Polifemo y Galatea

From Wind Repertory Project
Andrés Valero-Castells

Andrés Valero-Castells


Subtitle: A Symphonic Fable for Band


General Info

Year: 2010
Duration: c. 22:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Piles
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - €240.00   |   Score Only (print) - €23.00


Instrumentation

Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Clarinet
B-flat Clarinet I-II-III-IV
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone I-II
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
C (or B-flat) Trumpet I-II-III
B-flat Flugel Horn I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium I-II
Tuba
Cello (opt.)
Contrabass (opt.)
Timpani
Percussion (5 players), including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Bongo
  • Cowbell (2)
  • Crash Cymbal
  • Ocean Drum
  • Shell
  • Snare Drum
  • Suspended Crash Cymbal
  • Suspended Ride Cymbal
  • Tambourine
  • Tam-tam (2)
  • Tom-tom (4)
  • Triangle
  • Vibraphone (opt.)
  • Wind Chime
  • Xylophone (opt.)


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

In the year 2000 I wrote the symphonic poem for band Polifemo (AV39), commissioned by Valencia City Council, as the set piece for the International “City of Valencia” Competition (2001). Since it was first performed it has been one of the most appreciated works in my catalogue of band compositions, having been played and recorded on numerous occasions and in several continents. The World Music Contest in Kerkrade and the All Japan Band Contest in Tokyo are among the international events in which it has been included.

In 2005 I transcribed the central part of the work for piano, at the request of Miguel Álvarez Argudo. Galatea is part of a little triptych of pieces for piano derived from some of my symphonic works. It was premiered and recorded by Óscar Oliver.

In 2006 I was commissioned by the Autor Foundation and the AEOS (Spanish Association of Symphony Orchestras), at the request of the Orquesta de Córdoba (Cordoba Orchestra), to write a new work. However, the Cordoban origin of the greatest literary source on the Polyphemus myth (Luis de Góngora), the fondness of my friend the conductor Manuel Hernández Silva for the original work for band, and the fact that when I wrote the first version in 2000 I had to hold back some ideas because of the maximum length I was allowed, were the factors that prompted me to write Polifemo y Galatea (AV63). The first performance took place at the 4th Festival of Spanish Music in Cadiz and in the Cordoba Orchestra’s subscription season in 2007. Two recordings have been released on disc, one of the first performance and the other a studio recording of the magnificent version by the Cordoba Orchestra.

So here, then, I present the version for band of the 2006 orchestral work, conceived as an extensive recomposition of the original work from 2000. This project was the result of a commission from the “Vila de La Sénia” International Competition for Bands (Tarragona), who asked me to write the set work for the 1st section of the 5th edition of their Competition, to be held in April 2011. The SFUM music society of Agost (Alicante), the AMSC of La Vall d’Uxó (Castellón), the AMA of Matamà (Pontevedra) and the SMA of San Antonio de Requena (Valencia) are the four bands whose job it will be to bring to life this new offering, which, though not intended to replace the earlier version, does complement it, since as well as being significantly longer in duration, it is designed for concert bands with more instrumental resources.

On 6 February 2011 I had the opportunity to direct the pre-premiere of the work in the concert I conducted by invitation with the Valencia Municipal Band in the Palau de la Música (Valencia).

- Program Note by composer


Media

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State Ratings

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Performances

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Works for Winds by This Composer


Resources