Rush Hour
(2005)
8-part euphonium choir
Duration: 3:50
In 2005, my tuba professor Winston Morris formed a student euphonium choir (in addition to his full tuba ensemble) and asked if I would write something to be premiered at that year's Tennessee Music Educator's Association (TMEA) conference in Nashville. The previous year, Morris had recorded an album (Euphoniums Unlimited) with a group of alumni euphers and I had missed out on a chance to write for them, so I was eager to write something for the student group. My initial prompt for writing came from one of the "Harry Potter" films, a jazzier cue involving a double-decker bus. In particular, I borrowed (stole) a rhythm from near the beginning of that cue and constructed the rest of the piece around this. Being that I was—and still am—a poor student of jazz theory, much of the piece is based on a standard B-flat blues scale, along with some of the techniques and styles I had picked up playing bass trombone in a local swing-dance band. One of the main strengths of writing for my own instrument was knowing exactly what it's capable of. The piece utilizes extended ranges, both in the upper and lower extremities, as well as the somewhat rare euphonium mute for car horn effects. People unfamiliar with the full capabilities of the euphonium are often surprised when they hear this one. Recordings: "Euphonium Magic Vol. 3." featuring Steven Mead "MultiEuphonique Vol. I" featuring Jorijn van Hese Publisher: Cimarron Music |
|