Christopher Tucker: Music Gallery

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Mission STS: Ecceda Terra was commissioned by the Westbrook Intermediate School Bands, Friendswood, TX for the 2011-2012 Westbrook Intermediate School Symphonic Band’s TMEA Honor Band performance, Richard Brockway, director.

Mission STS: Ecceda Terra was composed as a tribute to NASA’s Space Shuttle Program and its 30-year mission of discovery. Five minutes in duration, the piece travels through five stages of space flight – prelaunch, countdown, launch, space and re-entry.

The title was derived two-fold, combining the scientific with the poetic. “Mission STS” marks the official name of the Space Shuttle program, Space Ttransportation System (i.e. the final Space Shuttle mission was designated Mission STS-135). And “Ecceda Terra” finds its roots in the Italian and Latin languages. Roughly translated “Ecceda Terra” means “To Exceed the Earth.” The Italian word “ecceda” comes from the Latin word “excedo” meaning exceed, go beyond. “Terra” is Latin for the Earth. It is also important to note that “ecceda” also represents the first letters of the six Space Shuttles – Endeavour, Challenger, Columbia, Enterprise, Discovery and Atlantis.

The opening starts in d minor and is quiet, lending itself to anticipation for the upcoming launch with descending “countdown” pitches in the woodwinds and air sounds produced by the trumpets. Motives from the secondary theme are presented here, first in the clarinets and horns. During the countdown, the first five notes of Richard Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra can be heard starting in the low winds and brass, moving on to the trumpet and alto saxophones. Air sounds are produced in the flutes using a technique called “the jet whistle” where the flutist is asked to place the embouchure hole between the lips, pressing the lips against the embouchure plate so that no air escapes, and blowing directly into the flute. Coupled with the secondary theme, the piece arrives at a blocked chord motive in D Major announcing the launch of the Space Shuttle.

The next section is in B-flat Major. Carrying the score marker “Into the skies and beyond,” this section is quick and energetic. The main theme of the piece is heard in its entirety in the alto saxophones and trumpets, and then the flutes, clarinets and trumpets. During the first transition in this section, Morse code is introduced as a means to pay homage to the astronauts in the Space Shuttle disasters of Challenger during its launch and Columbia during re-entry. Presented by the flutes, oboe and xylophone, the Morse code motive spells out “Remember” on pitch C (for Challenger and Columbia). This section is concluded by the same code played by all the winds and brass.

The middle section of the piece (referred to as the “Space Hymn”) stays in the key of B-flat Major and features the secondary theme foreshadowed in the opening, now in a beautiful lyrical setting with the clarinets and horns playing over chords in the low clarinets and brass. The transition back to the recapitulation (or return of the main theme) is subtitled “Thoughts of Home” and features a return to the use of Morse code, this time spelling out “Home.” The return of the main theme finds itself in the new key of F Major and then transitions to the return of the same D Major blocked chord motive from the launch section, which represents the Space Shuttle’s landing back on Earth.

Side Note: Launch sounds including the launch audio from the final Mission STS-135 Atlantis were provided with permission from NASA to be utilized as an option before the piece begins and during the countdown and launch sections of the piece. An audio mix was created by the composer, lining up the launch sounds with the appropriate sections of the piece.

Pronunciation of Ecceda: (eh-CHAY-dah).

WITH SPECIAL THANKS:
To NASA astronaut Mr. Stan Love for his professional insights during the creative process.
To Mr. Nick Lance for his assistance in creating and understanding Morse Code and its application.
To Mr. Derrick Gibbs for coming up with the ingenious title concept of the word "Ecceda" and its first-letter connection with the six Space Shuttles.

LAUNCH AUDIO:
Download to use with the performance of "Mission STS: Ecceda Terra." Permission given by NASA.
If you have a MAC, control+click and select "Download Linked File."
If you have a PC, right click and select "Save Target As."
Track 1 - Launch Status Check
Track 2 - 20 seconds of silence
Track 3 - Countdown and Launch




HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
(Description taken from NASA's website with permission)
NASA's space shuttle fleet began setting records with its first launch on April 12, 1981 and continued to set high marks of achievement and endurance through 30 years of missions. Starting with Columbia and continuing with Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour, the spacecraft has carried people into orbit repeatedly, launched, recovered and repaired satellites, conducted cutting-edge research and built the largest structure in space, the International Space Station. The final space shuttle mission, STS-135, ended July 21, 2011 when Atlantis rolled to a stop at its home port, NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

As humanity's first reusable spacecraft, the space shuttle pushed the bounds of discovery ever farther, requiring not only advanced technologies but the tremendous effort of a vast workforce. Thousands of civil servants and contractors throughout NASA's field centers and across the nation have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to mission success and the greater goal of space exploration.

Side Note: Enterprise, the first Space Shuttle Orbiter, never flew in space, but it was crucial to the Space Shuttle program. Its series of approach and landing tests in 1977 proved the orbiter could fly in the atmosphere and land like an airplane, except without power -- like a glider.