The New Dawn is a piece I wrote for concert band, and is going to be part of a concert series called the Dreamspace series. The series will be about three dreams, one of fame, one of flight and one of fear, which is followed by the end of the night and the rising of the sun. Below is the programme notes for the piece, which tells the conductor my vision for the piece and how it is to be played. The audio is from Musescore 4 The New Dawn signals the rising of the sun, and with it, the ending to the Dreamspace. This piece is about the image of the sun rising over a small town, bringing with it warmth, joy and life. We open the piece in that awkward, gloomy light just before the sun rises, where shadows are still able to frighten, as we struggle to make out what they might be. The flutes, bassoons and clarinets create this slightly ominous atmosphere, while the oboe and alto saxophone carry an odd and awkward melody. As the sun starts to rise, the flutes change into a warmer; yet still swirly; accompaniment, and are joined by the saxophones. They are like the fog lifting and revealing the clouds. The first trumpet and euphonium then herald the rising of the sun, with the brass giving a fanfare-like accompaniment to this gently rising theme, as we start to feel the sun’s warmth chase away the fear that comes with the dark. The first melody then comes back in the horns and saxophones, but now in a major key, signalling the full sunrise in all its multicoloured splendour, as we reach the climax of the first section. Our next section starts with the main fragment of the melody being passed around the lower instruments, as we transition from this glorious sunrise to someone just stirring from their slumber. Here, a flute solo takes the melody, while the clarinets; and later the saxophones create a melodic, flowing accompaniment. This section represents the safety and security you feel as you awaken; feeling ready for the day yet still cozy and comfy, happy to stay in bed and relax. As we transition again into the final section, the upper winds take over the melodic fragmentation we heard earlier. We move back to the sun, now fully risen over the horizon and embrace the warmth and energy it brings. This section is the most energetic and, with the accelerando the melody that was heard earlier, now becomes faster and more lively. The trumpets and horns take the melody, while the winds have energetic flourishes and runs, and the brass and saxophones bring the power in the chords. This section is the climax of the whole piece, and should be played with as much energy as possible, without overwhelming the senses. music instrumental
- Composer
- Orchestrator
- Writer