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Gemini
Subtitle: For Euphonium, Horn and Wind Ensemble
Contents
General Info
Year: 2008
Duration: c. 10:30
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Horn, euphonium and piano
Publisher: Art of Sound Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $125.00; (digital) - $100.00 | Score Only (print) - $19.99
Instrumentation
Full Score
Solo Horn
Solo Euphonium
Flute I-II-III (I & III double piccolo)
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone I-II
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
C Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III (III optional)
Bass Trombone
Euphonium I-II
Tuba I-II
Piano
Timpani
Percussion, including:
- Cabasa
- Glockenspiel
- Piatti
- Snare Drum
- Suspended Cymbal
- Triangle
- Xylophone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
In the summer of 2006 I began a series of concertos based on Greek Mythology. The first was titled Chimera, Concerto for Brass Quintet and Orchestra. The Center City Brass Quintet commissioned this work and premiered it in Tokyo with conductor Naoto Otomo and the Tokyo Symphony. In 2008, I was commissioned by brass soloists Adam Frey and Jeff Nelsen to create a new work. Wanting to continue with this series of concertos, it seemed appropriate to write a piece that would challenge the soloists' virtuosic abilities as well as be adventurous in story and sound.
At first it wasn’t clear which story from mythology I would use. After the bulk of the piece was sketched out, it struck me that a concerto for two soloists should naturally use the story of the Gemini twins. The Gemini twins in Greek mythology were brothers named Pollux and Castor, the sons of Zeus. They were celebrated as protectors of human kind and had adventures such as the Argonauts Quest for the Golden Fleece and fighting off eerie lightning known as Saint Elmo’s Fire.
Being comfortable with cinematic orchestration, I concentrated on the heroic melodies before completing the rest of the piece. It was important to keep the music challenging in technique as well as rewarding in the soaring melodies given to both players. You'll likely hear orchestration tributes to Prokofiev, Holst, John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith within. I try to channel the energy and color they’ve illustrated and use it as inspiration to compose my music. The end result was a unique showpiece.
This music was fun to write and it was an honor to compose for such great talent. I hope that when you listen to or play Gemini, you’ll become engrossed in the story of two heroes and their tales of epic battle and adventure.
- Program Note by composer
Commercial Discography
None discovered thus far.
Media
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Washington State University (Pullman) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Dahn Pham, conductor; Martin D. Kinh, horn; Chris Hickey, euphonium) – 12 February 2020
- Banda Municipal de Música de Fuengirola (Málaga, Spain) (Silvia Olivero, conductor; Jacinto Fernández Leiva, euphonium; Javier Cámara Bernal, horn) – December 2015
Works for Winds by this Composer
- Baltazar (1999)
- Blade of Spain, The
- Brass Odyssey, A
- Christmas Tunes
- Fire Dance (2004)
- Fujisan
- Gemini (2008)
- Go (2014)
- Heralds Call
- Little Russian Circus, A (2011)
- Luminosity (2013)
- Of Kingdoms and Glory (1999)
- Toymaker, The
- Zodiac Concerto (2006/2017)
