Vitality ORCHESTRA
PERUSALSCORE
Gala Flagello VITALITY
PERUSALSCORE
for orchestra
2022, rev. 2023
TRANSPOSED SCORE
Program Note
Vitality (2022) was written for the Aspen Conducting Academy 2022 orchestral readings and was inspired by a quote by Martha Graham: “There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening, that is translated through you into action and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost ” Graham begins in celebration of discovery and hope (the what), then reflects upon the process (the how), and closes with a warning (the why). The piece loosely follows this structure, musically exploring the prickly and potent glimmers of one’s life force alongside the uncertainty of self-expression and vulnerability.
Vitality was written in memory of my friend and fellow horn player Marina Krol Hodge (1994–2022) and my father-in-law Steve Williams (1958–2022), both of whom left this world too soon but were the very embodiment of unique expression. Their bright spirits are present in the brass features that appear throughout the work. Thank you to the Aspen Music Festival and School for breathing life into Vitality
Instrumentation
Piccolo
Flute 1-2
Oboe 1-2
English Horn
Clarinet in Bb 1-2
Bass Clarinet in Bb Bassoon 1-2
Contrabassoon
Horn in F 1-4
Trumpet in Bb 1-3 (Straight Mute)
Trombone 1-3 (Straight Mute)
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion 1: Snare Drum, Vibraphone, Bass Drum
Percussion 2: Suspended Cymbal
Harp
Piano
Strings
PERUSALSCORE
Duration: c. 6 minutes
Second printing, April 2023
Copyright © 2022 Gala Flagello (BMI). All Rights Reserved. Program Note Copyright © 2022 Gala Flagello. All Rights Reserved.
Published by Just a Theory Press | www.justatheorypress.com
-Gala Flagello 2022
