Black is a five-minute chamber work by Marc Mellits that began as a piece for two amplified bass clarinets. It has since appeared in arrangements for a range of wind, brass and mallet-instrument ensembles. The right score depends on the instruments your group actually plays; the arrangements are distinct, not interchangeable.
What is Black by Marc Mellits?
Mellits composed Black in 2008 for the virtuoso duo Sqwonk, whose original instrumentation was two amplified bass clarinets. Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance also identifies that as the work’s original scoring, while describing later versions for mallet instruments. The composer’s catalog lists the displayed editions at five minutes each. Marc Mellits’s catalog and Temple University’s album notes document the work’s editions and performance history.
The name alone does not identify a particular scoring. In this case, Black has accumulated multiple arrangements, so performers and listeners should look for the instrumentation as well as the title.
What instruments are used in Black?
Original version
The 2008 original is for two amplified bass clarinets. A retailer’s score listing identifies it as written for Sqwonk, and Temple University’s album notes likewise describe the bass-clarinet version as the original. The score listing provides this edition’s identifying details.
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Arrangements in the composer’s catalog
Mellits’s catalog lists these additional ensemble editions. The year notation is reproduced as shown in the catalog:
| Ensemble | Catalog year notation | Listed duration |
|---|---|---|
| Clarinet and alto saxophone | 2008/22 | 5 minutes |
| Clarinet, alto saxophone, bass clarinet and baritone saxophone | 2008/23 | 5 minutes |
| Tuba quartet: two F tubas and two CC tubas | 2008/2023 | 5 minutes |
| Two bass recorders | 2008/23 | 5 minutes |
| Wagner tuba quartet | 2008/22 | 5 minutes |
Temple University’s notes also describe arrangements for two vibraphones, two marimbas, and four marimbas. A specialist retailer lists score-and-parts editions for two bassoons, bassoon quartet, and bassoon plus bass clarinet. These retailer-listed bassoon configurations are not among the editions shown in the composer catalog, so confirm the exact ensemble and package before ordering. The composer’s catalog, Temple’s notes and the retailer listing describe different parts of the arrangement history.
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How to choose the right score
Start with the instrumentation, then check what the edition includes. A score intended for two bass clarinets will not automatically work for a bassoon group or a mallet ensemble; each arrangement is written for its own performers and instruments.
- Match the ensemble exactly. Check the number and type of instruments, including distinctions such as F and CC tubas.
- Confirm the package. The retailer listing identifies several bassoon configurations as score-and-parts editions. For any other edition, verify whether parts are included with the score before purchase.
- Check current listing details. The available documentation does not establish current stock or price for every arrangement. Confirm the seller’s current edition information before ordering.
How long is Black?
Mellits’s catalog gives each displayed edition a duration of five minutes. That is the composer’s listed duration, not a promise that every performance will take exactly the same amount of time. The catalog entry shows the duration alongside the ensemble editions.
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Where can you listen to Black?
Temple University lists the work on No Strings Attached: Percussion Music of Marc Mellits, performed by Philadelphia Percussion + Piano Project. The Boyer College page describes the album as available to stream and download on major platforms and says physical CDs are available through Bandcamp; check the page and seller for current format availability. Temple University’s album page gives those listening details.
Mellits’s official discography also lists Black on three other recordings: Evoke (performer Shiho Yamaki), Travels of the Funky Tango (Laura Grantier, Darrin Thiriot, Lee Livengood and Michael Doyle), and Do You See? Do You Not See? (Lawrence Graduate Bayreuth Tuben Quintet). The discography documents the recordings, but does not provide a systematic comparison of their sound or interpretations. Mellits’s discography lists these releases.
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Why does the piece have so many arrangements?
Mellits describes his approach to composing as focused on shaping a piece from beginning to end and communicating with a listener, rather than beginning with a particular style. On arranging, he says, “It’s all performer or instrument driven,” and explains that he values bringing new sounds to a work rather than staying absolutely faithful to the original. Both statements appear in Temple University’s Boyer College album notes. That context helps explain why Black exists in contrasting instrumental versions; it does not mean the parts can be swapped between them.
How often has Black been performed?
Temple University’s page says the work had been heard “nearly 3,000 times to date.” The page does not state when that tally was made or how performances were counted, so it is best understood as an attributed institutional figure from the time the page text was written, not a current verified total. Temple University’s page provides the statement.
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