 | ma duron (62)
08/05/2006 | From the 'idiophone' family of instruments. A percussion piece that "takes its name from a folk instrument of Africa and Central America..., a deep version of the orchestral xylophone. The pitch range of marimbas varies from three to five octaves." (from: 'Musical Instruments of the World', Bantam Books)
Characteristic of marimbas in Guatemala and Honduras in Central America are the carved wood resonators. Larger instruments are played by musicians, six to eight in number, who perform while standing.
Percussionist Evelyn Glennie has championed the instrument by comissioning several attractive virtuoso pieces and transcriptions with orchestra, including a vibrant adaptation of Rodion Schedrin's Suite of Bizet's 'Carmen', as well as introducing Brazilian Ney Rosauro's irresistible 'Concerto for Marimba and Strings.'
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| threedognight (2)
04/12/2005 | Love the marimba. It has such a cool sound, when it's played right. And the talent of good marimba players to use 4 sticks at once is amazing.
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 | Enkidu (37)
03/27/2004 | Delicate, exotic to many ears, and can be played with great virtuosity. The tone varies depending on what kind of sticks you use. Watch a good player using four sticks simultaneously to play chords: it's amazing. There are also variations of the marimba which are pitched differently and made out of different kinds of wood, though you don't often hear them in the U.S.
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