Description
Duration 8:30min
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On The Nature of Gulls is on… the nature of gulls. The work loosely narrates the day of a seagull in 3 rough movements, I. Sunrise over the harbour, 2. Awakening of the Flock and 3. Take off and morning flight. Opening with the sound of mooring lines and pontoons clanking against masts and piling posts, the sun rises over the harbour to begin our narrative. Our titular characters rudely self-introduce through a chaotic madhouse of flaps, clucks and screeching as the flock awakes. Several hundred wings then push to the sky as the squabbling throng lifts off, before disappearing out of sight, into the morning.
Instrumentation
Flute 1 2, Oboe, Bassoon, Eb Clarinet, Bb Clarinet 1 2 3, Eb Alto Clarinet, Bb Bass Clarinet, Alto Sax 1 2, Tenor Sax, Baritone Sax, Bb Trumpet 1 2 3, F Horn 1 2 3 4, Trombone 1 2, Bass Trombone, Euphonium (B.C. & T.C.), Tuba, Timpani
Percussion 1 - Anvil, Suspended Cymbal, Triangle, Cowbell
Percussion 2 - Castanets, Snare Drum, Egg Shaker
Mallets 1 - Glockenspiel, Marimba
Mallets 2 - Tubular Bells, Xylophone