Set in Sand
Percussion Ensemble for 19 players
Composed by Eric C W Peel
Moderate-Advanced · 4 minutes, 45s
$75.00
Composed by Eric C W Peel
Moderate-Advanced · 4 minutes, 45s
$75.00
The idea for this piece started out with the beginning marimba ostinato. There is no digital delay effect applied to any instrument. But with talented players, the effect can be achieved by assigning one note or interval to each player and ask them to repeat the pattern on a certain beat. The piece eventually developed into a full-on atmospheric journey through the various landscapes and climates one should expect to experience while visiting Arizona. Especially storms! Why Arizona? I was born and grew up as a little boy in this beautiful state. I've always wanted to write a musical piece expressing the emotions I feel when thinking about AZ and my childhood memories...
Finishing out to be by far the largest percussion ensemble I’ve written to date with the most number of unique instruments. 44 unique instruments are managed by 19 players! As a result of these numbers, there is a fair amount of instrument juggling between parts. But rest assured that plenty of rests are provided to allow the necessary instrument changes.
Mvt 1: The piece starts with the dotted 8th note “delay effect” played by the marimbas. The two marimbas staged in the center of the ensemble will play on the strong beats (beats 1 and 3) while the marimbas playing the upbeats (2 and 4) are staged to the outsides. This produces a flowing, oscillating stereo effect that is present for the entire piece. This provides very effective communication of harmony since different chord tones are coming from different auditory paths. It becomes evident that this movement is a musical version of the beginning of a rainstorm. Countless unpitched percussion instruments ambiently layer in supporting the ostinato in the beginning, and then these textures eventually morph into rhythms and establish the “Groove”. A while later, the pitched voices fade out and the unpitched textures get a bit louder and have a moment on their own to groove hard, the “Break”. At this point the audience might realise how similar these combined drums and tambors sound to a drum set, only fuller. It is advantageous to split up each piece of a drum kit because there can be more textures occurring at once, and there is a greater chance for some of the more complex rhythms being played accurately with more minds tackling the task. Then with the crack of thunder and “Lightning”, the full ensemble returns full force to establish the main chord progression and theme of the piece. Many new chord tones are added, giving the music rich, engaging harmony. The mind can only sum this section down to pure energy and emotion!
Mvt 2: The pulse is cut in half and the ensemble is transitioned into a "Slow Part". At this point, most of the unpitched percussion takes a break. Pitched folks expand upon the piece's thematic chord progression nd melody, giving the audience just barely enough of what's likely now keeping them at the edge of their seats. The energy is focused up in the higher-pitched voices and it is this variation of the themse where the most advanced voicings with the most layers can be heard. A bright, heavenly style. Then the mood turns quickly, similar to how the weather can turn dark and dangerous in a heartbeat. the bass guitar is given a 16 bar feature while the rest of the ensemble supports with groovy and at the same time atmospheric textures. Towards the end of the bass feature, the rhythmic percussion layers in with accelerating and crescendoing 16th notes and the piece transitions into a very likeable style.
Mvt 3. And that style is a classic drum and bass groove. Another variation of the theme! It's similar to "Lightnings" only there is none here because this is a "Dust Storm"! Ever seen a Mad Max movie? This is how I feel the world will become if we humans keep up our destructive habits. Nothing but dust storms. There is beauty in them at least. The second half of this section is almost identical to the first half except for it's end being on the happier side, well because the dust cleared! And we are transitioned to night.
Mvt 4. The "Outro" is all about the stars. And see, Arizona is one of those states with one of the greatest remaining populations of Native Americans. These are the people who first saw these crystal clear desert night skies, going back thousands of years. I can imagine they looked musch prettier in the past than now, but at least Arizona is still a wonderful place to look at the stars today. So it's fitting that a section representing "Spirit" be here. "The Milky Way" and it's billions of stars are then audified with manu different metal textures. One of the coolest things about stars is that they actually sing! Well, astronomers can at least convert telescopic video of a single star into audio and a very cool but somehwhat spooky sound is produced. A sample of this is of course included as a treat at the end!
Full instrumentation is listed below. Need a different arrangement? See here.
WHAT YOU GET...
300dpi Cover
Full
Score
All
19 Parts
MP3
320Kbps Audio
?
Lifetime Support
INSTRUMENTATION
Pitched
Three 4.3-octave marimbas
5-octave marimba
4-octave vibraphone
(3-octave alternate part now included!)
Two standard 3.5-octave xylophones
Timpani (5 drums recommended)
3-octave glockenspiel
Extended range chimes
(low notes can be omitted)
2-octave crotales w/ pedal (can be arranged for 1-octave w/o pedal)
Bass guitar w/ volume, tone, and octave pedals
One alto and one soprano recorder
Drums
14in concert snare
12x5 Pearl Firecracker snare
(or similar)
Drum set kick bass drum
Concert bass drum
Cymbals
Ride cymbal
Hi-hat
10in splash cymbal
Sizzle cymbal
15in K crash cymbal
15in suspended cymbal
18in suspended cymbal
20in suspended cymbal
20in crash cymbals
Large gong (34in recommended)
Auxiliary
One pair finger cymbals
(tuned to 3kHz F#/Gb if possible)
6in abel triangle
6in grover triangle
Cabasa
(one with deep tone recommended)
Two orchestral tambourines
Claves
Vibraslap
Ganza shaker
Ankle bells
Brass Sleighbells
Wind Chimes (if possible, two of the widest range sets you can afford)
Patio Chimes (tuned to Dmaj7 chord, or make some)
Long rainstick
Ocean drum
Thundersheet
Electronic
MIDI keyboard or controller pad for 12 different samples
(computer or tablet may be used)
Mix console with 12 channel strips
(tablet may be used)
Computer with software for externally triggering and controlling audio samples
Full range stereo speaker system
LIVE DEMO
Do you have a recording of
"Set in Sand"?
Submit a video!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...
Not your average ensemble. More like an exciting horror movie arrangement!
Dynamic mallets and groovy concert percussion lead to the exit. Or will they?
