The Magic Box by Cliff Crego

The Magic Box:
new music for mallet
instruments

by Cliff Crego

discovering the simple
in the complex;
and the complex
in the simple

last update: I.27.04

the magic box two streams of complementary metrical movement, one in 5, the other in 3.
the first of a set 11 duos for vibraphone and marimba (large 11 x 17 format (A3); 4 pages)

| listen to the magic box [REQUIRES QuickTime *]

| download PDF of the magic box (four 11" x 17" pages: 88 K) [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader **]

Listen to a performance model of
The Magic Box—complete (c.42' )
in streamed RealAudio

an invention in two voices a complex weaving together of two relatively independent layers
of melodic movement; for vibraphone and marimba (large 11 x 17 format (A3); 6 pages)
(see also a brief intro for the keyboard version at another website by Cliff Crego,
picture-poems.com intro: an invention in two voices)

clip of invention

| listen to an invention in two voices [REQUIRES QuickTime]

| download PDF of invention (six 11" x 17" pages: 88 K) [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader]

Listen to the Première of An Invention for Two Voices
—for vibraphone and marimba,
performed by Joeke Hoekstra and Niels Meliefste,
at the Royal Conservatory, The Hague, the Netherlands.
Special thanks to Marc Zoutendijk for the recording. [c. 5' 30"]

View photo of a recent performance of four pieces from The Magic Box
in Adelaide Australia by Daryl Pratt & Alison Eddington of Match Percussion [IV.11.2003]

wind in white pines two simple, peaceful streams of movement crossings in cycles of
4 in the time of 5; for vibraphone and marimba (large 11 x 17 format (A3); 2 pages)

| listen to wind in white pines [REQUIRES QuickTime]

| download PDF of white pines (two 11" x 17" pages: 30 K) [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader]
the little triangle (homage à Stravinsky) the companion piece of white pines
(above) with a playful back and forth 4 against 3, for vibraphone and marimba
(large 11 x 17 format (A3); 2 pages)

| listen to the little triangle [REQUIRES QuickTime]

| download PDF of the little triangle [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader]
study in 15 a metrical dance around 5 x 3 and 3 x 5, for vibraphone and marimba
(large 11 x 17 format (A3); 2 pages)

| listen to study in 15 [REQUIRES QuickTime]

| download PDF of study in 15 [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader]
passaggio a journey of a 1000 steps along the wandering ways of a constant, whispering bass,
for vibraphone and marimba (large 11 x 17 format (A3); 4 pages)

| listen to passaggio [REQUIRES QuickTime]

| download PDF of passaggio [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader]
star gazing I three voices modulating metrically through different textures
and constellations of tones, like points of light threaded together in a clear night sky,
for vibraphone and marimba (large 11 x 17 format (A3); 2 pages)

| listen to star gazing I [REQUIRES QuickTime]

| download PDF of star gazing I [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader]
the little fox "a children's song about a butterfly, a blackbird and a flower, in 3's, 2's
and 5's" for vibraphone and marimba (large 11 x 17 format (A3); 1 page)
(version for child's voice and percussion, the little fox: Voice)

| listen to the little fox [REQUIRES QuickTime]

| download PDF of the little fox [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader]
4-page sonata (An American Sonata) together with the invention above, the central piece
of the magic box collection, featuring wildly virtuosic rhythmic glissandi contrasting with
driving metrical passages, for vibraphone and marimba (large 11 x 17 format (A3); 4 pages)

| listen to 4-page sonata [REQUIRES QuickTime]

| download PDF of 4-page sonata [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader]
dance of the blue castanets a miniature one-page concert encore, cycling gently over
and over again through three octaves of tempo, for vibraphone and marimba (large 11
x 17 format (A3); 1 page)

| listen to blue castanets [REQUIRES QuickTime]

| download PDF of blue castanets [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader]
4-square another one-page miniature intended as an encore piece, but this time a
jazzy 3/4 honky-tonk on top of a solid 4/4 bass; for vibraphone and marimba
(large 11 x 17 format (A3); 1 page)

| listen to 4-square [REQUIRES QuickTime]

| download PDF of 4-square [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader]
moonstone—for vibraphone solo from spica—for percussion solo
[link to intro ) (large 11 x 17 format (A3); 4 pages)

| listen to moonstone (REQUIRES QuickTime) NEW: listen in streamed RealAudio |

| download PDF of moonstone (four 11" x 17" pages: 64 K) [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader]
nightphantom—for marimba solo from spica—for percussion solo
[link to intro ) (large 11 x 17 format (A3); 4 pages)

| listen to a MIDI version of nightphantom (REQUIRES QuickTime) |

| download PDF of nightphantom (four 11" x 17" pages: 64 K) [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader]
PDF of the magic box: complete quick & easy download of all the above featured scores.
(thirty-seven 11" x 17" pages: 550 K) [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader **]

NEW: If you experience problems with loading PDFs into your browser window
(requires plug-in), please e-mail

PDF-express@cs-music.com

and the requested file will be sent to you as an e-mail attachment.

NEW Apollonian Jazz at Circle/Square: (Just) Like That version for
4-mallet vibes and bass (or 'cello) Go to pages in score | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

clip of (just) like that

[Windows: r click; Mac: opt + click]
score and parts for
(Just) Like That: pdf
(fifteen A4 pages: 276 K)

[Windows: r click; Mac: opt + click]
a performance model of
(Just) Like That mp3
[1.4 Mb]

The Magic Box:
live recordings
by Joeke Hoekstra
and Niels Meliefste . . .

Listen to eight selections from The Magic Box
in streamed RealAudio
The Magic Box [RealAudio]

(Note: These are large-page scores and perhaps best viewed with Netscape Navigator.
If using the AOL or Internet Explorer browsers, make sure to turn off the image
compression option found under Preferences. This reduces the 'noisy' or
gray discoloring of the background considerably.)

See also: intro: spica—for percussion solo
(large 11 x 17 format (A3); 24 pages) A *Star Cycle* piece
(with introduction):

clip of spica: movement V

(a fragment from movement V, for drumset)

| download PDF of Spica movement V: Fold-Centerfold (for drumset)
(five 11" x 17" pages: 40 K) [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader]

| NEW: download PDF of Spica Complete Score
(twenty-four 11" x 17" pages: 344 K) [REQUIRES Acrobat Reader]

| NEW: DOWNLOAD Spica MP3 [10 Mb]

* Download QuickTime for MAC or PC "QuickTime 4.1.2 is the latest version
of Apple's complete technology for handling video, sound, animation, graphics, text,
music, and even 360-degree virtual reality (VR) scenes. A gateway for rich media including
images, music, MIDI, MP3 and more, QuickTime lets you experience more than 200 kinds
of digital media with your Mac or PC and it offers unparalleled quality, ease of use and
functionality."

** Download Adobe Acrobat Reader An essential (and free) program, for MAC or PC

| About Cliff Crego | go to Circle/Square: Download to download ETFs |

| Other websites by Cliff Crego: picture-poems.com | The Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke | Dutch Poetry: *r2c* |

Look for new additions every week.

Created and maintained in Northwest Ohio, USA.
(Last update: VIII.7.2003)
Questions regarding performance
materials to score-info@cs-music.com