Monkey

From Wind Repertory Project
Steven Bryant

Steven Bryant


General Info

Year: 1998-1999
Duration: c. 6:00
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Gorilla Salad Productions
Cost: Parts Rental - $300.00   |   Score Only - $50.00


Instrumentation

Full Score
Piccolo
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
Eb Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III (at least 4 players on parts I and II, at least 2 on part III)
Euphonium (at least 2 players)
Tuba
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V-VI-VII, including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Cowbell
  • Glockenspiel
  • Marimba
  • Police Whistle
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Tam-tam (large)
  • Tom-toms
  • Triangle
  • Vibraslap
  • Woodblocks (2, pitched approximately a fourth apart)
  • Xylophone


Errata

  • The latest version of the score is 1.2. If you have 1.1.1b or earlier, contact Steven Bryant and he will exchange it for the most recent version.


Program Notes

About the Piece

Monkey is the wildness of young monkeys, shrieking in unbridled pandemonium. The unsupervised frenzy-mongers eventually come face to face with the ominous threat of adult discipline.
They rebel.
Discipline fails.
The hour of scampering erupts. The mayhem escalates until young and old alike are indistinguishable. Simian hysteria overtakes all.

Monkey, commissioned by Thomas G. Leslie for the UNLV Wind Orchestra, was begun in summer of 1997, as part of my ongoing fascination with primates. Much of my music during the past few years has been primal in nature, and Monkey was the natural, explicit culmination of this tendency. At least, I think this is the culmination. There may be more monkey madness lurking in the depths of my mind.

Note: no animals were harmed during the composition of this piece.

Performance Notes

Monkey is a wild and hysterical piece of music, but must be played with incredible precision and attention to detail. The sheer speed of the piece is perhaps daunting, but cannot be sacrificed. Energy must continually erupt from the stage.


Commercial Discography

World premiere performance recording available from Mark Custom Recordings.


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