Snow (Digital Download)

Snow 2nd Edition Program Notes

The piece Snow occupies a special place in my heart. This was the first of any of my compositions to be performed live. It was originally written in 2014 then finalized and performed in the spring of 2015. The second edition of my now complete “Weather Suite” is completed in honor of the 10th anniversary of the writing of Snow.

This new edition of Snow has the most modifications of all the three second edition pieces. The orchestration had been standardized, and parts have been rearranged to better suit the range of the instruments. In Snow I have also extended sections, added better clarification on pauses, and modified some melodies to better fit the mood of the piece.

I’ve extended the introduction by a couple of measures to build more suspense and to extend the accelerando. The first storm section of the piece has remained mostly the same with some small changes in dynamics. In the second section, most changes are in voicings. I have taken the 16th notes out of the lower woodwinds and contained them all to the Xylophone and sleighbells, which will pierce through the texture of this section.

I made major changes to the second storm section to create a more chaotic feeling, and to build more energy. I have included the horns and trumpets in the held-out notes to bring more intensity to that gesture. The low brass and low woodwinds have a delayed and extended entrance to their melody. This delay brings an unexpectedness and more chaotic intensity to this section of the storm. I have also included more of the percussion into the unified roll, which adds another layer of intensity to low brass and low woodwinds entrance. The ending section of the piece has changed very little from the original ending. The only significant change was to take the grand pause out of the end and a simple measure of rest was added in its place. This measure can be held out longer or shorter as the conductor feels necessary.

The piece still consists of four main parts:

·      Introduction and first storm (mm. 1-62)

·      The wonder of a snow filled scene (mm. 63-91)

·      The second storm (mm. 92-133)

·      Ending/Storm is over, peaceful moment (134-end)

Each part comes together to tell the story of an intense snowstorm that appears suddenly, to only clear and show the listener what can be created through chaos. The storm then returns, and the process starts all over again, for the end to reveal a beautiful snow scene with a soft quiet finish.

It is my great honor to dedicate this piece to Dr. Gary Ziek who took a chance on me nine years ago and programed this piece on his concert. I appreciate your guidance, clarity, and honesty in helping guide me through the start of my career. Thank you so much for everything.

Original Program Notes

Snow (2015) is the first movement in a suite of four songs for band. It was written in the beginning of 2014 and edited until the month it was performed. The piece starts off very ominous like there is a snow storm approaching. As you start to see a couple of little snowflakes falling, the piece speeds up until you are engulfed in a full fledged ostinato blizzard. You are engulfed by the storm and have no idea what is going on until finally the storm lets up. You then hear a more calm sound and have more of a sense of what is going on around you. You then start to look around at the snow covered landscape and realize the beauty of the snow and how Mother Nature creates beauty from chaos. You are so memorized by the beauty that you don't see the other blizzard coming in and it catches you by surprise, wrapping you up again in the same ostinato. As you go through the crazy and confusing storm again, and you realize the power of Mother Nature and realize you insignificant you are to her. Like all chaos though it subsides again, and you once again realize the grandeur and power of her. You finally understand how we have to respect nature and its power. At the end of the piece you fall asleep with a sense of comfort, feeling that you understand your place in nature, and know how you should treat her.

Duration: 5:25

Instrumentation: 2 Flutes, Oboe, 2 Bassoons, 3 Clarinets in Bb, Bass Clarinet in Bb, 2 Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, 3 Trumpets in Bb, 4 Horns in F, 3 Trombones, Euphonium, Tuba, Timpani, Suspended Cymbal, Triangle, Bass Drum, Tam-Tam, Vibraphone, Chimes, Glockenspiel, Temple Blockes, Snare Drum, Toms, Claves, Wind Chimes, Xylophone