Concertino for Marimba and Orchestra, Op. 21
by Paul Creston
Composed in 1940 for the marimba virtuoso Ruth Stuber Jeanne, who premiered it with orchestra, the Concertino for Marimba and Orchestra Op. 21 is Paul Creston's most celebrated composition and one of the most frequently performed concertino works in the entire percussion repertoire. Its two movements — a vigorous Vigorous, set in Creston's characteristic polyrhythmic style, and a lyrical Broad — demonstrate both the technical capabilities of the marimba and the expressive range that the American composer believed it capable of reaching. The polyrhythmic writing in particular, which superimposes patterns of three against patterns of four with great sophistication, has made the Concertino an essential study work for advanced marimbists and a regular fixture at competitions including the Percussive Arts Society International Convention.
Editions
G. Schirmer
Paul Creston, 1942
Original composer-authorised edition; the primary source text and the standard performing text used internationally.
G. Schirmer
Editorial staff, 1965
Revised reprint with corrected engraving and updated mallets specifications; the most commonly used modern performing edition.
Hal Leonard
Gordon Peters, 1988
Practical edition with detailed performance notes and mallet recommendations by Gordon Peters, former principal timpanist of the Chicago Symphony.