Paul recorded this original version of Rhythm Song and the rest of his album "Music for Marimba" at Calf Audio Studios, Ithaca, New York, in the summer of 1982.
I've always loved this piece. I first played it in high school, then again in undergraduate years, and then again when I was working as a professional. It's not an easy piece. To get from the beginning to the end takes a great deal of stamina, precision in technique, and musical maturity. It's a masterpiece for our instrument, and one that will last the ages.
I vividly remember hearing this piece for the first time, someone studying it in a room at the conservatory where I had just begun, and I could only stop and listen without breathing... mesmerized. Bought the album right away, and I couldn’t wait starting studying the piece. It’s the only marimba piece I REALLY enjoyed playing for a long time. Used to play it in octaves with a fellow percussion student just like on your recording. It’s an absolute joy to hear the piece again.
I love this piece so much, my teacher picked it out for me to learn and the more I worked on it I realized, wow I really do need a 4.3 octave marimba and so I went online and found a used marimba one for sale perfect condition, so in a way this piece is part of the reason why I got a new marimba but really this piece is just a beautiful piece to play and learn and I have enjoyed my time learning it. (Edit). This piece got me first place at my regional solo and ensemble
Hey Paul - Did you record this twice over to create the stereo effect? Always been a big fan of your compositions for marimba. Thanks for all of the music.
Hi John - I sure did - in octaves. Here's an excerpt from the liner notes to the LP/CD: "Rhythm Song was originally written as a marimba solo and is quite effective when performed as such, which it most often is. However, I found in the latter stages of composition that the contrasting patterns were brought out more keenly and the overall impact was increased when the work was performed simultaneously by two (or more) players, in octaves. For this reason, I recorded it by playing it twice, over-dubbing a second take an octave higher to create a two-player performance." Thanks for the kind words mate! PS
@@CM.plays.percussion ah ofc. I realized that eventually but forgot to amend my comment. Clearly I'm not a percussionist nor went to college 😆 Thanks for clarifying
I first heard this piece years ago on a recording by Evelyn Glennie, and I've not been able to forget it ever since. Such a brilliant piece! So delighted to hear this version by the man himself.
This piece marked a before and after in my musical decisions, the day I heard it (to a partner play it), I decided that I had to be a "Marimbista" ... thanks!
Absolutely brilliant masterpiece! So many memories from my students years!!! He plays absolutely fantastic, I did not know how slowly is it….We all played it too fast in Bulgaria and we didn't get the inner voices out well, we played Keiko Abe, but Rhythmic Song was a dream for every percussionist at school and academy. This was our first contact with American percussion music. I didn't even know that one day I would have the opportunity to hear it performed by the author himself. Happiness and magic…Now the compositions for marimba are much more difficult, much faster and much more meaningless…
@@TheOssia hi. So back I. The day I used to wrap my own mallets and have no clue what I used on the recording. Today I would use the Encore NM 3B or equivalent with an NZ4 in the lower base mallet. 👍😁
I've always loved this piece. I first played it in high school, then again in undergraduate years, and then again when I was working as a professional. It's not an easy piece. To get from the beginning to the end takes a great deal of stamina, precision in technique, and musical maturity. It's a masterpiece for our instrument, and one that will last the ages.
I vividly remember hearing this piece for the first time, someone studying it in a room at the conservatory where I had just begun, and I could only stop and listen without breathing... mesmerized. Bought the album right away, and I couldn’t wait starting studying the piece. It’s the only marimba piece I REALLY enjoyed playing for a long time. Used to play it in octaves with a fellow percussion student just like on your recording.
It’s an absolute joy to hear the piece again.
Thanks mate. Just made my day! Paul S
Listen to evelin glennie
Evelyn Glennie*
genius composition. love this piece so much
Hi. Yes, I recorded it as written, then played a 2nd track an octave higher.
I love this piece so much, my teacher picked it out for me to learn and the more I worked on it I realized, wow I really do need a 4.3 octave marimba and so I went online and found a used marimba one for sale perfect condition, so in a way this piece is part of the reason why I got a new marimba but really this piece is just a beautiful piece to play and learn and I have enjoyed my time learning it. (Edit). This piece got me first place at my regional solo and ensemble
Plans to write a sequel? :)
Hey Paul - Did you record this twice over to create the stereo effect? Always been a big fan of your compositions for marimba. Thanks for all of the music.
Hi John - I sure did - in octaves. Here's an excerpt from the liner notes to the LP/CD: "Rhythm Song was originally written as a marimba solo and is quite effective when performed as such, which it most often is. However, I found in the latter stages of composition that the contrasting patterns were brought out more keenly and the overall impact was increased when the work was performed simultaneously by two (or more) players, in octaves. For this reason, I recorded it by playing it twice, over-dubbing a second take an octave higher to create a two-player performance." Thanks for the kind words mate! PS
I love this song with my whole heart
Which mallets did you use for this? Love your work by the way.
BD ended a season with this, and started one with it too. what an amazing piece!
Which one did the end with this?
Ethan Winkler ended 2018 with this, but they did it in a Different key
What's BD??
@@crieverytim Blue Devils drum corp
@@CM.plays.percussion ah ofc. I realized that eventually but forgot to amend my comment. Clearly I'm not a percussionist nor went to college 😆 Thanks for clarifying
This one had my jaws hanging
Thanks Zed! Those were the days man. Paul S
I first heard this piece years ago on a recording by Evelyn Glennie, and I've not been able to forget it ever since. Such a brilliant piece! So delighted to hear this version by the man himself.
This piece marked a before and after in my musical decisions, the day I heard it (to a partner play it), I decided that I had to be a "Marimbista" ... thanks!
Thank you Cristobal! Sorry for taking so long to reply. To have a positive impact on another is one of the great joys of life. Thank you! PS
This is beautiful Pablo. So good to see you’ve done so well since back in the day at IC. I’ll gladly listen for more. Jerry Smith
Dang ur good
❤️❤️
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Absolutely brilliant masterpiece! So many memories from my students years!!! He plays absolutely fantastic, I did not know how slowly is it….We all played it too fast in Bulgaria and we didn't get the inner voices out well, we played Keiko Abe, but Rhythmic Song was a dream for every percussionist at school and academy. This was our first contact with American percussion music. I didn't even know that one day I would have the opportunity to hear it performed by the author himself. Happiness and magic…Now the compositions for marimba are much more difficult, much faster and much more meaningless…
Thank you Roumen - it really means a lot to know that this piece has touched so many people - very gratifying. Thank you. Paul S
@@psmadbeck - What mallets do you use for Rhythm Song these days? Thanks!
@@TheOssia hi. So back I. The day I used to wrap my own mallets and have no clue what I used on the recording. Today I would use the Encore NM 3B or equivalent with an NZ4 in the lower base mallet. 👍😁
..bass mallet
Elite peuce
Buena grabación Paul, me gustaria es cuchar mas piezas de marimba que esta, espero que subas mas nuevo contenido
Gracias Luis. Tengo unas cuantas grabaciones antiguas que subiré pronto. Paul