Peasant Dance: String Bass
By Brendan McBrien
Grade: 3
Item: 00-PC-0000557_SB
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Description
Composed in an "Old World" style, Peasant Dance attempts to capture the spirit, energy, and spontaneity of folkdance, a celebration of both life and death. This work calls for a cabasa, though if one is not available, maracas or a closed hi-hat could be used instead. The violas get to play a "snap" pizzicato which requires the player to pull the string in such a way that on its release, it will strike the fingerboard with a loud snapping sound.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Peasant Dance: String Bass 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:
Highland/Etling String Orchestra
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
126
SKU:
00-PC-0000557_SB
More about this title
About the Composer: Brendan McBrien
Brendan McBrien began playing French horn in 4th grade in Sunnyvale, California, and went on to earn both bachelor's and master's degrees in music composition and conducting from California State University, Long Beach. For over three decades, he performed professionally as a French horn player with orchestras throughout Los Angeles and Orange County, including work in symphony, television, and film recording sessions.
McBrien's compositions and arrangements for band and orchestra have been published by Alfred, Kendor, Kjos, and Wingert-Jones Music Companies and are performed internationally. He has served as an adjudicator, clinician, and conductor for honor groups, including four terms on the board of the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association. Since 1988, he has taught in the Irvine Unified School District, where he currently directs bands and orchestras at Rancho San Joaquin Middle School and teaches music arranging at California State University, Long Beach.
Why we love this
McBrien captures the raw vitality of folk celebration without resorting to pastiche or oversimplification. The snap pizzicato demands in the violas and the optional cabasa part transform what could be a straightforward character piece into something tactile and inventive, giving your players specific, engaging technical challenges that justify the Grade 3 designation.
What to expect
Peasant Dance pulses with the unvarnished energy of a village celebration. The snap pizzicatos and rhythmic vitality create a sense of physical immediacy, while the harmonic language maintains an "Old World" character that feels both spirited and tinged with something deeper, honoring the piece's acknowledgment of life alongside death in folk tradition.
Who it's for
Intermediate string orchestras (Grade 3) looking for repertoire that goes beyond standard pedagogical fare. This piece works especially well for groups preparing for festivals and contests, and for directors who want their students to encounter compositional technique rooted in folk traditions without sacrificing musical substance.
How to get the most out of it
- Isolate the snap pizzicato passages with your violas before full rehearsal. Have them practice the motion separately so the attack is clean and uniform across the section; the sound should crack against the fingerboard, not thud.
- If you're using maracas or a closed hi-hat instead of cabasa, keep the percussion partner closely attuned to the string section's natural rubato in the folkdance sections. The rhythm should feel organic, not metronomic.
- Balance the energy in the opening carefully. "Spontaneity" in folk idiom still requires rhythmic precision from the ensemble; let the character emerge through clear articulation and dynamic shape, not loose playing.
How to use it
Program this as a festival entry or as part of a concert exploring folk influences in contemporary composition. Its relatively brief length and clear character arc make it an effective contrast piece between longer works, and its contest-ready designation suggests it will hold up well under adjudication.
Skills your students will build
- Snap pizzicato execution with consistent tone and attack
- Maintaining rhythmic precision within expressive, folk-inspired phrasing
- Ensemble balance when integrating non-pitched percussion (cabasa, maracas, or hi-hat alternatives)
- Distinguishing between technical precision and interpretive spontaneity