Marimba Spiritual by Minoru Miki

This piece was composed during 1983 to the beginning of 1984, at the time of the acute period of starvation and famine in Africa. The piece is composed in a organic fashion, with the first half of the piece as a static requiem and the last part a lively resurrection. The title is an expression of the total process.

The piece was commissioned by NHK, but marimba player Keiko Abe requested the particular arrangement for marimba. The first performance was on March 18, 1984 in Amsterdam with Ms. Abe and the Nieuwe Slagwek Groep Amsterdam.

The rhythm and note patterns are strictly notated throughout the piece, but for the three percussion parts, only the relative pitches and tone qualities (for the first part, metal and wood percussion instruments; for the second part, skin drums) are notated. There is freedom, but the performers should pay much attention to balance in each section.

The rhythm patterns for the second part are taken from the festival drumming of the Chichibu area northwest of Tokyo. The score is set up so the piece can be played as marimba solo as well.