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The Night Watch is a Blaha's exploration of light and dark. It is inspired in part by Rembrandt's painting of the same name that depicts a night scene of civic guards in Amsterdam. The chiaroscuro effect of the painting can be interpreted in the light and dark tonal relationships the Night Watch offers.
Number of Players: 12
Difficulty: Grade 5
Instrumentation:
Player I: Xylophone 1, Snare Drum, Bubble Wrap
Player II: Xylophone 2, Bells, Bongos, Anvil, Claves, Piccolo Snare Drum, Bubble Wrap
Player III: Vibraphone 1, Maracas
Player IV: Vibraphone 2, 5 Temple Blocks, Ratchet
Player V: Marimba 1 (4.6 octave), Metal Wind Chimes
Player VI: Marimba 2 (4.6 octave), 2 Wood Blocks
Player VII: Marimba 3 (5 octave), Sand Blocks
Player VIII: Marimba 4 (4.3 octave), Crotales, Guiro, Large Suspended Cymbal
Player IX: Marimba 5 (4.3 octave), Bass Drum*, Snare Drum, 2 Cowbells, 2 Suspended Cymbals
Player X: Bells, Bass Drum*, Crash Cymbals*, Large Suspended Cymbal, Triangle, Hi-Hat, Snare Drum, Gong, Sleigh Bells, Cowbell
Player XI: Chimes, Snare Drum, Crash Cymbals*, Triangle, Tambourine, Small Suspended Cymbal, 4 Tom-Toms, China Cymbal, Plastic Grocery Sacks, Slapstick, Vibraslap, Castanets, Tam-Tam
Player XII: 5 Timpani, Medium Suspended Cymbal, Plastic Grocery Sacks
*May be shared between players
Joseph Blaha is currently an assistant professor of music and director of bands at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. In 1983, he enrolled as a doctoral student in composition at the University of Oklahoma and studied with Michael Hennagin earning a DMA in 1991.
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