Blume-Three Pieces for Marimba-M

Three Pieces for Marimba by Brian Blume began as an exercise in improvisation but resulted in a complete three- movement piece for marimba. The first piece exhibits this improvisational nature quite clearly. The second piece is based on the sound of a low rumble. The addition of a melody and subsequent counterpoint propels the piece, all while the rumble persists. The contrast between the second and third pieces displays the versatility of the marimba – a low, soft rumble contrasted with the bright, sharp and light character of the third piece. The careful listener will hear motives and variations of those motives throughout all three pieces. Three Pieces for Marimba is influenced in part by the works of Bach, Schönberg, Webern, and Bartòk.

Difficulty - intermediate-advanced
Instrumentation - Solo marimba (4-mallet, 5.0 octave)