Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra (Guinivan)
General Info
Year of Published: 2007
Publisher:
Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: 00:13:00
Instrumentation
Soloist
Marimba & Bass Drum & 5 Tom-tom & 4 Bells & Bell Tree
Orchestra
Woodwinds: Piccolo & 2 Flute & 2 Oboe & English Horn & 2 Clarinet & Bass Clarinet & 2 Bassoon & Contra Bassoon
Brass: 4 French Horn & 3 Trumpet & 3 Trombone & Tuba
Percussion (4 Player): Timpani & Crotales & Xylophone & Vibraphone & Chimes & Bass Drum & Suspended Cymbal & Tam-tam
Keyboard: Piano & Celesta
Strings: Violin 1/2 & Viola & Cello & Double Bass & Harp]
Program Notes
Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra is the result of a fusion between two of my greatest musical passions: orchestral music and percussion music. Rhythm has proven to be a life-long fascination for me, and I have been captivated by Percussion since I began playing at the age of ten. After growing extremely fond of the orchestra during my early studies as a young composer, it has been a major goal of mine to write an orchestral showcase work for my favorite instrument. Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra is a single-movement work full of energy and excitement in which the percussion takes center stage and is driven by aggressively colorful orchestration.
The exposition of Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra features the emergence of the principal theme shrouded in a mist of fading sonorities and gentle cascades. After a large orchestral wave passes by, the marimba soon enters to propel the work into motion with a rapid and energetic melodic passage. The piece continues through a series of atmospheres and tempos, each highlighting a different musical strength of the percussion and driving the piece towards a climactic conclusion.
Performance Notes
- Double Basses without a low C extension may play one octave higher, but all basses with the extension should play the written pitches.
- Tam-tam and Suspended Cymbal notes marked with three or four piano's should be barely audible - only a subtle and almost imperceptible textural coloring
- Slurs in the Vibraphone part indicate pedaling as well as phrasing.
- A small bracket placed in front of dynamic markings indicates that the dynamics apply to both staves.
Award
2008 ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards