Maurice Jarre

Le Premier Jour du Printemps

5 Percussions
Exact instrumentation: Strumenti: 7 Timpani - 2 Marimba - 2 Vibraphone - Glockenspiel - Xylophone - Cassa chiara - 5 Tom-toms - Gran cassa con pedale - Baccheti di metal sospesi - 2 Bongo - Conga - 2 Piatti - Piatto sospeso - Gong profundo - Raganella - Lastra dal tuono - Crota

Spring's arrival is always a bit magic. The slumbering earth gently awakens, trees sprout buds, flowers surge forth, bird songs become more melodious, poplar leaves at the wind's command shiver once again like butterflies, herds and flocks climb back to their lofty pastures and everything seems slowly to revive, throbbing to an ostinato rhythm that invites all of nature to join in an ever more frenetic round-dance.
It's precisely these impressions that are the inspiration behind this piece, which I wrote specially for the 'Percussionisti della Scala' of Milan.
Maurice Jarre