Thundersnow
General Info
Year of Published: 2024
Publisher: Tapspace Publications
Difficulty: Intermediate
Duration: 00:06:30
Cost: $55.00
Instrumentation
Player 1: Glockenspiel (Optional Doubling)
Player 2: Crotales
Player 3: Chimes
Player 4: Vibraphone 1
Player 5: Vibraphone 2
Player 6: Vibraphone 3
Player 7: Xylophone & Sizzle Cymbal
Player 8: Marimba 1 & Tom Tom (Medium High)
Player 9: Marimba 2 & Tom Tom (Medium)
Player 10: Marimba 3
Player 11: Marimba 4
Player 12: Timpani
Player 13: Piano
Player 14: Synthesizer (Optional)
Player 15: Drum Set
Player 16: Triangle (High, Medium, Low) & Tom Tom (Medium) & Tam Tam (Shared) & Tambourine (Orchestral and Headless)
Player 17: Sleigh Bells & Mark Tree & Slapstick & Suspended Cymbal & Wood Block & Concert Bass Drum & China Cymbal
Player 18: 3 Tom Tom & Bell Tree
Player 19: Concert Bass Drum & Tam Tam (Shared)
Player 20: Bass Drum / Impact Drums & Whirly Tubes (F and G) & Thunder Tubes (Optional)
Program Notes
Thundersnow is a natural phenomenon that happens when snow falls as the primary precipitation of a thunderstorm instead of rain. It is considered rare and must have perfect atmospheric conditions to form. It is more common in the Great Lakes region due to the water of the lakes heating the air above it, creating the appropriate temperature differential to build a static charge needed for lightning. When Miles Locke first heard the term thundersnow, he thought how cool that title would be for a piece. He thought that the juxtaposition between thunder (drums / cymbals) and snow (netakkuc / melodic instruments) would be perfect for a percussion ensemble. Thundersnow was written for the Allen Percussion Ensemble for their performance at the 76th Midwest Clinic. The piece was written to accommodate a wide range of players. With some flexibility in instrumentation provided, Thundersnow can be performed with as few as 18 players and as many as 24 or more.
Recent Performance
Works for Percussion by this Composer
Solo
Carol of the Bells Rhapsody - Marimba
Greensleves - Marimba
Seeking Paradise - Marimba
Zenith (Locke) - Glockenspiel
With Other Instruments
Romance (Locke) - Marimba and Flute
Strange Adaptation - Marimba and Bass Clarinet
The Engulfed Cathedral - Vibraphone and Piano
Percussion Ensemble
Carol of the Bells (Locke) - Percussion Nonet
Three's Company - Percussion Trio
Thundersnow - Percussion 18-24+