secretive, mystical Giacinto Scelsi saw music as a spiritual revelation. His early works are influenced by music from all eras – medieval, neo-baroque, twelve-tone – and by Eastern philosophies. His later works are distinguished by their concentration on single notes and sounds; in doing this he revolutionised the role of sound in Western music and his oeuvre can be considered a forerunner of modern electroacoustic music. This piece for Percussion Quartet is a ‘Ritual March for the Funeral of Achilles’; it is quite short, brooding and out-of-kilter. Scelsi uses a combination of group textures and short motifs that draw attention to themselves to create a tense atmosphere. This folio contains four copies of the Score for ease of rehearsal and performance.