Concerto for Percussion Ensemble (Gillingham)
General Info
Year of Publication: 1996
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Level: Advanced
Duration: 00:17:00
Cost: $75.00
Instrumentation
Player 1: 2-octave Crotales & large Suspended Cymbal & Tambourine
Player 2: Glockenspiel & Chimes & Snare Drum
Player 3: Xylophone 4 Bongos Glockenspiel
Player 4: 3-octave Vibraphone & Temple Blocks
Player 5: 3-octave Vibraphone & 4 Woodblocks
Player 6: 4.3-octave Marimba
Player 7: 4.3-octave Marimba & Triangle
Player 8: 4.3-octave Marimba & 4 Cowbells
Player 9: 4.5-octave Marimba & large Suspended Cymbal
Player 10: 5-octave Marimba & large Tam-Tam
Player 11: 4 Congas, 2-pitch Log Drum & 5 Brake drums & large Suspended Cymbal
Player 12: small Bass Drum & 3 concert Tom-toms & 2-pitch Log Drum & 5 Nipple gongs
Player 13: 5 Timpani
Player 14: Piano
Program Notes
The Concerto for Percussion Ensemble was commissioned by the Lancaster High School Percussion Ensemble of Lancaster, Ohio, under the direction of Bruce Gerken. It is a work of virtuosic proportions featuring three distinct categories of percussion instruments: membranes, woods, and metals.
The concerto is cast in four major sections, preceded with an introduction. A five-note motive organizes the entire work. This motive, comprised of ascending perfect fourths and a descending minor third, goes through a number of metamorphic changes throughout the work, culminating with the material presented in the finale.
The first movement, “Membranes,” is primarily rhythmic and has two distinct features: 1) a quintuplet rhythmic pattern (based on the five note motivic design) and 2) the timpani utilizing the five note motive in various guises. The ensuing second movement, “Woods,” seeks to exploit the grandeur of the mellow timbre of the marimba quartet and expands the five note motive into a beautiful theme with four variations. Other “wooden” instruments are used to enhance the flavor of this movement. The glorious sound of “Metals” are featured in the third movement with glockenspiel, chimes and crotales taking the lead in presenting a joyful “pealing” of the five note motive in various forms. The finale features the ensemble in tour de force with a spirited theme transformed from the five-note motive, still characterized by ascending fourths but with the addition of a falling fifth pattern. The theme of the second movement returns as a secondary idea followed by a grand fugue based on the theme of the finale. There is a partial recapitulation and an extended coda that drives the work to a stunning conclusion.
Works for Percussion by this Composer
Angels of the Apocalypse - Percussion Octet
Babylon - Percussion Ensemble
Concertino (Gillingham) - Percussion Quartet; Wind Ensemble
Concerto for Percussion Ensemble (Gillingham) - Percussion Ensemble (13); Piano
Concerto No. 1 for Marimba (Gillingham)
Concerto No. 2 for Marimba (Gillingham)
Concerto for Piano and Percussion Orchestra - Percussion Ensemble
Dance of Redemption - Marimba
Five Fantasies of Natural Origin - Marimba; Flute
Gate to Heaven: Journey of the Soul - Marimba; Percussion Octet
Liturgical Music - Percussion 13
Normandy Beach 1944 - Percussion Sextet
Paschal Dances - Percussion Ensemble (12); Piano
Point of Reckoning - Percussion Nonet
Quintessence (Gillingham) - Multiple Percussion; Brass Quintet; Wind Ensemble
Return to Innocence - Percussion Septet; Choir
Sacrificial Rite - Percussion Quintet
Spiritual Dances - Percussion Quartet; Oboe (Clarinet)
Stained Glass - Percussion Ensemble (11); Piano
Supercell - Percussion Ensemble; Alto Saxophone; Piano
Triplex - Percussion Sextet; Brass Ensemble
Whirlwind - Percussion Octet