In 3 movements. A step forward from the first marimba concerto. Scored for full orchestra, the solo part is more difficult than the first concerto and requires a five octave marimba. A gorgeous piece that displays the soloist’s energy, technique and musicality.
 

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Program Notes:
The Concerto No.2 for Marimba was originally written for five octave marimba and full symphony orchestra. The work was composed during the summer of 2001 and was sponsored by a grant from the University of Miami. The concerto lasts approximately 24 minutes and is dedicated to the marimba virtuoso Keiko Abe. The concerto is written in three movements:
I) Water Running in High Mountain has two contrasting themes and depicts the way water makes its path down rocky mountain slopes.
II) Reflections and Dreams starts with a quote from J.S. Bach and develops into a romantic and somewhat mystical atmosphere. Later, a new theme in a lively and contrasting tempo is introduced, which serves as a motive for a fugato movement that is developed before the main themes return.
III) Walking on Clouds has a lively tempo, but its soft melody and rhythmic structure in a 5/4 meter evokes an image of music coming from the clouds. The fugato idea that appears in the second movement returns in this movement before the solo cadenza. In the cadenza, the wooden sound played with the rattan handles of the sticks depicts an old tradition of African balaphones. A quote from a Keiko Abe theme follows, and excerpts of the main themes of the concerto reappear. After the re-exposition of the main themes, a coda using the same vigorous motive from the introduction concludes the work in an uplifting mood.