The Last Days of Summer
Gregg Wramage
About this work:
Premiered by Jack Stamp and the Keystone Winds, 2/01. Available for rental from Southern Music Corporation. Program note: Summer has always been my favorite time of year, and many of the happiest
days of my life have taken place during the summers I spent near the ocean at my families former home in Wall, New Jersey. Being a composer, it is now
often necessary for me to travel during the summer, yet for the past three years, I have managed to return to both the ocean, and my hometown in New
Jersey during the last days of summer. At the time of the first of these homecomings in 1998, I immediately noticed that these days held a heightened emotional intensity for me, a kind
of urgent exuberance, as well as a bittersweet sadness. This sadness came unexpectedly, and was a contemplative moment of calm that quietly
interrupted the other, almost frenzied, and more experience-driven emotions I was feeling at that time. During my two subsequent homecomings in 1999 and 2000, these emotions resurfaced, and it was then that the idea came to me of attempting to express in music these two sharply contrasting feelings which
I had begun to associate with the last days of summer. This work features two kinds of music, and by extension, two different ensembles. The larger of the two ensembles is comprised of all but eight of
the members of the band, and is used for the music I associate with the joyful exuberance of the last days of summer. This music features mostly
fast tempi, homophonic textures, driving, repetitive rhythms, diatonic harmony, bold, extroverted gestures, loud dynamics, and brilliant colors.
Its main theme is first presented beginning in measure 29, by the horns and bass clarinets.
The second ensemble consists of the remaining eight members of the band, (E-flat clarinet, saxophone quartet, two euphoniums, and contrabass) and is
used for the music I associate with the bittersweet sadness of the last days of summer. This music features mostly slow tempi, mildly contrapuntal
textures, relaxed rhythms, chromatic harmony, lyrical melody, soft dynamics, dark colors, and a more introverted repertoire of gestures. Here, the
principal theme is a series of chords, first heard in the saxophones beginning in measure 58. This music also quotes several themes from an
earlier work of mine, “Into the Black Oblivion” (1999), which was written in memory of my father.
It is important to note that while this work was initially inspired by emotions I associate with a particular time of year and season, this piece
is in no way an attempt to musically portray that particular time of year or season. Instead, this piece offered me an opportunity to explore the
emotional, spiritual, and metaphysical implications that the aforementioned experience held for me.
The Last Days of Summer was conceived as a concert-opener in one movement for wind ensemble of approximately eight minutes duration. I composed the
piece between July and December of 2000, and it is dedicated with gratitude to Jack Stamp.
Year composed: 2000
Duration: 00:08:00
Ensemble type: Band:Wind Ensemble
Instrumentation: 1 Piccolo, 4 Flute, 2 Oboe, 1 English Horn, 1 Eb Clarinet, 8 Clarinet, 2 Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoon, 1 Contrabassoon, 1 Soprano Saxophone, 1 Alto Saxophone, 1 Tenor Saxophone, 1 Baritone Saxophone, 5 Horn in F, 6 Trumpet, 4 Trombone, 2 Tuba, 2 Euphonium/Tenor Tuba, 1 Timpani, 6 Percussion (General), 1 Piano, 1 Double bass