Summer '16 Bi-weekly Video Release!
...and ramblings on why I am so into arrangements.
I'm extremely excited to share this video with you all! Please enjoy:
So cool!!!
Seriously, I don't know if you've gotten the impression yet, but I am so excited about this arrangement! It is pieces like this - arrangements of masterful works from monumental composers in the history of Western music - that I believe are the extra ingredient to push the marimba to new heights.
Of course, contemporary compositions will always be the forefront of marimba repertoire, but let's keep it real for a moment:
Of course, contemporary compositions will always be the forefront of marimba repertoire, but let's keep it real for a moment:
Just as every other point in the history of music,
there are hundreds and hundreds of pieces being written right now,
but only about 1% of them will actually stand the test of time.
there are hundreds and hundreds of pieces being written right now,
but only about 1% of them will actually stand the test of time.
And that is OK! There are many fantastic pieces being written that won't get the attention they deserve, and I don't want to imply that they are any less than phenomenal. HOWEVER, for centuries before the marimba appeared in our little classical music world, the community of composers, musicians, and patrons went through a process of trial and error, weeding through the mountains of works from year-to-year and providing us with a body of masterworks that enrich our understanding of music today.
Unfortunately for us, the marimba wasn't around during that time (at least not in western music circles), so there aren't hundreds of years worth of pieces written for us from which we can choose the 'good ones.'
Unfortunately for us, the marimba wasn't around during that time (at least not in western music circles), so there aren't hundreds of years worth of pieces written for us from which we can choose the 'good ones.'
An amazing Messiaen arrangement on both an intellectual and emotional level, by Nancy Zeltsman
I think that the percussion community over the past century deserves acknowledgement for the amount of quality pieces that were written. We were the underdogs, but persevered and managed to produce a high percentage of quality works in a short time, giving us a fantastic foundation on which to continue building.
I often wonder how I can contribute to our highly productive, fast-paced community. Composition is something that I am interested in, but I have no illusions that I will be a groundbreaking composer any time soon (or ever), so that won't enable me to be productive right now. However, I do think that my experience as a player puts me in a fantastic position to reinterpret some of the masterworks already written for other instruments and contribute to our growth in that realm.
So, while many people are working hard at composing new pieces for the marimba, I am focusing - for now, at least - on figuring out what we can learn from the masterworks that were already written for other instruments throughout music history. Together, we can cover all of the bases and bring marimba to its next stages of maturity!
I often wonder how I can contribute to our highly productive, fast-paced community. Composition is something that I am interested in, but I have no illusions that I will be a groundbreaking composer any time soon (or ever), so that won't enable me to be productive right now. However, I do think that my experience as a player puts me in a fantastic position to reinterpret some of the masterworks already written for other instruments and contribute to our growth in that realm.
So, while many people are working hard at composing new pieces for the marimba, I am focusing - for now, at least - on figuring out what we can learn from the masterworks that were already written for other instruments throughout music history. Together, we can cover all of the bases and bring marimba to its next stages of maturity!
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Johan Bridger's Chopin Prelude
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A cool Scarlatti arrangement by Theodor Milkov
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All of that is to say, I hope you enjoy my arrangement of the third movement of Bartók's Piano Sonata! It is a piece that has greatly inspired me, and the process of arranging it, and rehearsing, performing on my recital, and recording it with Jack van Geem was truly a pleasureful experience from which I learned so much. Hopefully this arrangement can inspire further advancements in the marimba world!
Stay tuned for movements one and two in upcoming Summer '16 Bi-weekly Video Releases!
Stay tuned for movements one and two in upcoming Summer '16 Bi-weekly Video Releases!
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