Skronk
General Info
Year: 2015
Duration: c. 4:30
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Frantzen Music Press, through Murphy Music Press
Cost: Score and Parts - $165.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano 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-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V, including:
- Bass Drum
- Bongos
- Brake Drum
- Cabasa
- Castanets (mounted)
- China Cymbals
- Chinese Gong (low)
- Claves
- Glockenspiel
- Marimba
- Ratchet
- Sizzle Cymbal (large)
- Sleigh Bells
- Snare Drum
- Splash Cymbal
- Tam-tam
- Temple Blocks
- Tom-toms (3)
- Triangle
- Vibra-slap
- Wood Block
- Xylophone
Program Notes
Skronk was inspired by the busy, clattering life in the city. Similar to Gershwin’s famous piece, Rhapsody in Blue, the ensemble emulated the sounds of busy traffic and crowding that would be heard while walking through a large metropolis.
- Program Note by composer
I investigated the word "skronk" on the Internet and found two somewhat different definitions. The first was the snorting sound made by the professional wrestler The
Ultimate Warrior. The second and more predominate definition, stated that it was an adjective used to describe dissonant or discordant sounds made by musical instruments. One comment penned by a person under the username “Skronkette” said, “Skronk in rock ‘n roll is the good stuff, the stuff that’s got grit, the hookiest of hooks, the riffiest of riffs” while another known as “Servelan” said, “One could say that Justin Bieber ain’t got no Skronk in him, whereas Albert Ayler is so full of
Skronk that it used to follow him around asking people for directions to the party.”
Feeling that I hadn’t really gotten to the bottom of the meaning behind the composition, I asked Frantzen how he would describe the meaning of the title. He said, “As for the title, while composing Skronk (with no title), I read a review of a contemporary chamber music concert where the critic described the saxophone sound in one of the compositions as funky and skronky. I never heard that word before, but it is one of those words that perfectly describes a sound in the word itself, so for fun, I posted on my Facebook page “I learned a new word today: Skronk” Before long I had friends commenting on the word and asking what it means. I was surprised at the response but soon realized that having already scored the opening with the baritone saxophone playing the lowest note on the instrument, along with the general funky feel of the work as a whole ... Skronk was inevitable!”
- Program Note by Steven Thompson for the Bethel University Wind Symphony concert program, 7 May 2021
Media
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Bethel University (St. Paul, Minn.) Wind Symphony (Steven Thompson, conductor) - 7 May 2021
- Concordia College (Moorhead, Minn.) Band (Peter Haberman, conductor) – 4 February 2018
- Lawrence University (Appleton, Wisc.) Wind Ensemble (Andrew Mast, conductor) – 18 April 2015 *Premiere Performance*
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Bachelor's Lament (2001)
- Catalyst (2001)
- Catalyst Symphony (2001/2018)
- Double Concerto for Violin, Cello and Wind Ensemble (2020)
- Euphoria (2001/2010)
- In the Half Light (2002)
- Last Twilight (2001)
- Johnson Boys (2001)
- Momentum (2001)
- New Beginning (1998)
- Pater Noster
- Poem (1998/2012)
- Proclamation (2005)
- Skronk (2015)
- So Simple (2017)
- Where Rivers Bend (2016)
Resources
- John Frantzen website Accessed 6 May 2021
- Perusal score