Matthew A. Bardin Aurora Wind Ensemble 2020
Instrumentation: 2 Flutes 2 Oboes 2 Bassoons Contrabassoon E-flat Clarinet 3 B-flat Clarinets B-flat Bass Clarinet (Low C attachment necessary) B-flat Contrabass Clarinet 2 E-flat Alto Saxophones B-flat Tenor Saxophone E-flat Baritone Saxophone 3 B-flat Trumpets (with Harmon Mutes) 4 F Horns 2 Trombones (with Harmon Mutes) Bass Trombone (with Harmon Mutes) Euphonium Tuba 4 Timpani (see percussion guide) 4 Percussion (see percussion guide) Piano
Percussion Guide: Timpani:
Percussion I:
Percussion II: Vibraphone: The motor should be on at a medium speed for the duration of the piece. The vibraphone should be played with both mallets and bows as indicated.
Percussion III:
Percussion IV:
Performance/Notation Notes: Text indicators are also given for percussion instrument changes. This piece is intended to be performed with between one and four performers per part as needed by the ensemble. Brass mutes should remain inserted into the instruments indicated for the duration of the piece. Accidentals carry through the measure, but not the octave. Relationships between tempos should be observed, but a little flexibility is allowed as needed by the ensemble. (if one tempo is taken faster or slower, then all the others should be adjusted accordingly) When breathing take care to stagger your breaths with your neighbor so the sound is not interrupted. Especially when “breathe ad lib” is indicated on droning notes. The symbols below indicate that the performer should crescendo/decrescendo from/to as close to silence as physically possible.
This symbol is reserved for the clarinets. Other instruments should view the ppp dynamic as ‘as soft as possible while still maintaining balance and tone’. In the score, Horns I & II, and Horns III & IV are notated on the same line, but are divisi throughout, unless otherwise indicated. Fermatas should be held for the approximate duration indicated.
Program Notes:
This work is inspired by the natural phenomena of auroras. While not completely understood, this occurrence is believed to be caused by interactions between solar wind being emitted by the Sun and the Earth’s magnetic poles. At a simplified level, the strong magnetic field of the Earth at its poles disrupts the cosmic wind, resulting in a visible reaction. The colors and shapes seen can vary due to a variety of environmental factors such as temperature, distance from the magnetic poles, elevation, and chemical atmospheric makeup.
The results of these interactions produce a dynamically changing pattern of light that is continually changing shape, location, and hue for as long as it is visible. My work Aurora was inspired by this changing nature and shimmering hues of light. By gradually shifting the instrumental timbres, building multiple harmonic spectra at once, and developing a continual background movement I hope to be able to capture the essence of an Aurora.
For more information, please visit matthewbardin.com/aurora Any questions may be directly to the composer via matthewbardin.com/contact Approximately 6-7 minutes in duration. Completed 04/30/2020 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana