Schnabel by Robert Sanderl

Written out of a passion for rudimental snare drumming, Schnabel is Robert Sanderl’s homage to the Swiss Basel style of drumming. After a trip to Switzerland in 2015 to attend Fasnacht, a festival where Basel style drumming plays an important role, Sanderl wanted to blend his passion for rudimental drumming with his love of contemporary percussion ensemble music. The result is this fascinating piece with undulating melodies and tightly constructed rhythmic motives. 

The piece consists of a percussion trio supporting a solo snare drummer. The soloist has several opportunities to shine throughout the piece, especially during an extended cadenza where traditional rudiments and more modern rudiments are juxtaposed, displaying a wide variety of snare drum vocabulary.