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Bulb Horn Polka by Brian Slawson is a fun-filled, action-packed two and a half minutes of circus-like fun for nine percussionists. Replete with comic sound effects against the fast-paced 2-beat Polka feel, the entire piece propels the listener toward the final gag involving … wait for it … a bulb horn.
Varying meters of 4, 3, and 2 intermingle throughout the work to provide a comic, if not slightly frenetic, energy. The composer recommends using a “special guest” who is not a part of the ensemble to perform the bulb horn solo at the end.
Use of this product is governed by the license terms outlined here.
Glockenspiel
Chimes
Xylophone
Vibraphone
Marimba — 4-octave
3 Timpani (32”, 29”, 26”)
Drumset
Accessories — anvil, cowbells, duck call, ratchet, slide whistle, temple blocks
This piece is described as “a fun-filled, action-packed two-and-a-half minutes of circus-like fun for nine percussionists. Replete with comic sound effects against the fast-paced 2-beat Polka feel, the entire piece propels the listener toward the final gag involving...wait for it...a bulb horn.” It could be performed with or without the bulb horn gag.
To my ear the piece has more elements of Klezmer than circus. It is a nice opportunity to work on syncopation and odd-time signatures in an ensemble setting. There are a couple of “licks” but nothing that any intermediate player could not achieve, and most of the parts are doubled somewhere else most of the time. It is short and sweet, has a very accessible setup, and could be put together in a reasonable amount of time.
I would recommend this for any intermediate ensemble looking for something short and fun and to possibly involve a “guest” performer on the bulb horn.
—Joe Millea
Percussive Notes
Vol. 62, No. 4, August 2024
Bulb Horn Polka by Brian Slawson is a fun-filled, action-packed two and a half minutes of circus-like fun for nine percussionists. Replete with comic sound effects against the fast-paced 2-beat Polka feel, the entire piece propels the listener toward the final gag involving … wait for it … a bulb horn.
Varying meters of 4, 3, and 2 intermingle throughout the work to provide a comic, if not slightly frenetic, energy. The composer recommends using a “special guest” who is not a part of the ensemble to perform the bulb horn solo at the end.
Use of this product is governed by the license terms outlined here.
Glockenspiel
Chimes
Xylophone
Vibraphone
Marimba — 4-octave
3 Timpani (32”, 29”, 26”)
Drumset
Accessories — anvil, cowbells, duck call, ratchet, slide whistle, temple blocks
This piece is described as “a fun-filled, action-packed two-and-a-half minutes of circus-like fun for nine percussionists. Replete with comic sound effects against the fast-paced 2-beat Polka feel, the entire piece propels the listener toward the final gag involving...wait for it...a bulb horn.” It could be performed with or without the bulb horn gag.
To my ear the piece has more elements of Klezmer than circus. It is a nice opportunity to work on syncopation and odd-time signatures in an ensemble setting. There are a couple of “licks” but nothing that any intermediate player could not achieve, and most of the parts are doubled somewhere else most of the time. It is short and sweet, has a very accessible setup, and could be put together in a reasonable amount of time.
I would recommend this for any intermediate ensemble looking for something short and fun and to possibly involve a “guest” performer on the bulb horn.
—Joe Millea
Percussive Notes
Vol. 62, No. 4, August 2024
