Mozart's Romance, Xylophone Solo - Alex Jacobowitz

[alexjacobowitz]

By the way, the first use of the word "xylophone" in English comes from a performance in France in the 1860's. That was on a five-octave instrument.

[alexjacobowitz]

This isn't an either/or question. Marimbas are a sub-family of the xylophone family, which is in turn a sub-family of percussion. Whether or not this instrument can or should be called a "marimba" is open to dispute; African, Central American and "classical" marimbas are all very different from each other. But it's indisputable that this is a xylophone-family instrument, and therefore a xylophone.

[dshogan]

It's a marimba - because of it's range, surely? This is an octave below the capabilities of (even a concert) Xylophone

[KiwiKateUK]

my mother played the xylophone and the marimba, and this sure looks and sounds like a marimba to me

[alexjacobowitz]

It's definitely a xylophone, but it can be argued whether it's a marimba. "Xylophone" is understood in all European languages, because of its Greek basis, and it's clear that I'm playing European music. "Marimba" comes from the Bantu language of South Africa - their instruments are very different than this. And I play very, very little African music. So - for me - xylophone is more correct.

[DeinVorbild95]

1) its not called "xylophon family", those instruments are "mallets"

2) es thats a marimba

[drumer122]

marimbaphone...

[alexjacobowitz]

Sorry, it's not a marimba (primitive folk instrument from Africa), but a xylophone. And in any case, all marimbas belong to the xylophone family, so it's a xylophone. Maybe not a concert xylophone, but a xylophone all the same. Believe me.

[michalebeb]

@alexjacobowitz Alex plays the marimba.

How do I know? - he told me that himself ;-)

[dshogan]

@alexjacobowitz are you trying to say that a Marimba is a primitive folk instrument from Africa, and ONLY a primitive folk instrument from Africa? the name has just been associated with the instrument through all it's developments - as with most things. The concert marimba (which is what we're talking about here) is no less primitive than a Xylophone, just an octave deeper.

[TheDigitalMonk]

very good... and it's a marimba, not a xylophone.

[Morvium]

Marimba's are part of the xylophone family so its also a xylophone

[Weckerhasser]

thats beautifull!!

[Domber]

Loved it :-)