Czardas is a very-well known Hungarian folk dance with an equally well-known violin accompaniment written by Vittorio Monti. There's also a well-known video out there of this piece being played on the marimba by the illustrious 'Marimba Lady', but don't let that performance spoil your opinion of this classic tune.
Arranged for xylophone solo and percussion ensemble, this piece is fun and not-too difficult for the ensemble members and filled with plenty of virtuosic, flairy licks for the soloist. At 4 minutes and thirty seconds, it could easily make its way onto the stage of a percussion ensemble concert.
Talented high school groups and young college groups should have no problem playing Czardas as long as you have an adept xylophonist. It's a fantastic alternative to the typical xylophone rag.
This piece comes with full, bound score and a data CD including individual parts and an mp3 recording.
Difficulty: Medium
Duration: 4' 30"
Instrumentation:
- Player 1 (Soloist): Xylophone
- Player 2: Bells
- Player 3: Vibraphone
- Player 4: 4.3-Octave Marimba (Shared 5-Oct. Optional)
- Player 5: 4.3-Octave Marimba (Shared 5-Oct. Optional)
- Player 6: 5-Octave Marimba
- Player 7: Timpani (3)
- Player 8: Tambourine, Triangle, Hand Cymbals
From the composer: This well-known gypsy violin piece is often used as an encore. Based on the Hungarian Csardas, the piece opens with a rhapsodic statement in D-minor which leads into a brisk Vivace showcasing the performer's technique. A romantic interlude in the key of D-major follow, and the piece ends with a return of the Vivace section that gradually accelerates to a rousing conclusion. - Stephen Primatic
