Concerto for Marimba and Chamber Orchestra

Daniel Rojas

General Info

Year: 2013
Duration: 00:25:00
Difficulty: Advanced
Publisher: Australian Music Centre
ISMN: 979-0-720145-92-1
Cost: Score and Parts - $92.73   |   Score Only - $0.00

Movements

I. Serpentine
II. Ebb
III. Soiree.

Instrumentation

Soloist

Marimba

Orchestra

Woodwinds : Flute & Oboe & Clarinet & Bassoon
Brass: French Horn
Percussions: Claves
Strings: Violin 1/2 & Viola & Cello & Double Bass

Program Notes

Early in the process of composing Chamber Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra, I realised this work would grow to become conversational in character. It is, indeed, common to speak of a concerto as a dialogue between the soloist and the orchestra. Due of the intimate size of the ensemble, however, I gave the orchestral instruments important solo roles. Consequently, they now play an active part in this dialog, the moods of which range from spiritually introspective to enthusiastically charged.

The principal tonal centres for each movement are D, G and E, and are drawn from the initials of the original collaborators of this work: Daniel Rojas, Sarah-Grace Williams and Claire Edwardes. Each of these movements explores a particular extra-musical theme:

I. Serpentine is a reference to the sinuous Amazonian rivers, which are formidable uncompromising bodies of water that can extend for hundreds or thousands of kilometres. Spiralling thematic and layered melodic sequences hint at Afro-Cuban and Amerindian music. The festive character of this movement has a sinister undercurrent that relates to my sentiments surrounding the plight of the indigenous inhabitants of this vast and fertile area.

II. Ebb is a very personal movement that is born from deep introspection that describes the process of gradual withdrawal from youthful ingenuousness. Musically, this movement makes use of chorale, plainchant and tango references to evoke a sense of spiritual and profane transfiguration.

III. Soirée is an extroverted musical depiction of the kind of musical social gatherings my close circle of friends and I enjoy hosting for each other. This movement unfolds as such typical occasion would: amicable introductory conversation, the announcement of food and drink, and enjoying some unrestrained and boisterous spontaneous music making prior to a cheerful farewell.

Similarly to other works of mine, such as my Latin Piano Concerto (2006), Chamber Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra draws from the music of various Latin American traditions such as Peruvian indigenous, tango, Afro-Cuban, as well as Mexican, Venezuelan and Argentine cowboy music.

Works for Percussion by this Composer

Concerto for Marimba and Chamber Orchestra