Eclipse (Neumeyer)

Mike Neumeyer

General Info

Year: 2020
Duration: c. 3:30
Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced
Publisher: Heartland Marimba Publications
Cost: Score and Parts - $39.00   |   Score Only - $0.00

Instrumentation

Player 1: Glockenspiel
Player 2: Vibraphone 1
Player 3: Vibraphone 2
Player 4: Marimba 1
Player 5: Marimba 2
Player 6: Marimba 3
Player 7: Marimba 4
Player 8: Marimba 5
Player 9: Marimba 6
Player 10: Drumset
Player 11: Suspended Cymbal
Player 12: Egg Shaker & Bass Drum & Wood Block
Player 13: Gong

Program Notes

When Eclipse opens up it is very happy and life-giving with clusters of chords coming from the ensemble. This is like the atmosphere of the sun. This is only going to change because the sun will only be evolving during an eclipse. The atmosphere of the sun, which we can only see during a solar eclipse, will be taken apart in a musical sense representing the visual unveiling of the atmosphere during the eclipse. There are different themes that come in during this piece that represent some effects that happen during an eclipse. I wonder if you’ve heard of The Diamond Ring, Bailey’s Beads, or Totality... The Diamond Ring is a brilliant effect where the sun is very bright only at a tiny point at one edge of the moon right before the sun's brilliance actually goes away and changes to a low glow. This visually creates a circle with a point of light, looking like a diamond ring! It is amazing and I’d love to share a video eventually so you can see these different effects. The second effect that really blows my mind is Bailey’s Beads. These are separated points of light on the last tips of the fading crescent of the sun’s light. What causes this!? The mountaintops and craters on the moon are tall enough to block parts of the sunlight while letting points of light through!!!! Oh, this is a great scientific observation that is very fun to watch. Finally, totality. The sun really goes away and it seems like it is night or dusk. Animals start to act differently, birds flying around because they are looking to nest for the night. The moon is blocking the sun! The moon is a big rock floating in the sky and it is actually in between us and this BIG sun! The more I researched it the more I became excited about eclipses in general.

Recent Performances

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Works for Percussion by this Composer

Drive (Neumeyer) - Percussion Trio - Marimba Trio
Eclipse (Neumeyer) - Percussion Ensemble (13)