Symphony I (Appermont)

From Wind Repertory Project
Bert Appermont

Bert Appermont


Subtitle: Gilgamesh


General Info

Year: 2003
Duration: c. 27:45
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Beriato Music Publishing, through HeBu Musikverlag
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - €325.99


Movements

1. Gilgamesh & Enkidu – 5:00
2. Battle of Titans - 6:55
3. Adventures in the Forest - 4:40
4. Journey to Utnapishim – 11:10


Instrumentation

Full Score
Piccolo
Flute I-II (I doubling Alto Flute)
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III (15 players)
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone (2 players)
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III-IV (I doubling Flugelhorn)
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba (2 players)
String Bass
Piano
Celeste
Harp
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Bass Marimba
  • Bell Tree
  • Bongos
  • Cabasa
  • Chimes
  • Conga
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Crotales
  • Flexatone
  • Glockenspiel
  • Hi-Hat
  • Maracas
  • Sleigh Bells
  • Snare Drum
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Tambourine
  • Tam-tam
  • Temple Blocks
  • Tom-toms (3: small, medium and large)
  • Triangle
  • Vibraphone
  • Vibra-slap
  • Wind Chimes (glass)
  • Wood Blocks (3)
  • Xylophone

Cello


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

The Epic of Gilgamesh was found in the middle of the 19th century, written on 25,000 clay tablets. After an extensive study of the tablets, this old Sumerian epic was translated, even though many of the tablets were never found. The epic was a source of inspiration for Bert Appermont to write his first symphony, which contains four movements: 1) Gilgamesh & Enkidu; 2) Battle of Titans; 3) Adventures in the Forest; 4) Journey to Utnapishim.

The first movement introduces the two half gods Gilgamesh and Enkidus. In the second movement, the two characters fight each other in a heroic battle and discover that they are equal in strength. They become friends and go on adventure in the forest (third movement), where they battle with all kinds of dangerous creatures. In the last movement (Journey to Utnapishim) Enkidu tries to find an answer to mortality, when his friend Gilgamesh dies.

- Program Note from publisher


Gilgamesh was a major hero in ancient Mesopotamian mythology and the protagonist of the Epic of Gilgamesh, an epic poem written in Akkadian during the late 2nd millennium BC. He was likely a historical king of the Sumerian city-state of Uruk, who was posthumously deified. His rule probably would have taken place sometime in the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period (Mesopotamia) (henceforth ED), c. 2900 – 2350 BC, though he became a major figure in Sumerian legend during the Third Dynasty of Ur (c. 2112 – c. 2004 BC).

The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia, regarded as the earliest surviving notable literature and the second oldest religious text, after the Pyramid Texts.

The literary history of Gilgamesh begins with five Sumerian poems about Bilgamesh (Sumerian for "Gilgamesh"), king of Uruk, dating from the Third Dynasty of Ur (c. 2100 BC). These independent stories were later used as source material for a combined epic in Akkadian. The first surviving version of this combined epic, known as the "Old Babylonian" version, dates to the 18th century BC and is titled after its incipit, Shūtur eli sharrī ("Surpassing All Other Kings"). Only a few tablets of it have survived.

- Program Note adapted from Wikipedia


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

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Works for Winds by This Composer


Resources