Fluctus, op.16

Nebojsa Jovan Zivkovic

General Info

Year: 1988
Duration: c. 3:30
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: MusicaEur
Cost: Score and Parts - $0.00   |   Score Only - $0.00

Instrumentation

Marimba

Program Notes

premiere: 18 October 1988, Vienna by the composer

Fluctus is defined as a wave, disorder, a surge, or a flood. This piece opens with a fierce flurry of notes, based on a 27-tone scale progression. Starting with the opening theme, the same motif is repeated in different scale intervals but the same 27 notes are always repeated in the same order. The piece is then thrown into a strict rhythmic state marked as ben ritmico, using five-tuplets, seven-tuplets and intensely syncopated passages. After a stirring climax the piece returns once more to the sweeping flood of notes ending with a chromatic ascent to F sharp to end the piece. - Trevor Landreth

Review

Written in 1988, this short work for solo marimba utilizes almost the entire range of a 4 1/ 2 octove (low F) instrument. Thematic material is derived from a series of wide intervals, presented "fortississimo" and "furioso" at the beginning of the piece, using devices such as repetition, inversion, and the construction of two-note vertical structures from two consecutive notes. The work falls into five sections, differentiated in large part by rhythm. In the first section, which is unmetered, long streams of repetitive eighth notes moving rapidly at ca. half note = 160 are occasionally interrupted by ritardanclos or sustained rolled notes. The subsequent section uses intervals dramatically presented with forte-piano, staggered rolls. A section in 1/4 meter, in which two-note vertical structures are prominent and a section similar to the first, with a long string of eighth notes played "presto e fortissimo," bring the work to a conclusion. No sticking suggestions have been written in; however, that should present no problem to the advanced player who will be using this material. The judicious use of four mallets will make some of the, large leaps readily playable. Fluctus is well within the capabilities of a college level student. It needs to be seriously considered by those interested in contemporary literature. - John R. Raush, October 1991

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