Date of Award
Fall 2021
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Department
School of Music
First Advisor
Scott Herring
Abstract
Transcriptions and adaptations of works originally composed for other instruments are commonplace within the current marimba repertoire. Marimbists have been borrowing repertoire from other instruments and transcribing or arranging them for performance on the marimba due to the relative youth of the instrument. These adaptations began as a necessity, but they are still often programmed due to their popularity, and because many academic institutions require the performance of era-specific works or works by certain composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, and no literature was composed for the marimba during those times.
Source instruments for these marimba adaptations have varied some, but the most popular choices are violin and cello. An argument can be made however, that these instruments are not the most ideal for adaptation to marimba. The sound production of bowed string instruments is drastically different from the sound production capabilities of the marimba due to the ability to sustain sound with the bow. A better choice for source material would be the lute, an instrument that has sound decay much like that of a marimba bar when struck. The lute has a rich repertoire that has been explored by few percussionists and offers unique technical challenges which will allow new pedagogical resources for the instrument.
Rights
© 2021, Cory James High
Recommended Citation
High, C. J.(2021). Transcribing Baroque Lute to Marimba: Viability, Techniques, and Pedagogical Possibilities. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/6712