Saisei Fanfare
Subtitle: Fanfare for Wind Ensemble
General Info
Year: 2011
Duration: c. 4:36
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Brett William Dietz
Cost: Score and Parts - Unknown
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
English Horn
Bassoon
Contrabassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass 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
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V-VI, including:
- Bass Drum
- Brake Drum (2)
- Glockenspiel
- Hi-Hat
- Marimba
- Snare Drum
- Suspended Cymbal
- Tambourine
- Tom-Tom (4)
- Triangle
- Vibraphone
- Wood Block
- Xylophone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Saisei was composed to commemorate the first concert of newly appointed conductor Donald McKinney with the Louisiana State University (LSU) Wind Ensemble. Dietz notes that the work “celebrates a new era and heralds the continuation of the one of the nation’s leading music programs. Saisei is Japanese for ‘rebirth.’”
- Program Note from West Chester University Concert Band concert program, 22 February 2018
Although the title, Saisei Fanfare, is descriptive, the work is not programmatic in that it does not present a story or depict specific events. However, the brief work evokes a range of moods from serenity to renewal to excitement. The work does not begin with a bang as one might expect from a fanfare. Rather, it begins with a subtle, understated manner that effectively sets up the first bold statement of the fanfare, which occurs approximately one minute into the piece. An essential aspect of this work is achieving a decided contrast between the character of the broad, lyrical melody presented in the opening by the low woodwinds and contrabass, and that of the punctuated fanfare by the trumpet and battery percussion.
Dietz reports that the work was inspired by his attraction to mindfulness and the Buddhist philosphy.
- Program Note from Teach Music through Performances in Band
Media
- Audio: LSU Wind Symphony (Donald McKinney, conductor)
- Audio CD: Showa (Japan) Wind Symphony (Eugene Migliaro Corporon, conductor) - 2012
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- California State University (Long Beach) Wind Symphony (Jermie Arnold, conductor) - 5 October 2023
- University of Central Oklahoma (Edmund) Wind Symphony (Brian Lamb, conductor) - 20 January 2023
- Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) Symphonic Band (Shawn Vondran, conductor) – 6 December 2019
- Sonoma State University (Rohnert Park, Calif.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Andy Collinsworth, conductor) – 21 March 2018 (CBDNA 2018 Western/Northwestern Conference, Rohnert Park, Calif.)
- West Chester (Penn.) University Wind Ensemble (Andrew Yozviak, conductor) – 22 February 2018
- Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, Tx.) Wind Ensemble (Fred Allen, conductor) - 15 February 2018 (2018 TMEA Conference, San Antonio)
- Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, Tx.) Wind Ensemble (Tamey Angeley, conductor) – 14 February 2018
- University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) Symphonic Band (Randall Coleman, conductor) – 4 February 2016
- California All-State High School Concert Band (Shannon Kitelinger, conductor) - 22 February 2015 (2015 CMEC Conference, Fresno)
- Indiana University Symphonic Band (Eric Smedley, conductor) - 10 February 2015
- Louisiana State University Wind Ensemble (Donald McKinney, conductor) - 20 September 2011
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Barbed Wire Philosophies (2010)
- Concerto for Percussion and Symphonic Band (2002)
- Custom Frame (2003)
- Pandora's Box (1999)
- The Principle of Polarity (2019)
- The Principle of Vibration (2017/2018)
- Rivers Will Flow (2021)
- Saisei Fanfare (2011)
- Shards of Glass (2005)
- Sharpened Stick (2000)
- Spiritual (2012)
- Symphony for Wind Orchestra (2014)
Resources
- Brett Williams Dietz website Accessed 7 February 2018
- Heidel, Richard Mark. "Saisei Fanfare." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 10, Compiled and edited by Richard Miles, 802-811. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2015.
- Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Brett William Dietz." Accessed 8 February 2015