Two preludes for orchestra
Commissioned by Harvey Felder and the Tacoma Symphony (Washington State)
Duration: 5min.
NOTES
Prelude and Entr'acte was commissioned by The Tacoma
Symphony, under the direction of Harvey Felder, for their "Millennium Season"-
2000-2001, and received its premiere in February of 2001. Upon the suggestion of
Mr. Felder, the pieces are designed to act as related fanfares opening the first
and second halves of a single concert, and are thus based on the same musical
material. Both begin with the harmonically ambiguous interval of a tritone
(an augmented fourth) and then playfully toy with the two different keys to
which it belongs. The Prelude is in A major and features strong brass and
percussion, with a mysteriously quiet middle section in E flat. The Entr'acte,
conversely, begins with the mysterious E flat music and builds to the loud A major
music before returning quietly to a peaceful conclusion back in E flat. Each is
thus a mirror of the other, and the end of the Entr'acte leads smoothly back to
the opening of the Prelude. The ideal performance would thus circle endlessly forever…(!)
Instrumentation
flute 1, 2
oboe 1, 2
clarinet 1, 2 (Prelude- in A; Entr'acte- in B flat)
bassoons 1, 2
horns 1, 2, in F
trumpets 1, 2 in C
trombones 1, 2, 3
tuba
timpani
percussion 1:
vibraphone, orchestra bells
percussion 2:
parade drum, bass drum
percussion 3:
2 temple blocks- med. and high, 2 suspended cymbals- low and high, tamtam
strings
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