Modal Variations

From Wind Repertory Project
Nelson Jesus

Nelson Jesus


This work also appears under its title in Portuguese, Variações Modais. It bears the designation Opus 17(b).


General Info

Year: 2015 / 2020
Duration: c. 8:15
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Murphy Music Press
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $115.00   |   Score Only (print) - $40.00


Instrumentation (Flexible)

Full Score
Part 1

  • Flute
  • Oboe
  • E-flat Soprano Clarinet
  • B-flat Soprano Clarinet
  • E-flat Alto Saxophone
  • B-flat Trumpet

Part 2

  • Flute
  • Oboe
  • B-flat Soprano Clarinet
  • E-flat Alto Saxophone
  • B-flat Trumpet

Part 3

  • B-flat Soprano Clarinet
  • E-flat Alto Saxophone
  • B-flat Tenor Saxophone
  • Horn in F

Part 4

  • Bassoon
  • B-flat Tenor Saxophone
  • Trombone
  • Euphonium
  • Horn in F

Part 5

  • Bassoon
  • B-flat Bass Clarinet
  • E-flat Baritone Saxophone
  • Trombone
  • Euphonium
  • Tuba
  • String Bass

Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Glockenspiel
  • Guiro
  • Snare Drum
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Tam-Tam
  • Tambourine
  • Temple Blocks
  • Triangle
  • Tubular Bells
  • Vibraphone
  • Wind Chimes
  • Xylophone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

I wrote this piece on the initiative of Avelino Ramos, conductor who always encouraged me in my first steps in the field of composition.

For me, this piece is very important because it's the first one I compose after the beginning of my composition studies. I had to contend with several limitations for the composition of the piece, which turned out to be an interesting challenge. There were limitations of instrumentation, tessitura, among others, inherent in the fact that the music was aimed for a young band. I must recognize that I did not fulfill all these impositions because I let the music breathe and find its own way.

Since I was studying modal language, I wanted to do something that could familiarize young musicians with these sounds. It then seems coherent to me to find a pattern on which to vary colours in different ways. Hence the name Modal Variations where a motif generates the two main themes, and these are varied in different ways. The structure of the variations do not obey a formal or more conventional rule of the theme and classic variations. It is more of a continuous form.

I hope that this piece will bring pleasure and joy in the study of its parts and in the execution of whoever plays it.

- Program Note by composer


Performance Notes

The piece has several mallet instruments, and I know that several ensembles do not have these instruments. If you try to perform it only with Glockenspiel and/or Xylophone, pay attention to the tessitura/transpositions of octave and the alteration of their sound with different mallets.


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources