Prism Rhapsody for Marimba and Orchestra

Keiko Abe

General Info

Year: 1995
Duration: c. 15:30
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Xebec
Cost: Score and Parts - $0.00   |   Score Only - $0.00

Instrumentation

Marimba

Orchestra: 3*.2.2.2/4.3.3.1, harp, percussion(4), strings (piano red. available)

Program Notes

premiere: 18 April 1996, Umeσ, Sweden, Umeσ Symphony Orchestra, Arvo Volmer, conductor, K. Abe, soloist (premiere: 9 June 1995, Shimosuwa Sogo Bunka Center, Japan, Takashi Saiki, piano, K. Abe. marimba)

Review

This publication of Abe's Prism Rhapsody for Marimba and Orchestra, which was given its world premiere by the composer in 1996, provides, in addition to the solo marimba part, a piano reduction of the orchestral accompaniment. Drawing upon Abe's Conversation in the Forest II and Prism series, the work is very appealing and accessible. The ca. 15-minute piece is cast into two large sections separated by a long, showy cadenza. The first section features the technical challenge of six-mallet performance. The orchestra does much more than function as accompanist for the solo marimba. It often carries the melodic line, which is embroidered by a technically challenging obligato in the solo marimba. The piano reduction is written well, avoiding the awkwardness of many such adaptations that reduce the orchestra part to an extremely clumsy piano version. Although devoid of the instrumental color generated by the orchestration, the piano reduction gives the serious marimbist access to a work that has already attained recognition as a new, major repertoire piece. - John R. Raush, December 1996

Recent Performances

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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