Stubernic Fantasy for Orchestra

Mark Ford

General Info

Year of Published: 2012
Publisher: Innovative Percussion
Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: 00:14:30
Cost: $190.00

Program Notes

Stubernic Fantasy is based on Mark Ford's marimba trios Stubernic and its sequel, Afta-Stuba!. After the premiere of Afta-Stuba! in 2000, Eugene Corporon congratulated Mark Ford and said, “Now write me a wind ensemble work like that!” At the time Mark Ford did not think that it was feasible. But Mark Ford was awarded a University of North Texas Faculty Fellowship in 2011 to write such a composition and I have loved every minute! Regarding the music, this concerto is available in both orchestral and wind ensemble versions. Mark Ford tried to leave the original marimba parts untouched but there are a few isolated moments where minor changes were necessary.

Instrumentation

Soloists

5.0 Octave Marimba

Strings

Violin
Viola
Cello
Double Bass

Woodwinds

Piccolo
2 Flute
Oboe
English Horn
Soprano Clarinet
2 Bb Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
2 Bassoon
Contrabassoon

Brass

2 French Horn
2 C Trumpet
2 Trombone
Tuba

Percussion

5 Timpani
Mallets: Glockenspiel & Xylophone & Vibraphone
Drums: 2 Snare Drums & Bass Drum & 4 Concert Tom-toms & 2 Congas (High & Low) & Gong
Cymbals: Crash Cymbals & Suspended Cymbal & Hi-hat
Accessories: Cowbells & Triangle & Woodblock & Shaker & Egg Shaker & Log Drums & Whip & Wind Chimes

Review

"Mark Ford has borrowed from his two popular marimba trios, “Stubernic” and “Afta-Stuba,” to create “Stubernic Fantasy” for three solo players on one instrument, with either wind ensemble or orchestra accompaniment. Like the earlier works, the soloists are required to memorize their parts so that they can walk behind one another, circle the instrument, strike the end pieces, play with shafts, play on the resonators and floor, and perform various other gestures. Like the first piece, “Stubernic,” the work is played mainly with two mallets but features Player 1 in a four-mallet solo section. As one might expect, Ford has written nice parts for the six percussionist in the wind ensemble as well, giving them ample space to be featured in percussion interludes as well as providing important rhythmic grooves throughout. The ensemble parts provide rhythmic energy and a nice variety of colors. “Stubernic Fantasy” is sure to be a crowd pleaser and provides an opportunity to showcase three percussionists in a venue other than the solo recital or percussion ensemble concert. The score lists the duration as 12 minutes, but a YouTube version with the composer performing lasts just over 13½ minutes." - Susan Martin Tariq,

Works for Percussion by this Composer

Afta-Stuba! - Percussion Trio - 1 Marimba
Cabasa (Ford) - Percussion Quintet
Head Talk - Percussion Quintet
Heads Up! - Percussion Quintet
IE2 - Percussion Ensemble (15 Players)
Motion Beyond - Marimba
Nightwatch - Percussion Sextet - Steel Band w/ Rhythm Section
One-Eyed Jacks - Percussion Sextet
Polaris - Marimba
Ransom - Marimba
Standup Shadow - Percussion Quartet; Narrator
Stubernic - Percussion Trio - 1 Marimba
Stubernic Fantasy for Orchestra
Stubernic Fantasy for Wind Ensemble