Goodnight Noises Everywhere

by John Herndon

Easy Concert Percussion

5-12+ Players

Instrumentation:

• Chimes
• Glockenspiel
• 2 Vibraphones
• Marimba (low A)
• 4 Timpani
• Drums — snare drum, 4 toms, bass drum
• Cymbals and gongs — ride cymbal, tam-tam, hi-hat, hand cymbals, suspended cymbal, sizzle cymbal
• Accessories — 2 temple blocks (or woodblocks), mark tree, triangle

Goodnight Noises Everywhere by John Herndon is a percussion ensemble piece inspired by the closing lines of Margaret Wise Brown’s beloved children’s book Goodnight Moon. Written as a lullaby for sounds, the piece uses soft textures, resonant colors, and graceful motion to capture the quiet wonder of nighttime.

Designed with flexibility in mind, the piece can be performed in a variety of player configurations: as a “non-pitched” quintet, a mallet septet, or full ensemble. 

Directors can freely double mallet or snare parts to accommodate different group sizes, making it an excellent fit for developing ensembles or combined percussion classes. This reflective and expressive work encourages students to focus on tone, phrasing, and blend while exploring the beauty of quiet playing.

This piece ships as a fully bound score or as an instant PDF download for printing or tablet viewing. Individual parts come exclusively in PDF format.

This piece ships as a fully bound score. Individual parts come exclusively in PDF format.