Subway Musings is a collection of ten vibraphone miniatures that were written from 1997 – 2001. Each piece was conceived while performing on the uptown 14th Street/Union Square subway platform in New York City. These miniatures represent my earliest writing, and each one is intended to provide a starting point from which the performer can go in any direction that inspiration takes them. The printed musical directions here within are merely suggestions based on my own performance tendencies.
As the performer, you have my blessing to perform these pieces verbatim, to embellish them as the mood dictates, to perform them on instruments other than a vibraphone, or to take them out of the solo domain altogether and arrange them for various ensembles. Whatever works for you works . . . just bear in mind that when you see the light on that uptown train coming at the end of the platform, you'd better find a way to wrap it up.
Sample #1 (Click Arrow to Play)
Sample #2 (Click Arrow to Play)
Sample #3 (Click Arrow to Play)
$10 - # 0674 – Hitchcock/R. Grimes: Heart Full of Leaves for vibraphone and toy piano (1 player) [3 min.]
"This arrangement is a nice fit for the vibraphone...would fit nicely in the middle [of a recital] as a vibraphone feature" - Julia Gaines, University of Missouri, review in PAS News
Sample (Click Arrow to Play)
$10 - # 0672 – Lee/R. Grimes: Monte Nido for solo vibraphone [3:30 min.]
"This arrangement is a nice fit for the vibraphone...would fit nicely in the middle [of a recital] as a vibraphone feature" - Julia Gaines, University of Missouri, review in PAS News
Sample (Click Arrow to Play)
$12 - # 0783 - Pastor, Joseph: Bagatelles for solo vibraphone [8 min.]
$15 - # 0785 - Spivack, Larry: Four Pieces for Solo Vibraphone [11 min.]
$10 - # 0737 - Spivack, Larry: Siciliano for solo vibraphone [2:30 min.]
$12 - # 0805 - Spivack, Larry: Soliloquy for solo vibraphone [4 min.]