C'est La Vie, for vibraphone, cello, & piano includes three scores.
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Review from Percussive Notes (2026):
Reviewed by: Stephen Busath
This is a gorgeous use of piano, cello, and vibraphone. Focusing more on sound than technique, it is musically mature. This will require a student or professional to have complete focus, as one must listen for balance, timing, and clarity. Rated as advanced due to this and more advanced music reading, such as following everyone’s part in the score and aleatoric boxes (a set of notes in a box played to the performer’s discretion). There is also a particularly tricky section toward the end.
Hauntingly beautiful, one can hear the emotion while listening. The first movement sets the tone at lento. It calls for at least two of the performers to be in unison almost the entire movement, while taking turns with interjections and melodic moments. The double-dotted-eighth/thirty-second notes are a prevailing rhythm throughout with slow offbeat, rising melodic lines to contrast. The second movement is freer. It uses aleatoric boxes and avoids unison except for occasional moments that must line up. The notes say it “is more of a sequence of events…” One listening may notice the performers take their time, but it still moves forward. Movement three is more upbeat but not in a hurry. Jacob Ottmer gives an instruction of “haunting, distant” in measure 15, which could be applied to most of this movement. He plays with rhythm by indicating occasional swung eighth notes, which gives a feeling of lightness, but the harmonies do not give that feeling. It is a fantastic juxtaposition. To add to this, the main theme always starts somewhat hauntingly, but ends with straight eighth notes outlining a major chord. The program notes mention the use of other composers’ material. I am sure I missed a few, but there are some clear references. This is a great piece to play, and it would be a fun study, with many moments that could be analyzed.
The vibraphone part calls for normal vibraphone technique as well as bowed vibraphone and harmonics. It goes back and forth between accompaniment and melody. The third movement will particularly garner attention in the practice room. It is a very cool part that would be worth learning for a student or a professional.
Several clear performance notes are given in the publication, which comes with three complete sets of scores. I really like this piece. It is for a more art-centered or academic audience, but there are plenty of moments of repeated motifs and melodies to give any focused listener a chance to grasp.
