Symphony for Wind Orchestra
General Info
Year: 2012
Duration: c. 30:00
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Alarcón Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - Rental | Score Only (print) - €57.69
Movements
1. Prologue: Furioso
2. Allegro Vivace
3. Adagio-Scherzando Subito-Adagio, Tempo I
4. Epilogue: Come Prima
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
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Piano/Celesta
Harp
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:
- Bass Drum
- Crash Cymbals
- Crotales
- Glockenspiel
- Marimba
- Suspended Cymbal
- Tambourine
- Tam-tam
- Triangle
- Vibraphone
- Whip
- Xylophone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
I – Prologue – furioso. Fortissimo octave Ds are hurled across the orchestra, introducing a series of fanfares, in Gb for horns, C major for trumpets, Ab for clarinets heralded by chromatic scales, all underpinned by a menacing sliding chromatic passage. The chromatic passage appears in diminution, and becomes more important under an argument between clarinets and horns, erupting into a brief triple fortissimo coda.
II – Allegro vivace. This movement is a scherzando, a very large scale fugue or fughetto with a number of contrasting episodes, giving an overall form of a rondo. It bustles around, carried forward by sheer high spirits rather than the strict counterpoint rules of traditional fugue. Alto saxophone states the full blown subject of eight bars, answered by oboe and clarinet, with a little two-bar extension leading to an upside-down version for flutes and Eb and later xylophone. An ostinato on harp, marimba and bassoons accompanies extended solos which are drawn from the fanfares of the opening movement for alto saxophone, answered by flute. The mood changes, poco meno mosso, but with an encouragement to rubato and a flexible approach to tempo; a more lyrical theme on oboe appears, taken up by flutes and clarinets, following the contours of the fugue subject, harmonically the language increases its chromatic quality, the little ostinato figuration gradually takes over and leads to a four bar romantic climax, molto tenuto, followed by a moving passage semplice e tranquillo with solos for trumpet. The fugato returns in the woodwind, later bass clarinet and then tuba in inverso and augmentation, everyone joining in to boil up in an enormous crescendo. A more tragic section ensues, calmato and then accelerando but always flexible as themes from earlier are re-introduced. Finally the scherzando fugue subject returns.
III – Adagio. The mood is again elegiac, shifting chordal passages alternating with little rhythmic motives and little rubato passages, until a passionate outburst on full orchestra brings the section to a close. A scherzando follows, a sinister danse macabre with a hint of Alarcon’s Spanish background in the rhythms and perhaps a brief homage to Ravel’s La Valse. From this sinister and intense mood emerges a lengthy solo for cor anglais in 2/4 joined by the whole orchestra building another huge climax; flutes, muted trumpets, harp and percussion form a link to the finale.
IV – Epilogue – Come prima. The epilogue is an extended version of the Prologue, with some added passages, varied orchestrations, ending triumphantly.
Commissioned by the Southeastern Conference Band Directors Association.
- Program Note by composer
Media
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- University of Kentucky Wind Symphony (Cody Birdwell, conductor) – 17 October 2013 *Premiere Performance*
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Angelita (2012/2014)
- Cello Concerto (2021)
- Charlie, the Chameleon (2013), from Bestiarium
- Concertango (2004)
- Concerto for Trumpet and Wind Ensemble (2018)
- De Tiempo y Quimera (2005)
- Duende (2010)
- El Torico de la Cuerda (2002/2006)
- Enric Cullell (2014)
- Invocación (2017)
- La Dama Centinela (2009)
- La Lira de Pozuelo (2010)
- Marco Polo Trilogy
- Marco Polo: El Libro de la India (2013)
- Marco Polo: The Cathay Years (2010)
- Marco Polo: La Ruta de la Seda (2006)
- Memorias de un Hombre de Ciudad (2003)
- Pas de Quatre (2019)
- Pequeña Suite para Banda (2008)
- Preludio y Danza del Alba (2006)
- Second Symphony (2017)
- Spanish Dances (2021)
- Symphony for Wind Orchestra (2012)
- Three Sketches for Wind Ensemble (2014)
- Tim (2018)
- Tramonto (2007)
- The Unknown Friend (2021)
Resources
- Luis Serrano Alarcón website Accessed 3 January 2016
- "Symphony for Wind Band," World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) website Accessed 3 January 2016