Description
Original work for solo marimba, four mallets. Great short concert piece. Would be a fine selection for contest or audition as well as concert or recital. Makes use of modern 4-mallet techniques. Medium difficult. Percussive Arts Society Review: This pleasant and accessible solo blends equal parts of a structured Bach sonata, a Debussy piano solo, the playfulness of Tchaikovsky’s “Album for the Young,” and the alluring character of a Spanish guitar solo. Lasting only 21Ú2 minutes, this four-mallet solo demands that the performer approach all the stroke-types with sensitivity, as a heavy-handed performance will destroy the mood and character of this short marimba lullaby. While this work moves through multiple chord changes, Ryan E. Garner has successfully composed a piece that does not sound heavy or labored. Instead, the lilting quality of the melody dances around the harmony as both hands take turns playing the melodic material across the instrument. Additionally, the solo is written for both a 4.3-octave and 4.5-octave marimba, ensuring that a wide range of students can experience the piece. Completely appropriate for high school and college marimba study and performance, this work will surely satisfy both the performer and listener. Joshua D. Smith