Fantasy Triptych

With inspiration taken from composers Maurice Ravel, Arthur Benjamin and Charles Ives, Bourgeois takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to this challenging 3-movement work. While Fantasy Triptych is infused with humor throughout, it still showcases his mastery of the wind band idiom.

Genre: Band | # of Players: Standard
Level: 5.5 | Duration: 17:40

Instrumentation
Piccolo
Flute 1
Flute 2
Oboe 1/2
Eb Clarinet
Bb Clarinet 1
Bb Clarinet 2
Bb Clarinet 3
Eb Alto Clarinet
Bb Bass Clarinet
Bassoon 1/2
Alto Saxophone 1/2
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone

Bb Cornet 1
Bb Cornet 2/3
Bb Trumpet 1/2
Horn in F 1/2
Horn in F 3/4
Trombone 1
Trombone 2
Trombone 3
Euphonium
Baritone T.C.
Tuba

String Bass

Percussion 1 (4 timpani, snare drum, glockenspiel, maracas, woodblock, suspended cymbal, tenor drum, tambourine, crash cymbals)
Percussion 2 (bass drum, xylophone, bongos, whip, crash cymbals, tam-tam, glockenspiel, chimes, tenor drum, woodblock, tambourine, vibraphone, snare drum) *Duplicate instruments between the two percussion parts are to be shared.

Program Notes
In 1972, I wrote a Sonata for Two Pianos for two friends who were piano teachers at Wellington College. When in 1995 I was asked to write a work for wind band, I returned to this Sonata and have re-arranged and in the new version renamed it Fantasy Triptych.

There are three movements:
1. Le Tombeau d'Arthur Benjamin
Ravel wrote 'Le Tombeau de Couperin,' Arthur Benjamin wrote 'Le Tombeau de Ravel' and so the temptation to write 'Le Tombeau d'Arthur Benjamin' was overwhelming. At the end of the movement there is an oblique reference to Benjamin's own 'Jamaican Rumba' which accompanies a quote from an old Spanish folk song 'Loro, enciende el hervidor de agua.'

2. Mr. Bolt goes for a ride in his motor car, and Monsieur Ravel turns in his grave.
The movement is dedicated to an old friend, Geoffrey Bolt, who adores the music of Ravel. but at the time of writing was learning to drive. He always described his vehicle as a motor car. To describe him as an impatient motorist would be a gross understatement. The refined suavity of Ravel's music was in complete contrast to these early manifestations of road rage, hence the central angry outburst.

3. The War March of the Ostriche
The music of Charles Ives was fascinating me at the time of writing this movement and some of the influence has rubbed off in this rondo-like march. At the end there is a quote from the very beginning of the first movement. The title was inspired by the amusing antics of a group of ostriches during a visit to Bristol Zoo.

- Derek Bourgeois