Kulokker

George Lewis

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General Info

Year: 2020
Duration: c. 19:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Edition Peters
Cost: Score and Parts - Unknown

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III-IV-V
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion I-II

(percussion detail desired)

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Kulokker explores the expressive possibilities of the wind band through sound production techniques typical of the 20th and 21st centuries, such as glissandos, different textures produced by vibratos, air-sound, inverted mouthpieces, indeterminate pitch, clusters, percussive sounds (slap tongue), smear sounds producing rough textures, voice grunt or voice growl, as well as the use of extended techniques (multiphonic sounds) and a variety of mutes in the brass.

It was written for Sjøforsvarets Musikkorps and commissioned by nymusikk, Norway’s center for contemporary music.

Kulokker was composed in 2020 and premiered on March 4 of the same year at the University of Bergen’s Museum of Natural History, Norway, by the Norwegian Naval Forces Band with Ingar Bergby conducting.

During that concert another Lewis’ work was premiered as well, Big Shoulders, Sharp Elbows.

- Program Note from publisher

…both kulokker and its Swedish counterpart kulning are part of a pan-Scandinavian pastoral herding tradition that dates back at least to the Middle Ages. I first heard of this tradition when I participated on a panel discussion with the eminent Swedish composer Karin Rehnqvist in 2012. She came to my institution, Columbia University, to participate on our World Leaders Forum, and the wonderful Ensemble Either/Or presented a concert of her music that included her unique understanding of kulning. This is one influence on my piece, and the other is Carola Bauckholt’s classic 2012 work, Zugvögel (migratory birds).

- Program Note by composer

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Norwegian Naval Forces Band (Bergen) (Ingar Bergby, conductor)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Norwegian Naval Forces Band (Bergen) (Ingar Bergby, conductor) – 4 March 2020 *Premiere Performance*

Works for Winds by This Composer

Big Shoulders, Sharp Elbows (2020)
Kulokker (2020)

Resources

Kulning. Wikipedia. Accessed 3 January 2023
"KULOKKER for Wind Band by George E. Lewis (USA, 1952)." WASBE. Web. (Featured as WASBE’s Composition of the Week, 5 December 2022). Accessed 3 January 2023
"The Sound of Urban Cows." nyMusikk. Web. Accessed 3 January 2023