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Yesterday, my knowledge of marimbas expanded greatly. My prior knowledge was very limited. I thought marimbas were 40 dollar Christmas gifts that you never used. One of our irksome customers at Nutglade once took marimba lessons with her ex-husband. I considered them to be an African folk instrument.
I learned that marimbas are very expensive (5 to 20 thousand dollars), and that they are often used in classical music. A woman with whom I have twice spoken over the telephone but I have never (yet) met is playing them at a funeral service. She owns a set, which she keeps at her family's home in Fargo. The funeral recital will be from Sibelius' Finlandia. I think she will be playing the 5 octave version. Jazz composition is more conducive to vibraphones, for some reason.
Posted by Underblog at April 7, 2005 11:23 AM
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you considered them to be an African folk instrument not once but twice.
Posted by: sherman at April 7, 2005 3:42 PM
I am even more ignorant about Marimbas than you...I would've appreciated a Marimba link..
Posted by: heather at April 8, 2005 6:20 AM
Marimbas are of African descent, but they are very popular in Mexican/Central American folk music (that's what always comes to mind with me...) and classical music in the states. Vibraphones are marimbas with metal bars.... I think the sound of the metal bars simply work better with jazz combos.
Posted by: GenerationBob at April 11, 2005 9:16 AM