Winterland (Download)

for percussion ensemble

Brian Slawson

Level: Easy

Duration: 3:00

Personnel: 8 players

Release Date: 2020

Product ID : TSPCE20-015DL

Price: $32.00

Item #: TSPCE20-015DL

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Description

Winterland, Brian Slawson’s ensemble piece for beginning percussionists, is a cheerful and festive musical offering that will get any listener into the holiday spirit. In addition to standard instruments like glockenspiel, chimes, marimba, and timpani, the piece features a myriad of fun, toy-like instruments that all players are required to switch to midway through the piece. Fun instruments like slapstick, bell tree, castanets, a train whistle, and sleigh bells not only engage the players but help capture the spirit of the season.

Use of this product is governed by the license terms outlined here.

Instrumentation

• Glockenspiel

• Chimes

• Vibraphone

• Marimba (4.3-octave, low A)

• 3 timpani

• Drumset (crash cymbal, hi-hat, high tom, snare drum, low tom, kick drum)

• Accessories (slapstick, bell tree, castanets, train whistle, 2 temple blocks, sleigh bells, bongos)

Reviews

Brian Slawson offers a wonderful piece for the younger percussion ensemble with his new work, utilizing simple rhythms the key of C major. The work will require a drum set player who can lock in on a tempo and play simple rock grooves.

The piece captures the essence of winter music. The use of sleighbells, train whistle, and glockenspiel helps to provoke the wintertime imagery. The melody is relatively simple and, while not referencing any holiday song directly, is reminiscent of the spirit of those pieces. There is a short middle section where all the performers play percussion instruments, with the temple blocks resembling horse hoofs. The melody returns once again to conclude the piece in a light and fun fashion.

This is a great addition to the beginning percussion ensemble literature. The repetitiveness and simplicity are sure to make it accessible to many young players, along with being fun to play. Slawson has added a piece to the young percussion repertoire that is sure to be performed many times and enjoyed by many audiences.

—Josh Armstrong
Percussive Notes
Vol. 59, No. 1, February 2021