Alarm!
General Info
Release Date: 2011
Publisher: Tapspace Publications
Level: Elementary
Duration: 00:02:35
Cost: $38.00
Instrumentation
Player 1: Snare Drum (High)
Player 2: Snare Drum (Medium)
Player 3: Snare Drum (Low)
Player 4: Tom-toms (High)
Player 5: Tom-toms (Medium)
Player 6: Tom-toms (Low)
Player 7: Bass Drum
Program Notes
Composed specifically for the developing middle school and high school percussion ensemble, Alarm! by Brian Blume presents healthy challenges in the areas of dynamics, playing drags or ruffs consistently and in time, and passing rhythmic melodies from player to player throughout the ensemble. The piece also presents a visual element to the setup and orchestrations to add a dose of fun and further engage the audience! This work was commissioned by Mr. Josh Torres, Assistant Band Director and Percussion Director at Center Grove High School for the 2010 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, Illinois.
Recent Performance
Review
This two-and-a-half minute percussion septet features the timbral contrast of three graduated-pitched snare drums with three tom-toms and a concert bass drum. Dramatic contrast in the written dynamics is essential to a successful performance of this ensemble - particularly at the indicated tempo of quarter note = 152.
Commissioned by the Center Grove High School (Indiana) Percussion Ensemble (Josh Torres, director) for its 2010 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic performance in Chicago, this septet could be useful either for the mature high school percussion ensemble or for the younger university percussion septet. The absolute control of ensemble timing, accents, and collective dynamic contrast will challenge either level of performance ability. For the high school ensemble, "Alarm!" would be an excellent festival or contest selection. –Jim Lambert
Works for Percussion by this Composer
Marimba Solo
Like a Burden too Heavy
Stretch
Three Pieces for Marimba (Blume)
Unforced Rhythms
Winterludes
Snare Drum Solo
Kids These Days
Strands of Time
Multiple Percussion Solo
Mallets Duet
Songs of Eden
Winterludes for Two
Percussion Ensemble
Alarm!
Black Racer
Detour
Friction
Hit It!
Persistence
Scenes from the Woods
Take Two
Under the Influence
West Winds