THIS ONE DAY
for vibraphone and marimba duo
Publisher: C. Alan Publications (2012)
Composed: 2012
Duration: 5’30”
Difficulty: Medium
Instrumentation (2 players): vibraphone, 4.3-octave marimba
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A three-movement piece for vibraphone and marimba duo, This One Day simply and creatively depicts three different periods in what could be any given day. The first movement, Morning Breeze, is set in 6/8 time and presents a playful melody voiced primarily in the vibraphone over continuous eighth-note broken arpeggios in the marimba and a shuffle ostinato in the vibraphone left hand. The second movement, Afternoon Nap, is set in a moderate 3/4 time and features a repeating sixteen-measure chord progression in the marimba layered under a gentle melodic line in the vibraphone, including sections performed with the shafts of the mallets. Evening Stroll is the final movement and is set entirely in 7/8 time. In this movement, the marimba carries the primary melodic material intertwined with fluid, yet slightly unsettled, accompanimental figures. The vibraphone adds a few color chord clusters as well as joining in to slightly thicken some of the the melodic lines. Both parts require 4-mallets throughout each movement, but the technical demands are such that the piece would be accessible to intermediate/advanced high school percussionists or appropriate for undergraduate college performance.