Before I Sleep

Before I Sleep is an easy and accessible 4-mallet solo for 4.3 Marimba. It is tailored towards players who have mastered the basic techniques and are ready to take on longer works.

Program Notes

The varied sections of the piece feature different concepts like double lateral and vertical strokes, rolls or single melody lines. Changes in tempo and tone challenge students to expand their musicality. More experienced players will find Before I Sleep to be an expressive and audience-friendly repertoire piece that can be learned quickly. The inspiration for Before I Sleep came from multiple places. I wanted to capture the circling thoughts that sometimes keep us awake at night. We toss them around in our head, aimlessly following the stream of consciousness with only little actual progress made, until we finally drift off to sleep. I also love to write music at night, when the world seems quiet and at peace. It gives me the opportunity to take a step back, to remove myself from everything that kept me busy during the day. This state of mind is reflected in some of the musical ideas as well. Lastly, I drew inspiration from themes of rest and longing found in the poem „Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening“ by Robert Frost. It is the root of the bittersweetness that can also be felt in Before I Sleep.

Grade Level: Medium
Copyright: 2020
Duration: 6:00

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Instrumentation

Marimba (4.3-octave)