Karim Al-Zand

composer

date

1992

duration

7 minutes

instrumentation

4 trumpets; 4 horns, 2 tenor trombones, bass trombone, tuba

premiere

March 11, 1993
McGill University Chamber Winds:
Chris Fensom, Evan Champion, John Ellis, James Freeman, trumpet;
Jeff Nelsen, Chris Gongos, Marie-Claude Breton, Nora Holland, horn;
Yvan Moreau, Steve Dyer, Sylvain Nolet, trombone;
Carl Bovell, tubab;
Karim Al-Zand, conductor

Pollack Hall
Montreal, Canada

Fantasy and Fanfare

for large brass ensemble

about the piece:

imageThe title of this works refers not to any formal division in the work, but rather to its overall character. Inspiration for the piece came from several sources. For the arrangement of the instruments into two spatially separated choirs (essentially brass quintets) my model was the late sixteenth century antiphonal brass music written primarily by composers at Saint Mark's Church in Venice. Antiphonal and stereophonic interplay between the two choirs figures prominently in the piece. Another influence in the conception of the work was Claude Monet's Rouen Cathedral paintings (example left). They feature a single perspective of the facade in various weather conditions, seasons and times of day. What results is a diverse series of images ranging from barely discernable grey outlines to bold and fiery red designs. This idea of similar material revealed in different 'lights' also forms an important part of Fantasy and Fanfare. Finally, the first movement brass fughetta from Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra was also an influence in both its spirit and style.