Wind Down (Band Gr. 3)

Like a wind-up watch losing the ability to keep time, Wind Down begins with lively, upbeat material before gradually calming down into a slow coda.

Genre: Band | # of Players: Standard
Level: 3 | Duration: 5:00

Instrumentation
Flute 1
Flute 2
Oboe (optional)
Bassoon (optional)
B-flat Clarinet 1
B-flat Clarinet 2
Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone 1
Alto Saxophone 2
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone

B-flat Trumpet 1
B-flat Trumpet 2
F Horn
Trombone 1
Trombone 2
Euphonium
B-flat Baritone T.C.
Tuba

Timpani (4 drums)
Vibraphone (optional)
Marimba (4-oct.) (optional)
Percussion 1: Sandpaper Blocks, 2 Concert Toms
Percussion 2: Suspended Cymbal, Tambourine
Percussion 3: Triangle, Bass Drum

Program Notes
The concept behind Wind Down was my desire to take a common structural model and turn it upside down. While there are a great number of pieces for band that are built with a slow introduction followed by a fast, energetic main section, there are far fewer that do the reverse. So my goal in Wind Down was to present the lively, upbeat material first, and then to end the piece with a slow coda. Most of the thematic and harmonic material is presented and developed fully in the first part of the composition, and then fragmented and juxtaposed by its conclusion. The title Wind Down describes the way the music gradually calms down toward the end, like a wind-up watch that is losing the ability to keep time.