Archipelagos (Perc Ens 7)

Inspired by the Balinese and Javanese gamelan music of Indonesia, Archipelagos features unique textures, timbres, and instruments like flower pots and tuned aluminum pipes.

Genre: Percussion Ensemble | # of Players: 7
Level: Medium | Duration: 2:05

Instrumentation
Percussion 1 (bells, ceramic flower pot tuned to E, tam-tam)
Percussion 2 (xylophone, ceramic flower pot tuned to D, rainstick, tam-tam)
Percussion 3 (chimes, ceramic flower pot tuned to G#, 7 pitched aluminum piipes [G#, A, C#, D, E, G#, A])
Percussion 4 (vibraphone)
Percussion 5 (4.3-octave marimba)
Percussion 6 (muted tenor drum, kick drum, log drum)
Percussion 7 (opera gong, China cymbal, splash cymbal, suspended cymbal, triangle)

Program Notes
Archipelagos is a short interlude scored for seven percussionists. This piece was inspired by the music of Indonesia, specifically Balinese and Javanese gamelan. The music is buoyant and aggressive at times and delicate and austere at others. The piece features unique textures, timbres, and instruments like flowerpots and tuned aluminum pipes to emulate the sounds of the gamelan. Archipelagos was commissioned by the Shadow Ridge Middle School Honors Winds under the direction of Chris Meredith and Alicia DeSoto for their performance at the 2012 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, IL.