Cart is empty
Nimrod (Elgar)
Michael Charles Smith’s arrangement of Edward Elgar’s Nimrod affords young mallet players the opportunity to experience and perform one of the standard orchestral repertoire’s most beautiful and iconic pieces. Dedicated to his friend and biggest supporter, Augustus J. Jaeger, Elgar was inspired by the work of Ludwig van Beethoven when writing the melody for this lush and gorgeous piece. The original version of this piece has become popular outside of the concert hall. It is played at funerals, memorial services, and was even played during the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games. Now, through Smith's efforts, this moving and enduring orchestral work is available for the more intimate setting of a marimba quartet.
This piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
• 2–4 marimbas*—(0–2) 4-octave, (1) low A, (1) low C
*If 4 marimbas aren’t available, M1 & M3 can share a low A instrument, and M2 & M4 can share a low C instrument.
Arranged with great sensitivity for marimba quartet, Michael Charles Smith’s arrangement of Elgar’s “Nimrod” (from Enigma Variations) provides aesthetic elegance in Smith’s transfer of timbres from orchestra to marimba quartet. Elgar’s introspective chorale is often performed at funerals, memorial services, and even Olympic games, and this pensive 43-measure arrangement epitomizes its stoic beauty. A primary challenge for the four marimbists will be the selection of appropriate mallets (two-mallet technique required from each player) that will blend and balance the warmth of this beautiful transcription.
The audio recording included by Tapspace provides the performers with the stylistic traits of this timeless Elgar masterpiece. This arrangement is deceptively challenging and would be appropriate for a mature set of marimbists—probably at the university undergraduate level.
—Jim Lambert
Percussive Notes
Vol. 57, No. 3, July 2019
Michael Charles Smith’s arrangement of Edward Elgar’s Nimrod affords young mallet players the opportunity to experience and perform one of the standard orchestral repertoire’s most beautiful and iconic pieces. Dedicated to his friend and biggest supporter, Augustus J. Jaeger, Elgar was inspired by the work of Ludwig van Beethoven when writing the melody for this lush and gorgeous piece. The original version of this piece has become popular outside of the concert hall. It is played at funerals, memorial services, and was even played during the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games. Now, through Smith's efforts, this moving and enduring orchestral work is available for the more intimate setting of a marimba quartet.
This piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
• 2–4 marimbas*—(0–2) 4-octave, (1) low A, (1) low C
*If 4 marimbas aren’t available, M1 & M3 can share a low A instrument, and M2 & M4 can share a low C instrument.
Arranged with great sensitivity for marimba quartet, Michael Charles Smith’s arrangement of Elgar’s “Nimrod” (from Enigma Variations) provides aesthetic elegance in Smith’s transfer of timbres from orchestra to marimba quartet. Elgar’s introspective chorale is often performed at funerals, memorial services, and even Olympic games, and this pensive 43-measure arrangement epitomizes its stoic beauty. A primary challenge for the four marimbists will be the selection of appropriate mallets (two-mallet technique required from each player) that will blend and balance the warmth of this beautiful transcription.
The audio recording included by Tapspace provides the performers with the stylistic traits of this timeless Elgar masterpiece. This arrangement is deceptively challenging and would be appropriate for a mature set of marimbists—probably at the university undergraduate level.
—Jim Lambert
Percussive Notes
Vol. 57, No. 3, July 2019
