by Jim Casella
12 Players
Instrumentation: Crotales (2 octaves), 2 glockenspiels, Xylophone, Chimes, 2 vibraphones, 4 marimbas—(2) low A, (2) low E, 4 timpani, Drums (bongos, conga (high), 4 concert toms, snare drum, concert bass drum, mounted kick drum), Cymbals & gongs (sizzle cymbal*, china cymbal, splash cymbal, 2 suspended cymbals, hi-hat, ride cymbal, tam-tam, small Chinese gong), Accessories (2 mark trees (shared), slapstick, vibraslap, Himalayan singing bowl, garden weasel, temple blocks, claves, 3 high woodblocks, small shaker, 2 sets of Tibetan finger cymbals, 2 triangles (large & medium), Himalayan yak bells, bell tree, 2 cowbells, energy chime (approx. E or B pitch), ankle bells, bamboo wind chimes, rainstick, sleigh bells, pod rattle)
*Shared between Marimba 3 & Chimes
Jim Casella's Beyond the Clouds was written after a transformational trip to Nepal where he and a group of friends trekked for weeks to the remote Himalayan base of the Annapurna massif. This piece for full percussion orchestra calls for a few rare instruments found in that region, which give the piece a unique sound. Instruments like Himalayan yak bells, singing bowl, bamboo wind chimes, Tibetan finger cymbals, and pod rattles all cohere into one exotic and expansive sound palette. With driving rhythms, nuanced space, and layered, memorable themes that make Casella's music so unique, Beyond the Clouds is a vibrant representation of the human spirit.
Beyond the Clouds was commissioned in 2017 by Joe Hobbs and the Vandegrift High School Percussion Ensemble from Austin, Texas. It is dedicated to Joe Hobbs, Mark Hunter, and Sean Womack.
This piece comes with a full, bound score and includes a CD-ROM containing an audio recording and all individual parts available for printing.
