Concertos for vibraphone are rare. With this concerto, it was my intent to highlight this underutilized instrument in a soloistic capacity in a substantial piece. Cast in three large movements, separated by two brief percussion interludes, the piece serves as vehicle to showcase the vibraphone’s assets—symmetric range, pedal, vibrato, pitch bend, bowing, and other timbral effects—in an accessible, yet challenging, work.

“Distant and Ancient Fanfares” is based on a six-note synthetic scale. This movement vacillates between jarring noises, militaristic rhythms, flurries of sound, and dissonant hymns.

“Imaginary Antarctic Bird Songs” is a tribute to Ralph Vaughan Williams, who, in his Sinfonia antartica, wrote one of the earliest exposed parts for vibraphone in the symphonic repertory. The harmonies in the piano are lifted from Vaughan Williams’ vibraphone part and the other percussionists perform a series of bird-like sounds akin to those of Christopher Deane’s Mourning Dove Sonnet.

“Dreamscape Variations” is a variation set on the material heard in the first two bars of the movement. A shimmering effect—which might be referred to as “vibraphony”—is created through a series of homogenous timbral polyrhythms. These patterns are found throughout the movement and they create a synthetic “vibraphone ensemble” with each player having a different motor setting.

“Meditation: Homage to Hovhaness” pays tribute to Alan Hovhaness. In his Symphony No. 4, the second movement is a percussion feature in which the percussionists trade extended mixed-meter solos that continue uninterrupted through ensemble passages that are in a different tempo and meter. Retaining Hovhaness’ ideas of polymeter and polytempi, I have included an extended mixed-meter solo, and treated Hovhaness’ name in a modified soggetto cavato process, with Morse code providing the rhythmic groupings.

“Toccata a la Samba” shows off the soloist’s agility. The rhythmic construct makes use of traditional samba patterns found in the national Brazilian dance as well as their inversions. Two dark jazz scales, Dorian Be-Bop and Phrygian Dominant provide the melodic and harmonic material for this dark, monolithic, and aggressive movement.

I - Distant and Ancient Fanfares

Interlude I - Imaginary Antarctic Bird Songs: Homage to Vaughan Williams

II - Dreamscape Variations

Interlude II - Meditation: Homage to Hovhaness

III - Toccata a la Samba

Hanson: Patapan

Brooks: Willows Of Winter

Shabazz: Christmas Fantasia

Auld Lang Syne

Two of four arrangement of traditional Mehter music for concert band

Genc Osman

Ceddin Deden

Mid America Freedom Band with John J. Pearse, vibraphone soloist

Green Blue Purple

...in fragile bark, o'er a tempestuous sea, the common harbor...

Lee Hartman is a composer, conductor, and educator. He currently serves as Artistic Director of the Mid America Freedom Band, and LGBTQ and allied community band.

Lee Hartman

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