PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE REPERTOIRE
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BIG COUNTRY
Big Country is a catchy and inspired composition by world renowned banjo picker and jazz musician Béla Fleck from the album Left of Cool by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. Its simple melody encapsulates the folksy sound of Americana, and Olin Johannessen's arrangement wonderfully captures this through his scoring for percussion ensemble.
Featuring 4-mallet independent techniques for marimbas and xylophone, Fleck's original banjo part transfers well to percussion ensemble. This arrangement also features a small rhythm section (drumset and bass guitar) to drive the two-step feel and includes optional parts for soprano sax (inspired by the original) as well as a couple of optional basic marimba parts (in addition to main marimbas) for larger ensembles. Also, the xylophone and glockenspiel parts are written so that one player can cover both parts which may be useful for smaller groups.
This is a very accessible piece, but it does require a good level of technical proficiency from marimba and xylophone players. It can be something of a 4-mallet workout and requires a relaxed and smooth approach to the instrument. As Johannessen states in the performance notes, "This piece is about making people feel good." Big Country is sure to be a welcome addition to your next percussion ensemble concert.
This piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and a set of printed parts.
Note: Due to licensing limitations, this piece is only available in USA and Canada.
HAVE YOU HEARD
Have You Heard is a popular piece by the musical legend Pat Metheny. In this arrangement Olin Johannessen creates a "mallet band" to recapture the exuberance of the original. Mallet players are accompanied by a rhythm section of bass guitar, drumset, and auxilliary percussion.
This is an upbeat and crowd-pleasing piece which allows for an extended solo section in the middle. It would be a great closer for any percussion ensemble concert or a great way to highlight your percussion group during jazz ensemble concerts.
This piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and a set of printed parts.
TAKE HOLD OF ME
This duet for vibraphone and marimba has a listenable accessibility while still being challenging from a technical standpoint. It calls upon the performers to have good versatility with 4-mallet control as well as a solid sense of communication with the other player as it weaves in and out of multiple time signatures and phrasings.
Olin Johannessen gives several musical directions and suggestions in regard to pedaling, phrasing, and stickings which also make this a great piece to use in educational situations for practicing technical concepts in a musical application. Great for percussion recitals, ensemble concerts, and festivals.
This piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.