Bucimis (for 11 Percussionists & Electric Bass)

Description

Bucimis, a traditional Bulgarian folk song, is excitingly paced, and performed in mixed-meter alternating bars of 4/4 and 7/8. The song is a perfect fit for the type of ensemble that thrives in metric changes. The frequent dead strokes in the marimbas and non-pedaled staccato notes in the vibraphone help achieve an effect similar to the vocal technique of “white-voice singing,” a popular technique used in Bulgarian folk music. In addition to the dead strokes, clapping is quite prevalent, further adding to the evocative nature of the piece. The passing of the melody across the mallet section, and solo break for the battery allows every player to shine.

Level: Medium Advanced | Duration: 4:35

Instrumentation

Glockenspiel

Xylophone

Vibraphone 1

Vibraphone 2

Marimba 1 (4.0-octave)*

Marimba 2 (4.3-octave)

Marimba 3 (5.0-octave)*

Bongos

Conga

Tambourine

Wind Chimes & Shaker

Electric Bass

*Marimba 1 & 3 may share one 5-octave instrument