Description
Countess Diabola is based on the opening three notes of the chorale at the beginning of the piece. The work develops these three notes throughout, using different moods and characterizations.
As I wrote I imagined the following scenes:
On a rainy, windswept afternoon you walk up a winding path towards a castle on a hill. Lonely scraggly trees dot the path. The front door is tall, wooden and imposing but you knock anyway. The door opens and an old craggy man dressed in worn clothes croaks a greeting. Behind him stands Countess Diabola. She is tall, with black hair pulled back and a long flowing glimmering black gown that trails behind her. She smiles and turns, walking slowly down a hallway lit by flame but wreathed in shadow. The Countess slowly opens a heavy wooden door and enters a room lit by torches, filled with books. The rest of the story unfolds as you wish...
These were my visualizations as I wrote. These various textures can be seen as separate "scenes" throughout, and the player should work to infuse each "scene" with the appropriate character. Perhaps these ideas will help you play with purpose as you perform. If that type of story isn't to your liking, you can of course come up with something else. No matter the story, be sure to play expressively.
The piece is written for the advanced high school or intermediate collegiate marimba player.
-Jason Kihle
Number of players: 1
Difficulty: Intermediate
Inatrumentation: Marimba (4.3 octave)
As I wrote I imagined the following scenes:
On a rainy, windswept afternoon you walk up a winding path towards a castle on a hill. Lonely scraggly trees dot the path. The front door is tall, wooden and imposing but you knock anyway. The door opens and an old craggy man dressed in worn clothes croaks a greeting. Behind him stands Countess Diabola. She is tall, with black hair pulled back and a long flowing glimmering black gown that trails behind her. She smiles and turns, walking slowly down a hallway lit by flame but wreathed in shadow. The Countess slowly opens a heavy wooden door and enters a room lit by torches, filled with books. The rest of the story unfolds as you wish...
These were my visualizations as I wrote. These various textures can be seen as separate "scenes" throughout, and the player should work to infuse each "scene" with the appropriate character. Perhaps these ideas will help you play with purpose as you perform. If that type of story isn't to your liking, you can of course come up with something else. No matter the story, be sure to play expressively.
The piece is written for the advanced high school or intermediate collegiate marimba player.
-Jason Kihle
Number of players: 1
Difficulty: Intermediate
Inatrumentation: Marimba (4.3 octave)
Product Info
| SKU | 1055BAC |
|---|
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