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Wild Christmas Nightcap, A

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Josh Trentadue

Josh Trentadue


General Info

Year: 2020
Duration: c. 6:30
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: T.U.X. People's Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $140.00 | Score Only (print) - $50.00


Instrumentation

Full Score
Piccolo
Flute I-II-III-IV
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III-IV
B-flat Bass Clarinet I-II
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Double Bass
Piano/Celesta
Harp
Timpani
Percussion, including:

  • Bass Drums (2; regular and small)
  • Bongos (2)
  • Chimes
  • China Cymbal
  • Crash Cymbal
  • Crotales
  • Glockenspiel
  • Hi-Hat
  • Marimba
  • Snare Drum
  • Sleigh Bells
  • Splash Cymbal
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Tambourine
  • Tam-Tam
  • Temple Blocks
  • Tom-Toms (4)
  • Triangle
  • Vibraphone
  • Whip
  • Xylophone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

Every year, the Christmas season usually leaves me feeling one of two ways. I'm either reflecting on the cozy, nostalgic, blissful, and sentimental feelings of home, hearth, and family traditions, or I'm groaning at the overbearing, technological nuisances of explicit commercialism that seem to capitalize on the impending season of presents and lights earlier and earlier with each passing year. The carols and songs associated with this holiday season conjure up more of the former feeling; the first appearances of this music on radio stations, however, seems to capitalize on the latter -- the continued commercialization of Christmas through your favorite airwaves, seemingly occurring earlier and earlier with each passing year.

With all of this in mind, what happens when one wreaks havoc on these contradictory feelings about the Christmas season? This is what I sought to answer with this piece -- a prog-rock/heavy-metal, zany, and adventurous fantasy for wind ensemble weaving several famous, public-domain Christmas carols into the fray. A Wild Christmas Nightcap is the pinnacle result of this concept -- a somewhat nightmare-fueled, sometimes caffeine-induced (insert literally any Christmas holiday coffee joke here), wild ride through a frozen landscape with uncertain twists and turns at every corner.

The musicians are given a shockingly quick tempo indicating "Like a Sleigh Ride Through a Frozen Inferno", finding themselves caught between percussive bursts of energy and flurries of manic runs. This is matched with seemingly serene moments of tranquility where the more nostalgic and sentimental, innocent feelings of the Christmas holidays are able to make an appearance, if only for a brief moment. Several Christmas carols even fight each other throughout this madcap work, moving from mixed meters and clashing rhythms to purely epic, and bombastic, moments of utter, quasi-religious majesty. ​ So, picture going on this wild ride in the middle of a chaotic night while witnessing a sheer battle between commercialized holiday spirit and those wonderful, nostalgic memories of hearth and home. Serve with eggnog ... maybe with something else added to it.

- Program Note by composer


A Wild Christmas Nightcap includes excerpts from God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum), Silent Night, and Joy to the World.


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Media


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • West Salem (Ore.) High School Wind Ensemble (Todd Zimbelman, conductor) - 11 December 2021 *Premiere Performance


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources

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