Chasm (2012)
for Concert Band (Intermediate Difficulty)
Instrumentation: Pic, 2 Fl, Ob, Bsn, 3 Clt, Bass Clt, 2 Alt Sax, Ten. Sax, Bar. Sax, 3 Tpts in B-flat, 2 hns (with div), 3 Tbns, Euph. C/B-flat, Tba, Timp. + 7 perc.
Chasm embodies an abstract narrative. The form of the piece is an arch form, A-B-C-B’-A’. In the maestoso sections (A), the listener will hear the melody primarily in the horns and trumpets. The allegro sections (B) feature a driving beat as motives get passed around the ensemble. In the central adagio section (C), the listener will hear slow moving motives blended with a textural sustained atmosphere. I invite the listener to hear the adagio section as the “chasm.” Harmonically, the work utilizes both triadic and tri-chord driven verticalities. The tonal structure is a struggle to achieve the key of C major, which is thwarted until the very end, except for a fleeting moment in the central adagio. The road to C major is embedded with a constant conflict between B and B flat, which never fully resolves. Chasm was commissioned by Cliff Towner and the Georgia College Wind Ensemble, along with a consortium of 10 colleges and high schools.