Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra (Piano Reduction) by Masaaki Hayakawa

Concerto for marimba and orchestra (piano reduction). ‘In this work, which consists of three movements, successful Japanese composer Masaaki Hayakawa uses elements of Japanese music: an accumulation of fourths as in some traditional Japanese songs in the first movement, and motifs of Japanese flute literature in the second one which is also a contest between marimba and timpani. The third movement, however, is a dance which is getting increasingly furious. In his preface, the composer states: ”Even though I used Japanese motifs, it was not my intention to create a specifically ”Japanese” mood. I used the motifs as abstract ones and adopted European techniques to emphasize above all the joy of playing the marimba together with the orchestra.’.