Prelude No. 5, D Major

Item details

Description +
- Arranged by Scott Weatherson
  Duration: 3 min.
  
  Prelude No. 5 in D major from the 2nd book of Johann Sebastian Bach's 'Well Tempered Clavier' (Das Wohltemperierte Klavier), KWV 874, is here arranged for 3 marimbas, each instrument taking a different voice from the original keyboard music. The lowest marimba part can be played on either a 5 octave or 4.3 octave marimba – parts are provided to suit both instrument ranges. Also, it is possible to perform parts 1 and 3 on the same instrument.
Instrumentation +
- Percussion Trio (3 players)
  
  Required Instruments:
  3 Marimbas (5 octave and 4.3 octave)
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About the composer +
- Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He enriched established German styles through his skill in counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach's compositions include the Brandenburg Concertos, the Goldberg Variations, the Mass in B minor, two Passions, and over three hundred cantatas of which around two hundred survive. His music is revered for its technical command, artistic beauty, and intellectual depth.
  
  Bach's abilities as an organist were highly respected during his lifetime, although he was not widely recognised as a great composer until a revival of interest and performances of his music in the first half of the 19th century. He is now generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time.
Reviews +
- Percussive Notes, November 2016
  
  This three‐minute transcription from Bach’s “Well Tempered Clavier” delivers exactly what you would expect from our patriarch of music theory: traditional cadences, active inner voices, and a wide assortment of melodic running passages that are toggled between each of the parts. While written for three separate instruments, the Marimba 1 and Marimba 3 parts could easily fit on the same keyboard.
  
  Throughout this arrangement, percussionists will appreciate the opportunity to perform great music adapted for two‐mallet playing, as well as the melodic and structural challenges that come with any work by Bach. Suitable for masterclass performances, semester lesson assignments, or a short interjection on a percussion ensemble concert, this arrangement is quick and to the point as it provides the opportunity to perform music from one of the true masters of music history.
  
  —Joshua D. Smith
Credits +
- Front Cover Graphics and Layout: Ronni Kot Wenzell
  Engraving: Scott Weatherson & CPH Engraving
  Printed in Copenhagen, Denmark
  Copyright © Edition Svitzer
  www.editionsvitzer.com

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