The Snake Pit

SKU: CF.FPS151

ISBN 9781491152119. UPC: 680160909612.

Everyone remembers the first time that they saw a snake. Though fascinating to some and terrifying to others, few animals are as universally mesmerizing. Composer Tyler Arcari has crafted a very fun piece making use of auxiliary percussion instruments to emulate a snake's hiss or ominous rattle. With very strong and interesting melodic material, and scored to make a developing band sound great, this piece is sure to be a favorite among students.
Everyone remembers the first time that they saw a snake. The majority of people have a base fear of them, while others have a “heebie-jeebies” experience. We all know how the great explorer Dr. Indiana Jones felt about snakes, especially when he famously fell into a snake pit during Raiders of the Lost Ark. However you feel about snakes, a pit of them certainly sounds like an adventure.About the work:Snake Pit uses a lot of auxiliary percussion instruments. Some of these sounds are intended to subtly mimic the sounds that snakes make. The maraca in m. 4, of course, is a rattler’s call! The Chinese cymbal is intended to sound like the “hiss” of a not-so-friendly serpent. The eighth-note pattern at m. 9 is used throughout as a “creepy” effect using dynamic contrast so take care to emphasize this when present.I enjoy the gong as a “color” instrument in the band. I try to balance it with the low brass. Take care that at m. 42 the gong is not “front-and center” but more of a support for the nice accented chords in the low brass. Also, the trumpets can become spaced too much here. The accents are more for emphasis and less space.