Concerto For Marimba
Narkis Eatman
With the commercial success of a 1990 CD and video by Scottish percussionist Evelyn Glennie and the London Symphony Orchestra, the Concerto rapidly came to be regarded as part of the standard literature for percussion. It is considered to be the most popular marimba concerto of all times, and has been performed by more than 4.000 orchestras worldwide.
This concerto was scored for the specific forces of the U.S. Air Force Band. The Air Force Band features three cellos. The cello sound is important to this score but the parts have been cued into other instruments for the convenience of bands that do not have cellos available to them.
Duration: 20-22 min.
Legends and tales have always been integral to a culture's traditions, customs, and history. As a child, my grandparents enchanted me with their magnificent folk tales, which inspire my music today.
Through the Concerto for Marimba, I want to express my love and appreciation for my family, pay tribute to my teachers and colleagues, and show respect for my past. With three movements that embody the contrasts of war and peace, suffering and hope, and the joy of spring, I want to inspire others with the power of music to transcend boundaries and connect us all.
As a composer and performer, I strive to create music that entertains, uplifts, and inspires. By incorporating traditional melodies into my pieces, I hope to share the beauty and richness of East European culture with a broader audience.
May this concerto testify to the enduring power of music to heal, unite, and bring hope to people worldwide.
Duo Concertante (1994). This is a difficult work of some 19 minutes, consisting of a theme and five variations. It explores different musical and textural relationships between the two marimbists and the wind ensemble. The premiere performance was at Ithaca College in April of 1996, with the composer and Ted Rounds, marimba, conducted by Rodney Winther. This piece should provide a welcome addition to the concerto repertoire, allowing two advanced marimbists to be featured, and requires an excellent wind ensemble. Recording: With Dane Richeson on "Air Mosaic", and the Lawrence University Wind Ensemble, Robert Levy, Conductor. Mark Custom Recording Service, Inc. 5341-MCD (www.markcustom.com). Published by Keyboard Percussion Publications (www.mostlymarimba.com).
Rivers of Wood. 1999. This work was commissioned by the Rivers Music School (Boston, MA) for the 22nd Annual Seminar on Contemporary Music for the Young. It is dedicated to Sarah Tenney and her 13 year old marimba student Eugene Lee. The most important challenge for me was to write music for the marimba that could be well played by a young student, as this is not something I have not done a great deal of. This task did not change the basic way in which I compose, however. I worked out a few bits of material while playing the piano. I then began to explore that material in many different ways, until I decided on the basic nature of the music to be written. Everything was then organically derived from those first few bits of material. The title of the piece is a combination of rivers from the Rivers Music School and wood, the material of the marimba bars. Perhaps the rivers portion of the title may also refer to the organic and flowing nature of the music, and the way that the same material keeps flowing throughout the entire work. This work was premiered in April of 2000, with Eugene Lee (13 years old) as soloist. This work is about 8 minutes in length. It was originaly for marimba solo and chamber orchestra. It is only for sale in the marimba and piano version - I of course have the orchestral score and parts if anyone is interested. Recorded: "Astral Projections", Resonator Records (www.mostlymarimba.com) 00042. Publshed by Keyboard Percussion Publications (www.mostlymarimba.com).
Three Movements for Marimba and Wind Ensemble (1974). Written for my Performer's Certificate at the Eastman School of Music, and premiered with Gordon as soloist, and Donald Hunsberger conducting. My very first attempt at writing for wind ensemble. I chose to write my own concerto, as opposed to performing one already written (Creston, Kurka, etc.), and thought that chasing wind ensemble would make it easier to perform in the future, orchestras being less likely to perform a contemporary concerto with marimba. I remember when it was performed at Lawrence University in Wisconsin (the only other performance every!), Robert Levy conductin. It was on a very contemporary program with music by Gunther Schuller and a couple of others, and the Wisconsin audience didn't like my music at all, writing letters of discontent to the local news paper! Haha! That was my badge of honor. At any rate, this work has never been published. Write me if you are interested - I probably still have the score and parts somewhere! The recording is from the Lawrence University performance.
Drumming and singing are without a doubt some of the oldest musical traditions in the world. As far back as I can remember I have always had an affinity for both of these practices, both of which are musical rituals that are a part of each and every one of my days. For a long time I had wanted to compose a work that combines these two art forms in just the right way. It was after several years of drafts that the work finally came to fruition in the fall of 2010. Concerto for Marimba and Choir with Percussion (scored for marimba soloist, 3 percussion, and choir) showcases the vibrant sound and versatility of the marimba while combining the two ancient art forms of drumming and singing, all viewed through a contemporary lens. The work functions just as other concerti, but with the exception of utilizing choir in place of an orchestra. The piece is in a standard three-movement concerto format with the addition of a brief introduction, which presents the main material heard throughout the work. Much of the musical vocabulary used throughout the concerto stems from the opening three-note motive heard in the altos (Eb, D, F#).
She-e Wu has appeared as a solo artist at the 25th, 27th and 30th PercussiveArts Society International Convention; Journes de la Percussion, NancyPhonyFestival, perKumania festival, and PercuPassion Festival in France; BachSymposium/Bach Variation Festival in Lincoln Center; Taiwan Connection concertat Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center; International Percussion Festival andInterAmerican Music and Arts Festival Orchestra in Puerto Rico; FestivalInternacional de Percusion "Ritmo Vital 2001" and National PercussionConvention in Spain; Fukui Marimba Seminar in Japan; Giornate della Percussionein Italy; Percussion Festival in Greece; Taipei International PercussionConvention, and many other festivals. She has performed with Chicago SymphonyOrchestra in Carnegie Hall and Symphony Center, Chicago Chamber Musicians, andPhiladelphia Orchestra Chamber Music Series in Pearlman Hall at KimmelCenter. Ms. Wu has performed as guest recitalist and clinician atuniversities, colleges, conservatories in France, Belgium, Italy, Sweden,Denmark, England, Scotland, Germany, Spain, Greece, Japan, Korea as well asAmerican music institutions and numerous PAS Days of Percussion throughout theUnited States.
Ms. Wu has commissioned and premiered numerous works by Eric Ewazen, RonaldCaltabiano, Robin Engleman, Gerald Chenoweth and many others. Ms. Wu'srecent commissions are pieces written by Lee Hyla, Paul Lansky, and DafnisPrieto. The world premiere of the percussion concerto with wind ensemblewritten by Paul Lansky is scheduled in January, 2015 with NorthwesternSymphonic Wind Ensemble. Ms. Wu has served as a judge for Paris InternationalMarimba Competition, Greece International Competition, Italy InternationalCompetition, Atlanta Snare Drum Competition, PASIC Marimba Competition, P.A.S.Composition Competition (Large Percussion Ensemble) and International PercussionEnsemble Competition (College).
Ms. Wu's recordings include Marimba Concerto by Eric Ewazen with theInternational Sejong Soloists, solo marimba CD Snapshot, Suite for Marimba andFlute by Alec Wilder with Flautist Bart Feller, and A set of Songs and Dancesby Doug Hill with Gail Williams on horn. Her recording of the No.1, No.2 andNo.3 of the Six Suites for Solo Cello by J.S. Bach with Baroque embellishmentsby George B. Stauffer, is scheduled for release in fall of 2014. A Chambermusic recording with American Brass Quintet of all music by David Sampson willbe released in fall of 2014 as well.
Ms. Wu is a clinician and a recitalist for the Majestic, Mapex, InnovativePercussion, Evans and Zildjian companies. Ms. Wu's signature mallets withInnovative Percussion are available worldwide. Ms. Wu plays on a concertmarimba of her design by Majestic. Ms. Wu is Associate Professor of Musicand the director of percussion program at Northwestern University. Ms. Wuis also a frequent visiting guest artist at the Royal College of Music inLondon. She had been on faculty at Manhattan School of Music, RutgersUniversity and West Virginia University.
The Concerto for Marimba and Wind Orchestra was written for percussionist Gustavo Miranda and was premiered by the Nicholls State University Wind Ensemble in 2020. The idea for the piece was to create a composition for Dr. Miranda to perform with local high school bands. The composition is in three movements (fast-slow-fast) and each movement can be played separately on a concert if desired. With the solo marimba part I chose to write for the instrument's rhythmic qualities rather than the melodic. However, the harmonic language of the piece allows for the soloist to be highly interpretive in their performance. -B.W.D.
Thank you for writing this. I thoroughly enjoyed your story about Vagner at the beginning. I was sad to see that the original reference for the quote was missing from the end. Any chance you know where the quote came from? As a percussionist I felt the need to point out a few things in your description of the piece. I hope that my comments below will be helpful to you.
c80f0f1006