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The xylorimba (sometimes referred to as xylo-marimba or marimba-xylophone) is a pitched percussion instrument similar to an extended-range xylophone with a range identical to some 5-octave celestas or 5-octave marimbas, though typically an octave higher than the latter. Despite its name, it is not a combination of a xylophone and a marimba; its name has been a source of confusion, as many composers have called for a 'xylorimba', including Alban Berg, Pierre Boulez and Olivier Messiaen, but for parts requiring only a four-octave xylophone ( Blades and Holland n.d.). However, Pierre Boulez wrote for two five-octave xylorimbas in Pli selon pli ( Blades and Holland n.d.).

Like the xylophone and marimba, the xylorimba consists of a series of wooden bars laid out like a piano keyboard "with a compass sufficiently large to embrace the low-sounding bars of the marimba and the highest-sounding bars of the xylophone."^{[ citation needed]} The lower notes of the xylorimba are described as sounding closer to a xylophone than a marimba, on account of its bars being both thicker and narrower, and due to the different size and shape of its resonators; the size and shape of the bars differs to emphasize different overtones ( Blades and Holland n.d.).

The xylorimba experienced its greatest popularity in the 1920s and 30s, particularly within vaudeville theatre ( Blades and Holland n.d.).

Compositions including xylorimba

(4, 4.5, and 5-octave instruments):

• Alban Berg: Three Pieces for Orchestra (1914–15, revised 1929)
• Erik Bergman: Hathor Suite for soprano, baritone, mixed chorus and ensemble (cor anglais, flute, harp and percussion) (1971)
• William Bolcom: Dream Music No. 2 for four players (1982)
• Pierre Boulez: Le Marteau sans maître for alto and six instruments (1953–55, revised 1957)
• Pierre Boulez: Pli selon pli for soprano and orchestra (1957–62)
• HK Gruber: Piano Concerto (2016; world premiere)
• Helmut Lachenmann: Mouvement (- vor der Erstarrung)) for three ad hoc players and 14 players (1982/84)
• Helmut Lachenmann: Souvenir for 41 instruments (1959)
• Helmut Lachenmann: Accanto for solo clarinet and orchestra (1975–76)
• Olivier Messiaen: Couleurs de la Cité Céleste for piano and chamber orchestra (1963)
• Olivier Messiaen: La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ for mixed choir, seven solo instruments and large orchestra (1965–69)
• Olivier Messiaen: Des Canyons aux étoiles... for piano solo, horn, xylorimba, glockenspiel and orchestra (1971–74)
• Olivier Messiaen: Saint François d'Assise opera (1975–83)
• Olivier Messiaen: Éclairs sur l'au-delà… for large orchestra (1988–92)
• Krzysztof Penderecki: Strophen for soprano, voce recitante, and 10 instruments (1959)
• Carlos Stella: quartet: pastiches, parodies and variations on two themes by stravinsky and berio for piccolo clarinet, trombone, xylorimba and vibraphone (1995)
• Igor Stravinsky: The Flood: A musical play TV opera (1962)
• Karlheinz Stockhausen: Gruppen for three orchestras (1955–57) (in the list of instruments for Orchestra III, but the score itself calls for a marimbaphone, as in Orchestra I)
• Iannis Xenakis: Pléïades for percussion sextet (1978)

References

• Blades, James, and James Holland. n.d. "Xylorimba [xylo-marimba, marimba-xylophone]". Grove Music Online, edited by Deane Root. Oxford Music Online. (Retrieved 5 February 2011).