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Chill in the Air, A
A Chill in the Air by Matthew Gillott is a musical impression of autumn and its characteristics for the intermediate marimba soloist. Playable on a 4.3-octave (low A) marimba, the piece takes the listener on a reflective journey through the cooler temperatures, shortening days, and vibrant colors associated with this special time of year.
A Chill in the Air ships as a professionally bound folio with a color cover.
Marimba — low A
There will always be room for easy-to-learn, idiomatic marimba solos that help increase technical abilities on the instrument. “A Chill in the Air,” paying homage to the autumnal atmosphere in Pennsylvania, does just that. This solo uses short, simple melodies constructed within a repeating permutation pattern to develop the main musical ideas. The consistent level of difficulty, the relatively accessible harmonic language, and the incorporation of similar patterns and permutations throughout are all great positives for this solo as a learning piece for the developing marimbist.
Matthew Gillott’s work incorporates several common elements from popular marimba solos written for this level. The piece begins with a slow, quasi-rubato-style opening, speeding up and slowing down a simple 1-2-3-4 mallet pattern. The solo picks up steam with a primary theme that shifts between F and A-flat major. The middle section slows down for a change of pace, then picks back up again with a recapitulation of the primary theme in a higher range, including some octaves to help add power and contrast. “A Chill in the Air” concludes with a return of the opening rubato section, finishing the arc and fading away to the end.
Due to the repeating harmonic structure and shorter melodies, the solo is more functional as a teaching tool. However, there are plenty of musical moments involved to help marimbists develop melodic direction and phrasing while also building technique. At just under six minutes in performance time, this is a good addition to the repertoire for the developing marimbist in high school or college. With its heavy use of double laterals throughout and right-hand octaves toward the end, this solo is more challenging than introductory works for four mallets but great for the rising intermediate player.
—Matthew Geiger
Percussive Notes
Vol. 62, No. 4, August 2024
A Chill in the Air by Matthew Gillott is a musical impression of autumn and its characteristics for the intermediate marimba soloist. Playable on a 4.3-octave (low A) marimba, the piece takes the listener on a reflective journey through the cooler temperatures, shortening days, and vibrant colors associated with this special time of year.
A Chill in the Air ships as a professionally bound folio with a color cover.
Marimba — low A
There will always be room for easy-to-learn, idiomatic marimba solos that help increase technical abilities on the instrument. “A Chill in the Air,” paying homage to the autumnal atmosphere in Pennsylvania, does just that. This solo uses short, simple melodies constructed within a repeating permutation pattern to develop the main musical ideas. The consistent level of difficulty, the relatively accessible harmonic language, and the incorporation of similar patterns and permutations throughout are all great positives for this solo as a learning piece for the developing marimbist.
Matthew Gillott’s work incorporates several common elements from popular marimba solos written for this level. The piece begins with a slow, quasi-rubato-style opening, speeding up and slowing down a simple 1-2-3-4 mallet pattern. The solo picks up steam with a primary theme that shifts between F and A-flat major. The middle section slows down for a change of pace, then picks back up again with a recapitulation of the primary theme in a higher range, including some octaves to help add power and contrast. “A Chill in the Air” concludes with a return of the opening rubato section, finishing the arc and fading away to the end.
Due to the repeating harmonic structure and shorter melodies, the solo is more functional as a teaching tool. However, there are plenty of musical moments involved to help marimbists develop melodic direction and phrasing while also building technique. At just under six minutes in performance time, this is a good addition to the repertoire for the developing marimbist in high school or college. With its heavy use of double laterals throughout and right-hand octaves toward the end, this solo is more challenging than introductory works for four mallets but great for the rising intermediate player.
—Matthew Geiger
Percussive Notes
Vol. 62, No. 4, August 2024
