DEATH OF SOCRATES
for Full Orchestra
Duration: 8 min
Orchestra
3 Flutes, 3rd doubling the Piccolo
3 Oboes
3 Clarinets in B-flat, 3rd doubling Clarinet in E-flat
3 Bassoons, 3rd doubling Contrabassoon
4 Horns in F
3 Trumpets in C
2 Trombones
Bass-Trombone
Tuba
Timpani: 30", 28", & 23"
3 Percussions:
2 Bass Drums, Glockenspiel, Snare Drum, 1 Slapstick, 1 Suspended Cymbal, Tam-tam, Tomtoms, Triangle, Vibraphone, Woodblocks, Xylophone, and 5 Temple Blocks
1 Harp
1 Piano
Violin I
Violin II
Viola Violoncello
Double Bass
(Min 8,8,6,6,4 )
Duration: ca. 7 min
Score in C
Except that the Piccolo and the Xylophone sounds one octave higher, the Glockenspiel sounds two octaves higher, the Contrabassoon and Double Bass sounds one octave lower unless indicated "real sound"
Program Note
Summer of 2005, I wandered into a NYC castle which houses a collection of art treasures Having been rather tired of my stubborn notion that music remained the most visceral art form, I wanted the castle to convert me I needed the art works to jump out the museum walls and capture me And I insisted that this miracle happen by accident
As we all know, amazing things occur on their own terms regardless of our egotistical little plans I followed my feet up the main stairway and instinct told me to turn left There it was, the over-sized painting by Jacques-Louis David titled The Death of Socrates Something about the word “death” defining the protagonist’s impassioned face struck me. Music immediately began emerging in my head, clearly born out of my increased heart rate “Dammit”, I thought to myself, “ I am brought to my knees by this painting and I still can’t help hearing the musical interpretation!”
The painting portrays the frozen moment when the infamous martyr achieves sainthood It's brilliant and should be enough for anyone But as a relentless composer, I had to unfreeze the moment, to give Socrates a heartbeat and to make him real, breathing right next to your ear If you pay attention, hemlock takes the heartbeat away, and leaves the breath to carry on the conversation
For my foreseeable future, music remains the most visceral art form after all
Northridge Prize:
Death of Socrates was the winning work of the 4th Edition Northridge Composition Prize
To order this edition & rent parts :
Please email your order to: wangjie@wangjiemusic com or Call in your order to: 212 380 1483
Wang Jie Music, ASCAP
209 West 109th Street, #5E, New York, NY 10025 New York, NY 10025
Date of printing: Dec 2013
Contact Wang Jie: 212 380 1483 www wangjiemusic com
-Wang Jie
DEATH OF SOCRATES
• Serenade in Isolation 12’ Violin Solo
• Dance for Two 15’ Percussion Solo
• Game for Two 13’ Two Pianos
• Faded Colors 10’ Piano Trio
• Waiting for the Beginning 15’ Fl, Cl, Vln, Vc, Pno&Toy Pno
• The Animal Carnival 15’ Soprano and String Quartet
• In Wind They Cleave 15’ Soprano, Baritone, Piano, Percussion, Violin, Cello
• Music for the Joy of Sextet 5’ Fl, Cl, Vln, Vla, Vc, Perc
• Concerto for Harpsichord and String Instruments 12’ Harpsichord, 2 Vla, Vc
• The Stranger 2 12’ Fl, Cl, Vln, Vc, Pno
• Five Phases of Spring 15' Fl, Cl, Tpt, Perc, & String Quartet
• I Died for Beauty 11’ Baritone, Vibraphone and Piano
• Three Miniature Etudes for the Joy of Organ Playing 5’ Organ Solo
• Symphony No 2 15’ 3333, 4331, timp, 3perc, hp, str
• From the Other Sky 17’ 111, 1111, 3perc, pno, hpsc & cel, singers, str
• Symphony No.1 15’ 3333, 4331, timp, 3perc, pno&cel, hp, str.
• Swamp’s Shore 7’ Sopr, 2222,4231, timp, 3perc, pno, hp, sopr, str.
• Five Faces of Joy 7’ String Orchestra & Celesta
• Oboe Concerto 20' Oboe and Chamber Orchestra
To Order Music for Purchase & Rent Orchestral Music:
• Email your order to: wangjie@wangjiemusic com or
• Call in your order to: 212-380-1483
To Learn More about Wang Jie's Rental Library
• Please visit: www wangjieonline com
Wang Jie Music
209 West 109th St #5E
New York, NY 10025
www wangjiemusic com
212 380 1483