Rondo Alla Turca (Mozart)

Scored for percussion ensemble plus optional bass guitar and piano, Michael J. Miller’s arrangement of “Rondo Alla Turca” is a fresh take on the final movement from one of the most monumental piano sonatas of the 18th century. While maintaining the exact form as the original manuscript, this version is written solely in 7/8 and uses instruments commonly found in public-school music programs. It is recommended for advanced middle-school or high-school ensembles.

In the score’s introductory notes, Miller offers several performance alternatives to meet the needs of each group. For example, conductors may choose to omit all or some repeats. While the bass guitar and piano parts add significantly to the piece, no content is lost should these parts be excluded. Additionally, the Percussion 1 part may be performed by two individuals or by one drum set player. I always appreciate this amount of flexibility when searching for ensemble repertoire.

The difficulty level from part to part varies slightly, but should be attainable by most young percussionists. The xylophone and marimba parts appear to be the most challenging, with large intervallic leaps, moving double-stop figures, and most of the melodic material throughout the work. While the snare drum part is exceedingly more complex than the other non-pitched parts, it regularly follows the division of the bar and is mostly unison from all players in the group. This “Turkish March with a twist” will be a ton of fun for everyone and an exciting final piece on any program!

—Danielle Moreau
Percussive Notes
Vol. 60, No. 5, October 2022