Pat Metheny Suite

General Info

Composer: Pat Metheny
Arranger: Andrew Beall
Publisher: Bachovich Music Publications
Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced
Cost: $50.00

Movement

1. First Circle
2. Letter from Home
3. The Heat of the Day

Instrumentation

Player 1: Marimba
Player 2: Marimba & Suspended Cymbal
Player 3: Marimba & Glockenspiel
Player 4: Vibraphone
Player 5: Vibraphone
Player 6: Vibraphone & Chimes
Player 7: Xylophone & Crotales
Player 8: [Timpani]] & Gong
Player 9: Timpani & Tambourine & Triangle & Gong
Player 10: Drum set

Description

In 1974 Pat Metheny introduced a new voice into the jazz world by replacing the traditional “jazz guitar” sound with rock chords and layering quick, synchronized passages over smooth synthesizer lines and mellow grooves. For these reasons, Beall found Metheny’s compositions a natural fit for percussion arranging and decided to arrange one of his songs for a Drum and Bugle Corps competition. Therefore, the Pat Metheny Suite found its beginnings in 2003 with an arrangement based on The Heat of the Day, which the Carolina Crown Percussion Ensemble performed and went on to win the D.C.I. percussion ensemble competition. It then seemed natural to expand the idea of Metheny for percussion ensemble, so Beall picked two of his favorite Metheny tunes, First Circle and Letter from Home, and created a 3-movement suite for an ensemble of 10 percussionists. First Circle and Letter from Home are more traditionally arranged, whereas The Heat of the Day features several original passages in addition to his arrangement of Metheny’s piece.