Band Bass Clarinet, Bass Drum, Bassoon, Bells, Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2, Clarinet ...(+)
Band Bass Clarinet, Bass
Drum, Bassoon, Bells,
Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2,
Clarinet 3, Crash
Cymbals, Euphonium,
Euphonium T.C., Flute 1,
Flute 2, Horn 1, Horn 2,
Mallet Percussion 1,
Mallet Percussion 2,
Marimba, Oboe 1, Oboe 2,
Percussion 1 and more. -
Grade 3
SKU:
CF.CPS216
Composed by
Michael J. Miller.
Concert Band (CPS). Set
of Score and Parts. With
Standard notation.
8+2+4+2+8+16+16+4+4+4+4+4
+4+8+8+8+4+4+6+6+6+8+6+2+
2+4+10+36+4 pages.
Duration 3 minutes, 3
seconds. Carl Fischer
Music #CPS216. Published
by Carl Fischer Music
(CF.CPS216).
ISBN
9781491152423. UPC:
680160909926.
Cosmi
c Expedition takes
performers on a musical
journey far across the
galaxy via three main
sections. This
fanfare composition would
be perfect for opening a
concert. It has bold
brass fanfare figures
over textural woodwinds
to start and
then takes the
listener on a sonic
journey through a
variation of harmonic
colors, tambural and
textural
shifts.
Cosmic
Expedition takes
performers on a musical
journey far across the
galaxy via three main
sections. The first, a
rather celebratory and
triumphant fanfare in Bb
major begins with the
upper woodwinds and
percussion creating a
sound-screen, that is a
busy texture consisting
of a flurry of repeated
notes over which the
horns and alto saxophones
present the opening
theme. The sound-screen
should be carefully
balanced and give way to
the melody at m. 5, which
should be played
extremely marcato. The
timpani solo beginning in
m. 11 must not be
understated. A brief
percussion interlude
separates a restatement
of the opening theme,
this time with the
addition of the trumpet,
tenor saxophone, and
euphonium, and a counter
melody by the low winds.
The percussion interlude
is playful, light, but
full of vigor and energy.
An Ab in the low winds
pulls the harmony towards
G minor in m. 40 to start
the second section, a
more serious fanfare.
Here, the marimba repeats
an ostinato that is
complemented by the bass
drum and woodblock. The
upper woodwinds with the
xylophone and snare drum
dance over the stern
secondary fanfare. A
longing call lead by the
trombones, interrupted by
a subtle snare drum
beckons to the clarinets
and horn who begin the
third section of the
piece at m. 68. This
haunting melody in C
minor is legato, and
starkly contrasts all
which came before it. A
relentless concert
tom-tom played with hard
mallets keeps the
momentum persistent, and
a heartbeat-like pulse is
felt from the tuba and
baritone saxophone. The
melody rises towards m.
84 when the brass harken
back to the fanfare style
before fading back into
another lush woodwind
strain.A recapitulation
of the low winds’
call is heard at m. 100
which in this occasion
intensifies into an
emphatic statement by the
battery percussion
instruments. Now in Eb
major, the opening
fanfare theme is heard
again once more before
fading into the beginning
of the piece’s
conclusion.To end, the
counter melody from the
opening section duels
with chromatic tension
above before swelling to
an arrival in the
original key of Bb major.
The full ensemble
celebrates the
piece’s
resolution, and after a
few crunchy power chords
the journey is
completed.
Journey Through Harmon'
