The short length and concentrated technical
aspects of the work would make it a valuable study or
concert piece for an advanced high school or undergraduate
student. - John Lane Printed by permission of the Percussive Arts Society, inc.
A
collection of continually changing arpeggiations and melodic ideas,
Wandering is a delicate and beautiful work
for solo marimba. The opening section is set primarily in 7/16
time and uses varying phrase lengths and occasional meter changes to
establish a comfortable yet unpredictably repetitive ostinato.
Three primary ideas are presented and intertwined before a brief
interruption by a more aggressive rhythmic chordal section.
Quickly returning to the original material, the line works its way
down to the bottom of the instrument then gradually ritards into a
three-and-a-half octave arpeggio of an ambiguous dominant-function
chord. A more relaxed and peaceful melodic section is now
allowed to surface as a contrast to the perpetual ostinato.
Still, several arpeggiated figures begin to emerge with increasing
frequency before the melody eventually gives way to a reprise of the
opening material. As before, the arpeggiations work their way
to the bottom of the instrument and the piece slowly ritards before
concluding softly on a low C-sharp.
click on the
cover page to view an excerpt of the piece
