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Scherzo-Fantasy on A Childrens Song
MP3 (11.15 Mo) : (by John Srutowski)71x⬇ 126x
| Composer : | Srutowski, John (1959 - ) | ||
| Instrumentation : | Wind ensemble | ||
| Style : | Classical | ||
| Arranger : | |||
| Publisher : | Srutowski, John | ||
| Date : | 2008 | ||
| Copyright : | Copyright © John Srutowski Music, All Rights Reserved | ||
| Added by johnsrutowski, 18 Aug 2009 This piece was conceived as a short training exercise (a loco-moto perpetuo, as it were) and virtuoso romp for symphonic band in the tradition of early 20th century composers (Casella), written primarily for the amusement of my good friend, and fine musician, Eric Fassbender. The simple melody of the beloved children's song, "I've Been Working On The Railroad," provides a surprisingly rich source for motivic material, either directly or through the use of various canonic devices. There are five divisions in the Scherzo-Fantasy, the first four separated by fanfare: Exposition, where most source material is presented in a more-or-less straightforward manner; Development, where the tune is subject to various treatments of contrasting colors, moods, and textures; Recapitulation, where prior material returns to accompany the tune, now morphed into a hymn-tune, then a march-hymn; Finale, a march grandioso where all motivic material returns outright, in counterpoint or ornamentally. A train horn interrupts the final cadence, and a short, descriptive coda concludes the piece, where the remaining more unmusical canonic derivations are utilized. The musical depictions of train horns that occur throughout represent the variety of harmonizations one may hear through the night air near our home in Michigan, USA. Yes- there is a snippet of the University of Southern California's "Tribute to Troy" within the coda. We are Trojan parents, and the tune fit quite well! The Scherzo-Fantasy also contains several recurring harmonic ideas, e.g. the melody harmonized with lowered 7ths and 3rds, and quartal harmony. These harmonizations are not only for the sake of variety, but also for the interesting results that fuel motivic development. Many thanks to Marty Tousignant for his suggestions and ideas. The humor suggested by the scherzo character of the piece is mostly broad (with apologies to Berlioz), but at times, certain gestures that occur within the "band" genre are gently parodied, and hopefully, they will be recognized and enjoyed by those familiar with them. Duration 9 minutes. Grade 4-5 (Advanced) | |||
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