El Coloso
This work is also known as Symphony no. 4. The title translations as "The Colossus."
General Info
Year: 2011
Duration: c. 25:12
Difficulty: VII (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Musicaes
Cost: Score and Parts -Unknown
Movements
1. Obscuridad [Darkness] - 7:40
2. Duerme [Sleep] - 6:10
3. La Huida [The Flight] - 3:30
4. El Gigante [The Giant] - 7:20
Instrumentation
- C Piccolo
- Flute I-II (I doubling Alto Flute)
- Oboe I-II
- English Horn
- Bassoon I-II
- Contrabassoon (optional)
- E-flat Soprano Clarinet
- B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
- E-flat Alto Clarinet
- B-flat Bass Clarinet
- B-flat Contrabass Clarinet (optional)
- E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
- B-flat Tenor Saxophone I-II
- E-flat Baritone Saxophone
- B-flat Bass Saxophone (optional)
- B-flat Trumpet I-II-III-IV (I and II optionally doubling Piccolo Trumpet)
- B-flat Flugelhorn I-II
- Horn in F I-II-III-IV
- Trombone I-II-III
- Bass Trombone
- Euphonium I-II
- Tuba
- String Bass
- Piano
- Harp
- Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V, including:
- *Bamboo Stick
- *Bass Drum
- *Bongo
- *Cabasa
- *Conga
- *Crash Cymbal
- *Derbuka
- *Djembe
- *Glockenspiel
- *Marimba
- *Mark Tree
- *Shaker
- *Sizzle Cymbal
- *Slap Stick
- *Sleigh Bells
- *Snare Drum
- *Suspended Cymbal
- *Tambourine
- *Tam-tam
- *Temple Blocks
- *Tom-tom
- *Triangle
- *Tubular Bells
- *Wind Machine
- *Xylophone
- Cello
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
With the turn of the century, Goya will become a lucid chronicler who describes like no one else the grotesque, violent and, ultimately, the horrible reality around him. This refers to the Goya expressed in the "black paintings." A forerunner of this series of paintings is the painting that bears the title The Colossus or the panic, made around 1810-1812 and held in the Museo del Prado.
This enigmatic painting (which even today undoubtedly captures the nightmares of war) announces, through his technique and environment, the visions that in the last years of the painter's life reach the point of maximum expression. The true meaning and thematic intent of this painting is still vague. Something huge and terrifying confront helpless humanity and puts it to flight. Only a donkey, a picture of ignorance and unconsciousness, remains still and unmoved.
Multiple interpretations and meanings for the giant have been put forth. Some people want to see an allusion to Napoleon; others see a symbol of war, famine, cruelty or simply the fear of the unknown. In any case, the picture introduces us to the shadowy world that encompassed Goya in his last years. And by contrast it also reveals to us subtleties and wisdom of execution, with fillings with light vigorous strokes of spatula and vigorous brush strokes, of the modern master. The painting entered the Prado in 1930 as a bequest of Fernández Durán.
The Symphony No. 4 The Colossus is an passionate, violent, huge, extremely difficult work that demonstrates virtuosity in all parts of the orchestra. It consists of four movements played without interruption entitled:
I. Darkness
II. Sleep
III. The Flight
IV. The Giant
The symphony conveys, from the composer's viewpoint, the message that the painting conveys to him. "Darkness," because the oil painting adopts the style of the Black Paintings dominated by the color black. The picture / autograph point the legend of Goya "Great Colossus Asleep." In "The Escape", the bottom of the box, people and animals flee in various directions, giving the impression of chaos of so terrifying a situation. And "El Gigante" walking in the mountains, above the scene of torment, and with fists held high, his eyes closed, representing the idea of blind violence.
- Program Note by composer
Media
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Illinois State University Wind Symphony (Martin H. Seggelke, conductor) - 4 March 2015
- San Francisco Wind Ensemble (Martin H. Seggelke, conductor) - 8 November 2014 *Premier American performance*
- Banda Sinfónica Juvenil "Simón Bolivar" (Ferrer Ferran, conductor) - 2013
Works for Winds by This Composer
Adaptable Music
- Sonatur (Flex instrumentation) (2016)
All Wind Works
- 24 Horas Deportivas (2019)
- Abu Simbel (2009)
- Al Centenario (1998)
- Algemiz
- Ave Fénix (2020)
- Bravo, mestre! (1999)
- Canto a Unicef
- Castelo do Inferno
- Ceremonial
- Comic Overture (2001)
- Concert per a Orquesta de Vents I Procussió (2008)
- Concert No. 3 (2013)
- Concierto del Simún (1998)
- Concha Manzana (2018)
- Consuelo Ciscar (2003)
- Côte d'Or (1999)
- Desert Storm. See: Tormenta del Desierto
- Don Pajarita
- Dragut el Pirata (2018)
- Echo de la Montagne (2003)
- El Bosque Mágico (2002)
- El Brillo del Fénix (2020)
- El Coloso (2011)
- El Ingenioso Hidalgo (2005)
- El Misteri del Foc (2007)
- El Principito (2010)
- El Quijote (2015)
- El Rugir del Kimbo
- El Siervo de Yahvé (2010)
- Els Pecats Capitals (2004)
- En Un Lugar de la Mancha (2003)
- A Fairy Tale (2009/2012)
- Fuegos del Alma (2014)
- The Great Spirit (2010)
- Hydra Concerto (2001)
- IVAM (2007/2010)
- Jesús Chover (2019)
- Jordi Mayor (2019)
- Juana de Arco (2005)
- Jungla (2006)
- Junta Local Fallera de Cullera (2021)
- La Cuidad Sumergida. See: The Submerged City
- La Fallera (2017)
- La Inmortal (2000)
- La Passió de Crist (2001)
- La Rodana
- La Sombra del Cruzado (1997)
- La Torre de Hercules
- Las Aventuras del Principito (2010)
- Los Barbas (2012)
- Manolo Morla (2013)
- Mar i Bel (2000)
- Marta Alandete (2017)
- Miticaventura (2002)
- Musica i Poble (2000)
- Nelo el Sorlí (2014)
- O Camiño das Animas en Pena
- Olé Toronto (1998)
- Patricia Sanz (2022)
- Peter Pan (2016)
- Piccole Note (2016)
- Pinocchio (2007)
- Red Dragon
- Roberto Forés (2014)
- Salomón (2006)
- Santa Claus (2019)
- Sonatur (Flex instrumentation) (2016)
- The Submerged City (2000)
- Symphony No. 1. See: Tormenta del Desierto
- Symphony No. 2. See: La Passio de Crist
- Symphony No. 3. See: The Great Spirit
- Symphony No. 4. See: El Coloso
- Tormenta del Desierto (1999)
- Tu Sueño (2010)
- Tyrannosaurus Rex (2012), from Bestiarium
- Xiquipirris
- Youth Funky (1998)
Resources
- El Coloso (Symphony no. 4). Wind Band Symphony Archive. Accessed 5 January 2024
- Ferrer Ferran website