Dream of the Cherry Blossoms
General Info
Year: 1983
Duration: c. 5:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Zimmermann
Cost: Score and Parts - $0.00 | Score Only - $0.00
Movements
Instrumentation
Marimba 5 Octave
Program Notes
Dream of The Cherry Blossoms is a composition by Keiko Abe based on an improvisation on the thems of the Japanese folksong "Sakura, sakura..." In this marimba solo, the world of fantasy is caught in an expanse of continuously falling cherry blossoms. In the entire piece, the tone E is centrally integrated, and it must always be played (except in the last two measures) in the same tempo. The theme of the folksong is treated several times more or less in fragments and must always be played deliberately and clearly.[1]
Annotations
Based in the music roots of Japan, this piece is a variation based on the Japanese folksong “Sakura, sakura…”, the two major themes of this piece are this theme, and a centricity around the pitch E natural. An ostinato in the left hand often appears to accompany the melodic passages of the right hand. Often times presenting itself aggressively. Some extended techniques are called upon such as dead strokes, and playing accelerating passages in the right hand as the left hand keeps continuous 16th notes. This leads into a kind of mini-cadenza which accelerates back into the familiar ostinato. The piece closes in a reminiscent way to the the opening with the player playing similar passages to the beginning in the left hand while keeping a static E natural with the right hand. Published by Zimmerman-Frankfurt. There are many recordings of this piece, Evelyn Glennie can be heard playing this piece on her CD Light in the Darkness, many recordings can be found on YouTube, as well as being a part of Vic Firth’s Marimba Literature Library with a recording by Chin-Li Sophia Lo. - Trevor Landreth (5/10/18)
Errata
Awards
Commercial Discography
Recent Performances
premiere: 1984, Germany, Keiko Abe, soloist
To submit a performance please join the TEK Percussion Database
Works for Percussion by this Composer
Alone - Marimba
Ancient Letter - Marimba
Ancient Vase - Marimba
Aqua-Harmonia based on "Memories of the Seashore" - Marimbas (8) - Abe/Natsume
Autumn in Nara - Marimbas (2) - Abe/Samuels
Ban-ka - Marimba
Ban-ka for 4 players - Marimba Trio; Saxophone
Ban-ka for solo marimba and percussion group - Marimba; Percussion Ensemble
Conversation in the Forest for Ensemble and Gamran Jegog - Marimba Ensemble; Percussion Trio; Gamran Jegog
Conversation in the Forest for Marimba Ensemble - Marimba Ensemble
Conversation in the Forest for Two Marimbas - Marimbas (2)
Conversation in the Forest I - Marimba; Percussion Trio
Conversation in the Forest II - Marimba, Percussion (2); Saxophone; Oboe
Conversation in the Forest III - Marimba; Percussion Quartet
Dream - Marimbas (2) - Abe/Samuels
Dream of the Cherry Blossoms - Marimba
Early Spring - Marimba (2) - Abe/Samuels
Frogs - Marimba
In Praise of Nature - Marimba; with tape
Itsuki Fantasy for Six Mallets - Marimba
Labyrinth - Marimbas (2) - Abe/Samuels
Little Windows - Marimba
Marimba Concertino - The Wave - Marimba; Percussion Quartet
Marimba d'Amore - Marimba
Memories of the Seashore - Marimba
Memories of the Seashore for Marimba Ensemble - Marimba Ensemble
Memories of the Seashore for Two Marimbas - Marimbas (2)
Memories of the Seashore Ⅱ - Marimbas (2)
Michi - Marimba
Michi II - Marimba
Prism for Solo Marimba - Marimba
Prism for Two Marimbas - Marimba (2)
Prism Rhapsody for Marimba and Orchestra - Marimba; Orchestra
Prism Rhapsody for Marimba and Piano - Marimba; Piano
Prism Rhapsody for Marimba and Wind Ensemble - Marimba; Wind Ensemble
Prism Rhapsody II for 2 marimbas and 6 Percussionists - Marimba (2); Percussion Sextet
Prism Rhapsody II for 2 marimbas and orchestra - Marimba (2); Orchestra
Prism Rhapsody II for 2 marimbas and piano - Marimba Concerto - Marimba (2); Piano
Prism Rhapsody II for 2 marimbas and wind ensemble - Marimba (2); Wind Ensemble
Prism Rhapsody, 2nd Edition - Marimba; Orchestra or Wind Ensemble
Prism Variations for Marimba Ensemble and Percussionist - Marimba Ensemble; Percussion Ensemble
Reflections on Japanese Children's Songs II - Marimba (2); Percussion
Reflections on Japanese Children's Songs II for Two Marimbas - Marimba (2)
Reflections on Japanese Children's Songs III - for Marimba Ensemble and 2 Percussionists - Marimba Ensemble, Percussion Duo
Reflections on Japanese Children's Songs III - for Two Marimbas and Percussionist - Marimba (2), Percussion
She Dies, My Water Lily Tonneke - Marimba (2) - Abe/Van Hauwe
Sunday Afternoon - Marimba (2) - Abe/Samuels
Sylvan Stanzas (Mountain Stanzas) - Marimba
Sylvan Stroll - Marimba (2) - Abe/Samuels
Tambourin Paraphrase for Marimba Ensemble - Marimba Ensemble (5)
Tambourin Paraphrase for Solo Marimba - Marimba
Tambourin Paraphrase for Two Marimbas - Marimba (2)
Three Monologues - Marimba
Torrent - Marimba (2) - Abe/van Hauwe
Variations on Japanese Children Songs - Marimba
Voice of Matsuri Drums - Marimba
Wave Impression - Marimba Ensemble; Percussion (2)
Wind Across Mountains for Marimba Ensemble - Marimba Ensemble
Wind Across Mountains for solo marimba - Marimba
Wind Across Mountains for Two Marimbas - Marimba (2)
Wind Across the Mountains for Six Mallets - Marimba
Wind in the Bamboo Grove - Marimba
Wind in the Bamboo Grove for Two Marimbas - Marimba (2)
Wind Sketch - Marimba
Wind Sketch II for 2 Marimbas - Marimba (2)
Wind Sketch II for Marimba and Percussion - Marimba; Percussion Ensemble (26)
Wind Sketch III - Marimba; Percussion Duo
Wind Sketch IV for Marimba and Percussion - Marimba (2); Percussion (2)
Works For Marimba - Marimba
Additional Resources
References