Polar Night

At just over six minutes, “Polar Night” could serve as a solid program opener for an advanced undergraduate to professional percussion quartet. The composer states the piece “explores musical textures inspired by the world’s northernmost settlement, Longyearbyen, Norway...known for its views of the beautiful northern lights and polar nights, in which it is nighttime for over 24 hours.” This inspiration is heard in the combining of both traditional and non-traditional instruments and striking implements.

Set in an A-B-A form, the outer sections are marked by both vibraphone players’ use of cardboard dowels on the instrument bars. These dowels are the cardboard inserts that often accompany wire coat hangers, and create an articulation that is uniquely thick and cloudy against the natural resonance of the pedaled figures. Here, both players execute one-measure notated rubato figures in unison. While this might be tricky at first, the rhythms are straight sixteenth notes in 4/4 that accelerando and deccelerando at the half note, and should become intuitive with a little practice.

After a brief transition featuring antiphonal bowed notes on the vibraphones, the middle section is set at a constant tempo of 108 to 120 bpm and features interlocking quarter-, eighth-, and sixteenth-note rhythms. The most interesting timbral aspect of this section is the interplay between the tuned wooden slats and marimba — creating a new “Frankenstein” wooden sound. While energetic and groove-oriented, this section is intelligently scored for ensemble cohesion, as the composer keeps a quarter-note pulse going (if only subtly at times) in at least one of the parts throughout. The marimba part utilizes repetitive four-mallet permutations, and the second vibraphone’s four-mallet writing is limited to spacious chords and similar permutations.

“Polar Night” is sonically pleasing, and the outer sections certainly convey the “icyness” and desolation inherent in the piece’s inspiration. I would’ve liked to see the middle section developed further, especially given the unique timbral combinations used; it seemed to end too soon. Regardless, I am confident this piece will be enjoyed both by players and audience members, making it a fun experience for student and professional players alike.

—Jason Baker
Percussive Notes
Vol. 61, No. 4, August 2023