Elvert-Drops (SP)-4M

Drops by Ryan Elvert for marimba quartet. This piece was inspired by the composer observing a rainstorm come and go one evening. As the storm started, the drops were falling sporadically, and every so often enough water would collect on a leaf to create a single drop that would fall to the ground. At once, the rain started to fall quicker with increasing velocity until there was a constant wall of water cascading from the sky. Elvert sat and marveled at the beauty, which I translated into the harmonic colors of the piece. Finally, the storm calmed. The ending depicts the rain dwindling down from an intense downpour into a soft sprinkle that dies away into nothing.

Instrumentation:
Marimba 1 (4-octave)
Marimba 2 (4.5-octave)
Marimba 3 (4-octave)
Marimba 4 (4.5-octave)