Tentacles (Willmarth)

John Willmarth

General Info

Year of Published: 2016
Publisher: Tapspace
Difficulty: Elementary
Duration: 00:03:50
Cost: $36.00

Instrumentation

Player 1: Glockenspiel & China Cymbal & Claves
Player 2: Xylophone & Conga (High)
Player 3: Vibraphone & Tambourine
Player 4: Marimba & Conga (Low)
Player 5: Timpani & Suspended Cymbal
Player 6: Snare Drum & Suspended Cymbal & Temple Block
Player 7: Bass Drum & Triangle
Player 8: Brake Drum & Tam-tam
Player 9: 2 Concert Tom-toms & Cabasa
Player 10: Wind Chimes & Ocean Drum & Shekere

Program Notes

Some of the ocean’s most mysterious and elusive creatures possess the flexible appendages known as tentacles. Written for 6–10 beginning percussionists, Tentacles depicts these creatures. John Willmarth’s composition provides a unique and accessible musical setting in which younger players can easily sound mature. Melodic sections bookend non-pitched percussion features allowing keyboard players opportunities to play additional instruments. It’s also extra flexible in that it can be scaled to different ensemble sizes through certain parts that are optional. Perfect for concert or festival performance, this piece is sure to be a hit without diving into the great unknown. Dive in!

Review

“Tentacles” is a wonderful piece that is appropriate for a young percussion ensemble that is ready to go one step beyond absolute beginner. The composer states, “The piece depicts the flexible appendages found on some of the oceans’ most mysterious and elusive creatures. Flowing, yet powerful, the work explores the different facts of tentacles.”

John Willmarth’s piece can be played by 6-10 percussionists and allows for flexibility in equipment situations. The minimum keyboard requirements are glockenspiel and xylophone, which most programs will have. As is typical in most beginning percussion programs, each player will develop at a slightly different pace. The parts are written to have varying difficulties ensuring all your students are challenged.

“Tentacles” is Avery accessible yet mature sounding piece, as if it were pulled directly from a well-written movie soundtrack. This will, without a doubt, draw students in and get them excited immediately. The keyboard parts are repetitive, allowing for students with less pitched-percussion experience to be successful. The percussion parts leave room for timbral exploration—i.e. brushes on cymbal, triangle muting, and tam-tam played with triangle beater. “Tentacles” should be in every band program’s beginning percussion library, as it would be a great piece to perform at concerts and festivals a like.

—Joe Miller

Works for Percussion by this Composer

Vibraphone Solo

Waltz for a Windy Day

Snare Drum Solo

Time on my Hand

Timpani Solo

And They're Off

Multiple Percussion Solo

Ode to the One-armed Drummer
Rocktopus

Percussion Ensemble

Beware the Jabberwock
Now the Day is Over
On Thin Air
Release the Kraken
Rhythm Rocket
Tentacles (Willmarth)
Trinidad Tidings
Waves (Willmarth)