Giants of the Night

From Wind Repertory Project
David Amram

David Amram


General Info

Year: 2002
Duration: c. 38:00
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: CF Peters

Cost: Score and Parts - Rental


Instrumentation

Full Score
Solo Flute
Oboe (doubling English Horn)
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II
Bassoon I-II
Horn in F I-II
Trumpet I-II
Trombone I-II
Harp
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

Giants of the Night was commissioned by Sir James Galway. It was premiered on September 14, 2002, by Sir James Galway with the Louisiana Philharmonic, Klauspeter Seibel conductor. The first movement was written in memory for Charlie Parker whom the composer met in 1952.

It contains ten variations on a twelve-bar blues melody and a cadenza. The second movement is dedicated to Jack Kerouac. Amram took the melody from Washington D.C. Blues, a piece he wrote to accompany writings of Jack Kerouac, and used it as the theme for the second movement. This movement also has two French-Canadian folk songs, Un Candien Errant and A la Claire Fontaine, which Kerouac sang often in the late hours of the night. The last movement is in cut time and was composed in memory of Dizzy Gillespie.

In a review of the premiere, Marshall (2002) wrote “Throughout, Amram’s genius was apparent, in his blend of musical styles and in the breadth of conception. Giants of the Nightis an exceptional composition with great potential for becoming part of the flute repertoire. It is filled with imaginative touches and united by the respect show to its subjects.”

-Program Note by Jason S. Ladd


Commercial Recordings

None discovered thus far.


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project


Works for Winds by This Composer


Resources

  • Amram, D.W. (2002). Giants of the Night: A concerto for flute and orchestra [score]. New York: CF Peters.
  • Amram, D.W. (2008a). Offbeat: Collaborating with Kerouac. Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers.
  • Marshall, K. (2002, September 16). Galway inspired in ‘Giants of the Night.’ The Times-Picayune, National p. 11