for wind ensemble
(2020)
Program Note
Nemean Lion comes from Greek mythology, specically the rst of Hercules' twelve labors. ere are many versions of this myth, but the "too long; didn’t read" version says that the lion was sent to Nemea (in modern-day Corinthia), to terrorize the city. In one version of the myth, the Lion would lure heroes to their doom by using women as bait who would then turn into a lion when the hero would arrive at the lion’s den. e lion was impervious to arrows due to its golden fur, but Hercules was eventually triumphant and was able to defeat the lion with his bare hands. is would be the rst of 12 trials that Hercules would complete on his path to becoming immortal.
Growing up, Hercules (the Disney version) was my favorite 90’s lm. Maybe this was because I thought the adventure of realizing power was not as important as love. Maybe it was because the character of Meg was the rst independent female character in Disney who spoke her mind, and showed me that women have a voice and agency when most other media for kids at the time said otherwise. Or perhaps it was because it has the best sassy gay villain in cartoon history. Finally, it totally could have been my 7-year-old self subliminally catching on to my own queerness with a muscular man who is wearing a sleeveless set of armor and a skirt half the lm. Regardless, when I discovered the source material for this myth, I knew that it could be an interesting twist on a story I have always liked.
e pulsing rhythms that stay fairly constant throughout the piece represent what feels like the endless trials of life: the repetitive motions of work-life balance and the occasional trips and falls. e swells that occur in the brass represent the feeling that time seems to be standing still while everyone around you is moving quickly. When comparing this to the myth of the Nemean Lion, this is only Hercules’ rst labor and is supposed to have been the easiest. To me, this feels like where I am currently am in life. e rst trial has ended, and the work of life is getting harder which is why the piece ends on a big chord that seems somewhat unresolved.
PERUSALSCORE
Copyright © 2020 by Spencer Arias (ASCAP). All Rights Reserved. Program Note Copyright © 2020 by Spencer Arias (ASCAP). Published by Just a eory Press | www.justatheorypress.com
Commissioned by and dedicated to the Michigan State University Bands Winner of the Jere Hutcheson Large Ensemble Competition
PERUSALSCORE
Duration: c. 5 minutes
Instrumentation
Piccolo
2 Flutes
Oboe
3 Clarinets in B♭
Bass Clarinet in B♭
Bassoon
2 Alto Saxophones
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
4 Horns in F
3 Trumpets in B♭
2 Trombones
Bass Trombone
Euphonium Tuba
Timpani
Percussion 1
Snare Drum
Percussion 2
Hi=Hat, Tom-toms (3; high, medium and low), Tam-tam
Percussion 3
Suspended Cymbal, Bass Drum, Woodblock
Xylophone
Marimba
PERUSALSCORE
Duration: c. 5 minutes
Second Printing: August 2021
More info on the composer is available at: www.spencerarias.com Scores and performance materials are available from the publisher at www.justatheorypress.com
PERUSALSCORE
Percussion 1
Snare Drum
Percussion 2 Hi-Hat, Tom-toms, Tam-tam
Percussion 3 Suspended Cymbal, Bass Drum, Wood Block
Xylophone
Marimba