A catalog of works for marimba soloist with percussion ensemble composed between 1959 and 2008 with analysis of selected works

Abstract

This document provides a chronological catalog of works for marimba soloist and percussion ensemble composed between 1959 and 2008. More than 100 works have been composed over the forty-nine year history of the genre. Those that have a record of success were considered for analysis of structure and performance problems. That record of success was determined by two factors. First, the work needed three or more submissions to the Percussive Arts Society's program archive. Those works were then examined for the second factor, a performance at the Percussive Arts Society International Conference. Four compositions were chosen for analysis from the twelve that attained both factors: Minoru Miki's Marimba Spiritual, Lynn Glassock's Off Axis, Gordon Stout's Diptych No. 2 and David Gillingham's Concerto No. 1, Gate To Heaven. These compositions represented large and small ensemble categories. In addition, three of the works were written by commissioned composers, and two were written by performers as composers. The four works were examined using Ralph Turek's analytical categories: formal structure, harmonic/tonal structure, melodic/rhythmic structure and aspects of texture/dynamics and articulation. Performance problems found in the solo part and the ensemble were examined.