Simpson-Radioactive Octopus (SP)-4M

Radioactive Octopus by Steven Simpson was inspired by the earthquake and subsequent nuclear disaster that occurred in Japan in March of 2011. Each player represents two of the tentacles of the octopus, and a visual movement of the octopus is portrayed through imitation of musical lines. Additionally, changing textures, harmonic shifts, and sudden dynamic contrast portray the uncertain movements of the ocean environment.

Number of players: 4
Difficulty: Intermediate/advanced

Instrumentation

Player 1: Marimba 1 (4-octave)
Player 2: Marimba 2 (4.3-octave)
Player 3: Marimba 3 (4-octave)
Player 4: Marimba 4 (5-octave)