Alborada del Gracioso, by Maurice Ravel

Performed by arx duo
Garrett Arney and Mari Yoshinaga
For more on arx duo: vicfirth.com/artists/arxduo.php
ABOUT THE PIECE:
Ravel composed Alborada del gracioso as a piano piece in 1905 and orchestrated it in 1918. The first performance of the orchestral version was given in Paris on May 17, 1919. The score calls for three flutes and piccolo, two oboes and english horn, two clarinets, two bassoons and contrabassoon, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones and tuba, timpani, crotales, triangle, tambourine, castanets, side drum, cymbals, bass drum, xylophone, two harps, and strings. Performance time is approximately seven minutes.
The Safri Duo's arrangement of Ravel's Alborada del Gracioso is considered by some to be a milestone in percussion performance. This fantastic arrangement for marimba duet is a great study in classical literature as applied to percussion (particularly the marimba).
ABOUT THE PERFORMERS:
arx duo is an electrifying new percussion duo featuring young artists Mari Yoshinaga and Garrett Arney. Their passion and excitement for the developing genre of percussion chamber music is palpable every time they take the stage. Born from a deep-seated respect for the score, their performances are powered by a strong symbiotic musical vision, and colored with a unique creativity. Their desire to forge new connections and artistic pathways - or "arcs" - within the genre, expanding the opportunities for percussion performance, forms the inspiration for the name "arx duo".
With a repertoire ranging from established masters to todays newest compositional voices, arx duo has worked closely with composers such as Alejandro Vinao, James Wood, and Gaudeamus Prize winner Ted Hearne. Always seeking opportunities to bring percussion to a wide variety of audiences, the group has recently collaborated with pianists Boris Berman and Lisa Moore.
The duo is the latest in the legacy of spectacular percussive chamber musicians coming from the Yale School of Music's percussion studio directed by Robert van Sice. arx duo performed at Norfolk Chamber Music Festival in addition to performances and outreaches along the east coast. arx duo will debut in Japan this December, and will be the ensemble in residence at the Lake George Music Festival in New York.

[@ZotDudot7]

Spot on. For some reason I love hearing Alborada del gracioso played by as many dissimilar instruments as possible.

[@anjagoller]

Too bad Ravel lived in a time where the Marimba was totally unknown. His music is somehow perfect for marimba. He surely would have written a fantastic marimba concerto.

[@markjuarez6469]

That may be unfair to say as plenty of notable composers were using marimba before Ravel.

[@hanxia6087]

totally agree

[@anjagoller]

@@markjuarez6469 And that would be who and which piece? (Xylophone pieces don't count)

[@afrodykeeism]

It was known at the time considering things like the world expo and Europeans colonizing Africa centuries prior

[@hyperreality753]

Simply stunning. Ravel would have been impressed I'm sure.

[@thomasthompson6378]

If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, I wouldn't have believed it even remotely possible. This was simply remarkable. My thanks to these fine musicians.

[@JohnAlesi]

Bravo! A fantastic performance of a wonderful work by Ravel.

[@Daniela-pe5lc]

John Alesi If someone has this sheet and has a big heart and can send it to me, please do it my email is [e-mail] I need it but I can't pay for it because of the country I live in.

[@m.a.3322]

This was the most amazing thing I've ever heard. Mind blowing.

[@stitchyduck]

As relaxing as the piano version. Bravo!

[@PSearPianist]

Great to hear this oft-played piece in a fascinating new guise!

[@glpclayman]

My God that was a fascinating piece...wonderful sound & such flawless synchronization!

[@paolo6219]

This is absolutely amazing

[@256threst8]

I agree bobk

[@roo-ralee5191]

Magical! Thank you for sharing such an awesome performance :)

[@ATXmw1]

Wow. this is incredible. Very skillful application of 4 mallets. awesome

[@otilia1246]

Impressive! Wonderful performance. Congratulations .

[@francoisreins5236]

épatant ! Ravel aurait sûrement approuvé lui aussi...rien à voir (ou plutôt entendre !) avec les versions piano et orchestre: un nouveau chef d'œuvre est né !

[@Natester13]

That was GREEAAAAAT! *Tony*

[@AmiltonGarcia]

Beautiful

[@tomstarpercussion]

Love the Vic Firth Marimba Literature Library !

[@theopaopa1]

excellent, thank you very much

[@evenhembre1388]

Cool arrangement! Nice performance :)

[@tanhaowei]

Bravo!

[@nolanduncan3344]

Don't know why, I'm hooked on this piece

[@monkeymalletsvideos]

Excellent. Someday I might be able to possibly dream about doing that.

[@joseignacioperezminguez9527]

GREAT!!!

[@faktablad]

The only thing I miss in this arrangement is the effect of the glissandos, which are dazzlingly bright on piano but much more subdued here.

[@NoahJohnson1810]

dang

[@nicolasegre4071]

Super

[@sebastianweitemeier3600]

If Maurice RAVEL would still be among us, he would sit in with herbie hancock, wayne Shorter and Marcus Miller

[@cubingandstuff]

what model of van sices were used

[@raznaxd]

PHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[@4csincerable]

Great Performance ! What was your mallet choice ?

[@kristinakohler4150]

What mallets were used?

[@olivergagnier4601]

Can this particular arrangement be purchased somewhere. I bought the Safari Duo arrangement because the description section made it seem like that's what they are playing, which they do until rehearsal letter G. But the entire slow middle section is missing. I would prefer to play the version in the video here if possible. Anyone with info please advise.

[@naulapaa97]

www.editions-bim.com/sheet-music/percussion/marimba/maurice-ravel-alborada-del-gracioso-for-2-marimbas I think that this might be it but i'm not 100% sure because I just listened and read it from a sample partiture so I think it wasn't complete on that sample but everything I read matched this arrangement. The sample ended about 4.30 or something. If it is the same tell me because I'd like to play this piece aswell :D

[@Daniela-pe5lc]

If someone has this sheet and has a big heart and can send it to me, please do it my email is [e-mail] I need it but I can't pay for it because of the country I live in.

[@alezaoportoporto7158]

Qual e o nome deste instrument?

[@sivadepilif]

Marimba

[@tommyembrich]

Mallets, anyone???

[@andrewwoolcock2447]

+Tommy Embrich They're the vic firth/adams Robert Van Sice mallets :)

[@Daniela-pe5lc]

If someone has this sheet and has a big heart and can send it to me, please do it my email is [e-mail] I need it but I can't pay for it because of the country I live in.

[@yungmikez01]

second

[@motorm8nia]

first