Latinus

PLEASE NOTE: As of now, all purchases are for a downloadable PDF copy of combined score and parts which you can print out. You will not receive a hard copy shipped to your address.

Listen to the MIDI recording here! - https://soundcloud.com/noahlathrop/latinus

The term Latinus is the Latin word for Latin. Ironically, this piece is based on Latin music rather than the Latin language. Latinus is a groove-based percussion ensemble piece for 9 players (auxiliary parts can be divided for more players if needed).

The piece opens with a repeating clave pattern with more instruments layering in over time. The main mallet melody is then played, first by the woods, then followed by the metals with a unison syncopated pattern played after each. A soft interlude is heard with very thin scoring before the melody is played again. Soon, the piece slowly builds up until we reach the fast-paced concert tom solo, followed by a similar timpani solo. We then briefly enter a new key to allow the marimbas to play on the opposite side of the instrument, followed by the big groove section. The instrumentation is relatively limited until everyone comes in with all sorts of colors, including the marimbas continuing to play on the reverse side of the instrument. Suddenly, all instrumentation is stripped, leaving us with just the clave pattern once again, before we layer in once more leading us to the big unison ending to close!

This piece is dedicated to the Tocoi Creek High School Percussion Ensemble.