Burn3 (Trio for Flute, Clarinet, & Marimba)

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1. Percussive Notes New Literature Review

   “Burn3” is a moto perpetuo-style piece that allows performers to impress audiences by demonstrating individual chops and ensemble cohesion, although in terms of musical content the product is somewhat static. Most of the under-6-minute piece consists of vaguely Coltrane-esque trading scalar licks that have been plugged into the composer’s larger, fairly accessible harmonic scheme, with an almost obligatory slow section in the middle that, for all the speediness of the surrounding licks, might actually be the most challenging part of the piece for the marimbist thanks to the oscillating 5:2, 3:2, and 6:2 polyrhythms. Were it not for that challenge, this piece might even be accomplished by standout high school students, but instead it is probably best suited for younger college students eager to bring their marching band chops onto the concert stage.
   
   Except for a small number of woodwind techniques in the middle section (specifically, pitch bending, lip glisses, and trills), the woodwind parts feel generically interchangeable (which makes sense, given that the piece is actually an update of a duet for marimba and saxophone) and, frankly, percussive. With some creative problem-solving for the woodwind parts in the middle section, the piece would work just as well with two vibraphones, should the marimbist not be able to locate the right woodwind friends. Regardless of who plays it, “Burn3” is sure to put the performers’ technical abilities on full display.
   
   Brian Graiser
   Percussive Notes
   Vol. 57, No. 3, July 2019 Brian Graiser on Jul 15th 2022