Three Romanian Dances (Bartók)

General Info

Composer: Béla Bartók
Arranger: Brian Slawson
Publisher: Tapspace
Date of Published: 30/05/2017
Difficulty: Elementary
Duration: 00:02:45
Cost: $24.00

Movement

1. Peasant Costume
2. Standing Still
3. Stick Game

Instrumentation

Player 1: Glockenspiel
Player 2: Vibraphone

Description

Brian Slawson has brilliantly arranged these simple folk melodies for vibraphone and glockenspiel, making them accessible to young percussionists. Because of their traditional nature, these pieces are largely built on modes, which are a refreshing alternative to the typical study of major/minor scales. It also give students the opportunity to perform on the glockenspiel which is largely neglected in percussion pedagogy.

Review

Béla Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances, arranged here for keyboard duet by Brian Slawson, are short, delightful character pieces suitable for high school or early college percussionists looking to perform in a duo setting. Three of the dances, “Peasant Costume, ” “Standing Still, ” and “Stick Game” are included in this collection, each offering unique challenges while exposing students to Béla Bartók’s harmonic and rhythmic voice. In each dance, the glockenspiel carries the melody while the vibraphone plays accompaniment.

“Peasant Costume” is the first, and shortest, of the three dances. Built on a simple clock-like melody in D Dorian, this piece uses quintuplets in the glockenspiel part and calls for the vibraphone player to switch between rattan handles and mallet heads for an effective timbre change.

“Standing Still” is a somber interlude, offering students the chance to explore how different mallets and implements can be used to create character. Although Brian Slawson does not recommend specific mallets, the implements used here can have a profound effect on the overall success of the movement.

“Stick Game” is the last dance presented here, offering the most challenging part for the glockenspiel player. Brian Slawson has done an excellent job keeping both voices interesting while making them manageable for intermediate players. In addition, this movement provides the players with many musical choices, allowing them to work on ensemble skills, character and overall performance.

Arrangements for Percussion by this Arranger

Beethoven's Fantasy (Beethoven) - Percussion Trio
Brandenburg No. 2: Allegro Moderato (Bach) - Percussion (10)
Children's Medley (Bach / Ellemenreich) - Percussion Sextet
Clockbox - Percussion Octet
Concerto in A Minor (Bach) - Mallet Sextet
Danse Macabre (Saint-Saëns) - Percussion Octet
Entrance of the Queen of Sheba (Handel)
Etude in C# Minor (Scriabin) - Mallet Duet
Frightmare (Beethoven) - Percussion (12)
Goldberg Variation 28 (Bach)
Heartland (Rameau & Dvořák) - Percussion Octet
Intermezzo from a Midsummer Night's Dream (Mendelssohn) - Mallet Octet
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (Bach) - Mallet Sextet
Leggerhead (Bach, Handel, Dvořák) - Percussion Sextet
Menuetto (Mozart) - Percussion Septet
Midsummer Night's Dream: Scherzo (Mendelssohn) - Mallet Ensemble
Rock the Gavotte (Rameau & Ditters von Dittersdorf) - Percussion Octet
Shepherd’s Song (Beethoven) - Percussion (14)
Soca Polka - Percussion (14)
Sonata in A Minor (Scarlatti) - Mallet Duet
Sonata in F (Handel) - Mallet Solo
Sonata in F Minor (Scarlatti) - Marimba
The Storm (Beethoven) - Mallet Trio
Teardrop (Rossini) - Vibraphone; Piano
Three Romanian Dances (Bartók) - Mallet Duet
Upbeat Suite - Mallet Quartet
Waltz in C# Minor (Chopin) - Mallet Duet
Winter (Vivaldi) - Percussion (10)