The Glory and the Grandeur

Russell Peck

General Info

Year: 1988
Duration: c. 12:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Pecktackular
Cost: Score and Parts - $0.00   |   Score Only - $0.00

Instrumentation

Player I - III: marimba, vibraphone, orchestra bells, xylophones(2), Chinese cymbals(3), Peking opera gongs(3), triangle, tambourine, cymbals α2, bamboo wind chimes, guiro, sandpaper blocks, drums(9), suspended cymbals(3)

Orchestra

Program Notes

commission: Greensboro Symphony; premiere: October 1988, Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, Percussion Group Cincinnati, Paul Anthony McRae, conductor

Review

This concerto for percussion trio and orchestra was premiered by Percussion Group Cincinnati in 1988. The work is scored for three multiple-percussion sets, with toms and snare drums, four keyboard instruments, and a variety of metallic sounds such as opera gongs, cymbals, Chinese cymbals and crotales. The composer indicates that the trio should set up in front of the orchestra, as the drama created by the movement of the performers is part of the overall effect of the work. The opening of this concerto, taken from the same composer’s popular work “Lift Off,” is a percussion cadenza that builds excitement into the eventual entrance of the orchestra. The next large section of the work features flowing lines on the vibraphones with punctuations from gliss (opera) gongs and Chinese cymbals. The remainder of the work is very fast, with virtuosic runs on marimba and xylophone. At one point in the work all three players convene at the marimba playing swift lines that cross over one another, resulting in a spectacular visual effect. After a few more fiery keyboard licks, the tempo accelerates and the work ends with a flurry of drums, reminiscent of the work’s opening. “The Glory and the Grandeur” has a decidedly American feel with its bluesy scales and popular rhythms. The skills required of the percussionists and the theatrical thrill provided by their aerobic movements about the stage will close any orchestral concert with thunderous applause. - Scott Herring

Recent Performances

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Works for Percussion by this Composer

Harmonic Rhythm - Timpani; Orchestra
In the Garden - Drum Set; Organ
Lift-Off - Percussion Trio
Lion's Breath - Multiple Percussion; Double Bass
The Glory and the Grandeur - Percussion Trio; Orchestra