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Three Intermezzi
Stephen Primatic’s Three Intermezzi for Vibraphone and Piano are meant to be treated as duets, rather than accompanied vibraphone pieces. The piano plays an equally important role, often playing its own melodic lines. Each intermezzo can be performed separately, or all three can be played as a set. Though each of the three intermezzi have distinct musical differences, they maintain a consistent character between them. Their unifying harmonic language, one of the primary components that ties the pieces together, is both complex and unpredictable, while remaining accessible and satisfying throughout.
The difficulty in these pieces lies not in the technical aspects of the vibraphone but in the musical execution of the pieces. Pedaling and dampening for the vibraphone must be carefully considered to ensure proper phrasing.
Three Intermezzi comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
• Vibraphone (standard 3-octave)
• Piano
“Three Intermezzi” is a duet for vibraphone and piano. Each movement is between three and four minutes long and can be played individually or as a set. Stephen Primatic writes, “Though each of the three intermezzi have distinct musical differences, they maintain a consistent character between them. Their unifying harmonic language, one of the primary components that ties the pieces together, is both complex and unpredictable while remaining accessible and satisfying throughout.”
While the parts are considered equally important, this should not be overlooked as a great repertoire option for a percussionist who is looking for a vibraphone piece that is musically very sophisticated while not being too technically difficult. Both players’ sense of phrasing are crucial to bringing out the lush melodies contained within each intermezzo. The vibraphone player must also have a good grasp of dampening and pedaling fundamentals.
I highly recommend “Three Intermezzi” for any vibist looking for a duet with piano that is challenging for the players and accessible to the audience.
—Joe Millea
Percussive Notes
Vol. 59, No. 1, February 2021
Stephen Primatic’s Three Intermezzi for Vibraphone and Piano are meant to be treated as duets, rather than accompanied vibraphone pieces. The piano plays an equally important role, often playing its own melodic lines. Each intermezzo can be performed separately, or all three can be played as a set. Though each of the three intermezzi have distinct musical differences, they maintain a consistent character between them. Their unifying harmonic language, one of the primary components that ties the pieces together, is both complex and unpredictable, while remaining accessible and satisfying throughout.
The difficulty in these pieces lies not in the technical aspects of the vibraphone but in the musical execution of the pieces. Pedaling and dampening for the vibraphone must be carefully considered to ensure proper phrasing.
Three Intermezzi comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
• Vibraphone (standard 3-octave)
• Piano
“Three Intermezzi” is a duet for vibraphone and piano. Each movement is between three and four minutes long and can be played individually or as a set. Stephen Primatic writes, “Though each of the three intermezzi have distinct musical differences, they maintain a consistent character between them. Their unifying harmonic language, one of the primary components that ties the pieces together, is both complex and unpredictable while remaining accessible and satisfying throughout.”
While the parts are considered equally important, this should not be overlooked as a great repertoire option for a percussionist who is looking for a vibraphone piece that is musically very sophisticated while not being too technically difficult. Both players’ sense of phrasing are crucial to bringing out the lush melodies contained within each intermezzo. The vibraphone player must also have a good grasp of dampening and pedaling fundamentals.
I highly recommend “Three Intermezzi” for any vibist looking for a duet with piano that is challenging for the players and accessible to the audience.
—Joe Millea
Percussive Notes
Vol. 59, No. 1, February 2021
