Excursion, for percussion ensemble, includes score and parts. Appropriate for high schoolers, Larry Arnold’s Excursion is a groovy Latin-jazz inspired percussion ensemble work that is bound to have the audience’s feet tapping. For nine percussionists.
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Review from Percussive Notes (2021):
Excursion
Larry Arnold
According to the publisher’s website, “Excursion” is written with high school percussionists in mind. I’ll admit that I didn’t expect Media Press
Music to be publishing this kind of pedagogical music alongside the many advanced and experimental works for which its catalog is better known, but “Excursion” is an effective and useful performance vehicle for educators looking to keep a large percussion ensemble engaged.
Unlike other pieces written for an ensemble of this size, nearly all of these parts seem to be more-or-less equally demanding and important to the larger whole. The piece reminds me of Michael Colgrass’s “Three Brothers,” in that there is a healthy dose of groove and an egalitarian sharing of moments in the spotlight for all players, but “Excursion” doesn’t quite get up to the same level of barn-burning virtuosity. The other significant difference with Colgrass’s piece is the addition of pitched instruments, primarily in the form of the xylophone and two marimba parts. However, even these parts are heavily rhythmic, and their syncopated material blends in naturally with the other, drummier, material.
There will be plenty for teachers to sink their teeth into when rehearsing this piece, especially in regard to introducing world percussion playing techniques. And, at three minutes in length, it would be an easy and natural fit on a high school, or perhaps even a very advanced middle school, percussion ensemble program.
—Brian Graiser
