[PUBLISHER: MIC]
Pentagram for Large Wind Ensemble was commissioned by James Gourlay with support from the Norwegian Composers Fund for RNCM Wind Orchestra and I have dedicated it to him.
1. Call and Awakening
2. Ritual I
3. De Profundis
4. Ritual II
5. Call and Conclusion
«Pentagram» is my third major composition for Winds. In 1992 I wrote «Arctic Landscape» for Wind Ensemble and in 1994 «Triade» for Large Wind Ensemble.
The five movements create a symmetric pattern with the third movement,
«De Profundis», as the central movement.
The middle-movement (third movm) contains two kind of music: a powerful and mighty tuba-quartet and a Bach-chorale «Ach Gott, erhör mein seufzen und wehklagen» (BWV 254).
The chorale is played very softly so what we mainly hear is the four Tubas (two Basses and two Euphoniums) and material derived from the tuba-music that occurs in other parts.
In the second movement the attraction point is a duet between Marimba and Xylophone and a Drum-part that keep playing a simple pattern.
The short notes played by Wood Wind and Brass are derived from two different rhythmic and harmonic patterns that only meets occasionally.
The fourth movement makes use of the same material as the second movement, but I try to tell a different story. However, the two movements in meant to be «to sides of the same case».
The first movement is slow music. The Trumpet plays a figure that is repeated in English Horn and in two «echo-parts» (Clarinet and Oboe). The music grows towards a short fanfare-passage for full brass section and Timpani/Percussion. This is followed by soft, murmuring music before the Solo Clarinet comes through and ends the movement.
In the fifth movement I had to complete my idea about symmetry and correspondence between the movements. I composed a short tutti-passage of fanfare-like music and I used the Solo Clarinet again as I did at the end of the first movement.
After a cadenza the Clarinet playes the notes that ended the first movement. Now you will hear some material from the beginning of the first movement in a reworked version (basically in retrograde), until the music fades away.
