Percussion Master Class on Works by Schwantner, Schuller, Bach

Percussion Master Class on Works by Schwantner, Schuller and Bach edited by Anthony J. Cirone. For Percussion, Marimba. Meredith Music Resource. Softcover. 62 pages. Published by Meredith Music.

This latest work in the “Master Class” series presents a comprehensive, interpretive analysis and performance guide of three major works for solo marimba by San Francisco Symphony Principal Percussionist Jack Van Geem. Van Geem's well-thought-out approach to learning Velocities by Joseph Schwantner helps solve many of the difficult 4-mallet technical issues of this most notable composition for solo marimba. His extensive theoretical analysis of Three Small Adventures by Gunther Schuller aids in a greater musical approach to this and other contemporary works for marimba. Van Geem provides his personal edition including dynamics, phrasing, and articulations to J. S. Bach's Fuga in G minor. Van Geem outlines his philosophy of solo marimba technique and how mallet position increases a player's accuracy and provides an important aid in memorization. This in-depth publication covers topics such as sticking options, beating spots, hand & arm postures, memorization, practicing, learning the art of triaging, and more.