Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

From Wind Repertory Project
Jeff Cortazzo

Jeff Cortazzo


General Info

Year: 2017 / 2019
Duration: c. 12:45
Difficulty: VI (quartet); V (ensemble) (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: BRS Music
Cost: Score and Parts - $210.00


Instrumentation

Full Score
Solo Trombone I-II-III-IV
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
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
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Euphonium I-II
Tuba I-II
String Bass
Harp
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V, including:

  • Anvil
  • Bass Drum
  • Chimes
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Glockenspiel
  • Marimba
  • Snare Drum
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Tambourine
  • Tam-Tam
  • Triangle
  • Vibraphone
  • Wind Chimes
  • Xylophone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse was commissioned by a trombone quartet consortium composed of seven trombone quartets from across the United States, including and directed by the Blue Ridge Trombone Quartet. The commissioners felt that it's especially important to bring new music into the trombone world because there are not a lot of pieces composed for trombone quartets from the time when they originated.

The Cortazzo piece not only features a trombone quartet in a unique fashion, but it also boasts a captivating story along with a bold and sweet binary. The source material for the work was taken from the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelations, which describes the end of times.

- Program Note from University of Arkansas Wind Ensemble concert program, 3 October 2018


According to the composer:

I thought it would be interesting to ally the trombone quartet to the notion of the aforementioned horsemen envisioned in the Apostle Paul's account in the Book of Revelation which he penned while in exile in Patmos. John's vivid account depicts a frightening scene of four mounted riders with each rider's horse being a distinct color. It is generally accepted that these represent death, famine, war and conquest respectively, although this has been the source of not a little controversy over the centuries. The music in the piece is richly orchestrated, quite dramatic sounding and bound together with whole-tone scalar underlayments and twelve-tone passages.

- Program Note from Iowa State University Wind Ensemble concert program, 4 October 2019


Media

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State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

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Works for Winds by This Composer


Resources