Lexicon of the Gods (Band Gr. 5)

This programmatic work depicts three great Mythological Gods: Perseus, the Greek hero and legendary founder of Mycenae, Penthos, the spirit of grief and lamentation, and lastly, Zeus, who ruled as King of the Gods on Mount Olympus.

Genre: Band | # of Players: Standard
Series:
Level: 5 | Duration: 9:45

Instrumentation
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

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)
Bass Trombone (1)
Euphonium (2)
B-flat Baritone T.C. (2)
Tuba (4)
String Bass (1, optional)

Timpani (4 drums)
Mallets: Glockenspiel, Xylophone, Vibraphone
Percussion 1-2: Triangle, Crash Cymbals, Suspended Cymbal
Percussion 3: Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Low Tom, Triangle

Program Notes
This programmatic work depicts three great Mythological Gods: Perseus, the Greek hero and legendary founder of Mycenae, Penthos, the spirit of grief and lamentation, and lastly, Zeus, who ruled as King of the Gods on Mount Olympus.

I: Perseus: Slayer of Medusa, is a rousing, dramatic piece with a heroic trumpet theme. The piece develops into a flowing, melodic section that is accompanied by a rhythmic pulse in the lower reeds and brass. The main theme returns with a grand, stately tempo incorporating the full ensemble. It ends with a coda that, like the sword that Perseus wields, is fast, exciting, and rhythmic.

II: Penthos: the Spirit of Grief is a lyrical, plaintiff meditation on human dissolving into a contemplative mood.

III: Zeus: God of Sky and Thunder. To represent the strength and power of the Dyaus Pita or Sky Father, this section opens with a powerful brass theme and stalwart orchestrations. The second theme uses warm, rich thematic material before moving into a recapitulation of the first melodic idea. The coda utilizes chordal brass to bring this epic work to its stirring conclusion.