Bonham (Rouse)

Bonham is a percussion ensemble piece for eight musicians by the American composer Christopher Rouse. It was composed in 1988 and first performed in Boston, Massachusetts, the following year by the New England Conservatory of Music Percussion Ensemble conducted by Frank Epstein, to whom the work is dedicated.

The work, an "ode to rock drumming and drummers", is a tribute to John Bonham, the drummer from Led Zeppelin, whom Rouse admired for his almost "orchestral approach" to the drums and his ability to produce a powerful "sonic onslaught". Rouse also perceived precision and subtlety in Bonham's performances.

Bonham opens with the drum ostinato from "When the Levee Breaks". This is one of a number of references to Led Zeppelin songs in the work: "Custard Pie" is also quoted and the piece ends with a reference to "Royal Orleans". The percussionist on the drum set is instructed to use "the fattest possible sticks" to reproduce Bonham's distinctive sound throughout the entire work. In addition to Led Zeppelin songs, "Get Yourself Together" by The Butterfield Blues Band and the traditional "hambone" rhythm of Bo Diddley are cited.

Bonham

Bonham may refer to:

See also

Bonham (surname)

Bonham is a surname of English and Welsh origin derived from the French phrase, bon homme, literally meaning "good man".

Notable people having this surname include:

Bonham, Texas

Bonham is a city in Fannin County, Texas, United States. The population was 10,127 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Fannin County.James Bonham (the city's namesake) sought the aid of James Fannin (the county's namesake) at the Battle of the Alamo. It is also apart of the Texoma region.

Geography

Bonham is centrally located in Fannin County in Northeastern Texas, about 12 miles (20 km) south of Oklahoma and has a total area of 9.4 square miles (24 km²), with negligible water cover. The distance to Dallas in the southwest is about 68 miles (110 km).

History

Bonham, one of the oldest cities in Texas, dates back to 1837 when Bailey Inglish built a two-story block house named Fort Inglish. It was located about 2 miles (3 km) from the current downtown. Inglish and other acquaintances settled there in the summer of 1837 and the settlement was named Bois D'Arc. In 1843, the Congress of the Republic of Texas assigned the name Bloomington to the city, but finally renamed it Bonham, in honor of James Butler Bonham, a hero and defender of the Alamo. On February 2, 1848, Bonham was incorporated as a city.