by Ludwig van Beethoven, arranged by Brian Slawson
14 Players
Instrumentation: Crotales, Glockenspiel, Xylophone, Chimes, Vibraphone, 6 marimbas—(1) 4-octave, (2) low A, (3) low C*
*Shared
It’s hard to imagine that Ludwig van Beethoven’s delicate and good-natured Pastoral Symphony (No. 6) was composed at the same time (1807–08) as his rambunctious, blockbuster Fifth Symphony ... not to mention they were both premiered at the same concert! Opening with the most recognizable four-note riff in the history of music, Beethoven’s Fifth steamrolls its way through a tumultuous path of fate, fire, and fury while his Pastoral Symphony gently communicates his fondness for walks through the countryside and his love of nature.
The final movement, “Shepherd’s Song: Happy and Grateful Feelings after the Storm,” is a remarkably joyful work, and through a large orchestration of mallet instruments, Brian Slawson creates a unique and crowd-pleasing way for percussion ensembles to communicate with sensitivity and richness.
This piece comes with a full, bound score and includes a CD-Rom containing an audio recording and all individual parts available for printing.
