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Emblems

From Wind Repertory Project

Aaron Copland

1 General Info
2 Instrumentation
3 Errata
4 Program Notes
5 Commercial Discography
6 State Ratings
7 Recent Performances
8 Works for Winds by this Composer
9 Additional Resources

General Info

Year: 1964
Duration: 11:30
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.
Cost: Score and Parts - $140.00 | Score Only - $22.50

Instrumentation

Full Score
Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
Eb Soprano Clarinet
Bb Soprano Clarinet I-II
Eb Alto Clarinet
Bb Bass Clarinet
Bb Contrabass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
Cornet (in Bb) I-II-III
Trumpet (in Bb) I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium I-II
Tuba I-II
String Bass (ad lib)
Timpani
Piano and Celesta
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Bongos
Congas
Cymbals (crash and suspended)
Glockenspiel
Snare Drum
Tam-Tam
Tenor Drum
Triangle
Wood Block
Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

In May, 1963, I received a letter from Keith Wilson, President of the College Band Directors National Association, asking me to accept a commission from that organization to compose a work for band. He wrote: 'The purpose of this commission is to enrich the band repertory with music that is representative of the composer's best work, and not one written with all sorts of technical or practical limitations.' That was the origin of Emblems. I began work on the piece in the summer of 1964 and completed it in November of that year. It was first played at the CBDNA National Convention in Tempe, Arizona, on December 18, 1964, by the Trojan Band of the University of Southern California, conducted by William Schaefer.

Keeping Mr. Wilson's injunction in mind, I wanted to write a work that was challenging to young players without overstraining their technical abilities. The work ist tripartite in form: slow-fast-slow, with the return of the first part varied. Embedded in the quiet, slow music the listener may hear a brief quotation of a well known hymn tube, 'Amazing Grace', published by William Walker in The Southern Harmony in 1835. Curiously enough, the accompanying harmonies had been conceived first, without reference to any tune. It was only a chance of perusal of a recent anthology of old 'Music in America' that made me realize a connection existed between my harmonies and the old hymn tune.

An emblem stands for something - it is a symbol. I called the work Emblems because it seemed to me to suggest musical states of being: noble or aspirational feelings, playful or spirited feelings. The exact nature of these emblematic sounds must be determined for himself by each listener."

-Program Note by Aaron Copland