I have been trying to rent a marimba for practice and cannot afford to buy a marimba, and am therefore stuck with an instrument no larger than 4.3 octaves. I was wondering if anyone could give me some suggestions (or just a list) of advanced pieces playable on an instrument of that size. The last pieces I worked on was Process of Invention and Rosauro's Marimba Concerto, and intend to start working on Tanaka's Two Movements, the Creston Concertino, Dream of the Cherry Blossoms, and I am looking for suggestions to build my repertoire. Thanks

Pat

Time for Marimba by Minoru Miki is good.

RHYTHM SONG BY SMADBECK!

All good suggestions so far. My favorite piece for 4.3 octave instrument is Process, but you beat me to it! Also check out 2 Mexican Dances and Astral Dance by Stout, Michi and Prism by Abe, and any of Christopher Deane's other pieces. You can also play all of Polaris if you just move a couple of notes. I've only got a 4.3 and I've learned a lot of songs for 5 octave marimba even though I only get about 1 day per week on a bigger instrument.

Tyson
www.percussionspecialist.com

PS - Most of the funnest parts of Miki's Marimba Spiritual can be played on a 4.3

In addition to those already mentioned, I'd add:

Fissinger "Suite For Marimba"

Penn and Helble Preludes (yeah, I'm going "old school" here)

Wilder "Suite For Solo Guitar" (transcribed by Stout)

"Conversation" (Miyoshi)

"Water And Fire" (Don Skoog)

Paul Smadbeck's "Etudes"

"Night Rhapsody" (Serry...and while you're at it, see if you can find a copy of Serry's "West Side Suite" - good luck, I don't think it ever got published...but if you find it, it'll likely keep you nice and busy for a good long time.)

...and finally: Bach, Bach, Bach, and more Bach...

Anyone heard of "Two Preludes" by Brett William Dietz? Get them, they're so much fun to play.