Concerto for Vibraphone

Lee Hartman

General Info

Year: 2009
Duration: c. 29:00
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Ragnarok Press
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $200.00 | Score Only (print) - $50.00

Movements (may be played individually)

1. Distant and Ancient Fanfares – 6:00
2. Interlude I. Imaginary Antarctic Bird Songs: Homage to Vaughan Williams – 2:00
3. Dreamscape Variations – 11:00
4. Interlude II. Meditation: Homage to Hovhaness – 2:30
5. Toccata a la Samba – 11:00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Solo Vibraphone
C Piccolo/Flute III
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Oboe III/English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Bassoon III/Contrabassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III-IV-V
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:

Agogo Bells
Bass Drum
Bodhrán
Brake Drum
Castanets
Chimes
Crotales
Finger Cymbals
Glockenspiel
Hi-Hat
Maracas
Marimba
Matraca
Prayer Bowl
Rainstick
Ratchet
Sandpaper Blocks
Shakers, plastic
Snare Drum
Splash Cymbal
Surdo, Primeira and Segunda
Suspended Cymbals (2)
Tambourine
Tam-Tam
Timbales
Triangle
Vibraphone
Whip
Wood Block, small and large
Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Concertos for vibraphone are rare. Even educated percussionists are at a loss to name more than three. With this concerto, it was my intent to highlight this underutilized instrument in a soloistic capacity in a substantial piece. Cast in three large movements, separated by two brief percussion interludes, the piece serves as vehicle to showcase the vibraphone’s assets -- symmetric range, pedal, vibrato, pitch bend, bowing, and other timbral effects -- in an accessible, yet challenging, work.

Distant and Ancient Fanfares is based on a six-note synthetic scale. This movement vacillates between jarring noises, militaristic rhythms, flurries of sound, and dissonant hymns.

Imaginary Antarctic Bird Songs is a tribute to Ralph Vaughan Williams, who, in his Sinfonia antartica [sic], wrote one of the earliest exposed parts for vibraphone in the symphonic repertory. The harmonies in the piano are lifted from Vaughan Williams’ vibraphone part and the other percussionists perform a series of bird-like sounds.

Dreamscape Variations is a variation set on the material heard in the first two bars of the movement. A shimmering effect -- at first jokingly referred to as “vibraphony” -- is created through a series of homogeneous timbral polyrhythms. These patterns are found throughout the movement, and they create a synthetic “vibraphone ensemble” with each player having a different motor setting.

Meditation: Homage to Hovhaness pays tribute to Alan Hovhaness. In his Symphony No. 4, the second movement is a percussion feature in which the percussionist exchanges extended mixed-meter solos that continue through ensemble passages that are in a different tempo and meter. Hovhaness’ polymetric and polytempi ideas have been retained, as well as the extended mixed-meter solo. In further homage, Hovhaness’ name was treated in a modified soggetto cavato process and Morse code provided the rhythmic groupings.

Toccata a la Samba shows off the soloist’s agility. The rhythmic construct is the traditional samba patterns found in the national Brazilian dance and their inversions. Two dark jazz scales, Dorian Be-Bop and Phrygian Dominant, provide the melodic and harmonic material. This movement is dark, monolithic, and aggressive.

- Program Note by composer

Media

Audio: UMKC Wind Symphony (Steven D. Davis, conductor; Jim Clanton, soloist) - 2010

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

University of Missouri-Kansas City Wind Symphony (Steven D. Davis, conductor; Jim Clanton, vibraphone) - February 2010

Works for Winds by This Composer

Ave Maria volgarizzata da Dante (as arranger) (2019)
Concertante (2005)
Concerto for Vibraphone (2009)
Des Monstres et prodiges (2017)
...in fragile bark, o'er a tempestuous sea, the common harbor... (2016)
i/xhale (2017)
Mehter Suite (2019)
Sapphire (2013)
Selections from "The Nutcracker Suite" (as arranger) (2013)
Song for Edie (2015)
Toccata and ... (2020–21)
Tornado (2004)
Trobairitz (2019–20)
Winter Night (Sleigh Ride) (as arranger) (2016)

Resources

Hartman, L.; Mobberley, J. (2009). Concerto for Vibraphone [score]. Conservatory of Music and Dance: University of Missouri--Kansas City.
Lee Hartman website Accessed 21 January 2020
Perusal score, ensemble
Perusal score, solo