Highforce - Brass Dectet

Highforce takes its name from a waterfall on the River Tees in County Durham. I travelled there on holiday in 2010 and found this magical waterfall both exhilarating and calming. In this composition I've attempted to reflect both the meandering nature of the water upstream and the torrential flow as the entire River Tees plunges over a precipice. These two contrasting feelings are musically interpreted by several contrasting rhythmic grooves. The piece starts with a restless figure in 21/8 (three bars of 5/8 and one of 3/4) that suggests the uneven bubbling of the river. The juxtaposition of various time signatures continues until the music builds to a climax, which finishes with a dramatic stop. The piece then moves immediately into a relaxed reggae feel with trumpet and trombone solos, this dreamy section with marimba and tuba (playing a bass guitar role) suggesting the Caribbean perhaps and reflects the falls on a calm summer day. The piece then moves into a majestic recapitulation of the 5/8 theme but this time in 3/4 time giving it a much steadier constant and more even feel. The piece finishes with another buildup and another dramatic stop finish from the tutti brass.

Parts include: 4 trumpets, horn, 4 trombones, tuba, drum kit, marimba