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In Clif Walker’s piece Disguised, things are definitely not what they seem! in this medium-easy percussion ensemble, players manipulate their own instruments in order to create new and interesting sounds. For example, the marimba players use mutes over the bars to “disguise’’ the sound of the marimba, and the vibraphones are sometimes played with finger cymbals rather than mallets. Walker also creatively disguises the meter of the piece by tricking the listener into thinking the downbeats are upbeats.
Also included is an optional audio soundscape that not only provides a supporting sonic backdrop but interjects with additional manipulated sounds.
Disguised comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
• Crotales (high E)
• 1 glockenspiels
• Xylophone
• Chimes
• 2 vibraphones
• 3 marimbas—low A
• 4 timpani
• Drums (snare drum, concert bass drum)
• Cymbals & gongs (small cymbal, hi-hats, finger cymbals (3 pair))
• Accessories (cabasa, triangle, claves)
• Rubber mutes for marimbas (see performance notes)
“Disguised” has just what one looks for in an early-intermediate percussion ensemble piece: an engaging melody, nicely paced sections, a realistic instrument list, a good run time, pedagogical value, and doable parts. While this piece certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it does make good use of the instruments that would typically be found in a standard band room and has options for doubling parts if needed.
Each part is featured at some point in the piece, but there is still some variation in difficulty between the parts so that more advanced players could be given the more complex parts. All of the keyboard parts are scored for two mallets, and the vibraphone parts in particular would be a good introduction to pedaling for a newer player. Though it is written for eight players, the texture is never dense, and there are enough notated dynamics to make the piece musically rewarding. “Disguised” calls for a few extended techniques, so the players have the experience of experimenting with alternate sounds on their instruments.
“Disguised” is a well-thought out piece for the intended ensemble level, and students would likely have fun learning and performing it. This would be a great addition to a percussion ensemble concert.
—Marilyn K. Clark Silva
Percussive Notes
Vol. 58, No. 5, October 2020
In Clif Walker’s piece Disguised, things are definitely not what they seem! in this medium-easy percussion ensemble, players manipulate their own instruments in order to create new and interesting sounds. For example, the marimba players use mutes over the bars to “disguise’’ the sound of the marimba, and the vibraphones are sometimes played with finger cymbals rather than mallets. Walker also creatively disguises the meter of the piece by tricking the listener into thinking the downbeats are upbeats.
Also included is an optional audio soundscape that not only provides a supporting sonic backdrop but interjects with additional manipulated sounds.
Disguised comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
• Crotales (high E)
• 1 glockenspiels
• Xylophone
• Chimes
• 2 vibraphones
• 3 marimbas—low A
• 4 timpani
• Drums (snare drum, concert bass drum)
• Cymbals & gongs (small cymbal, hi-hats, finger cymbals (3 pair))
• Accessories (cabasa, triangle, claves)
• Rubber mutes for marimbas (see performance notes)
“Disguised” has just what one looks for in an early-intermediate percussion ensemble piece: an engaging melody, nicely paced sections, a realistic instrument list, a good run time, pedagogical value, and doable parts. While this piece certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it does make good use of the instruments that would typically be found in a standard band room and has options for doubling parts if needed.
Each part is featured at some point in the piece, but there is still some variation in difficulty between the parts so that more advanced players could be given the more complex parts. All of the keyboard parts are scored for two mallets, and the vibraphone parts in particular would be a good introduction to pedaling for a newer player. Though it is written for eight players, the texture is never dense, and there are enough notated dynamics to make the piece musically rewarding. “Disguised” calls for a few extended techniques, so the players have the experience of experimenting with alternate sounds on their instruments.
“Disguised” is a well-thought out piece for the intended ensemble level, and students would likely have fun learning and performing it. This would be a great addition to a percussion ensemble concert.
—Marilyn K. Clark Silva
Percussive Notes
Vol. 58, No. 5, October 2020
