Frank Wienk: ‘It sounds fairly simple. But the effect is enormous. Everything about this piece is brilliant.’

Percussionist Frank Wienk has been a longtime member of HIIIT, with whom he’ll perform the modern classic Timber on Saturday. Michael Gordon composed Timber for HIIIT when the ensemble was still known as Slagwerk Den Haag.

Frank, what kind of piece is Timber? 

“It’s a work for six percussionists who play for an hour on six wooden beams. So, you don’t need much and it sounds fairly simple. But the effect is enormous. Everything about this piece is brilliant.”

Is it fun to play? 

“Yes, absolutely! I’ve played it many times now, and that helps, because the first few times are really nerve-wracking. On paper it looks pretty easy, but in some sections, you have very little to hold onto, it really has to sink in. With new music, there’s often limited rehearsal time, and you tend to focus on your own part. That doesn’t work with Timber. Rehearsing short sections isn’t effective either, you have to practice the entire arc of the piece and immerse yourself in it. Michael Gordon wrote it for the production Pinball & Grace, which we created in 2009 with Club Guy & Roni and toured extensively. Back then, we were really in the groove, and then it becomes transcendent. It can be confusing to play, but when it clicks, it’s amazing, you’re both performer and listener at the same time.”

What happens in the performance? 

“We stand in a circle, each with our own beam. At the beginning, we all play crescendos of rapid sixteenth notes, but one after the other, so the sound ripples through the space. In the middle section, different tempos overlap, and it’s hard to hear the pulse. There’s a lot of information, and you focus on your partner across from you. In the final section, there’s all kinds of polyrhythms: one hand keeps a steady rhythm while the other plays counter-rhythms like 6 against 5, 3 against 2, or 4 against 3. The transitions are tricky too. But once you’ve played it enough, the music starts to float. Timber is truly a meditative experience, for both performer and listener.”