Beyond the 7th Gate
Beyond the 7th Gate |
Lee Shook |
Grade 1 |
'Beyond The 7th Gate' will be an outstanding selection for your next festival performance. Written in overture form (ABA) and thematically based on the natural minor scale, this composition explores a variety of musical moods. The somber opening, featuring solo flute and alto saxophone (themes of which are developed in the chorale section) is followed by a decisive change of mood established by the driving percussion ostinato in 2/2 meter. Drama builds as woodwinds, and then brass, explore the ascending natural minor scale motif. The percussion obstinato gives way to a fiery woodwind flourish in (bar 62) punctuated by brass and percussion. Trumpets join the mix with a new melody (bar 70) and the tension mounts as the percussion section completes the dynamic build into bar 86. The contrasting chorale section, beginning in bar 91, will give your musicians an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to apply a mature level of emotional expressiveness to their interpretation of the themes developed in this lyric section. Take care to keep the moving lines in the forefront with supporting harmonies balanced appropriately in the background parts. Upper winds join the percussion ostinato in the return to the A section with clapping sounds performed at various levels as lower winds apply heel tapping in unison with the bass drum part. Pay attention to the difference in positioning of the hands from section to section as this affects the timbre and pitch of the clapping sounds. A recap of the woodwind and brass themes leads to a dramatic conclusion in which all sections participate in the ostinato percussion rhythm. The programmatic nature of this composition is suggested by the title. The "story" told by this music however, is left to the musicians and their conductor to interpret. I suggest the conductor encourage students to share their thoughts on what story line may come to their minds while rehearsing and performing Beyond The 7th Gate.
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