Most composers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries have fully integrated the percussion section into their orchestral thinking and are using a great variety of percussion instruments with ever increasing frequency. Samuel Solomon’s book How to Write for PERCUSSION therefore comes as a welcome gift to composers who are deeply involved with this often mysterious section of the orchestra. Much of the mystery and a great deal of intimate knowledge of percussion instruments as well as techniques of performance, types of beaters used, special setups of the section, and many other pertinent topics are discussed and clarified. This is not an orchestration text in the traditional sense, but rather a guide book for all those composers and arrangers involved in the process of writing for percussion. It is my feeling that conductors would also greatly profit by using this brief work, for it is written by a professional percussionist who has performed many of the works discussed in the book and studied carefully all the other excerpts. Here is a volume which is truly practical, for Sam Solomon is a very fine performer and writes from a practitioners point of view, giving advice which is invaluable to all of us. Many of the urgent and sometime puzzling questions of notation, color, availability of instruments, as well as problems often faced by percussionists such as fatigue factors in performance or the choreography situations of the section are frankly exposed and discussed in detail. A list of works and frequent citations in the text itself clarify and support the major topics. This is a “musician’s book” and a true contribution to the literature of orchestration.

Samuel Adler
Professor Emeritus, Eastman School of Music
Composition Faculty, Juilliard School
Author, The Study of Orchestration

Nothing about Sam Solomon is ordinary. I remember vividly my first encounter with a precocious, extremely talented 18 year-old, brimming with self confidence and exuding a musical maturity way beyond his years. The next four years were revelatory, as he soaked up information like a sponge and showed an ability to learn and understand music at a rate I’ve seldom seen before or since. Since then I’ve followed his blossoming career with pride and admiration. When he told me he was contemplating writing this book, my reaction was twofold: first, that it was presumptuous for anyone in their mid-twenties to attempt an authoritative text like this, and second, that if anyone could do it, it would be Sam.

And.... the book does not disappoint. Composers who take the time to study this book will find a wealth of information and insight. A broad range of topics are covered, from basic timbral considerations like stick and instrument choices through subtle problem areas of logistics and notation. Perhaps most informative are the comprehensively annotated score excerpts and the extensive listening and study list. If I could stress one point above all others to composers, it would be the vital importance of studying expert percussion writing of past masters such as those listed here. No amount of sound modules, samplers, or midi “scratch-pads” can substitute for this kind of knowledge.

For those of you who might find this amount of detail a little bit daunting, remember, this is what we do. Percussion is all about minutiae - choosing just the right cymbal for the climax of a piece, finding a snare drum that will blend effortlessly with the brass, choosing a mallet that will articulate well but still sound full, finding the spot on the crotale that bows the easiest, etc.. For percussionists, God truly is in the details, and this book will certainly get you a lot closer to that ideal. Enjoy!

Daniel Druckman
Associate Principal Percussion, New York Philharmonic
Chairman, Percussion Department, Juilliard School