Leigh Howard Stevens' Rhythmic Caprice is perhaps the ultimate virtuostic show piece for a solo marimbist. Seven minutes of rhythmic momentum, colored with three "col legno" (with wood) effects: 1) The birch handle is used on the edge of the bar; 2) The mallet head and the handle are used simultaneously (dubbed a "marimshot" by Stevens' students); 3) Clusters with the whole length of both handles (dubbed a "Stevens splash" by his students). The very limited melodic and harmonic materials of the piece evolve rhythmically from simple, to complex to polyrhythmic, to driving, to spasmodic, ultimately returning to a simple rhythm in the six measure codetta. A huge concert-closing climax.
Instrumentation: Solo Marimba (4-mallets, 4.6 octave)
Difficulty: Grade 6
