Ascend (Hazo)
Subtitle: Movement III of Georgian Suite
General Info
Year: 2006
Duration: c. 3:05
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: MusicWorks through Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts - $65.00 | Score Only - $10.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contra Alto Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:
- Bass Drum
- Bells
- Chimes
- Crash Cymbals
- Ride Cymbal
- Snare Drum
Errata
In Parts:
- Mallet Percussion, m.19: The F should be marked as chimes instead of bells
- Mallet Percussion, m.75: The B-flat on beat 1 should apply to only the bells and the F on beat 1 should only apply to the chimes (F stem should go down and be disconnected from the B-flat stem)
Program Notes
It was a true honor to compose a piece for such a gifted teacher with such gifted students, at a school with a rich history of commissioning projects. Such a history is very rare at the middle school level. This work followed Erin Cole’s commissioning of A Shaker Gift Song by composer Frank Ticheli. It marked the second time in one year that I immediately followed Frank Ticheli in a commissioning series, and this is not an enviable place to be! Ascend was written to be closer to Tapp’s 2004 Midwest Clinic performance. Erin had previously heard a composition of mine entitled Ride and had asked if Tapp’s piece could be of that energy level, only written for middle level students. It was a privilege for me to oblige, and I even disguised some of Ride’s chordal themes in sections of Ascend.
I incorporated the use of parallel major and minor keys, as well as themes in the mixolydian mode, to give this composition its sense of adventure. Combining the triumphant qualities of a major key with the instant drama of a minor key can give a piece intensity through its harmonic contrast. Mixed meters and syncopations give the themes a unique edge, while keeping them simple enough to the ear to be sung. A brief three-part fugue introduced as the “C” section returns in the end, woven with a trumpet, sax and horn syncopated ostinato.
It was my goal for Ascend to have many musical teaching opportunities for the classroom, while still providing the audience with enough energy and thematic substance to keep their interest. I truly hope Ascend is enjoyable for the conductor, the musicians, and the listener.
- Program Note by composer
Media
- Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
- Audio CD: Tapp Middle School Symphonic Band (Erin Cole, conductor) - 2004
State Ratings
- Minnesota: Category 3
- North Carolina: IV
- West Virginia: III
- Wisconsin:: Class B
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Glenn Westlake Middle School (Lombard, Ill.) Wildcat Concert Band (Nicholas Martin, conductor) - 5 May 2023
- Bemidji (Minn.) Area Community Band (Ryan Webber, conductor) - 3 July 2022
- Illinois State University (Normal) University Band (Marisa Miko, conductor) – 20 November 2019
- Washington Union High School (Fresno, Calif.) Wind Ensemble (Robert Madrid, conductor) - 13 April 2018 (2018 San Joaquin Valley (Calif.) Concert Band Invitational)
- Washington Union High School (Fresno, Calif.) Wind Ensemble (Robert Madrid, conductor) -16 March 2018 (2018 Sutherland Wind Festival (Fresno, Calif.)
- Bluefield High School (North Hampshire, PEI) Grade 10-12 Concert Band (Christine Blanchard, Conductor) - May 2017
- Sandhills (Buies Creek, N.C.) Wind Symphony ( Charles Dwayne Wilson, conductor) – 12 November 2015
- Charlottesville (Va.) Municipal Band (Stephen R. Layman, conductor) – 16 June 2015
- Edison High School (Fresno, Calif.) Symphonic Band (Robert Madrid, conductor) - 17 April 2015 (2015 San Joaquin Valley (Calif.) Concert Band Invitational)
- Heritage High School (Palm Bay, Fla.) Symphonic Band (Brandon T. Jenkins, conductor) - 2013
- Tapp Middle School (Powder Springs, Ga.) Symphonic Band (Erin Cole, conductor) – 15 December 2004 (2004 Midwest Clinic)
Works for Winds by This Composer
Adaptable Music
- Our Kingsland Spring (Flex instrumentation) (2005/2015)
All Wind Works
- Across the Halfpipe. See: Minnesota Portraits
- Ascend. See: Georgian Suite
- Alleluia (2012)
- Arabesque (2008/2009)
- Arrows (2014)
- As Winds Dance (2003)
- Autumn on White Lake (2010)
- Blessings
- Blue and Green Music (2011)
- Books With Blank Pages (2015)
- Bridges (2007)
- Chorus Angelorum (2009)
- Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble (2008/2011)
- The Christmas Music of Samuel Hazo
- Danny Boy (as arranger) (2013)
- Diamond Fanfare (2006)
- Drums of the Saamis (2014)
- Each Time You Tell Their Story (2003)
- Echoes (2005)
- Enchanted Spaces (2012)
- Everything Beautiful (2015)
- The Stillness of Remembering (2015/2016)
- Exultate (2001/2003)
- Fantasy on a Japanese Folksong (1997/2005)
- For Heaven and the Future (2016)
- From Gold (2015)
- Georgian Suite (2002-2006)
- Our Kingsland Spring (2006)
- Our Kingsland Spring (Flex instrumentation) (2005/2015)
- Rivers (2002)
- Ascend (2005)
- Glorificare (2013)
- ...Go (2008)
- Hennepin County Dawn. See: Minnesota Portraits
- In Flight (2000/2008)
- In Heaven's Air (2002)
- Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (as arranger) (2012)
- Jubilatéo (Fanfare and Allegro) (2013)
- Keltic Variations (2003)
- Minnesota Portraits (2008)
- Mountain Thyme (2013)
- Novo Lenio (2002)
- Olympiada (1997/2002)
- Our Kingsland Spring. See: Georgian Suite
- Our Yesterdays Lengthen like Shadows (2010)
- Parkour (2011)
- Perthshire Majesty (2003/2004)
- Psalm 42 (2004)
- The Quest (2002)
- Rest. See: Minnesota Portraits
- Ride (2002)
- Rising Star (2006)
- Rivers. See: Georgian Suite
- Rush (2006)
- Seconds Out (2013)
- Sevens (2005)
- Siorai September (2011)
- Sky Is Waiting (2006)
- Sòlas Ané (2006)
- Southern Hymn (2009)
- Stella Maris (2014)
- The Stillness of Remembering. See: Everything Beautiful
- Their Blossoms Down (2002)
- Three Concert Fanfares (2007)
- To Be (2019)
- Today Is the Gift (2006)
- Voices of the Sky (2005)
- We Meet Again (2010)
- Whisper to their Souls (2008)
- A Zillion Nickels (2015)
Resources
- Hazo, S. (2006). Ascend [score]. Hal Leonard Corp.: Milwaukee, Wisc.