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Three Romanian Dances (Bartók)
Brian Slawson has brilliantly arranged these simple folk melodies for vibraphone and glockenspiel, making them accessible to young percussionists. Because of their traditional nature, these pieces are largely built on modes, which are a refreshing alternative to the typical study of major/minor scales. It also give students the opportunity to perform on the glockenspiel which is largely neglected in percussion pedagogy.
This piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
Instrumentation
Béla Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances, arranged here for keyboard duet by Brian Slawson, are short, delightful character pieces suitable for high school or early college percussionists looking to perform in a duo setting. Three of the dances, “Peasant Costume, ” “Standing Still, ” and “Stick Game” are included in this collection, each offering unique challenges while exposing students to Bartók’s harmonic and rhythmic voice. In each dance, the glockenspiel carries the melody while the vibraphone plays accompaniment.
“Peasant Costume” is the first, and shortest, of the three dances. Built on a simple clock-like melody in D Dorian, this piece uses quintuplets in the glockenspiel part and calls for the vibraphone player to switch between rattan handles and mallet heads for an effective timbre change.
“Standing Still” is a somber interlude, offering students the chance to explore how different mallets and implements can be used to create character. Although Slawson does not recommend specific mallets, the implements used here can have a profound effect on the overall success of the movement.
“Stick Game” is the last dance presented here, offering the most challenging part for the glockenspiel player. Slawson has done an excellent job keeping both voices interesting while making them manageable for intermediate players. In addition, this movement provides the players with many musical choices, allowing them to work on ensemble skills, character, and overall performance.
–Justin Alexander
Percussive Notes
Vol. 53, No. 1, March 2015
Brian Slawson has brilliantly arranged these simple folk melodies for vibraphone and glockenspiel, making them accessible to young percussionists. Because of their traditional nature, these pieces are largely built on modes, which are a refreshing alternative to the typical study of major/minor scales. It also give students the opportunity to perform on the glockenspiel which is largely neglected in percussion pedagogy.
This piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
Instrumentation
Béla Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances, arranged here for keyboard duet by Brian Slawson, are short, delightful character pieces suitable for high school or early college percussionists looking to perform in a duo setting. Three of the dances, “Peasant Costume, ” “Standing Still, ” and “Stick Game” are included in this collection, each offering unique challenges while exposing students to Bartók’s harmonic and rhythmic voice. In each dance, the glockenspiel carries the melody while the vibraphone plays accompaniment.
“Peasant Costume” is the first, and shortest, of the three dances. Built on a simple clock-like melody in D Dorian, this piece uses quintuplets in the glockenspiel part and calls for the vibraphone player to switch between rattan handles and mallet heads for an effective timbre change.
“Standing Still” is a somber interlude, offering students the chance to explore how different mallets and implements can be used to create character. Although Slawson does not recommend specific mallets, the implements used here can have a profound effect on the overall success of the movement.
“Stick Game” is the last dance presented here, offering the most challenging part for the glockenspiel player. Slawson has done an excellent job keeping both voices interesting while making them manageable for intermediate players. In addition, this movement provides the players with many musical choices, allowing them to work on ensemble skills, character, and overall performance.
–Justin Alexander
Percussive Notes
Vol. 53, No. 1, March 2015
