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“Mazurka” was composed by marimba virtuoso Clair Omar Musser in 1936 for solo piano, and issued catalog number Op 6 No 2 by him. In range, texture, and articulation, this intriguing piece of music works beautifully on 5.0 octave marimba, making it a natural addition to solo concert literature.
A few years after the Mazurka, Musser wrote a series of marimba pieces in Opus 6, including Nos 2, 8, 9, & 10, thus inadvertently assigning Op 6 No 2 to two compositions. As the Mazurka predates these other works, I posthumously adjusted its citation to Op 6 No 1, thereby preserving Musser’s Opus 6 designation, while maintaining original chronology within that Opus.
Contained by a rather unassuming dance structure, Musser elevates this mazurka through deft harmonic language, thematic efficiency, and elegant lyricism. Such erudite musicianship reveals a mature artist, adroit in the neo-romantic school of the early 20th century in which Musser lived and worked. This somber masterpiece, with its taut suspense and brooding intimacy, lends substance to any program, and Musser’s voice to today’s marimba.
PDF download
“Mazurka” was composed by marimba virtuoso Clair Omar Musser in 1936 for solo piano, and issued catalog number Op 6 No 2 by him. In range, texture, and articulation, this intriguing piece of music works beautifully on 5.0 octave marimba, making it a natural addition to solo concert literature.
A few years after the Mazurka, Musser wrote a series of marimba pieces in Opus 6, including Nos 2, 8, 9, & 10, thus inadvertently assigning Op 6 No 2 to two compositions. As the Mazurka predates these other works, I posthumously adjusted its citation to Op 6 No 1, thereby preserving Musser’s Opus 6 designation, while maintaining original chronology within that Opus.
Contained by a rather unassuming dance structure, Musser elevates this mazurka through deft harmonic language, thematic efficiency, and elegant lyricism. Such erudite musicianship reveals a mature artist, adroit in the neo-romantic school of the early 20th century in which Musser lived and worked. This somber masterpiece, with its taut suspense and brooding intimacy, lends substance to any program, and Musser’s voice to today’s marimba.
PDF download