Program Notes
Program for New Works for Marimba and Vibraphone: Works by Honstein, Netzer, Bach, Akiho, Green
An Economy of Means by Robert Honstein
Movements are as follows (one movement has been omitted from this performance)
I. Filigree
II. Chorale
III. Fast notes, long tones
V. Broken chords
VI. Bow lines
"An Economy of Means is a kind of companion piece to my trio An Index of Possibility. In Index I used a wide range of materials—glass, metal, wood, ceramic, drums, toys, found objects—to create a large form that moved between distinctive worlds within a broad sonic palette. With An Economy of Means I’ve done the opposite, deliberately using one instrument, the vibraphone, and forcing myself to make the most out of limited resources. With a few simple preparations—tin foil, a manilla folder—and judicious usage of the vibraphone’s natural properties, I tried to build something vast and varied, as broad and ambitious as the trio but in a narrower, more focused context. Set in six movements, the nearly thirty minute piece doesn’t have a specific narrative. Even so, I think there is always a sense of motion, of drifting from space to space, with little dramas unfolding along the way. " - Robert Honstein
'Taksim' by Osnat Netzer
This is the first movement from a larger work called Improvisations for Solo Marimba. "I wrote Improvisations for Solo Marimba while I was a student of John Heiss at New England Conservatory. It was composed in Cambridge, Massachusetts and completed in April of 2008. The first movement, Taksim, was selected as a winner of the Zeltsman Marimba Festival New Music Composition Contest, and was subsequently published by Edition Peters in 2009. Taksim was also recorded for Bridge Records by Ivana Bilic.'Taksim,' is based on a type of improvisatory piece in classical Arabic music of the same name, usually played on oud (a lute type instrument) or kanun (a plucked table instrument)." - Osnat Netzer
'Prelude in f minor, BWV 881' by JS Bach
This is just the prelude to a Prelude and Fugue in F minor written by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is the twelfth prelude and fugue in the second book of The Well-Tempered Clavier, a series of 48 preludes and fugues by the composer.
'mARImbA' by Andy Akiho
This is one solo movement from a larger work titled Seven Pillars. Performed by Sandbox Percussion, this evening-length work is the largest-scale chamber music work that Akiho has written and that Sandbox has commissioned. Akiho and Sandbox’s ongoing collaboration for Seven Pillars has spanned on and off for 8 years. It has been a labor of love between friends and towards the end of the project, Akiho and Sandbox expanded the collaborative circle to video artists, dancers, and choreographers.
selections from Movements in Movement & Sound by Anthony R. Green
This performance is just a few movements from the whole work which consists of ten movements total. The selections are as follows:
- VII. Pop
- IV. Interlude Two: Lullaby
- V. Vibrate
The piece is commissioned and premiered by percussionist Bill Solomon.
The creative output of Anthony R. Green (b. 1984; composer, performer, social justice artist) includes musical and visual creations, interpretations of original works or works in the repertoire, collaborations, educational outreach, and more. Behind all of his artistic endeavors are the ideals of equality and freedom, which manifest themselves in diverse ways in a composition, a performance, a collaboration, or social justice work.
Learn more about Anthony R. Green here at this link!
An Economy of Means by Robert Honstein
Movements are as follows (one movement has been omitted from this performance)
I. Filigree
II. Chorale
III. Fast notes, long tones
V. Broken chords
VI. Bow lines
"An Economy of Means is a kind of companion piece to my trio An Index of Possibility. In Index I used a wide range of materials—glass, metal, wood, ceramic, drums, toys, found objects—to create a large form that moved between distinctive worlds within a broad sonic palette. With An Economy of Means I’ve done the opposite, deliberately using one instrument, the vibraphone, and forcing myself to make the most out of limited resources. With a few simple preparations—tin foil, a manilla folder—and judicious usage of the vibraphone’s natural properties, I tried to build something vast and varied, as broad and ambitious as the trio but in a narrower, more focused context. Set in six movements, the nearly thirty minute piece doesn’t have a specific narrative. Even so, I think there is always a sense of motion, of drifting from space to space, with little dramas unfolding along the way. " - Robert Honstein
'Taksim' by Osnat Netzer
This is the first movement from a larger work called Improvisations for Solo Marimba. "I wrote Improvisations for Solo Marimba while I was a student of John Heiss at New England Conservatory. It was composed in Cambridge, Massachusetts and completed in April of 2008. The first movement, Taksim, was selected as a winner of the Zeltsman Marimba Festival New Music Composition Contest, and was subsequently published by Edition Peters in 2009. Taksim was also recorded for Bridge Records by Ivana Bilic.'Taksim,' is based on a type of improvisatory piece in classical Arabic music of the same name, usually played on oud (a lute type instrument) or kanun (a plucked table instrument)." - Osnat Netzer
'Prelude in f minor, BWV 881' by JS Bach
This is just the prelude to a Prelude and Fugue in F minor written by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is the twelfth prelude and fugue in the second book of The Well-Tempered Clavier, a series of 48 preludes and fugues by the composer.
'mARImbA' by Andy Akiho
This is one solo movement from a larger work titled Seven Pillars. Performed by Sandbox Percussion, this evening-length work is the largest-scale chamber music work that Akiho has written and that Sandbox has commissioned. Akiho and Sandbox’s ongoing collaboration for Seven Pillars has spanned on and off for 8 years. It has been a labor of love between friends and towards the end of the project, Akiho and Sandbox expanded the collaborative circle to video artists, dancers, and choreographers.
selections from Movements in Movement & Sound by Anthony R. Green
This performance is just a few movements from the whole work which consists of ten movements total. The selections are as follows:
- VII. Pop
- IV. Interlude Two: Lullaby
- V. Vibrate
The piece is commissioned and premiered by percussionist Bill Solomon.
The creative output of Anthony R. Green (b. 1984; composer, performer, social justice artist) includes musical and visual creations, interpretations of original works or works in the repertoire, collaborations, educational outreach, and more. Behind all of his artistic endeavors are the ideals of equality and freedom, which manifest themselves in diverse ways in a composition, a performance, a collaboration, or social justice work.
Learn more about Anthony R. Green here at this link!