Commission opportunity
- Grade level – 5
- Duration – 4 movements – 17 minutes
- Buy-in – $800
- Instrumentation – large wind ensemble (optional instruments – harp, contrabassoon, contrabass clarinet)
- Exclusivity period – September 2025-June 30, 2026
Midi audio sketches
TALES OF SCIENCE AND MAGIC is a big one, the next step in my effort to create large-scale, ambitious, 21st Century repertoire for wind ensemble, following up on the direction set by THE TIME TRAVELER. It’s specifically designed to present an absorbing and challenging journey for the musicians as they work to prepare it. The subject matter in this case is my favorite literature – science fiction and fantasy, the language of the imagination.
Movement I, called SENSE OF WONDER, sets the tone for the suite. It is named after that mysterious quality which every author of imaginative fiction tries to evoke in their readers. It has a “long-line“ melody and relies heavily on percussion, piano, harp and mallets to create a hypnotic motion and an other-worldly attitude.
Movement II, CITY OF LIGHT, is a futuristic, high-energy, arena rock fanfare, featuring an aggressive use of drum set and dynamic brass to drive the ensemble. It’s a tribute to the early days of science fiction, back when many thought that the mastery of science would lead us to solve all of our problems and to create a paradise on earth. Things didn’t quite turn out that way (who knew?), but I love the sheer flaming optimism of that period. At any rate, CITY OF LIGHT is bright and forward-thinking to an extreme, energetic and fast-paced.
Movement III, THE SORCERER, is classic fantasy, set in the dramatic and colorful story-telling style of a symphonic poem or a film score, emphasizing instrumental color and moving through a number of tempo and mood changes as it unfurls its story.
Movement IV, entitled NEXT, is a slightly darker look at an ambiguous future fraught with change. It starts out with disjointed fragments, which eventually become knit together by a connective tissue of melody and harmony before taking off for parts unknown. As I was writing it, NEXT surprised me again and again as it took many an unexpected turn, portraying an intense and powerful, but ultimately unknowable, future.
Tales of Science and Magic score sample
Timeline
- Now-August 2024 – first half of fee due
- Spring 2024 – read-throughs, rehearsal recordings and feedback period for any who are interested in participating
- Summer 2024 – delivery of scores and parts
- September 2025-June 30, 2026 – exclusivity period, performances