Lollapalooza

From Wind Repertory Project
John Adams

John Adams (trans. James Spinazzola)


General Info

Year: 1995 / 2006
Duration: c. 6:45
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts - $249.00   |   Score Only - $25.00


Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II (II doubling C Piccolo)
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II-III (III doubling Contrabassoon)
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:

  • Bass Drums (2: kick and large concert)
  • Bongos
  • Claves
  • Maracas
  • Marimba
  • Roto-toms (2)
  • Snare Drum
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Tam-Tam (small)
  • Tambourine
  • Tom-Tom (large)
  • Vibraphone
  • Wood Block
  • Xylophone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

Lollapalooza was written as a fortieth birthday present for Simon Rattle who has been a friend and collaborator for many years. The term "lollapalooza" has an uncertain etymology, and just that vagueness may account for its popularity as an archetypical American word. It suggest something large, outlandish, oversized, not unduly refined. H.L. Mencken suggests it may have originally meant a knockout punch in a boxing match.

I was attracted to it because of this internal rhythm: da-da-da-DAAH-da. Hence, in my piece, the word is spelled out in the trombones and tubas, C-C-C-Eb-C (emphasis on the Eb) as a kind of idée fixe. The "lollapalooza" motive is only one of a profusion of other motives, all appearing and evolving in a repetitive chain of events that moves this dancing behemoth along until it ends in a final shout by the horns and trombones and a terminal thwack on timpani and bass drum.

- Program Note by composer


Media


State Ratings

  • Indiana: ISSMA HIGH SCHOOL BAND GROUP I
  • Louisiana: V
  • Texas: V. Complete


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • University of Toronto (Ont., Can.) Wind Ensemble (Gillian MacKay, conductor) - 3 February 2024
  • Metropolitan Wind Symphony (Lexington, Mass). (Rick Wyman, conductor) - 5 March 2023
  • University of Melbourne (Aus.) Wind Symphony (Nicholas Williams, conductor) - 9 October 2022
  • University of Colorado Boulder Wind Symphony (Donald J. McKinney, conductor) – 28 February 2020
  • University of Chicago (Ill.) University Wind Ensemble (Nicholas J. Carlson, conductor) – 23 February 2020
  • Colorado State University (Fort Collins) Wind Symphony (James Spinazzola, conductor) – 13 December 2019
  • Michigan State University (East Lansing) Symphony Band (Branden Steinmetz, conductor) – 21 March 2019
  • Belmont University (Nashville, Tenn.) Wind Ensemble (Barry Kraus, conductor) – 28 November 2018
  • University of Connecticut (Stamford) Wind Ensemble (Vu Nguyen, conductor) - 9 October 2018
  • Texas State University (San Marcos) Wind Symphony (Caroline Beatty, conductor) – 24 March 2018 (CBDNA 2018 Southwestern Conference, Houston, Texas)
  • California State University, Stanislaus, Wind Ensemble (Stuart Sims, conductor) – 15 March 2018
  • Georgia (Atlanta) Institute of Technology Symphonic Band (Benjamin Diden, conductor) – 19 November 2017
  • Eastman School of Music (Rochester, N.Y.) Wind Ensemble (Mark Davis Scatterday, conductor) – 1 November 2017
  • University of Kentucky (Lexington) Symphony Band (Kaitlin Bove, conductor) – 23 October 2017
  • University of Georgia (Athens) Hodgson Wind Ensemble (Bradley J. Esau, conductor) – 12 October 2017
  • University of Texas (Austin) Wind Symphony (Scott Hanna, conductor) – 5 April 2017
  • University of Cincinnati (Ohio) Conservatory of Music Wind Orchestra (Glenn Price, conductor) – 18 September 2016
  • Los Angeles Symphonic Winds (Stephen Piazza, conductor) – 21 February 2016
  • Orange County (Calif.) Wind Symphony (Anthony Mazzaferro, conductor) – 4 October 2015
  • Colorado Wind Ensemble (Denver) (Matthew Dockendorf, conductor) - 5 May 2015
  • San Francisco Wind Ensemble (Martin H. Seggelke, conductor) - 12 April 2014


Works for Winds by This Composer


Resources

  • Adams, J.; Spinazzola, J. (2006). Lollapalooza [score]. Boosey & Hawkes: New York.
  • Perusal score
  • Spinazzola, James. "Lollapalooza." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 6, edit. & comp. by Richard Miles, 844-851. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2007.