"Beautiful chaos" is how composer Thomas R. Marceau and his wife often refer to their two oldest boys. In this advanced work for solo marimba (derived from the duet version), Marceau intricately weaves two lines into relationships at once disjunctive and harmonius. Tender, charming, and full of life, My Beautiful Chaos will leave a lasting impression on the listener while challenging the performer to the highest levels of musicianship and 4-mallet mastery.
My Beautiful Chaos was originally commissioned by marimba virtuosi Gordon Stout and Larissa Venzie. It ships in a printed, professionally bound folio with a full color cover.
• Marimba—low C
This is a beautifully written solo for 5-octave marimba. e high quality of this composition is something we have come to expect of Thomas R. Marceau’s marimba music. The piece was originally commissioned as a marimba duo by Gordon Stout and Larissa Venzie, and it was later made into a less complex solo containing the same central melodic ideas. The inspiration for the piece comes from the relationship between Marceau's two young boys. It evokes the ebb and flow of chaos and harmony that often exists between two siblings.
The opening rubato e dolce is exquisitely chromatic and leaves plenty of room for individual interpretation. The blend of chromaticism and lyrical melody in the middle section is reminiscent of Chopin with a bit of Sammut. The ending masterfully blends the material from the opening with techniques found throughout the piece. "My Beautiful Chaos" requires a very advanced marimba player with a mastery of melody and flawless, flowing technique. This would be very appropriate for any graduate or profession level recital.
—Joe Millea
Percussive Notes
Vol. 53, No. 1, March 2015
"Beautiful chaos" is how composer Thomas R. Marceau and his wife often refer to their two oldest boys. In this advanced work for solo marimba (derived from the duet version), Marceau intricately weaves two lines into relationships at once disjunctive and harmonius. Tender, charming, and full of life, My Beautiful Chaos will leave a lasting impression on the listener while challenging the performer to the highest levels of musicianship and 4-mallet mastery.
My Beautiful Chaos was originally commissioned by marimba virtuosi Gordon Stout and Larissa Venzie. It ships in a printed, professionally bound folio with a full color cover.
• Marimba—low C
This is a beautifully written solo for 5-octave marimba. e high quality of this composition is something we have come to expect of Thomas R. Marceau’s marimba music. The piece was originally commissioned as a marimba duo by Gordon Stout and Larissa Venzie, and it was later made into a less complex solo containing the same central melodic ideas. The inspiration for the piece comes from the relationship between Marceau's two young boys. It evokes the ebb and flow of chaos and harmony that often exists between two siblings.
The opening rubato e dolce is exquisitely chromatic and leaves plenty of room for individual interpretation. The blend of chromaticism and lyrical melody in the middle section is reminiscent of Chopin with a bit of Sammut. The ending masterfully blends the material from the opening with techniques found throughout the piece. "My Beautiful Chaos" requires a very advanced marimba player with a mastery of melody and flawless, flowing technique. This would be very appropriate for any graduate or profession level recital.
—Joe Millea
Percussive Notes
Vol. 53, No. 1, March 2015