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A Castle in the Air (Solo Vibraphone)
Genre: Solo Vibraphone (4-mallet)
# of Players: 1
Level: Medium Difficult | Duration: 6:00
Publisher: C. Alan Publications | Copyright: 2020
Download mp3 | Click on images to left for score sample
Rating:
Price:
$18.00
Item #:
27160
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Notes & Instrumentation
Commissioned by The Green Vibes Project, A Castle in the Air is a challenging and colorful work for solo vibraphone. The title is an idiom referring to a daydream, a near impossibility, or scheme. As the piece progresses, it travels through several daydreaming moods – from peace to worry and back again.
Genre: Solo Vibraphone (4-mallet) | # of Players: 1
Level: Medium Difficult | Duration: 6:00
Instrumentation
Vibraphone (3-octave)
Program Notes
A Castle in the Air is an idiom referring to a daydream, a near impossibility, or scheme. As we go through the piece, the opening is very peaceful as we begin to think about our daydream, but as we drift further, we begin to worry. Suddenly we snap out of it and begin to hear the sounds around us again, but nerveless we seep back into our fanciful dream. We think uneasy thoughts until we come to end of our journey remembering that anything is possible.– A.P.
A Castle in the Air was written for my friend Chase Banks and the Green Vibes Project.
PERFORMANCE NOTES
A Castle in the Air should be played with a soundscape in the background, such as stagnant rain and thunder, ocean waves, a fireplace, or even birds singing. This constant “drone” will give the listener something that weaves its way in and out from underneath the music. It is entirely up to the performer to choose which soundscape he/she thinks is best, as each gives the piece different imagery.ABOUT THE GREEN VIBES PROJECT The Green Vibes Project was founded in 2018 by husband and wife, Chase and Christine Banks, because they saw a need for sustainability awareness in the classical music market. As the name states, this “green” organization focuses on commissioning music that utilizes metal-based instruments, sustainably-made, and/or recycled instrumentation to promote environmental sustainability and provide meaningful repertoire to classical music literature. Follow us on our website and social media for updates and future commissioning series!
The Green Vibes Project inspires awareness and discussion on sustainable musical practices through the performance and commissioning of new chamber works.
Website: www.GreenVibesProject.org
– Chase Banks
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Video
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A Castle in the Air - Andrew Patzig
A Castle in the Air by Andrew Patzig, performed by Chase Banks. This piece was commissioned by the Green Vibes Project as a part of their Series 1 Commissioning Cycle. The Green Vibes Project is a new venture with the main goal to promote the composition and performance of new and lesser known musical works for vibraphone. The project was started in 2018 by husband and wife, Chase and Christine Banks. As the name states, this “green” organization focuses on commissioning music that utilizes metal-based instruments, and recycled instrumentation (i.e. recyclable materials such as scrap metal, cardboard, glass bottles, etc.) to promote environmental sustainability, and provide meaningful repertoire to the percussion literature. Follow us on our website and social media for updates and future commissioning series! Green Vibes Project - www.greenvibesproject.org Performer - Chase Banks Instagram: @chasebankspercussion www.chasebankspercussion.com Videography - Banks Media Group Instagram: @banksmediagroup http://chasebankspercussion.com/banks... Audio Engineer - Graeme Rosner Instagram: @graeme_rosner http://www.graemerosner.com/
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Product Reviews
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Percussive Notes New Literature Review
“A Castle in the Air” was composed for Chase Banks and the Green Vibes Project, an organization focusing on “commissioning music that utilizes metal-based instruments, sustainably-made, and/or recycled instrumentation to promote environmental sustainability and provide meaningful repertoire to classical music literature.” According to the composer’s program note, “A Castle in the Air” is a programmatic work having to do with a peaceful daydream, snapping out of said daydream, and eventually falling back into it.
Andrew Patzig says that the solo should be played with a soundscape in the background (such as rain or thunder) as a sort of drone. Patzig crafts a lovely melody at the opening of the piece. He asks for minimal pedaling, giving a blurry, dreamy feel to the music that is consistent with the program of the piece.
The piece requires four mallets, and techniques include rotation strokes, double stops, and single notes with one mallet. Patzig gives clear phrasing and articulation markings, providing the performer with a good starting point for a musical performance. The second section of the piece has a constant drone on one note while the performer utilizes a soft plastic mallet and soft vibraphone mallet to play an improvisatory melody. My interpretation is that this more musically agitated section represents snapping out of the daydream. Following this, the dreamy 3/4 meter of the opening section returns, albeit with different melodic material. The melody is often in the upper range of the vibraphone, so another challenge will be balancing it with the moving lines that frequently begin in the low register. This is a pleasant piece that would work well on an undergraduate recital.
Joseph Van Hassel
PERCUSSIVE NOTES
VOL. 59, NO. 3, JUNE 2021 Joseph Van Hassel on Jun 29th 2022
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