In the Shadow of Giants - Nathan Daughtrey [DIGITAL]

Commissioned by the Ferris High School Percussion Ensemble in Spokane, WA, In the Shadow of Giants is an 11-minute celebration of 4 mountain peaks in the Pacific Northwest – Mt. Rainier (The Beast), Mt. St. Helens (The Lady of Fire), Mt. Adams (Sleeping Beauty), and Mt. Hood (Retreat).

Genre: Percussion Ensemble | # of Players: 14-16
Series:
Level: Medium Advanced | Duration: 11:00

Instrumentation
Player 1: Bells, Crotales (2 octaves), 2 Piccolo Woodblocks
Player 2: Vibraphone 1, Temple Blocks
Player 3: Vibraphone 2, Log Drum (4 pitches)
Player 4: Vibraphone 3, Medium Woodblock (bonus part*)
Player 5: Chimes, Xylophone, Brake Drum
Player 6: Xylophone, Brake Drum, Bongos
Player 7: Marimba 1 (4.0-octave), Floor Tom
Player 8: Marimba 2 (4.3-octave), Floor Tom
Player 9: Marimba 3 (4.3-octave)
Player 10: Marimba 4 (5.0-octave)
Player 11: Marimba 5 (5.0, octave, bonus part*)
Player 12: 4 Timpani, Sizzle Cymbal, China Cymbal
Player 13: Snare Drum, Field Drum, Hi-Hat
Player 14: 4 Concert Toms, Suspended Cymbal, China, Cymbal, Tambourine
Player 15: Suspended Cymbal, China Cymbal, Shaker, 2 One-Shot Shakers, Djembe
Player 16: 2 Concert Bass Drums*, Tam-Tam

*Optional: Bass Drum 1 may be prepared by adding something to make it "sizzle" when struck (a chain draped across the head or rice/ball bearings on the head with cling wrap covering the entire head). Experiment to find the best option for your instrument.

Program Notes
Commissioned by the Ferris High School Percussion Ensemble in Spokane, WA, In the Shadow of Giants is an 11-minute celebration of four mountain peaks in the Pacific Northwest – Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Hood. The piece is through-composed, so each section flows seamlessly into the next.

The introduction, subtitled CASCADIA, uses a three-pitch motive (Eb-Db-Bb) derived from the letters PNW (Pacific Northwest), It is filled with echoic figures in the wooden instruments and rims, persistent quarters notes in the timpani and bass drum, an expansive marimba chorale, and always-ascending figures in the metallic keyboards, building to a brief climax.

The dust quickly settles and we transition into THE BEAST. At 14,410 feet, Mt. Rainier is the highest peak in the contiguous United States. Majestic, tall, and glacier-covered, it is the most dangerous active volcano in the world. Against the backdrop of ever-ascending figures in the low marimbas, echoes of the intro are heard before the metallic keyboards first present the RAINIER theme, using pitches also derived from its letters (F-A-Ab-Db-Ab-E-F). After the first full statement, drums, cymbals, brake drum, and marching machine combine forces for a more dangerous martial presentation of the theme in the marimbas. The music continues to intensify, returning to a more exciting statement of the PNW theme until an explosion causes the bottom to drop out, leaving only the marimbas to lead us to the next peak.

Standing at 8,363 feet, Mt. St. Helens is also an active volcano. THE LADY OF FIRE is the unpredictable wild child that blew its top in a fit of rage in 1920. The music features a relentless ostinato in the low marimbas & log drum that literally spells out the peak’s name (C-Db-Db-Bb-F-Bb-G-C). The time signature alternates between 4/4 and 7/8, leaning into the unpredictability of the volcano, while the drums & cymbals keep the intensity alive, even at softer dynamics. The melodic material, also derived from the Mt. Rainier pitch set, first appears in the metallic keyboards. The ostinato from the low marimbas ascends into the vibraphones, creating a sparkling background for a string-like chorale presentation of the melody in the marimbas. Tension grows once again, leading to another eruption before players begin dropping out one-by-one, leaving only the Bells to provide the smooth transition into the next section. Echoes of Cascadia and the PNW motive tie everything together.

Sitting in the shadow of Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams is the second tallest mountain in Washington, coming in at 12,276 feet. Unlike Rainier & St. Helens, SLEEPING BEAUTY is extremely calm with zero volcanic activity for over 1,000 years. As such, the simply 5-note ADAMS melody (A-C-A-A-Eb) is presented first like a music box in the bells and vibraphones, followed by a more lush setting in the marimbas with cascading arpeggios in the metallic keyboards. After one final calm statement, the pieces smoothly transitions into a slow 6/8 that quickly gains momentum, accelerating into a bright new tempo for the fourth and final peak.

Widely considered to be the gem of Oregon, Mt. Hood stands at 11,249 feet and is a popular recreational spot with hiking, camping, a climbable summit, and four major ski areas – a true Retreat from day-to-day life. The simple four-note HOOD motive (F-C-C-Db) was the perfect jumping-off point for the most playful section of the piece. With time signatures that bounce from 6/8 to 3/4 to 6/8 to 7/8, the form of this section is a simple ABACA rondo. The “B” and “C” departures feature returns to the other mountain peaks – first to Rainier, then to a combination of St. Helens (ostinato in bells & vibes) and Adams (rolled marimbas) – each with quickly, incessant Mt. Hood interruptions.

The Finale features a return to the PNW theme against the exciting rhythmic & harmonic backdrop of Retreat. One final motivic Easter egg appears in the metallic keyboards from measure 302 through 306 – the stripped-down pitch sets from all four peaks stated as one long string of eighth notes.