Fascinating Rhythm: Percussion Ensemble Book

Sandy Feldstein's arrangement captures the irrepressible energy of "Fascinating Rhythm" while treating percussion as a complete musical voice rather than accompaniment. The writing asks players to think like instrumentalists, not just timekeepers, employing brushes on timpani and mallets on drums in ways that reveal how much color and nuance five players can generate.

Energetic and sleek, with a sharp rhythmic pulse that never feels heavy. The unusual percussion colors create an almost unplugged quality, where every sound counts and nothing is wasted. There's joy here, and a playful sophistication that keeps audiences engaged.

Intermediate percussion ensembles ready for a piece that demands musicianship, not just technical facility. Five players with access to a full percussion inventory will find a satisfying arrangement that sits comfortably within their capabilities while offering genuine artistic reward.

• Brush the timpani gently and articulate clearly; the brushes serve as a textural anchor, not a fill-in rhythm. Spend rehearsal time making sure the brush strokes sit solidly in the jazz feel without overplaying.
• Balance the keyboard parts carefully. Both players need independence but must lock into the same harmonic pocket. Record yourselves early so you hear if one player is rushing or lagging.
• The woodblocks and tom-toms carry much of the rhythmic character. Practice these parts isolated from the melodic instruments first so they sit as a cohesive kit, not random taps.
• Attend to the dynamic shape phrase by phrase. Gershwin's melody has natural arcs; let your percussion texture swell and recede with it rather than sitting at a steady level throughout.

Pair this with other 20th-century light classical or jazz-inflected works for a concert that demonstrates percussion's range beyond traditional concert band contexts. It also works beautifully as a standalone feature on a youth concert, where audiences hear both the iconic melody and the creative arranging around it.

• Reading and executing cross-staff coordination between keyboard and non-pitched percussion
• Differentiating articulation and stroke types (brushes, mallets, handles) within a single part
• Jazz/swing rhythmic phrasing and feel
• Balancing ensemble sound across heterogeneous instruments
• Interpreting dynamic shape in a melodic context