Not In Jest

“Not in Jest” is inspired by the music of Armenian pianist Tigran Hamasyan — specifically “The Court Jester.” Not being familiar with Hamasyan’s music, I checked it out, and I’m glad I did! It’s well worth seeking out if you’re not already familiar with it. Robert Sanderl’s intent was to write a “fun, groove piece that drives hard from start to finish, with a strong pulse, tangible harmonies, and infectious rhythms.” He certainly succeeds!

“Not in Jest” is a marimba duet with each performer playing a few additional instruments (hi-hat, splash cymbal, kick drum). The kick drum part is optional for Player 2, as it only plays in unison with Player 1 near the end of the piece. Along with Hamasyan’s music, I also found “Not in Jest” to have similarities with Graham Fitkin’s percussion quartet “Hook,” particularly its rhythmic and harmonic language as well as its repetitive patterns and instrumentation.

Each performer needs four mallets and a good amount of coordination to perform the piece. There is significant movement among instruments, as well as challenging coordination between the marimba and kick drum in Player 1’s part. As far as marimba technique goes, single-mallet playing, rotation strokes with different permutations, and double stops are called for. There is also a lot of tricky rhythmic coordination between the two parts. I recommend this engaging work for undergraduate or graduate recital performance.

—Joseph Van Hassel
Percussive Notes
Vol. 61, No. 1, February 2023