Sunflower Studies

Nicole Piunno

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General Info

Year: 2023
Duration: c. 25:00
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Unknown
Cost: Score and Parts - Unknown

Movements

Waiting for the Brightness of Tomorrow
No Blue Without Yellow
Interlude
Seeking the Golden Light
Broken Colours

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
Contra-Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium I-II
Tuba (div.)
Contra-Bass
Harp (optional but preferred)
Timpani
Percussion I-VI

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Sunflower Studies, a symphony in five movements for wind ensemble, explores Vincent Van Gogh’s love for sunflowers combined with my own love of the sunflower. The titles for movement one and movement four come from the beautiful nature of the sunflower itself, while the titles for movement two and movement five come from Van Gogh’s painting style. These movements are connected in the middle by a short interlude.

Many movements incorporate the hymn tune Tell Me the Old, Old Story. This was one of Van Gogh’s favorite hymns, and the melody and lyrics have grown on me as I have gotten to know it. The hymn has a child-like quality to it which to me represents a sincere faith. Van Gogh said he wanted his paintings “to say something comforting as music is comforting ... something of the eternal.” This melody also represents that source of comfort which the sunflower can bring to a person.

I learned a lot about Van Gogh and his work from reading the letters Vincent wrote to his brother. Vincent told his brother he wanted to make a series of paintings of sunflowers that would contain broken yellows against blue backgrounds. He described this series of paintings to his brother, “The whole thing will therefore be a symphony in blue and yellow.” His style of combining dark and light elements together on a canvas is similar to my style as a composer and this makes me feel as though I found a kindred spirit in Vincent.

Sunflowers are vibrant, beautiful and sturdy flowers. Sunflowers had great significance for Van Gogh: they represented gratitude. In a similar fashion, for me sunflowers exemplify faith.

- Program Note by composer

Media

None discovered thus far.

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Arizona State University (Tempe) Wind Ensemble (Jason Caslor, conductor) - 27 September 2023 *Premiere Performance*

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Postcard from Sequoia (Flex instrumentation) (2019/2020)
Solace Dance (Flex instrumentation) (2016/2020)
Three Miniatures (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
You Decide (Adaptable Band) (2020)

All Wind Works

Articulate March (2016)
At a Crossroads (2022)
Autumn Air (2016)
Be Still and Still Moving (2020)
Beauty Broken (2015)
Blue Radiance (2020)
Bright Shadow Fanfare (2021)
Catharsis (2020)
Concerto for Trumpet and Wind Ensemble (2018)
Dance the Joy Alive (2016)
Down by the Sally Gardens
Eternity in an Hour (2016)
I Will Lament and Love (2018)
Image on Truth (2019)
Letters from the Traveling Doll (2021)
Look Not Upon Us (2011)
Monterey Sketches
Night Watches (2020)
On a Hill Far Away
Postcard from Sequoia (2019)
Postcard from Sequoia (Flex instrumentation) (2019/2020)
Resound (2021)
Safely Rest (2020)
Shifting Shadows
Solace Dance (2016)
Solace Dance (Flex instrumentation) (2016/2020)
The Spirit Is Willing (2023)
Spring Fanfare (2016)
Sunflower Studies (2023)
Three Miniatures (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
Through Wind and Whispers (2014)
Where Words Cannot Go (2020)
Woven
You Decide (Adaptable Band) (2020)

Resources

Nicole Piunno website Accessed 27 September 2023