Ecstatic Fanfare

From Wind Repertory Project
Steven Bryant

Steven Bryant


General Info

Year: 2012
Duration: c. 3:15
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Steven Bryant
Cost: Score and Parts - $115.00  |   Score Only - $25.00


Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II-III (III doubling piccolo)
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III-IV
B-flat Bass Clarinet I-II
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
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
Euphonium I-II
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Percussion, including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Crotales (optional; both octaves)
  • Glockenspiel
  • Tam-tam
  • Triangle
  • Vibraphone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

Ecstatic Fanfare is based on music from movement I of my Ecstatic Waters. One day in May 2012, I mentioned to my wife that it might be fun to take the soaring, heroic tutti music from the earlier work and turn it into a short fanfare someday. She goaded me into doing it “immediately,” and so in a panicked three-day composing frenzy, I created this new work, which was premiered by Johann Mösenbichler with the Polizeiorchester Bayern just three short weeks later, followed immediately by my wife, Verena, conducting it with the World Youth Wind Orchestra Project in July 2012. This has to be a record time for conception-to-premiere for a large ensemble work.

The work unfolds with a flurry that can best be described as aggressive jubilation that winds down into a quiet, pure, pastoral melody marked by descending fourths in the clarinets. The use of open harmonies and descending fourths provide a sense of innocence and simplicity to this music, giving the listener something familiar to connect with, reminiscent of the music of Aaron Copland. This quiet music is eventually transformed into a powerful statement by the horns, marked “aggressive and celebratory.” This moment of celebration explodes into elation and the work rallies toward an energetic, powerful conclusion.

- Program note by composer


Laden with descending intervals in fourths and fifth, crisp articulations in the brass and woodwinds, and soaring majestic melodies, it reminds the listener of works by Aaron Copland and John Adams.

- Program Note by California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Wind Ensemble concert program, 6 December 2015


Media


State Ratings

  • Texas: IV. Complete


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • Wisconsin Lutheran College (Milwaukee) Concert Band (Daniel Hubert, conductor) - 1 March 2024
  • University of Texas (Austin) Wind Symphony (Doug Henderson, conductor) – 2 October 2023
  • Texas Tech University (Lubbock) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Kirsten Hoogstraten, conductor) - 24 September 2023
  • University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) Wind Symphony (Jeffrey Summers, conductor) — 25 April 2023
  • University of Louisiana at Lafayette Wind Ensemble (William J. Hochkeppel, conductor) - 20 April 2023
  • University of Toronto (Ont., Can.) Wind Symphony (Shawn Bennett, conductor) - 3 December 2022
  • Bethel University (St. Paul, Minn.) Wind Symphony (Steven Thompson) - 29 October 2022
  • Cleveland (Ohio) State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Birch Browning, conductor) – 4 October 2022
  • Abilene (Tx.) Christian University Wind Ensemble (Steven Ward, conductor) - 21 April 2022
  • Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, Tx.) Symphonic Band (Chris Kaatz, conductor) - 8 February 2022
  • Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) Concert Band (Cory Near, conductor) - 8 November 2020
  • Elmhurst (Ill.) College Wind Ensemble (James Hile, conductor) – 15 March 2020
  • California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, Symphonic Winds (Rickey H. Badua, conductor) – 10 March 2020
  • University of Iowa (Iowa City) Symphony Band (Richard Mark Heidel, conductor) – 29 February 2020
  • University of Georgia (Athens) Hodgson University Band (Emily Eng, conductor) – 19 February 2020
  • University of Colorado Boulder Symphonic Band (Dylan Koester, conductor) – 20 November 2019
  • Texas Tech University (Lubbock) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Kerri MacPhee, conductor) – 29 October 2019
  • McLennan College (Waco, Tx.) Wind Ensemble (Jon Conrad, conductor) 29 October 2019
  • Ball State University (Muncie, Ind.) Wind Ensemble (Thomas Caneva, conductor) – 25 October 2019
  • Appalachian State University (Boone, N.C.) Wind Ensemble (John Stanley Ross, conductor) – 8 October 2019
  • James Madison University (Harrisonburg, Va.) Wind Symphony (Stephen Bolstad, conductor) – 3 October 2019


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources

  • Leyva, Jesse. "Ecstatic Fanfare." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 10, Compiled and edited by Richard Miles, 549-555. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2015.
  • Steven Bryant website Accessed 25 January 2023