Testament
General Info
Year: 2001
Duration: c. 12:35
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Carl Fischer Music
Cost: Rental
Instrumentation
Full Score (manuscript)
Piccolo
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon (optional)
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contra-Alto Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II (I doubling optional Soprano 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
Tubas
String Bass
Piano
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:
- Anvil
- Bass Drum
- Cabasa
- Crash Cymbal
- Glockenspiel
- Gong (medium)
- Marimba
- Siren (optional)
- Snare Drum
- Suspended Cymbal (large)
- Tam-tam
- Temple Blocks
- Tom Set
- Tubular Bells
- Vibraphone
- Xylophone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
A testament is a statement of belief, in this case in the power of music to harmonize and to heal. Testament was written in response to the events of 9/11. Out of the initial stunned confusion has come my firm conviction that making music is now more important than ever. In preparing to compose this piece I wrote the following poetic statement. It is both a prayer and a credo.
When I consider the darkness that we carry,
the pain we inflict – on those close to us, and on those
we don’t even know,
the death we bring through rage, ignorance and indifference,
I say “Please God, help us to melt the rage into love,
And love into understanding and acceptance.”
When I consider a world where we are at each other’s mercy,
where evil can be done to anyone, by anyone, anywhere,
I say “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
who trespass against us.”
Teach us how to forgive; teach us how to be forgiven,
because it is not a simple business...
When I consider music, my center, my life,
the great harmonizer, the channel of living energy,
the open channel of the soul, God’s voice in each of us,
bringing souls all over the world to peaceful union,
a living past, a living present, a living future,
I say “How beautiful it is! How beautiful it is!
How beautiful it is!”
Testament was commissioned by a consortium of high schools and universities headed by Joseph Grzybowski, Director of Bands at L.D. Bell High School, Hurst, Texas.
- Program Note by composer
Media
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- University of Oklahoma (Norman) Wind Symphony (Andrey Cruz, conductor) - 19 February 2023
- University of Toronto (Ont., Can.) Wind Symphony (Jeffrey Reynolds, conductor) - 7 April 2022
- H.B. Plant High School (Tampa, Fla.) Wind Ensemble (Brian Dell, conductor) – 24 February 2022 (CBDNA 2022 Southern Conference, Columbia, S.C.)
- Wheaton (Ill.) North High School Wind Ensemble (Kent Krause, conductor) - 26 October 2021
- University of Miami (Fla.) Frost Symphonic Winds (J. Steven Moore, conductor) – 20 November 2019
- Amador Valley High School (Pleasanton, Calif.) (Jonathan Grantham, conductor) - 8 April 2018 (Carnegie Hall, New York)
- Amador Valley High School (Pleasanton, Calif.) Wind Ensemble I (Jonathan Grantham, conductor) - 17 February 2018 (2018 CASMEC Conference, San Jose)
- Wheaton North High School Wind Ensemble (Kent Krause, conductor) - 2 November 2017
- University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Wind Ensemble (Angela Holt, conductor) – 13 September 2016
- University of Louisville (Ky.) Symphonic Band (Amy Acklin, conductor) – 18 February 2016 (CBDNA 2016 Southern Division Conference, Charleston, S.C.)
- University of Miami (Fla.) Frost Wind Ensemble (Robert Carnochan, conductor) – 18 February 2016
- University of Toronto (Ont., Can.) Wind Ensemble (Jeffrey Reynolds, conductor) - 5 February 2016
- Michigan State University Symphony Band (John T. Madden, conductor) – 29 September 2015
- Florida State University Symphonic Band (Nikk Pilato, conductor) - 19 April 2006
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Alex and the Phantom Band (2002/2015)
- Angel of Mercy (2015)
- California (2016)
- A Child's Garden of Dreams (1981)
- Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble (1999)
- Concerto for Marimba and Band (1990)
- Concerto for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble (2015)
- Concerto for Piano, Winds, and Percussion (1979)
- Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Wind Ensemble (2012)
- Concerto No 2 for Piano, Winds, and Percussion (2002)
- Concerto No 3 for Piano and Wind Ensemble (2016)
- Concerto for Trombone and Wind Ensemble (2007)
- Crown of Thorns (1991)
- Desert Roads (2005)
- Fanfare-Variations on the Chorale Melody "Durch Adams Fall" (Through Adam's Fall). See: Recitation Book
- First Light (2016)
- Four Pieces for Band (1980)
- Give Us This Day (2005)
- Golden Light (1990)
- Heart Songs (2001)
- Hell's Gate (1997)
- Hohner (1999)
- Hosannas (2015)
- Husa (2016)
- Hymn for World Peace (2014)
- Illumination (2013)
- In Memoriam (1990)
- Laudamus Te (1995)
- Letter to Martin (2015)
- Liberation (2012)
- Little Concerto (1990)
- Mass (1995/2005)
- Montana Music: Chorale Variations (1993)
- Morning Star (1997)
- Mother Earth (2008)
- Mountain Roads (1997)
- On This Bright Morning (2013)
- Peace (2012)
- Prelude on a Gregorian Tune (1981)
- Procession of the Academics (2008)
- Quintet for Winds Number 2
- Recitation Book (2006)
- Remember Me (2013)
- Requiem (2013)
- Rollo Takes a Walk (1980)
- Saint Francis (2015)
- Sea Dreams (1998)
- The Seeker (2016)
- Song at the End of Time
- Songs for the Coming Day (2012)
- Song Book (2001)
- Symphony No. 2 (1987)
- Symphony No. 3 (1991/2007)
- Symphony No. 4 (1993)
- Symphony No. 5 (2000)
- Symphony No. 6 (2004)
- Symphony No 7 (2004)
- Symphony No 8 (2008)
- Symphony No. 9 (2011)
- Symphony No. 10 (2018)
- Tears (1994)
- Testament (2001)
- Traveler (2003)
- A Tuning Piece: Songs of Fall and Winter (1995)
- ufo dreams (1999)
- Unending Stream of Life (2007)
- Variants on a Hymn Tune (1995)