Tristesse – Etude Op. 10, No. 3 by Chopin arr. Benjamin Holmes

Benjamin Holmes brings Chopin’s beautiful melody to the world of solo marimba with this cleverly formidable arrangement, Tristesse. Meaning “sadness” in French, Tristesse is a title that was given to Chopin’s piece by his contemporary critics, using it to describe the piece’s overall sense of melancholy. This arrangement provides several challenges to the brave marimbist. For instance, the melody throughout the work is stated in the right hand, along with an accompanying voice in the same hand. The marimbist must make sure that the melody is clearly stated and separate from the accompaniment within the same hand, a skill that is not often demanded of marimbists. There are also a host of recurring quadruple stops that are constantly shifting harmonically, leaving the audience with an unsettling feeling.