The goblin march saxophone quartet

The Goblin March, Op. 1 (2012)

  • saxophone quartet

  • ca. 4:30

Score/Parts Preview


Notes

Sheet music available at: https://www.iandeterling.com/duet-in-dflat-major Duet in D-Flat Major was written in what could perhaps be best described as a burst of inspiration. After a couple of days of casually juggling some motifs around in my mind, something clicked and I woke up with a musical idea that I scrambled to write down as quickly as possible. I spent the majority of that day developing these ideas, and this became what is now the third movement. Some of the ‘leftover ideas’ that didn’t make it into the finale were used as seeds for the second movement - in particular, the motifs at measure 9 and from 70-80. The opening movement ended up being the last one written and begins with a noble and/or heroic fanfare in 6/16. The second movement cautiously meanders through unexpected harmonies, much like someone nervously exploring unfamiliar places. The finale is another fanfare, but has some mischievous fun after turning a few harmonic corners in minor. My goal with this duet was to create a musical universe that has the grandeur of an orchestra with just two voices. I’ve adapted this duet for a variety of instruments. The score reads as a small flex-band ensemble, but this piece is intended to be performed by just two musicians. Instruments: Part 1 -Clarinet in Bb -Tenor Saxophone in Bb -Trumpet in Bb -Horn in F -Alto Trombone Part 2 -Bass Clarinet -Bassoon -Baritone Saxophone -Trombone -Bass Trombone
  • I composed The Goblin March in 2012 as a collection of works for my senior composition recital at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. Originally conceived as an electric bass quintet, this piece was a partial exploration of interlocking phrasing that causes the melody to flick back and forth across the ensemble. I preserved many of these spacial effects in subsequent adaptations/revisions.

  • The majority of this piece is constructed from a repeating melody that ‘marches’ atop two oscillating chords. As the march progresses, the melody evolves with changing rhythms, registers, and harmonies. The middle atonal section (measures 57-77) makes use of a separate repeating melody with angular shifts that depict the ominous whims of a goblin.

  • A fun and light-hearted quartet, The Goblin March was inspired by the cartoon adaptation of The Return of the King (1980). Spirited rhythms with a deliberately plotting bass line evoke images of armor-cladded goblins marching away into the distance.

Instrumentation:

  • Alto Saxophone 1

  • Alto Saxophone 2

  • Tenor Saxophone (also arranged as Alto Saxophone 3)

  • Baritone Saxophone

Score and complete set of parts.