Escape (Download)
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Escape (Download)
Description
Escape by Larry Lawless is an upbeat and fun medium-easy solo for a young marimbist. Because the melody of the piece is interspersed between so many double-vertical strokes, where all four mallets play simultaneously, the player must focus on voicing each chord so that the top note is clearly audible and connects to the surrounding notes of the melody. This is a deceptively difficult technical challenge that will test the player and develop their ear at the same time. Escape will also challenge the player’s sense of rhythm, as it features many syncopations and requires a strong sense of continuous groove.
This solo also appears in Sequential Studies Volume 2 by Julia Gaines.
Use of this product is governed by the license terms outlined here.
Instrumentation
• Marimba (4-octave)
Reviews
Larry Lawless incorporates some easy eighth-note syncopations in the hands, which makes for a great rhythmic exercise for younger students. The hands work in conjunction with each other, as neither hand is the main melodic voice. The piece is only two pages long and should take about a minute and a half to perform.
This work offers a good addition to the beginning marimba repertoire. With the use of two stroke types, eighth-note syncopations, and simple harmonies, this piece would be an excellent work for young students who are just beginning four-mallet study. This would be a possible precursor to a “Yellow After the Rain”-type of piece. Lawless has offered a great and accessible piece for young percussionists to be able to make music, while focusing on the new techniques required in four-mallet learning.
—Josh Armstrong
Percussive Notes
Vol. 58, No. 6, December 2020
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