Typhon's Brood

From Wind Repertory Project

Paul Richards

Paul Richards


General Info

Year: 2001
Duration: c. 11:00
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Paul Richards - Official Website
Cost: Score and Parts - Unknown   |  Score Only - Unknown


Instrumentation

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

  • Bass Drum (large)
  • Bongos
  • Chinese Cymbal (large)
  • Cymbals (3)
  • Guiro
  • Hi-Hat
  • Jawbone
  • Lion's Roar
  • Maracas
  • Marimba
  • Piccolo Snare Drum
  • Slapstick
  • Tambourine
  • Tenor Drum
  • Tom-Toms
  • Triangle
  • Xylophone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

After Zeus pinned Typhon under a mountain, he left the giants’ hideous children alive as challenges to future heroes. Three of his brood are portrayed in this work.

When Hercules severed one of the seven snake-like heads of the Hydra, two heads appeared in its place. Eventually he realized that burning the severed heads at the stump prevents them from growing back, ultimately destroying the creature. This battle is realized in the piece as a seven-voice fugue grows to fourteen parts that are cut off one at a time. Bellerophon defeated the Chimaera, a fire-breathing combination of lion, goat, and snake (how the parts are assembled varies in different versions of the tale), by forcing a lead spear into the monsters’ mouth, melting the lead and killing the beast. Three different musical ideas are presented simultaneously to portray the three aspects of the bizarre creature. Unlike his siblings, Cerberus, the three-headed guard dog of the underworld, was never killed. Hercules did drag him up to earth once, and Orpheus charmed him with song, but as far as we know, he is still guarding the gates of Hades. Three dog-heads barking in the fires of hell is an accurate description of this final movement.

Typhon’s Brood was commissioned by Upsilon Phi chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Epsilon Pi chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, for the Truman State University Wind Symphony, Dan Peterson, Conductor.


-Program Note by Paul Richards


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

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Works for Winds by This Composer


Resources

None discovered thus far.