Blow It Up, Start Again

From Wind Repertory Project
Jonathan Newman

Jonathan Newman


General Info

Year: 2012
Duration: c. 4:00
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Orchestra
Publisher: Jonathan Newman
Cost: Score and Parts - Rental   |   Score Only - $44.00


Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
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-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Harp (optional)
Piano
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V, including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Snare Drum
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Brake Drum
  • Cabasa
  • Chimes
  • Crotales (higher octave only; bow required)
  • Drum Set
  • Glockenspiel
  • Hi-Hat
  • Kick Drum
  • Marimba (5.0 octaves)
  • Ride Cymbal
  • Sizzle Cymbal
  • Splash Cymbal
  • Timbales
  • Tom-tom
  • Triangle
  • Vibraphone (bow required)
  • Whip
  • Wood Blocks (2: high and low)
  • Xylophone


Errata

(to the 10/12 uncorrected co-commissioner’s edition – score & parts)

In Score and Parts:

  • Woodwinds, Reh. F: Should say “like an organ”
  • Flute III, m.83-84: 8va (unison with Flute 2)
  • Bassoon I & II, m.32 beat 3, 2nd quarter note triplet: 2nd eighth (tied to triplet quarter) should have no staccato. The staccato on the quarter triplet it is tied to remains, to indicate a short release.
  • Contrabassoon, m.61, 65, 69, 73, 77, 81, and 85: Contrabassoon (and optional contra-alto or contrabass clarinets) play staccato eighths (with Bassoons) instead of quarters.
  • E-flat Soprano Clarinet, Reh. G: Slur beat 3 to match Sopr. Sax.
  • E-flat Soprano Clarinet I, m.35: Missing its quarter rest on beat 4.
  • B-flat Bass Clarinet, m.32 beat 3, 2nd quarter note triplet: 2nd eighth (tied to triplet quarter) should have no staccato. The staccato on the quarter triplet it is tied to remains, to indicate a short release.
  • E-flat Alto Saxophone, Reh. G: Slur beat 3 to match Sopr. Sax.
  • E-flat Baritone Saxophone, m.6-8: Starting on beat 3 of m. 6, doubles the other bass instruments.
  • Horn in F I, II, III, & IV, m.32 beat 3, 2nd quarter note triplet: 2nd eighth (tied to triplet quarter) should have no staccato. The staccato on the quarter triplet it is tied to remains, to indicate a short release.
  • Horn in F I, II, III, & IV, m.70: "Bells up" and ff. Remain ff until cresc. in m.101.
  • Horn in F I, II, III, & IV, m.79 beat 3: “ord.”
  • Drum Set, m.17: Beat 3 quarter note hit, beat 4 quarter rest, beat 5 quarter rest & Splash Cym quarter.

Notes:

  • Bass Drum: Muted with towel.
  • Horn in F, m.34: Horn solo is now doubled with a Trombone 1 solo.


Program Notes

If the system isn't working anymore, then do what Guy Fawkes tried and go anarchist: Blow it all up, and start again.

Commissioned by a consortium of ten American and Canadian universities.

- Program Note from score


There is no hint of Ravel in Blow It Up, Start Again, but there is unfettered joy. Newman’s brief bombshell is a wind ensemble transcription of the 2011 work for orchestra. It was described as “riotously funky” by the Chicago Tribune, and the score bears this scant description: "If the system isn’t working anymore, then do what Guy Fawkes tried and go anarchist: blow it all up, and start again."

Simon Cummings of the 5:4 blog had a slightly different take, “Reasonably fun in its way, but all overwhelmingly harmless. Not exactly in keeping with the ‘wipe the slate clean’ kind of avant-garde radicalism espoused in that program note. Somehow, I don’t predict a riot.” But one YouTube commenter hit the nail on the head after the European premiere: “This is not at all classical music, but them ‘bones!”

- Program Note from University of Nebraska Wind Ensemble concert program, 15 April 2016


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • Florida State University (Tallahassee) University Concert Band (Chandler L. Wilson, conductor) - 4 April 2023
  • University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) Wind Ensemble (Travis J. Cross, conductor) – 4 November 2022
  • Southern Illinois University (Carbondale) Wind Ensemble (Christopher Morehouse, conductor) – 4 December 2019
  • Atlanta (Ga.) Wind Symphony (David Kehler, conductor) – 11 May 2019
  • Bixby High School (Oklahoma) Wind Ensemble (Jeremy W. Parker, conductor) - 6 May 2019
  • University of Missouri (Columbia) Wind Ensemble (Brian Silvey, conductor) – 27 April 2018
  • World Youth Wind Orchestra Project (Schladming, Aus.) (William Staub, conductor) – 12 July 2017
  • Shenandoah Conservatory (Winchester, Va.) Wind Ensemble (Timothy Robblee, conductor) – 5 November 2016
  • University of Nebraska (Lincoln) Wind Ensemble (Carolyn Barber, conductor) – 15 April 2016
  • University of Toronto (Ont., Can.) Wind Ensemble (Gillian MacKay, conductor) – 28 November 2015
  • Michigan State University Wind Symphony (Kevin L. Sedatole, conductor) – 29 October 2015
  • Clovis (Calif.) North Educational Center Wind Ensemble (David Lesser, conductor) - 21 March 2014 (2014 Sutherland Wind Festival, Fresno, Calif.)
  • The College of New Jersey Wind Ensemble (David Vickerman, conductor) - 3 March 2014 (CBDNA Eastern Division Conference, Boston, MA)
  • The College of New Jersey (Ewing) Wind Ensemble (David Vickerman, conductor) - 28 February 2014
  • North Central High School (Indianapolis, IN) Wind Ensemble (Rick Granlund, conductor) - May 2013


Works for Winds by This Composer


Resources

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