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Electromagnetism / Nick Costanza [notated music]

Title

Electromagnetism [notated music]

Composer

Costanza, Nick, 1990-

Place of Publication/Creation

Orlando, FL

Published/Created

2017

Type of Material

notated music

Genre

notated music

Publisher

WALL OF SOUND, LL

Imprints

Wall of Sound, LL

1st.

Edition

1st.

Language

Unknown

Media

unmediated

Physical Description

1 score (271 pages) + 30 parts

Carrier

volume

Contents Note

Full Score (Transposing), Set of Parts.

Summary

This work was originally created for a Mini-Band: a chamber ensemble with the feel and instrumentation close to a traditional wind band. However, during the composition I knew that I wanted the music to be easily accessible to a large group of performers so as I wrote it I knew there would always be a full band version. The music itself is the same, with the only changes being in instrumentation and orchestration of certain sections. This composition is divided into three separate movements. -- The first movement, “Polarity,” deals with the properties of positive and negative charge, as well as the changing of that charge by moving electrons along an electrical current. It is broken into three subsections: the first representing direct current, the second representing ground, and the third representing alternating current. In this movement, the key centers of D-flat and G are analogues to North and South Poles, respectively, and this is established musically in the first section. The tonality of the two key areas does not change as in a direct current, the positive and negative ends remain constant with electrons always flowing from negative to positive. The ground section is a sink of sorts for electrons, where they are absorbed by the ground as a natural insulator. In the alternating current section, D-flat and G rapidly change between major and minor to represent the oscillating of charges in an alternating current. -- The second movement, “Coil,” explores the effects of using an electromagnetic coil. Coils are usually strips of copper wire or other conductive material that are wound in the shape of a coil, spiral, or helix, and when an electrical current is run through the wire a circular magnetic field is generated. The magnetic fields generated by the separate turns of wire all pass through the center of the coil and superpose (add onto each other) to produce a strong field there. To represent this idea musically, I used musical palindromes; not only is each section a melodic and rhythmic palindrome, but the entire movement is a palindrome with the mirroring point occurring during the climax halfway through. -- The third movement is titled “Dynamo” and is a combination of musical ideas from the first two movements as well as an introduction and development of new material. In science, a dynamo is a type of electrical generator, and so to represent this musically I split this movement into two sections: the first being a slow building of energy and anticipation while leading into the second which is fast and energetic. Dynamo is the synthesis of everything I learned while composing this piece, as well as the culmination of my effort to create a new kind of performance medium in the Mini-Band. -- While this version is not scored for Mini-Band, many of the elements that defined that version are present. This full band version is my final vision for Electromagnetism; at the outset I knew that it would eventually be scored for band, and this score will hopefully demonstrate the musical elements but in a larger and more impressive performance medium.

Notes

Wind Band - Piccolo, 2 Flutes, Oboe, 2 Bassoons, 3 Bb Clarinets, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, 3 Bb Trumpets, 2 F Horns, 3 Trombones, Euphonium, Tuba, 6 Percussion (Timpani, Xylophone/Marimba, Tam-tam/Temple Blocks/Orchestral Bells, Crash Cymbals/Suspended Cymbal, Snare Drum, Bass Drum).

ISMN with hyphens: 979-0-800119-03-3

Description based on ISMN data provided by the publisher.

Music notation

Staff notation.

Subjects

Suites

Potpourris

International Standard Music Number (ISMN)

9790800119033

Last Updated: 03-26-2022