Firepower

Firepower is a blazing fast work that suggests spectacular fireworks and other such explosions with off-beat accents in the driving snare drum and timpani. Set in the standard fast-slow-fast sections, an alto saxophone soloist moves into the spotlight during the slower expressive section.

Genre: Band | # of Players: Standard
Level: 4 | Duration: 5:50

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

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

String Bass*

Timpani/Suspended Cymbal
Percussion 1 (xylophone, glockenspiel)
Percussion 2 (1 or more snare drums, suspended cymbal, triangle)

*Parts marked with an asterisk (*) are not essential, although their presence will obviously enable a fuller realization of the composer's intentions to be achieved.

Program Notes
Firepower was the code name for the planning of the 1997 Royal Tournament by Michael Parker (producer). I met Michael Parker in the summer of 1996 and he outlined an idea based on a firework festival he had seen in Valencia Spain. This sparked off some musical ideas and the result is this piece. The off-beat accents in the percussion part suggests explosions, and there are moments which suggest spectacular fireworks. The work is in three sections, two very fast outer parts surrounding a slower, more expressive opportunity for the alto sax soloist.