Difference between revisions of "Scenes from the Countryside"

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[[Firstname Lastname]]
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[[Brian Mueller]]
 
 
<!-- fill in the name of the file (it can be a .jpg or a .gif) as well as the composer's name in the fields above. You may delete this text once this is done.-->
 
 
 
 
 
 
== General Info ==
 
== General Info ==
 
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'''Year of Published''': 2026<br /-->
'''Year''': 20<br /-->
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'''Publisher''': [[Row-Loff Productions]]<br /-->
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'''Difficulty''': Intermediate to Advanced<br /-->
 
'''Duration''':  c. <br /-->
 
'''Duration''':  c. <br /-->
'''Difficulty''':  (see [[Ratings]] for explanation)<br /-->
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'''Cost''': Score and Parts - $25.00  &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Score Only - $0.00<br /-->
'''Publisher''': [[Title Publisher]]<br /-->
 
'''Cost''': Score and Parts - $0.00  &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Score Only - $0.00<br /-->
 
 
 
 
 
==Movements==
 
 
 
<!-- Enter the title and duration of individual movements. Make sure the movements are listed by number, and use a line break <nowiki>( <br /> )</nowiki> at the end of each line. If this is a single movement work, please delete the entire category. You may delete this text once this is done. -->
 
  
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== Song List ==
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1. Gentle Breeze, Swaying Trees<br /-->
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2. What Once Was Home<br /-->
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3. A Jaunt Through the Garden<br /-->
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4. Journey to the Creek<br /-->
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5. As Far as the Eye Can See<br /-->
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6. In the Shadow of a Windmill<br /-->
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7. The Old Barn at Daybreak<br /-->
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8. Golden Light in the Early Spring<br /-->
  
 
== Instrumentation ==
 
== Instrumentation ==
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[[Marimba]]
  
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== Program Notes ==
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In 1971, my grandfather purchased a small farm in Peck, KS. This farm was his hobby for the next 50 years. He grew vegetables, maintained a fruit orchard, and harvested wheat in the summertime. When I was young, trips to “the farm” were fairly common, but the most memorable of these were the annual trips on the Monday of spring break during elementary school. He would pick me up early in the morning, and we would spend half a day planting potatoes, corn, and various other vegetables. After lunch (which, to my delight, usually consisted of hot dogs cooked over an open fire), we walked the pasture, making our way west to the creek. In the afternoon, we sat in the shade of a large tree by the windmill and looked out over the fields.
  
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For many years I had envisioned writing a series of marimba pieces inspired by these memories. In the fall of 2024, [[Chris Crockarell]] asked me if I would be willing to write a book of intermediate level [[marimba]] solos in the coming year for the Row-Loff catalogue, and I gladly accepted the invitation. Almost immediately, I realized that this was a chance to bring my old vision to life. During the spring of 2025, I explored ideas, thought about piece titles, and considered what technical and musical challenges to emphasize in the solos. In May and July of that year, I wrote and recorded all eight solos for the collection.
  
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I decided early on that my overarching goal for the book was to compose pieces that were approachable by younger players, but would be musically satisfying for more experienced players as well. I wanted to write relatively simple music that I would personally enjoy performing. I believe I have attained this goal. The solos in this collection range from medium-easy difficulty through medium-advanced, with one advanced piece at the end of the book. All eight pieces fit on a 4.3-octave (low A) [[marimba]]. The pieces are written as stand-alone solos, but could easily be combined in many ways to create suites of various lengths. It is also conceivable to perform the entire book as one extended presentation.
  
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I have provided some notes and suggestions for each piece, which should aid in understanding the technical and emotional content of the music. Stickings are included in many of the pieces, and I recommend applying the written stickings at first. However, feel free to alter the stickings as necessary to fit your playing style.
Player I: <br>
 
Player II: <br>
 
Player III: <br>
 
Player IV: <br>
 
Player V: <br>
 
Player VI: <br>
 
Player VII: <br>
 
Player VIII: <br>    -->
 
 
 
== Program Notes ==
 
  
  
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== Works for Percussion by this Composer ==
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== Books for Percussion by this Composer ==
{{Lastname, Firstname Works}}<br>
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{{Mueller, Brian Books}}<br>
 
 
 
 
 
 
<!-- Enter the composer's other works for percussion. You may delete this text once this is done.
 
ie:  {{Becerra-Schmidt, Gustavo Works}}  -->
 
  
 
== Additional Resources ==
 
== Additional Resources ==
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[[Category:Template]]
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[[Category: Percussion Books]]
 
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[[Category: Pedagogical Books]]
 
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[[Category: Mallet Method Books]]
 
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[[Category: Marimba Method Books]]
 
 
<!-- Don't forget to add categories, literature, instruments, history, pedagogy, sticks, etc. Also delete the Template category. To see what categories are available, see: http://www.tekpercussion.com/Special:Categories  -->
 
<!-- Don't forget to add categories, such as overtures, symphonies, etc., and also add the grade of the work.  -->
 

Latest revision as of 23:28, 8 November 2025

Brian Mueller

General Info

Year of Published: 2026
Publisher: Row-Loff Productions
Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: c.
Cost: Score and Parts - $25.00   |   Score Only - $0.00

Song List

1. Gentle Breeze, Swaying Trees
2. What Once Was Home
3. A Jaunt Through the Garden
4. Journey to the Creek
5. As Far as the Eye Can See
6. In the Shadow of a Windmill
7. The Old Barn at Daybreak
8. Golden Light in the Early Spring

Instrumentation

Marimba

Program Notes

In 1971, my grandfather purchased a small farm in Peck, KS. This farm was his hobby for the next 50 years. He grew vegetables, maintained a fruit orchard, and harvested wheat in the summertime. When I was young, trips to “the farm” were fairly common, but the most memorable of these were the annual trips on the Monday of spring break during elementary school. He would pick me up early in the morning, and we would spend half a day planting potatoes, corn, and various other vegetables. After lunch (which, to my delight, usually consisted of hot dogs cooked over an open fire), we walked the pasture, making our way west to the creek. In the afternoon, we sat in the shade of a large tree by the windmill and looked out over the fields.

For many years I had envisioned writing a series of marimba pieces inspired by these memories. In the fall of 2024, Chris Crockarell asked me if I would be willing to write a book of intermediate level marimba solos in the coming year for the Row-Loff catalogue, and I gladly accepted the invitation. Almost immediately, I realized that this was a chance to bring my old vision to life. During the spring of 2025, I explored ideas, thought about piece titles, and considered what technical and musical challenges to emphasize in the solos. In May and July of that year, I wrote and recorded all eight solos for the collection.

I decided early on that my overarching goal for the book was to compose pieces that were approachable by younger players, but would be musically satisfying for more experienced players as well. I wanted to write relatively simple music that I would personally enjoy performing. I believe I have attained this goal. The solos in this collection range from medium-easy difficulty through medium-advanced, with one advanced piece at the end of the book. All eight pieces fit on a 4.3-octave (low A) marimba. The pieces are written as stand-alone solos, but could easily be combined in many ways to create suites of various lengths. It is also conceivable to perform the entire book as one extended presentation.

I have provided some notes and suggestions for each piece, which should aid in understanding the technical and emotional content of the music. Stickings are included in many of the pieces, and I recommend applying the written stickings at first. However, feel free to alter the stickings as necessary to fit your playing style.


Review

Errata

Awards

Commercial Discography

Online Recordings

Recent Performances

To submit a performance please join the TEK Percussion Database


Books for Percussion by this Composer

Template:Mueller, Brian Books

Additional Resources



References