String Quartet in F Major, Mvt. II

This arrangement of the second movement of Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major captures the essence of the original and translates it to the world of mallet percussion. The arrangement utilizes six marimbas to capture the playfulness and beauty of the original work.

Program Notes

String Quartet in F Major was written by composer Maurice Ravel in April 1903. The second movement of the work, titled Assez vif - très rythmé, is a scherzo and begins with a very playful pizzicato passage. It also features polyrhythms created by alternating between 6/8 and 3/4 time signatures. While the meter does not change in the arrangement, the marimbas will create the feeling of that change with their accented parts. The central section of the movement is a very slow, wistful version of the main thematic material, followed by a shortened reprise of the opening section. Six marimbas were utilized for this arrangement but may be replaced by other mallet instruments if needed to accommodate different ensembles and instrument availability. Additionally, any of the parts can also be freely doubled to expand the piece for a marimba orchestra as well.

Grade Level: 5
Copyright: 2021
Number of Players: 6
Duration: 6:00
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Type: Sextet
Category: Percussion

Listen to Recordings

Instrumentation

Player 1: 4.3-octave Marimba*
Player 2: 4.3-octave Marimba
Player 3: 4.3-octave Marimba
Player 4: 4.3-octave Marimba
Player 5: 4.6-octave Marimba
Player 6: 5.0-octave Marimba*
*Player 1 and 6 may share one 5.0-octave instrument