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Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel (Schubert) (Download)
Written in 1814 and for piano and soprano, Schubert’s Gretchen am Spinnrade, or Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel, is one of the most famous examples of Romantic-period German Lied. Its emotionalism and use of a famous text—Goethe’s drama Faust—are characteristic of the art song, but it is the accompaniment that sets it apart and makes it a rich work for marimba and vibraphone duet.
In this transcription Brian Blume captures the programmatic nature of the piano part, with the marimba playing the continuous sixteenth notes that are the spinning wheel and the vibraphone playing the quarter-/eighth-note rhythm that serve as the treadle. The vocal part is shared by both players in this challenging piece that offers numerous opportunities to showcase the musicianship of both keyboardists.
When audiences attend a percussion recital or ensemble program, they naturally anticipate hearing selections of music by contemporary composers. With a steady diet of new music styles, this publication can be a nice contrast, featuring a German art song written in 1814. The vibraphone part can be performed on a standard low-F instrument, but also includes optional low E-naturals for those who have a four-octave instrument. The scoring is excellent, and the arrangement closely preserves Schubert’s original composition.
Written in D minor and 6/8, the two players have contrasting roles. The marimba provides the harmonic base and consists of repeated sixteenth-note patterns, which the composer intends as the rotating movement of the spinning wheel. The vibraphone presents the melodic material predominately through long lyrical lines. There are no dampening notations for the vibraphone, so the clarity of performance is left to the artistic experience of the player.
The publication includes a score and CD, which has an excellent recording of the work for reference, and also provides the ability to print the parts.
—George Frock
Percussive Notes
Vol. 53, No. 1, March 2015
Written in 1814 and for piano and soprano, Schubert’s Gretchen am Spinnrade, or Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel, is one of the most famous examples of Romantic-period German Lied. Its emotionalism and use of a famous text—Goethe’s drama Faust—are characteristic of the art song, but it is the accompaniment that sets it apart and makes it a rich work for marimba and vibraphone duet.
In this transcription Brian Blume captures the programmatic nature of the piano part, with the marimba playing the continuous sixteenth notes that are the spinning wheel and the vibraphone playing the quarter-/eighth-note rhythm that serve as the treadle. The vocal part is shared by both players in this challenging piece that offers numerous opportunities to showcase the musicianship of both keyboardists.
When audiences attend a percussion recital or ensemble program, they naturally anticipate hearing selections of music by contemporary composers. With a steady diet of new music styles, this publication can be a nice contrast, featuring a German art song written in 1814. The vibraphone part can be performed on a standard low-F instrument, but also includes optional low E-naturals for those who have a four-octave instrument. The scoring is excellent, and the arrangement closely preserves Schubert’s original composition.
Written in D minor and 6/8, the two players have contrasting roles. The marimba provides the harmonic base and consists of repeated sixteenth-note patterns, which the composer intends as the rotating movement of the spinning wheel. The vibraphone presents the melodic material predominately through long lyrical lines. There are no dampening notations for the vibraphone, so the clarity of performance is left to the artistic experience of the player.
The publication includes a score and CD, which has an excellent recording of the work for reference, and also provides the ability to print the parts.
—George Frock
Percussive Notes
Vol. 53, No. 1, March 2015
