Of Gale Force Winds

From Wind Repertory Project
Richard Saucedo

Richard Saucedo


General Info

Year: 2013
Duration: c. 4:00
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts - $65.00   |   Score Only - $7:50


Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
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
Trombone I-II
Baritone
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Bells
  • Concert Toms (4)
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Snare Drum
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Xylophone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

I am so thrilled to have written a piece for the outstanding young musicians of the Creekside Middle School Wind Symphony. I will always be indebted to directors Wendy Higdon and Chris Grifa, the outstanding music educators who were kind enough to ask me to create Of Gale Force Winds.

A gale, simply put, is a very strong wind. There are conflicting definitions of how strong a wind must be to be considered gale force. The U.S. National Weather Service defines a gale as 34—47 knots (63—87 km/h, 17.5—24.2 rn/s or 39—54 miles/hour) of sustained surface winds. Forecasters typically issue gale warnings when winds of this strength are expected. The National Hurricane Center uses the term gale to refer to winds of tropical force for coastal areas. On the Beaufort Wind Scale, a gale is classified as: Moderate Gale (32—38 miles per hour), Fresh Gale (39-46 mph), Strong Gale (47-54 mph) and Whole Gale (55-63 mph). A gale is a type of wind description preceded by calm, light air, light breeze, gentle breeze, moderate breeze, fresh breeze, strong breeze and succeeded by storm, violent storm and hurricane on a Beaufort Wind Scale.

Of Gale Force Winds is based around rhythmic figures that create a wind-like effect along with a very playful melody heard throughout the work. The piece alternates between 6/8 and 9/8 and stays rhythmically active throughout, with the one exception of a very short moment of repose, which is meant to hint at that calm moment that often comes in the middle or “eye” of bigger storms. At one point the piece deviates from the 6/8 - 9/8 feel to produce what might be considered a more turbulent part of the storm, represented by darker sounding figures in more of a 4/4 feel. The piece then concludes with a long dominant harmonic feel that finally resolves in the last bar of the piece.

My most heartfelt congratulations to the Creekside Wind Symphony students, staff, parents and administration on their performance at this year’s Midwest Clinic. I am honored to have been a small part of such an incredible accomplishment!

-Program Note by the composer for 2013 Midwest Clinic by the Creekside Middle School Wind Symphony


Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown


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

Perusal score