Fireworks for winds - Help with creating a title!
Posted on October 15, 2010 with 5 comments
THE JOURNEY:
A year ago, Chad Dempsey and the Edinburg North High School Bands and Band Boosters commissioned me to compose a wind band work in celebration for the opening of the Edinburg North HS Performance Hall. The opening of the new hall was postponed to this December, which shifted my commission schedule to allow more time this early fall to work on the piece.
The work needed to be celebratory and there's not much more festive then fireworks. This idea led to a work which I have admired for a long time in 18th century composer Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks." I somehow wanted to incorporate Handel's work and ended up using a good bit of his material as the basis for my composition.
Here's a YouTube video of the BBC Symphony Orchestra performing selections from Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks" for you to enjoy.
THE PIECE:
This four-minute work for wind band contains many layers – both abstract and programmatic.
Looking at the abstract is the incorporation of musical quotes from Handel’s “Music for the Royal Fireworks.” Quote sections are marked in the score and parts, coming from the movements Overture, La Paix, Bourree and La Rejouissance. The work also follows the key structure outlining an f minor7 chord, first rising in thirds: F – A-flat – C – E-flat – C – F. The programmatic connection can be followed purely in relation to emotions felt when fireworks are present (anticipation, elation and excitement). The actual depiction of fireworks can be found in the transitions between major sections of the piece.
When you combine all the elements of the composition, you can follow it this way:
Anticipation [Overture] – Fireworks (transition to the second section) – Elation [La Paix] – [Bourree] – Fireworks (transition to the final section) – Excitement [La Rejouissance] – Codetta [Overture]
The PROCESS:
This is the first work in which I strictly relied on my computer in my studio, using Finale 2010 and my new M-Audio KeyStudio 49i. I am usually an old school composer, spending the vast majority of my creative time at my piano with pencil and manuscript paper. Even though I didn't use the piano this time, the actual creative process remained the same. I started with a computer notated eight-line piano and condensed percussion score to draft the work. From there, I orchestrated directly to the score file.
This is also the first time I used sampled sounds (Miroslav Philharmonik) and percussion mapping to assist me in my orchestration and create a computer realization of the work. Before, I was content with just using generic midi sounds, as I only needed them to review my score for possible incorrect note entries. It's important to mention here that my sampled sounds are not the cream of the crop like what my friends John and Steve use, but I consider these a natural step up from using generic midi sounds. I am sure one day, I'll step up to the VS sounds that are so strong (when I can afford them...).
THE TITLE (or lack there of):
One step remains and that is finalizing the piece with an appropriate title. The title usually presents itself to me during the creative process. However, I am finding it difficult to come up with a title that best describes this composition. I hope that you can assist me here before the premiere. I need a title by mid-November.
So, here's what I have done. I have provided links below to view the score and hear the computer realization of the work. Have a listen and if you have an idea for a title, please comment to this post.
Thanks to a suggestion from fellow composer Matt Schoendorff, the person who comes up with the final title (or who I think comes closest to the final title) receives a complimentary full score. Plus, if they attend Midwest this year (which I am pretty sure I will attend on Friday of the convention), I will gladly buy that person lunch if they are at Midwest too.
Note: This recording doesn't play trills and glissandi. I haven't spent much time yet with creating that kind of functionality in lieu of Finale human playback (which I would rather not use).
FireworksTitleTBD Score (non-print) FireworksTitleTBD MidiAudio
A year ago, Chad Dempsey and the Edinburg North High School Bands and Band Boosters commissioned me to compose a wind band work in celebration for the opening of the Edinburg North HS Performance Hall. The opening of the new hall was postponed to this December, which shifted my commission schedule to allow more time this early fall to work on the piece.
The work needed to be celebratory and there's not much more festive then fireworks. This idea led to a work which I have admired for a long time in 18th century composer Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks." I somehow wanted to incorporate Handel's work and ended up using a good bit of his material as the basis for my composition.
Here's a YouTube video of the BBC Symphony Orchestra performing selections from Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks" for you to enjoy.
THE PIECE:
This four-minute work for wind band contains many layers – both abstract and programmatic.
Looking at the abstract is the incorporation of musical quotes from Handel’s “Music for the Royal Fireworks.” Quote sections are marked in the score and parts, coming from the movements Overture, La Paix, Bourree and La Rejouissance. The work also follows the key structure outlining an f minor7 chord, first rising in thirds: F – A-flat – C – E-flat – C – F. The programmatic connection can be followed purely in relation to emotions felt when fireworks are present (anticipation, elation and excitement). The actual depiction of fireworks can be found in the transitions between major sections of the piece.
When you combine all the elements of the composition, you can follow it this way:
Anticipation [Overture] – Fireworks (transition to the second section) – Elation [La Paix] – [Bourree] – Fireworks (transition to the final section) – Excitement [La Rejouissance] – Codetta [Overture]
The PROCESS:
This is the first work in which I strictly relied on my computer in my studio, using Finale 2010 and my new M-Audio KeyStudio 49i. I am usually an old school composer, spending the vast majority of my creative time at my piano with pencil and manuscript paper. Even though I didn't use the piano this time, the actual creative process remained the same. I started with a computer notated eight-line piano and condensed percussion score to draft the work. From there, I orchestrated directly to the score file.
This is also the first time I used sampled sounds (Miroslav Philharmonik) and percussion mapping to assist me in my orchestration and create a computer realization of the work. Before, I was content with just using generic midi sounds, as I only needed them to review my score for possible incorrect note entries. It's important to mention here that my sampled sounds are not the cream of the crop like what my friends John and Steve use, but I consider these a natural step up from using generic midi sounds. I am sure one day, I'll step up to the VS sounds that are so strong (when I can afford them...).
THE TITLE (or lack there of):
One step remains and that is finalizing the piece with an appropriate title. The title usually presents itself to me during the creative process. However, I am finding it difficult to come up with a title that best describes this composition. I hope that you can assist me here before the premiere. I need a title by mid-November.
So, here's what I have done. I have provided links below to view the score and hear the computer realization of the work. Have a listen and if you have an idea for a title, please comment to this post.
Thanks to a suggestion from fellow composer Matt Schoendorff, the person who comes up with the final title (or who I think comes closest to the final title) receives a complimentary full score. Plus, if they attend Midwest this year (which I am pretty sure I will attend on Friday of the convention), I will gladly buy that person lunch if they are at Midwest too.
Note: This recording doesn't play trills and glissandi. I haven't spent much time yet with creating that kind of functionality in lieu of Finale human playback (which I would rather not use).
FireworksTitleTBD Score (non-print) FireworksTitleTBD MidiAudio