The combination of soul music mixed with calypso brought forth a style of dance music from Trinidad and Tobago known as ’’soca.’’ In Brian Slawson’s arrangment of Louis Köhler’s Chromatic Polka, there are two musical styles at play: 1.) the rhythms and instruments of soca music and 2.) the melodies and harmonies of German polka music. Put these two together and you’ve got Soca Polka!
This arrangement can be performed with as little as 3 percussionists or as many as 14 percussionists, making it extremely adaptable to suit almost any ensemble’s needs.
Use of this product is governed by the license terms outlined here.
Required instruments
•1 xylophone
•1 marimba (shared) (low A, or low F)*
Optional instruments
• 1 glockenspiel
• temple blocks
• bongos
• chimes
• 3 timpani
• 2 toms + kick drum
• snare drum
• bass drum
• crash cymbals
• maracas
• 2 cowbells
This concert percussion arrangement by Brian Slawson transforms an original polka by German composer Louis Köhler into a very accessible 21⁄2-minute percussion ensemble in a soca style. Slawson has designed this ensemble for a flexible instrumentation of as few as three performers (xylophone plus two marimbas) or an expanded version of up to 14 players (the core keyboard performers plus 11 additional performers).
The style is enhanced by the expanded instrumentation, which could permit a few less-experienced players to perform on maracas or bongos. The upper keyboard percussion parts (xylophone and marimba 1) require two-mallet technique, while the marimba 2 part demands basic four-mallet technique. A web-based performance recording is helpful for stylistic references. This ensemble would be appropriate for the younger percussion ensemble (probably younger high school level).
—Jim Lambert Percussive Notes Vol. 58, No. 1, February 2020
Description
The combination of soul music mixed with calypso brought forth a style of dance music from Trinidad and Tobago known as ’’soca.’’ In Brian Slawson’s arrangment of Louis Köhler’s Chromatic Polka, there are two musical styles at play: 1.) the rhythms and instruments of soca music and 2.) the melodies and harmonies of German polka music. Put these two together and you’ve got Soca Polka!
This arrangement can be performed with as little as 3 percussionists or as many as 14 percussionists, making it extremely adaptable to suit almost any ensemble’s needs.
Use of this product is governed by the license terms outlined here.
Instrumentation
Required instruments
•1 xylophone
•1 marimba (shared) (low A, or low F)*
Optional instruments
• 1 glockenspiel
• temple blocks
• bongos
• chimes
• 3 timpani
• 2 toms + kick drum
• snare drum
• bass drum
• crash cymbals
• maracas
• 2 cowbells
Reviews
This concert percussion arrangement by Brian Slawson transforms an original polka by German composer Louis Köhler into a very accessible 21⁄2-minute percussion ensemble in a soca style. Slawson has designed this ensemble for a flexible instrumentation of as few as three performers (xylophone plus two marimbas) or an expanded version of up to 14 players (the core keyboard performers plus 11 additional performers).
The style is enhanced by the expanded instrumentation, which could permit a few less-experienced players to perform on maracas or bongos. The upper keyboard percussion parts (xylophone and marimba 1) require two-mallet technique, while the marimba 2 part demands basic four-mallet technique. A web-based performance recording is helpful for stylistic references. This ensemble would be appropriate for the younger percussion ensemble (probably younger high school level).
—Jim Lambert Percussive Notes Vol. 58, No. 1, February 2020
This arrangement from the incidental music to Shakespeare's classic play is both subtle and challenging, and brings a unique way for modern mallet ensembles to recreate Mendelssohn's magic.
