Falcon of Egypt, The (Band Gr. 4)

The Falcon of Egypt is a bold, romantic and heroic work that takes the listener on a musical journey through the eyes of an Egyptian Falcon without using traditional Western harmony.

Genre: Band | # of Players: Standard
Series:
Level: 4 | Duration: 6:00

Instrumentation
Conductor's Score (8.5"x11")

Piccolo (1)
Flute 1 (4)
Flute 2 (4)
Oboe 1 (1)
Oboe 2 (1)
Bassoon 1 (1)
Bassoon 2 (1)
B-flat Clarinet 1 (4)
B-flat Clarinet 2 (4)
B-flat Clarinet 3 (4)
Bass Clarinet (2)
Alto Saxophone 1 (2)
Alto Saxophone 2 (2)
Tenor Saxophone (2)
Baritone Saxophone (1)

B-flat Trumpet 1 (3)
B-flat Trumpet 2 (3)
B-flat Trumpet 3 (3)
F Horn 1 (1)
F Horn 2 (1)
F Horn 3 (1)
F Horn 4 (1)
Trombone 1 (2)
Trombone 2 (2)
Trombone 3 (1)
Euphonium (2)
B-flat Baritone T.C. (2)
Tuba 1-2 (4)
String Bass (1)

Timpani (1)
Mallets: Bells, Vibraphone, Xylophone (1)
Percussion 1-2: Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Tambourine (2)
Percussion 3-4: Crash Cymbals, Suspended Cymbal (2)
Percussion 5: Triangle, Tambourine

Program Notes
The Falcon of Egypt is a bold, romantic and heroic work that takes the listener on a musical journey through the eyes of an Egyptian Falcon. The composition does not use traditional western harmony. I utilized the Phrygian mode to capture the essence of Egypt. The piece consists of three main themes. The opening melody introduces us to the Falcon, flying through Egypt. Robust brass lines accompanied by energetic woodwind ostinati. The second section captures the beauty of this creature by creating lush chords, lyrical themes and countermelodies. The final statement is strong, flowing and lyrical, accompanied by brass rhythms and percussive elements. The piece concludes with a slower, grandiose version of the main thematic statement.