Japanese Impressions: Percussion Ensemble Book
For Percussion Quintet
By Anthony J. Cirone
Level: Intermediate Plus
Item: 00-PK-0000000
$16.99
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Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
| Product | Price | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese Impressions: Score | $8.00 | |
| Japanese Impressions: OB | $3.00 | |
| Japanese Impressions: Xylophone | $3.00 | |
| Japanese Impressions: Tom-Toms | $3.00 | |
| Japanese Impressions: Cymbals | $3.00 | |
| Japanese Impressions: Timpani | $3.00 |
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Description
For five players. The 1968 San Francisco Symphony tour of Japan provided the inspiration for this work which includes the old Japanese melody "Moon Over the Ruined Castle." It contains a conductor's score and parts for the five players. Instrumentation includes: orchestra bells, temple blocks, bamboo sticks (Player 1); xylophone, woodblocks, bamboo sticks (Player 2); tom-toms, bongos (Player 3); suspended cymbal, finger cymbals, bass drum, bamboo wind chimes (Player 4); timpani (Player 5).
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Japanese Impressions: Percussion Ensemble Book comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Percussion Ensemble Series
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
44
SKU:
00-PK-0000000
More about this title
About the Composer: Anthony J. Cirone
Anthony J. Cirone is a percussionist and composer whose work has shaped ensemble pedagogy for decades. His compositions for percussion are known for their musicality, accessibility, and ability to engage players across skill levels while maintaining artistic integrity.
Why we love this
Cirone anchors this piece in authentic musical material (the traditional Japanese melody "Moon Over the Ruined Castle") while creating genuinely playable writing that respects each player's role. The five-part texture makes it accessible for intermediate ensembles without sacrificing the sophisticated sonorities that come from thoughtful orchestration across pitched and unpitched percussion.
What to expect
The piece evokes a journey through sound and space, anchored by the lyrical Japanese melody but surrounded by shimmering bells, rippling woodblocks, and shimmering cymbals that suggest landscape and atmosphere. There's an unhurried quality that honors the contemplative spirit of the source material while the ensemble texture creates moments of surprising richness and depth.
Who it's for
Intermediate plus percussion ensembles ready to coordinate five individual parts with distinct instrumental colors and responsibilities. This works for high school percussion programs or serious middle school groups with experienced players across the ensemble.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the melodic line across bells and xylophone carefully; these instruments carry the primary voice and need to project over the coloristic support from bongos, cymbals, and wind chimes.
- Establish a clear pulse with timpani (Player 5) even in passages where the rhythm feels rubato; this anchors the ensemble's sense of direction.
- Let the bamboo sticks and wind chimes breathe; their timbral contributions matter more than rhythmic precision in many sections, so shape phrases rather than strictly metering every note.
- Record a rehearsal and listen back to balance; this piece reveals unevenness in dynamics across the ensemble more readily than you might hear it in real time.
How to use it
This is an excellent choice for a concert exploring non-Western musical traditions or for a program that pairs world percussion with Western classical works. The 44 pages and five-player setup make it substantial enough to anchor a percussion showcase without overwhelming rehearsal schedules.
Skills your students will build
- Balancing pitched and unpitched percussion in ensemble texture
- Coordinating multiple percussion instruments as a single player
- Maintaining steady pulse across rubato and free rhythmic passages
- Interpreting stylistic nuance from non-Western musical sources
- Listening for and responding to ensemble balance in real time