Preston Thomas

University Band
Teacher Resource Guide
Rhythm Machine
by Timothy Broege

Unit 1: Composer
Timothy Broege was born in Belmar, New Jersey in 1647. Broege was introduced to
music at an early age when he began to study piano and music theory. He continued his music
education by studying composition with M. William Karlins, Alan Stout, and Anthony Donato,
piano with Frances Larimer, and harpsichord with Dorothy Lane, receiving the degree Bachelor
of Music with Highest Honors in 1969 from Northwestern University. Broege taught in the
Chicago Public School System for three years before becoming an elementary teacher in
Manasquan, New Jersey for nine years. After teaching in public schools he went on to teach
piano and recorder at Monmouth Conservatory of Music from 1985 to 1995.

Broege has many works including twenty-one Sinfonias for large ensembles, the series of
Songs Without Words for chamber ensembles, and a series of Fantasias for solo instruments, as
well as music for voices, keyboards, guitar, recorders, and school bands. As a composer, he
received the Award of Excellence from the New Jersey Education Association in 2003. In 1995
he received the Edwin Franko Goldman Award from the American School Band Directors
Association. Broege is currently Organist and Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church in
Belmar and Organist and Director of Music at the historic Elberon Memorial Church in
Elbereon, New Jersey.

Unit 2: Composition
Rhythm Machine was composed in 1974 for the Manasquan Elementary School Band in
Manasquan, New Jersey. It was revised in 1985 for David Reul and the Oconomowoc,
Wisconsin Junior High Band. Originally published in 1974, this work remains fresh today.
Although it might be easy to believe that the element of rhythm is the heart of this piece but I
believe that it is really the treatment of form that makes this music an outstanding work. The
piece published by Bourne Co., New York Music Publishers is considered a grade 2+ and is
3’20” in length.

Unit 3: Historical Background

The original idea for “Rhythm Machine” was created when Timothy Broege wanted to
create a piece in rondo form for his students in the 1970s to teach them about the form, his
favorite musical structure. He was influenced by Haydn and Mozart who wrote many of his
favorite rondo pieces. After he composed it for his own band, word got around that this piece
was written and colleagues near Mr. Broege requested this piece for their own bands to play.
With push from his friend Dave Reul, the piece was eventually published. It was not published
until after the piece was edited from how Mr. Broege describes it “quite rudimentary in its
original form, with far too much literal repetition”. The piece that is published by Bourne Co. has
more varied material in the similar sections, richer harmonies, and is written in a standard
format. The revised work was premiered at a Wisconsin Music Educators Convention in
Madison in the mid-1980s.
Unit 4: Technical Considerations
Rhythm Machine is centered in the key of Bb major for much of the piece but does visit
the keys of Eb major and Bb minor. If this piece were being performed by an elementary band it
would be uncommon to see Piccolo, Eb Clarinet, Alto Clarinet, and Bass Clarinet but for a
middle school band these parts would not be difficult to fill. There are no extreme range issues to
be aware of and the clarinets do not cross the break often enough for this piece to be scary for the
players. The clarinet 2 part is the only instrument to cross over and only does so twice.

There is a trumpet solo that is very exposed because the background is only half notes
and the soloist is playing legato eighth notes. The solo ranges from C4 to G5 which should be
attainable by most middle level trumpet players. The required percussion instrumentation is
wood block, tambourine, snare drum, bass drum, and crash cymbal. The wood block and snare
drum could be played by one player if the woodblock is played with wood sticks. (The score
gives no indication of preferred mallet selection)
The meter of the piece is in 4/4 throughout and the tempo is 132 beats per minute. There
is one instance of a rallentando into a meno mosso but that only lasts for three measures and is
back to the original tempo.

Unit 5: Stylistic Considerations

Articulations in Rhythm Machine help to contrast each of the sections of the piece. The
main theme and first episode deal with the articulations of accents and slurring. These are
emphasized by the auditory illusion of sliding or falling eight notes in the first episode and
agogic accents of the brass theme. The second episode focuses on legato articulations behind the
trumpet solo with long half notes that are connected while the trumpet solo has the word legato
written in the part. The third theme works on staccato articulations behind the melody.
The dynamics of the music also create distinction between the sections. The first section
being played at a mf dropping to a mp for the second section. The return of the theme brings back
the louder mf and f to contrast the trumpet solo at mf while the backgrounds are whispering at p.
The return of the theme again at mf and f contrasting the following f melody in the horns and
saxophones. The last statement of the theme is presented at mf growing to the ending flourish at
ff.

Unit 6: Musical Elements

Melody:
There are six different melodies throughout Rhythm Machine. The first melody (bar 3-6)
in the first clarinet spans one octave in an almost scalar passage. Skipping fifths and falling
thirds take the melody to the top of the range and it ends with a sixteenth note run up the scale.
The second melody (bar 7-10) in the first trumpet starts on the root (Bb) and passes down to the
fifth (F) returning to the Bb to visit the flat third (Db). The third melody is stated in the first flute,
clarinet, and trumpet. Starting on the Bb stepping up to the C and dancing around to the D. The
second half of the melody starts the same way on the Bb stepping up to the C but dances back to
the C to cadence on Bb.
The theme from the first episode played by the lower woodwinds and brass has falling
eight notes from Db to Bb four times then ends on F with a step up from Eb. The melody is then
repeated by the upper woodwinds and trumpets. This motif gets shortened each time until they
both play at the same time in unison. The second episodes’ theme is played by a solo trumpet
moving up and down with eight notes within an octave. The second half of the melody is like the
first but starts higher in the tessitura extending the range from an octave to a twelfth. The last
episodes’ theme is like a grand fanfare. Half notes and dotted half notes fill the bars while
quarter notes and dotted eight sixteenth notes allow the melody to move away from and back to
the Bb.
Harmony:
The harmony found within Rhythm Machine is primarily based around the Bb major or
minor scale. In the opening Clarinet theme the harmony is provided by the Oboe and Clarinet 2
on the second and fourth bar and only on the last half of the measure. The rest of the line they are
playing unison notes with the melody but hold on for a longer duration causing a harmony of a
fifth on the off beats.
The second theme played by the brass starts on the Bb chord and during the first and third
measures they only switch voicings to keep the Bb chord sounding. The second and fourth bars
the Bb chord is alternated with a Bb minor seventh chord, introducing the minor third and
seventh of the scale.
The third theme of the refrain is played in unison by all instruments except for bass drum
and cymbals. The harmony is written in block chords moving every one or two beats. The third
theme ends with a V-I to Bb.
The first episode could be thought of in the mixolydian mode because it heavily relies the
b7 of the major scale. The Tuba and low woodwinds provide a constant quarter note Bb
throughout this section. The harmony above is presented in quarter notes and outlines an
Fminmaj7 chord overtop of the Bb bass line. The last two beats of each phrase ending is an Ab to
Bb chord.
The second episode is written closely related key of Eb. The harmony is in half notes
underneath a trumpet solo. The harmony are block chords that plane from the V (Bb) to the I
(Eb) and repeat. In the second section of the second episode the harmony primarily remains the
same except for the addition of saxophones which create a counter line that moves upwards
allowing it to stand out from the rest of the half note harmonies.
The final episode is written in Bb minor. The harmonies again move in a planing motion
over half notes but now each note sounds twice because it is written in quarter notes. In the
second section of the final episode the melody divides into two parts, the main melody and the
harmonic melody. The harmonic melody splits down to create a minor third and then perfect
fourth with the melody. When the triplets enter at measure 73, they are continuing the same
chords with the rest of the band by outlining them but will also provide some nonharmonic tones
as passing tones in the triplet run. It is a stark contrast to get back into the major key after the
final episode because the Clarinet 1s ascend a Bb major scale 3 beats after a Bb minor chord.
Timbre:
Timbre in Rhythm Machine is constantly shifting and creating new textures to listen to. It
opens with a woodblock and tambourine that provide a steady eight note pulse for the
instruments to listen for. The first part of the theme is begun by clarinet melody over a
flute/oboe/clarinet 2 melody skeleton. It then shifts to a brass theme of eight notes into a full
ensemble unison rhythms section. The first episode is full ensemble but split with the low
instruments holding down the pulse with quarter notes. The middle range instruments enter a call
and response section with the upper range instruments. The second episode is a trumpet solo over
middle range instruments providing half note chords shifting underneath. The third and final
episode is full ensemble with the melody in the alto and tenor saxes, horns, trombones, and
euphonium. The ear is always being challenged with where to listen which creates an exciting
piece for the listener.

Unit 7: Form and Structure

Section Measure Tonality Musical Events
A 1-19 Bb Major 4 bar motifs of a memorable clarinet theme, blues
brass patter, dotted eighth figures for full ensemble
concluding in a descending Bb Major scale.
B 20-29 Bb Mixolydian Call and Response between middle range instruments
(saxophones, French horns, trombones, euphoniums)
and upper range instruments (flute, oboe, clarinets,
trumpets).
A 30-38 Bb Major Condenses first statement of A theme into only eight
bars but still an obvious repetition of the theme.
C 39-49 Eb Major Trumpet Solo over half note plaining chords.
A 50-64 Bb Major Musical material is the exact same of the opening A
theme but allowing the percussion to be the focus.
Forces the listener to hear those melodic parts on
memory alone.
D 65-76 Bb Minor Powerful section led by the low range of the alto sax,
trombone, horns, tenor sax, and euphonium.
A 77-End Bb Major A big finish that allows the third trumpets to play a
critical so that everyone has had a chance to be
important. Leaving the piece on a dominant-tonic
resolution.

Unit 8: Suggested Listening

Timothy Broege, The Tango Disappearing
Randall Standridge, Darklands March
Brian Beck, Fireball!
Rob Grice, Avenger
John Williams, Imperial March
Gustav Holst, Mars
Edvard Grieg, In the Hall of the Mountain King

Unit 9: Additional References and Resources

William L. Berz, Distinguished Music for the Developing Band: Grade 2

Richard Miles, Teaching Music Through Performance in Middle School Band

Timothy Broege, website