SPRING FESTIVAL
Chen Yi
About this work:
Commissioned by American Composers Forum New Band Horizons 1999 (new name for the project is called Bandquest), premiered in 3/2000, KC, MO, the piece Spring Festival is scored for a middle school band, which includes flutes I (doubling piccolo), flutes II, clarinets I, clarinets II, alto saxophones (optional), French horns (optional), trumpets I, trumpets II, trumpets III, trombones I, trombones II, baritones, tuba, and four percussionists (Perc. I plays 3 congas and 1 low tom-tom; Perc. II plays big Beijing Opera Gong, 11”; Perc. III plays small Beijing Opera Gong, 6”; Perc. IV plays a pair of Chinese cymbals, 6”). The pitch material in the Spring Festival is drawn from a southern Chinese folk ensemble piece Lion Playing Ball. The structure is built according to the Golden Section theory. Students can learn to count precisely by playing syncopations and non-square rhythmic grouping phrases, many of which are in polyphonic writing. The articulations and the dynamic marks on all notes are very important. They enhance the expression in the style and the spirit of the piece. For detailed information of the score, parts, recording, and the educational program on this work in the CD-Rom, please check on this website (American Composers Forum): <https://composersforum.org/bandquest/spring-festival/> for an updated reproduction of the CD-Rom program on a new website available to the public.
Version: Middle school band
Year composed: 1999
Duration: 00:04:00
Ensemble type: Band:Wind Ensemble
Instrumentation:
Instrumentation notes: flutes I (doubling piccolo), flutes II, clarinets I, clarinets II, alto saxophones (optional), French horns (optional), trumpets I, trumpets II, trumpets III, trombones I, trombones II, baritones, tuba, and four percussionists (Perc. I plays 3 congas and 1 low tom-tom; Perc. II plays big Beijing Opera Gong, 11”; Perc. III plays small Beijing Opera Gong, 6”; Perc. IV plays a pair of Chinese cymbals, 6”).