Harry Breuer - Bit O' Rhythm (with Ensemble)

This is the kind of showpiece Breuer must have written for himself to play, to astonish people listening in a concert hall or over the radio. It's essentially a xylophone solo with piano accompaniment-though the piano gets the rhythm going before the xylophone takes over. The piece has a shape you find in a lot of music: two sections, both repeated, then a contrasting middle part before the first section is repeated again.

This is music that works very well in an arrangement for percussion ensemble, which you can also hear.

Harry Breuer (1901-89)

A New Yorker, Harry Breuer spent his whole life in the city, working as a performer, arranger and composer. He gave concerts as a spectacular xylophone player, appeared with various bands, and did a lot of work for the radio. In his later years he became fascinated with electronic synthesizers.