AUGUSTA READ THOMAS
Augusta Read Thomas Scores also available from Nimbus Music Publishing
Avian Escapades for Woodwind Quintet NMP1030
Avian Capriccio for Brass Quintet NMP1031
Venus Enchanted available for violin NMP1032 for viola NMP1033 for cello NMP1034
Rhea Enchanted available for violin NMP1035 for viola NMP1036 for cello NMP1037
Rainbow Bridge to Paradise available for violin NMP1043 for viola NMP1044 for cello NMP1045
Chi for String Quartet NMP1048
For more details go to www.wyastone.co.uk/nmp
Augusta Read Thomas AVIAN CAPRICCIO (for
Brass Quintet)
Copyright © 2016 by Augusta Read Thomas (ASCAP) Exclusively licensed to Nimbus Music Publishing, Wyastone Estate Limited International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.
First published in 2016 by Nimbus Music Publishing Wyastone Leys, Monmouth, NP25 3SR, United Kingdom
ISMN: 979-0-708129-30-1
For more information contact Nimbus Music Publishing, Wyastone Leys, Monmouth, NP25 3SR, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 1600 890 007
Fax: +44 1600 891 052
Email: publishing@wyastone.co.uk www.wyastone.co.uk - www.augustareadthomas.com
Commissioned by Axiom Brass in celebration of their 10th Anniversary Premiered by Axiom Brass on September 16, 2016
Dedicated with admiration to Axiom Brass
AVIAN CAPRICCIO
(for Brass Quintet)
I. Hummingbirds
II. Swans
III. Canaries
Movements can be played together, in the order listed above, or any movement can be played independently as a stand-alone work, or any two movements can be played as a pair in any order.
To be performed along with dancers when feasible.
DURATION: 12 minutes
I: Hummingbirds – duration approx. 4 minutes and 30 seconds
II: Swans – duration approx. 4 minutes
III: Canaries – duration approx. 4 minutes
NOTES
If it is helpful to have abstract images in mind and ear as you hear the music, for movement #1, please imagine the musicians as playful, capricious, virtuosic hummingbirds darting around a garden, whizzing across multifaceted, rapid-changing chord progressions in a bebop-like fast tempo. For movement #2, swans majestically foating in a lake, as the morning sun gradually rises, are infused with Bill Evans’ impressionist harmony and trademark rhythmically independent, singing melodic lines. For movement #3, please envision active, jaunty and alert canaries crisscrossing the perfumes of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird Suite and Ornithology.
There are no quotes or paraphrases of any music in AVIAN CAPRICCIO. Every note of the quintet is part of an integrated, wholly original composition.
There are only seven dynamics used in this score (niente, pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff) so that each “level” of volume has a clear meaning and sound. Often dynamics are staggered and layered; thus it is especially important that musicians play their individual dynamics and not be swayed to change their dynamic if someone is playing a great deal quieter or louder.
The words sempre and subito are used to help clarify the layered dynamic textures.
Occasionally, where there are short instrumental soli, the term molto rubato or rubato is used and means that it is not necessary to mechanically play the exact rhythm (sextuplet, quintuplet, small triplet, etc.) but rather that one can consider those rhythms more gesturally. Molto rubato does not mean to drastically slow down or speed up the tempo.
Commissioned by Axiom Brass in celebration of their 10th Anniversary
AVIAN CAPRICCIO (for
Brass Quintet)
When feasible, this music should be played standing. This music can be performed along with dancers when feasible.
Playful and energized q = 116–120 Score in C
I. Hummingbirds
Augusta Read Thomas (2016)
Trumpet 1 in C
Trumpet 2 in C
Horn in F
Trombone
Tuba
II. Swans
Tpt.
Tpt.
