Mallet Quartet by Steve Reich (Parts Only)

Steve Reich's Mallet Quartet is a fifteen-minute-long minimalist adventure for four highly talented percussionists. Commissioned by So Percussion, Amadinda, Nexus, and Synergy, this piece is the first of Reich's works to use 5-octave marimbas.

This piece is written in three movements - fast, slow, fast - each with a different character. The first movement has the marimbas creating a contrapuntal wall of sound against phased vibraphone melodies. The second movement is much sparser and thoughtful. The last movement is much like the first, with more changes in range for the marimbists.

As with most minimalist music, the challenge for the players lies in knowing where they are at all times and being able to repeat patterns flawlessly over and over again. Careful attention to balance and blend will greatly affect the impression this piece makes.

If you want to give listeners an experience, this great piece of music nicely straddles the line of being 'different' without being esoteric. Ask them to find where '1' is!

Instrumentation: Two Vibraphones, Two 5-Octave Marimbas

Difficulty: Advanced

Duration: 15:00

This version contains individual parts for each player - you'll definitely want this version if you plan on performing Mallet Quartet yourself.