(1932 - 2015)
Born in New Jersey, Marvin David Levy began studying piano as a young child and studied with the legendary Carl Friedberg at The Juilliard School. After turning his attention to composition, Levy studied with Philip James at New York University, where he received his B.A., and was then a pupil of the pioneering American composer Otto Luening at Columbia University, receiving his master’s degree in music there in 1956. While a student, Levy was the archivist of the American Opera Society, later its assistant director and he also worked as a freelance music critic. His interest in theatrical music grew during those years. During summers he was an apprentice stage director at music-theatre workshops, where he soon directed full productions ranging from My Fair Lady to Carmen. Also during the 1950s he wrote three one-act operas, whose premieres he also directed: The Tower (1956), a comic biblically based fable for the Santa Fe Opera; Sobota Komachi (1957), based on a 14th-century Japanese Noh play; and Escorial (1958), based on a play by Michel de Ghelderode.
Marvin David Levy Composition Timpani and Percussion Requirements
Cantata: One Person
Timpani + 4 percussion
Tubular bells, xylophone, clash cymbals, tam tam, triangle, temple blocks, orchestral bass drum, snare drum, tambourine
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Canto de los Marranos
Timpani + 4 percussion
Thai gongs, 2 octaves crotales, tubular bells, marimba, xylophone, bell tree, clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, 3 tam tams, 3 triangles, castanets, 3 wood blocks, whip, orchestral bass drum, tenor drum, snare drum, wind chimes
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Caramoor Festival Overture
Timpani + 3 percussion
Tubular bells, xylophone, clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, tam tam, triangle, wood block, pedal bass drum, snare drum, tambourine
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Escorial
Timpani + 2 percussion
Xylophone, tubular bells, snare drum, tenor drum, orchestral bass drum, ratchet, suspended cymbal, finger cymbals, triangle, tambourine, tam tam, wood block
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Kyros
Timpani + 4 percussion
Glockenspiel, tubular bells, xylophone, suspended cymbal, triangle, temple blocks, wood block, whip. pedal bass drum, snare drum, tambourine, tenor drum
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Masada
Timpani + 3 percussion
Vibraphone, marimba, 2 octaves crotales, tubular bells, snare drum tenor drum, orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, tom tom, bongos
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Mourning Becomes Electra
Timpani + 3 percussion
Orchestral bass drum, tenor drum, snare drum, suspended cymbal, clash cymbals, Thai gong, tambourine, wood block, temple blocks, castanets, triangle, ratchet, whip, claves, bongos, tom tom, guiro, mouth siren, glockenspiel, vibraphone, tubular bells, finger cymbals; stage band, drum kit
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Piano Concerto No.1
Timpani + 3 percussion
Tubular bells, vibraphone, xylophone, suspended cymbal, tam tam, temple blocks, wood block, orchestral bass drum, snare drum, tambourine, tenor drum
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Sotoba Komachi
Timpani + 1 percussion
Gong, triangle, snare drum, wood block, suspended cymbal, temple blocks
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Symphony No.1
Timpani + 4 percussion
Glockenspiel, tubular bells, xylophone, clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, tam tam, triangle, temple blocks, wood block, orchestral bass drum, pedal bass drum, snare drum, tenor drum
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