Common Times (Medium Advanced) Class 1, TX PML

Common Times

Rowloff or JWPepper

Level: Medium-Advanced/Grade V     Players: 11     Length: 3:28     State Lists: IN TX

Instrumentation: bells, vibraphone, chimes, xylophone, marimba, timpani, percussion[concert bass drum, snare drum, suspended cymbal, tam-tam, temple blocks, woodblocks (2), shaker]

$40

Program Notes:

Common Times was my first musical composition that was published.   Some of my musical compositions can take a while to craft.  However, Common Times was different.  It came to me in a matter of one day. 

The intent of the song was to show how percussionists in percussion ensembles are asked to play in unique time signatures.  For most musicians, playing in 9/8, 7/8 etc is one musical selection can be uncommon.  However for percussionists, having to play in those unique time signatures is very common, hence the name.  I also wanted to give a nod to an instrument in the percussion family that often gets forgotten – the Bass Drum.