Minimal Rondeau
This original work is very creative and a lovely example of 20th century ‘classical’ repertoire. It is mostly Rung throughout and features expressive dynamics. In lieu of using LV, it is suggested groups use Delay Damp (DD) technique to create the expressive legato phrases throughout. The marimba is the ‘constant’ in this score and together, bells and marimba create an amazing fresh, new work your group and audience will enjoy!
********
We all enjoy learning the story behind original compositions so we asked Tom to please share what inspired Minimal Rondeau:
In elementary school my first musical training was through the Orff Method, playing the xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels. When I was about 8 years old, I watched Masterpiece Theatre with my Mom on PBS and loved the musical theme – an excerpt from Jean-Joseph Mouret's Rondeau. I learned to play the theme on Orff xylophone, gathered my friends together who were willing to learn, and our music teacher taught them the accompaniment parts to perform with me at a school assembly.
After discovering handbells, in college I majored in music and took a course in music composition. At the time, my biggest influences were 20th century American composers Phillip Glass and Steve Reich. I loved improvising in Dorian and Mixolydian modes and have always felt that handbells sound lovely when played in open fifths; thus many of my handbell works lean heavily on parallel open fifths.
When developing the melodic ideas in the Dorian mode for this minimalist piece, I tried giving the constant sixteenth notes to the handbells, but it proved to be far too demanding so I gave the rhythmic drive to a composer classmate who is a percussion major and excelled at the marimba.
This piece of music started to take shape and featured trading off ideas between the handbells and the marimba, incorporating a loose Rondo form (ABACAD) to add more variety to the minimalist style. In honor of my very early musical training from Orff and PBS, I named this piece Minimal Rondeau with Mouret's French spelling.