Cerulean Landscape was written for solo marimba (5.0) in 2013 for Japanese marimbist Kana Omori. It is a moderately difficult work of 5’40” in length, in a freely composed style and form, progressing through various beautiful and lyrical landscapes. This is an excellent work to showcase the versatility and expressiveness of your musicality, and is highly recommend for a college level recital.
Gordon Stout has been producing high-quality, recital-caliber percussion repertoire for several years, and “Cerulean Landscape” is another great addition to Stout’s virtuosic solo marimba repertoire. Like much of Stout’s music, this solo requires a high level of technical skill, with difficult interval shifts, permutations in tight intervals of minor econds and challenging sections in mixed meter.
Beyond the technical deamnds of the piece, the greatest challenge is connecting the various ideas and sustaining musical phrases throughout the solo. Due to the work’s free-structured compositional approach, each melodic idea occurs for a brief moment and then transforms into another, creating a collage of thematic material for the performer to connect. The score indicates several phrases and tempo suggestions, but leaves musical decisions up to the player.
With its many challenges and rewards, “Cerulean Landscape” makes a great recital addition for the advanced undergraduate, graduate or professional looking for a marimba solo that is expressive, technically demanding and musically enjoyable.
— Matthew Geiger, Percussive Notes — March 2017
