Rivers Run

This new percussion ensemble work captures the excitement of knowing you are going to be a parent. John Herndon began working on the piece after learning he was to become a father, and finished it after the arrival of his son. The work is written for 12 players, all of whom need a basic understanding of beginning percussion.

The piece begins softly, almost like a lullaby, with Mark Tree and triangle underneath rolled chords, and a gentle melody on the glockenspiel. This is quickly followed by a sudden move to a faster tempo, and more active accompaniment. A new melody appears in the xylophone over rhythmic chords on the marimba, and drums, cymbals, and tambourine in the percussion. After this the original lullaby-like melody returns, only this time over the exciting accompaniment and in a new key. The B material returns at the end in the original key, and concludes with a crescendo to the final three quarter notes to end the piece.

This work would be appropriate for a junior high or high school concert. It would be a great way to introduce students to ensemble playing, and playing techniques and sound production on auxiliary instruments. Herndon’s work captures the excitement a person feels when beginning parenthood. Congrats to him on not only his family’s addition, but on his addition to the percussion repertoire!

—Josh Armstrong
Percussive Notes
Vol. 61, No. 6, December 2023