Basta

Basta! was written for a percussionist friend that I knew while I attended the University of Minnesota -- he asked a number of us composers to write works for an honors recital, and this is my contribution to that program. The word literally means "enough!" in Italian, and is usually spoken when children are getting too rambunctious, or when one becomes overwhelmed. Both of those meanings apply to this piece. (The first time I heard this word spoken was when I played bass for a production of Puccini's "Tosca:" the jailer Roberti is driving screws into poor Mario's head and when Tosca gives in to Scarpia's evil wishes, Scarpia booms out "Basta, Roberti!" and the torture stops, at least for Mario -- Tosca still has her lot to bear).