Purple Roofed Ethical Suicide Parlor, The
Subtitle: For Wind Ensemble and Electronic Tape
General Info
Year: 1972 / 1979
Duration: c. 10:15
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Theodore Presser Company
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $60.00 | Score Only (print) - $6.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Grand Piano/Electric Piano
Electronic Tape
Timpani
Percussion I-II, including:
- Bass Drum
- Bongos
- Claves
- Gallon Milk Jug
- Glockenspiel
- Harmonica
- Police Whistle
- Slide Whistle
- Suspended Cymbals (2: medium and large)
- Tam-tam
- Tom-toms (2)
- Tuned Drums (4)
- Wood Blocks (2)
- Triangles (3: small, medium and large)
- Vibraphone
- Wind Chimes (glass)
- Xylophone
Electronic Tape
Each player should have a 16 oz. bottle filled with water (each bottle filled to a different level).
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
The Purple Roofed Ethical Suicide Parlor was commisioned by the Lowell State Wind Ensemble in Lowell, Massachusetts and was premiered by that group under the direction of Willis Traphagen. The title is derived from a segment of Welcome to the Monkey House by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., which takes place in a world of the future where euthanasia is common. The suicide parlors are placed next to a familiar restaurant with an orange roof. If a person agrees to be put to sleep at the suicide parlor, he is entitled to a free meal at the restaurant. In addition to the more garish elements of the story, there is a genuine concern for the human spirit.
- Program Note from score
Media
(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Celebration Fanfare
- Cenotaph
- Compendium
- Fanfare
- Music for Brass Choir
- The Purple Roofed Ethical Suicide Parlor (1972/1979)
- Reticulation
- Sonneries for Brass Choir
- Space Music (1972)
- Stargazing (1966/1969)
- Symphony for Winds (1995)
Resources
Erb, D. (1979). The purple roofed ethical suicide parlor [full score]. Merion Music, Inc.: Bryn Mawr, PA.