Dates/Program Notes/Errata for Published Compositions
Marco Schirripa (b. 1989)
...?! (2010)
Published by C. Alan Publications, 2015
Program notes:
...?! (pronounced as a confused gasp) is a work for solo snare drum and marimba ostinato composed for percussionist Sean Harvey as part of a recital of short, outside-the-box pieces for snare drum. The title is an onomatopoeia for the 5 beat theme presented by the snare drum following the loud introduction, which is elaborated on throughout the middle part of the piece. The marimba ostinato is a simple improvisation on a [0136] tetrachord, which serves to preserve groove and forward motion as the snare drum part becomes increasingly complex. ...?! was premiered by Sean Harvey and Andrew Sickmeier in Ithaca, NY, October, 2010.
1993 (2008)
Published by Keyboard Percussion Publications, 2013
Program notes:
1993 is a simple encore piece and the first work I ever completed for solo marimba. It is inspired by my childhood, where I would watch my older brother play video games when I was too young to really participate. The opening motif is the basis of the piece, and was derived from a short jingle present on Sonic the Hedgehog game cartridges from the early 90s. The simple musical materials in the work are nice to listen to and fun to play!
Autumnal Overture (2013)
Published by C. Alan Publications, 2015
Program notes:
Autumnal Overture was commissioned by Paul Millette and premiered at the University of North Dakota in 2014. I was concerned when he asked my for a piece that was sensitive and beautiful, as neither of those words even come close to describing my compositional style. The result of this challenge splits the difference in a way, with slow, chorale-style textures intermixed with small pockets of groove, and a mathematical harmonic style that is dissonant, but not abrasive. I did not intend for the work to be programmatic, so the title was derived from a certain landscape that comes to mind when I listen to it: a lush, colorful swamp darkened by the canopy of trees, but with sunlight intermittently shining gaining entry as one travels through. These pockets of light are represented by the two “groove” sections in the overture’s superternary form.
Coming to Peace (2016)
Published by C. Alan Publications, 2018
Program notes:Coming to Peace was commissioned and premiered by Robert Clayson and is dedicated to my mother, Jeannine, for the 10th anniversary of her passing.
The work loosely follows the five stages of grief and loss: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. While composing this work I thought back to that difficult time in my life and attempted to represent my feelings and experiences in musical form.
The beginning of the piece is sparse and sensitive, but increases in volume and intensity until a rhythmic “chorale” begins, representing anger and deep mourning. The next section is more flowing and melodic, though the tonality never settles in one area. The melodies are meant to be pleasant and childlike, helping recall fond memories from the past, as well as those that will never be experienced. The work ends with a return to the opening material, representing depression, and finally, reluctant acceptance.
Digital Dances (2010)
Published by Keyboard Percussion Publications, 2015
Program notes:
Digital Dances is a marimba quartet composed for Dan Pessalano and premiered at Ithaca College in December 2010. The work's five sections are heavily influenced by electronic dance music and video games such as Mega Man and Dance Dance Revolution. This rondo form incorporates a simple harmonic scheme with distinct melodic ideas in varying styles, from a straight-ahead ostinato, to fast odd-metered runs, to a four-on-the-floor break down, reminiscent of techno.
Errata:
Marimba 2:
mm. 147-160: Notes may be played as dead strokes (optional).
Marimba 3:
mm. 201-202, beat 3, 3rd triplet: should be B-flat instead of B-natural
mm. 207-208, beat 4: should be B-flat instead of B-natural
Adaptations to play the work with only one 5-octave marimba:
Marimba 3:
mm. 7-8, 11-14: play only top octave
mm. 17-24: play only top octave
mm. 139-162: play Marimba 4 part (omit low Fs)
mm. 163-170: play only top octave
m. 242: play low Gs up one octave
m. 247: play low A-flat up one octave
mm. 282-293: play only top octave
Marimba 4:
mm. 139-162: play Marimba 3 part
Digital Dances 2 (2012)
Published by C. Alan Publications, 2015
Program notes:
This marimba quartet was composed for percussionist Dan Pessalano in the summer of 2012. It was premiered the following December in Ithaca, NY. The second in a series of marimba quartets, the work is heavily influenced by EDM and video game music. Digital Dances 2 combines a constant driving pulse with unexpected harmonies, odd meters, and classical forms to emulate popular electronic music in the concert hall!
Errata:
-There should be a rehearsal number and double bar line between mm. 149-150, NOT 148-149. (Rehearsal number should be 150.)
-There should be a rehearsal number and double bar line between mm. 184-185, NOT 183-184. (Rehearsal number should be 185.)
Marimba 4:
mm. 215-218: The "ossia" is what was originially written, and the more syncopated part was actually an improvisation by a player in one pre-publication performance of the work. It makes time keeping much more difficult for the Marimba 1 player, so using the "ossia" instead is not a big deal if necessary.
Digital Dances 3 (2018)
Published by C. Alan Publications, 2018
Program notes:
Digital Dances No. 3 is the third in a series of marimba quartets based heavily on video game and electronic dance music. It employs a relentless, driving pulse and constantly changing meters, with harmonic influences from both popular and modern classical genres. The work is scored such that it can be performed as either a quartet or quintet, to accommodate varying ability levels, and requires only three total marimbas (1 5.0-octave for quartet, 2 for quintet), if necessary.
Digital Dances No. 3 was commissioned by Dr. Corey Robinson and the University of Texas-Tyler Percussion Ensemble, who premiered the work at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention, in San Antonio, TX on February 14, 2019.
Five Encounters for Viola and Marimba (2012)
Published by C. Alan Publications, 2015
Program notes:
Five Encounters for Viola & Marimba consists of five short, monothematic movements. Composed for violist Michael Capone and premiered in 2014, these five bagatelles were each independently inspired by my interest in video games and technology.
"Sunrise Over Vast Waters" paints a brief musical portrait of what the title implies, but uses a more personal approach, superimposing dissonant pitch collections over a largely pentatonic accompaniment, representing the combination of existential thinking with what many feel to be a natural and beautiful phenomenon.
"I Met the Most Mysterious Man..." was directly influenced by a scene from a video game in which the main characters enter a shop owned by a wizard in a made-up fantasy world. This movement reflects the character and mood of the video game scene's music, but contains completely original material.
"ROBO" is another reflection on a video game, but this time the character being referenced is a futuristic robot of immeasurable strength, which the hero must bring back to life.
"Into a Snowblind," like the opening movement, is meant to create a soundscape, this time of a vast, uninhabitable tundra, within which one would have no hope of survival. There is a juxtaposition of good and bad, as the marimba’s chorale textures at the beginning and end symbolize the undeniable beauty of snowfall, while the dissonance in the viola makes clear the dangers of traveling through a snowblind.
"What is it Like to Fly?" represents not a particular scene, but instead the idea of empowerment and joy that comes with achievement and new experiences. In this case, “flying” is metaphorical and refers to the aforementioned feelings as well as excitement for what the future holds.
Errata:
Viola:
-Harmonics are written at the intended sounding pitch.
-Mvt. 3: For "knuckles on body of instrument," any method of striking the instruments body is fine, as long as it is audible and resonant.
-Mvt. 3, m. 28, beat 4: A "Bartok" pizz. (snapping string against fingerboard) is preferred, though a normal pizz. is written with instrument safety in mind.
-Mvt. 3, m. 36, 38: If playing on a carpeted floor, etc., stomps may be replaced with a pedal bass drum or striking the instrument body.
-Mvt. 4: Slurs are meant to suggest phrasing instead of bowing.
Four Fantasies for Clarinet and Marimba (2018)
Published by C. Alan Publications, 2018
Program notes:My daydreams rarely involve any sort of storytelling or personal interaction. Instead, my mind tends to create detailed environments, almost like interactive still images, in which I can simply exist. Each movement of the Four Fantasies represents a different situation conceived in this way. The work’s thematic and musical material is heavily influenced by video game music and aesthetics.
“Sunrise over Endless Green Expanse” depicts a wide open, grassy plain, with some intermittent trees, but otherwise nothing but green grass and blue sky as far as the eye can see. Musically, the movement begins with a “sunrise,” followed by a rejoiceful, odd-metered dance basking in warmth. Dusk eventually arrives before a brief revisiting of the dance.
“Gazing into a Snowblind” is meant to sound hopeless, defeated, and lonely, as if out in the snowy wilderness with no one else for miles. The chorale-style clusters in the marimba allude to snow’s natural beauty, while the clarinet provides plenty of dissonance to reflect the direness of the situation.
“A Brief Encounter with a Strange People” is a very short folk dance with some silly, unexpected moments.
“Floating Fortress of Gears” paints a picture of a large, mechanical tower floating in a grey sky as it slowly travels into view, then back off into the distance. Many of the harmonic and formal elements are symmetrical, reflecting the symmetry of the flight path and the fortress itself. Musically, the movement begins by gradually constructing the primary melodic and accompanimental ideas from what initially sounds random. A new section, symmetrical within itself, starts as the fortress finishes coming into view. The opening section then returns as the fortress floats back off into the distance, with the main thematic material being gradually deconstructed.
Four Fantasies is dedicated to Dr. Jackie Eichhorn, who played clarinet for the work’s official premiere at Tennessee Tech University in March, 2018.
Music for a Child's Adventure (2012)
Published by Keyboard Percussion Publications, 2013
Program notes:
I. Prelude and Dance
II. Reflection
III. Finale
Written for Heather Hill and premiered in Ithaca, NY in 2012, Music for a Child’s Adventure is a large-scale, three movement work for solo marimba.
The piece is meant to be heard as a soundtrack to a young child’s imaginary journey over the course of an afternoon. The opening movement, “Prelude and Dance,” represents wonder and excitement for the adventure that lies ahead. After a chorale-style introduction, a jaunty dance in asymmetric meter symbolizes the departure from reality, into a fantasy world where anything is possible. The middle movement, “Reflection,” shows that our adventurer is now longing for home, while the “Finale” is the subsequent return to reality, just in time for dinner.
Children’s cartoons such as Rugrats heavily influenced the concept of the work, while the musical elements are inspired by fantasy video games, most notably Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, released for the Nintendo GameCube in 2003.
Music for a Video Game (2017)
Published by C. Alan Publications, 2018
Program notes:The purpose of Music for a Video Game is to strongly resemble soundtracks from fantasy video games like Final Fantasy or The Legend of Zelda. The movements are ordered such that they tell a hypothetical story, beginning with a “Prologue” and ending with an “Epilogue.” Each inner movement represents a certain scene one may reasonably expect from a video game with a fantasy setting.
“The King’s Procession and Decree” opens with a proud, deliberate march as royal figures are escorted in front of the public. A horn call then interjects signifying the arrival of the king, whose profound speech is represented by resonant, spacious, planed harmonies, followed by another march, and the king is escorted away.
“A Mysterious Forest” paints a portrait of a dark forest where one cannot see much outside light or any of the dangers that may lurk nearby. The movement includes an intense, march-like section flanked by sparse, gestural ideas.
“Riding on Wind, Soaring over Mountains” exudes the excitement of being able to fly and discovering interesting new places. The movement is tuneful, rhythmic, and relentless throughout.
“Childhood Memories” is made up of chorales and moving, lyrical sections. It represents a fictional character’s reflection on his or her life and journey’s in the wake of impending danger.
“The Face of Evil” is the “final boss theme” of the story. Loud and intense throughout, it depicts the final epic struggle between good and evil.
Music for a Video Game was commissioned by Chandler Franco and premiered at Tennessee Tech University in March of 2018.
The complete work is around 25 minutes long, so it is perfectly acceptable to perform just one or a small combination of movements. If the performer does this, it may help to take into consideration the tempo and mood of each movement in order to create a logical and aesthetically pleasing order.
1. Prologue (Moderate)
2. The King’s Procession and Decree (Moderate/Fast)
3. A Mysterious Forest (Slow)
4. Riding on Wind, Soaring over Mountains (Fast)
5. Childhood Memories (Slow)
6. The Face of Evil (Fast)
7. Epilogue (Slow/Moderate)
Portraits from a City Window (2016)
Published by C. Alan Publications, 2016
Program notes:
During my late teens my family lived in a small 11th floor apartment in the city of Syracuse, NY. Being so high up I was able to look out the window and see for miles, a view I always found inspiring. Portraits from a City Window explores four different scenes one may observe from such an angle.
“Morning Light” represents the beauty of a sunrise over skyscrapers, while “Rush Hour” attempts to capture the hustle-bustle of city streets. Echoes wandering through the darkness of a subway tunnel can be heard in “Underground,” while “Never Sleep” closes out the work with a rhythmic character reminiscent of electronic dance music.
Portraits from a City Window was commissioned by Louis Raymond-Kolker.
Errata:
Mvt. 4: Foot stomps may be replaced with a pedal bass drum in the event of a carpeted or non-resonant floor, or simply if the performer prefers. Rim clicks may also be used as a last resort.
Serenade Electronique (2011)
Published by C. Alan Publications, 2015
Program notes:
Serenade Electronique was written for Emily Wespiser and received its premiere in Ithaca, NY in 2011.
I intended to use the word “Serenade” ironically. When I think of a serenade, I think of beautiful flowing melodies and very strong, simple tonality. This piece contains some of the implied lyricism, but one of the goals was for the main theme to use all twelve chromatic pitches. There is no prominent tonality for an extended period of time, as the music rapidly switches between different pitch collections.
With this in mind, the word “Electronique,” which is supposed to be a pretentious French-sounding version of “electronic,” describes the constant changes in harmony, meter, and tempo. There are many awkward silences in the piece, as well as some measures that repeat a few too many times or just don’t seem quite right, like a malfunctioning electronic device.
Errata:
m. 231: The rests during the first three beats may be extended to make the silence more awkward.
Flute:
-Player is free to slightly improvise with glissandi and flutter tonguing during "cadenza" section.
Marimba:
m. 74, beat 3: Top voice should be G, not G-flat. (There are no vertical struck minor chords in the piece.)
Trio for Two Flutes and Marimba (2012)
Published by C. Alan Publications, 2015
Program notes:
Trio for Two Flutes and Marimba was commissioned by Keegan Sheehy and premiered with flutists Sophia Ennocenti and Savannah Clayton at Ithaca College in November 2012.
The idea for the work arose after hearing a beautiful work by my former teacher and mentor, Gordon Stout, which also utilized two flutes with percussion instruments. The three involved instruments do not necessarily function as a trio, but more of a duo, with the two flutes combining to achieve what is possible on just one marimba. The opening and closing sections are meant to be primarily groove-based and dissonant, while the middle section is more lyrical and nostalgic. I composed this piece shortly after graduating from Ithaca College and moving away from a place I called home for five years, and the middle section is intended to represent the feelings associated with such a time. Otherwise, the work carries no programmatic elements and is simply music for the sake of music.
Errata:
Marimba:
m. 160: The part should be doubled in octaves (add A-sharp and F in the right hand).
mm. 168-176: The performer may play just the top line of the RH notes (start on A at m. 168).