mete it out

Programme Note

The word meat comes from the Old English word mete (and related words in Scandinavian languages, even Old Frisian), which referred to food in general. mete it out here is meant in the biblical sense of measure out, which is of course apt for a rhythmic percussion piece.

This quiet, rather serene short work is in nine sections based on the proportion 4:5, as is the rhythmic structure also. It uses nine metal percussion instruments, opposing strikes with scrapes, using three different types of mallets in each hand.

meet it out was written for Michael Pattmann and the E-MEX Ensemble.