Marimba Music (1981)
Maurice Wright
PUBLISHER: HoneyRock
RECORDINGS: None
RANGE: 4.3 octaves
DURATION: 8:45
MOVEMENTS: Single movement
TYPE OF ACCOMPANIMENT: Fixed
MUSICAL OVERVIEW: The work is both harmonically and rhythmically diverse. The marimba and tape both play similar textures. A strong sense of time is necessary as there are periods of silence on the tape. The sections of tape with long tones can be difficult to follow. Changes in pitch indicated in the score during these sections are difficult to hear as cues. The marimba writing makes use of the low and middle register of the marimba. A set of matched medium or medium-hard mallets could be used but may lose some depth of tone in the rolled sections, especially in the lower register. The music may best be served with graduated set of mallets: an articulate bass mallet in 1, medium or medium-hard in 2 and 3, and mallet 4 should be slightly harder than the inner mallets.
ACCOMPANIMENT OVERVIEW: Synthesized and pre-recorded sounds. The work requires strict synchronization due to the rhythmic interplay between the tape and marimba. The accompaniment alternates between sections of sustained tones rhythmic activity.
TECHNIQUE OVERVIEW: SI, SIA, and DV. DL may occur depending on individual player's approach to certain figures. Switching between stroke types occurs quickly. The single-line writing is largely idiomatic with four-mallet stickings. The distance between the hands varies between close and moderate. There are few large leaps and sections requiring complete independence between the hands.