Stout-Diptych #2-M solo /P/4T/B/C/V-CEL/PN

For eight players (one is piano and celeste) and solo marimba. Written for John Beck and the Eastman School of Music Percussion Ensemble, and commissioned by Richard Gipson and the University of Oklahoma Commissioning Series. My second composition for percussion ensemble, it again follows the musical plan of having the fast movement first, and the slow movement second. The primary rhythmic ideas were taken from some odd meter snare drum etudes that I had written, but never finished. This is a difficult work forpercussion ensemble, requiring a good pianist, and a marimbist who has a strong technique and sound. The percussionists are required to sing during one section of the slower movement.

-Gordon Stout

Number of Players: 9
Difficulty: Grade 5
Instrumentation:
Player I: Bells, Temple Blocks
Player II: Chimes
Player II: Vibes
Player II: Piano, Celeste
Player II: 4 Timpani
Player II: Triangle, 3 Sus. Cym.
Player II: 3 Snare Drums, Finger Cymbals
Player II: 2 Low Toms, Bass Drum
Player II: Solo Marimba

GORDON STOUT (b.1952) is currently Professor of Percussion at the School of Music, Ithaca College, Ithaca, N.Y. A composer as well as percussionist who specializes on marimba, he has studied composition with Joseph Schwantner, Samuel Adler and Warren Benson, and percussion with James Salmon and John Beck.As a composer-recitalist he has premiered a number of his original compositions and works by other contemporary composers. Many of his compositions for marimba are published, and have already become standard repertoire for marimbists world-wide. His recordings are devoted not only to his own music, but also that of the general standard repertoire by important American composers.