Texter-Polar Night (SP)-2V/M/Tuned wooden slats/P

Polar Night by Erik Texter is a medium-level percussion quartet beaming with unique colors and musical textures. The piece draws inspiration from the world's northernmost settlement, Longyearbyen, Norway, which is known for its views of the beautiful northern lights and long polar nights. Throughout the piece, Texter emulates the stark and frozen landscape through icy and shimmering vibraphone textures, earthy tuned wooden slats, and warm marimba passages.

The piece begins with delicate and fluttering vibraphone textures performed with cardboard dowels and later transitions to bows for increased sustain. Texter then infuses tuned wooden slats and the marimba slowly before a modern groove section takes over the piece. The work closes with a reprise of the opening vibraphone played with cardboard dowel texture.

Polar Night ships as a printed, professionally bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or tablet viewing.

Additional Information:

• Number of players: 4
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Instrumentation:
  • Player 1: Vibraphone 1
  • Player 2: Vibraphone 2 (3.5 or 4 octave if available), suspended cymbal
  • Player 3: Tuned wooden slats (G3, Ab3, C4, F4, G4, Ab4), suspended cymbal, kick drum w/pedal
  • Player 4: Marimba (5 octave), suspended cymbal