Tailoring for Two was wittten for my student Taylor Katanick, and was premiered by Taylor and Gordon Stout in 2014 at Ithaca College. A really fun duo, requiring two 5.0 marimbas.
Includes a 27-page spiral-bound score and 2 separate marimba parts.
This piece is very indicative of Stout’s compositional style, using beautiful harmonies that have a cyclical and purposeful quality, as well as well-thought-out rhythmic motives and memorable melodic content.
The 8-1/2 minute piece is in three sections, and for roughly the first half coud be described as moto-perpetuo, with the first break not coming until the middle section. The middle section slowly builds in rhythmic intensity until the recapitulation in the final section. The piece stays true to the title and has both players playing off each other, often in canon. The effect is breathtaking, and the listener’s interest is kept throughout.
Performers will need to have an excellent grasp of duple and triple rhythms and must be able to navigate between the two with ease. While the piece does not require any advanced four-mallet skills such as one-handed rolls, large interval changes or extended techniques, it does require exceptional reading and/or memory skills, as well as very precise time and rhythm.
“Tailoring for Two” is well-suited for performers who know their way around the entire marimba. This would make a great addition to an advanced undergraduate or graduate recital.
— Joe Millea, Percussive Notes — July 2017
