Borodin-String Quartet No. 2 - II. Scherzo arr. Crawford (SP)-B/2V/C/X/4M/4T/P

A lyrical, engaging, and melodically rich piece of music that captures the essence of Russian folk melodies, String Quartet No. 2 - II. Scherzo offers a unique opportunity for percussionists to perform 19th-century chamber music from one of “The Russian Five.” The rapid-paced introduction soon yields to a light waltz feel while additional themes are later introduced to provide plenty of space for expression and variation. The recapitulation and coda bring the movement home with a Grandioso section designed to take advantage of the ensemble’s instrumentation. The final phrase delicately fades away as the arrangement ends with a pleasing and familiar cadence.

• Number of players: 12
• Difficulty: Intermediate/advanced
• Instrumentation:
• Player 1: Glockenspiel
• Player 2: Chimes
• Player 3: Vibraphone 1
• Player 4: Vibraphone 2
• Player 5: Xylophone
• Player 6: Marimba 1 (4.3 octave)
• Player 7: Marimba 2 (4.3 octave)
• Player 8: Marimba 3 (4.5 octave)
• Player 9: Marimba 4 (5 octave)
• Player 10: 4 Timpani
• Player 11: Triangle, snare drum, bass drum, crash cymbals (shared)
• Player 12: Crash cymbals (shared), tambourine