5D2AFFE6-AA64-4543-94DF-9C9904BFB519

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ID5D2AFFE6-AA64-4543-94DF-9C9904BFB519
TitlecodeX204001
Title NameMidsummer Songs
Marketing CopyMidsummer Songs (2001) for tuba-euphonium quartet was commissioned for and is dedicated to the British tuba-euphonium quartet Tubalaté. The work was inspired by the group’s stunning playing and their championship of new repertoire for their ensemble combination. The work is in three movements, each preceded with an epigraph from William Shakespeare’s famous play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Much of the musical material is shared throughout the three movements.
Instrumentation2 Euphonium (TC or BC), 2 Tuba
CommissionCommissioned for Tubalate.
Dedication(not set)
Program NotesMidsummer Songs for tuba-euphonium quartet was commissioned for and is dedicated to the British tuba-euphonium quartet Tubalate. The work was inspired by the group's stunning playing and their championship of new repertoire for the ensemble combination.

The work is in three movements, each preceded with an epigraph from William Shakespeare's famous play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Music of the musical material is shared throughout the three movements.

The first movement takes its inspiration from the scene in which the mischievous fairy Puck is playing tricks on two of the lovers. The music represents the skittish nature of Puck with continual contrasts between the lyrical and staccato playing and a number of starts and stops.

The second movement is inspired by the lullaby sung by the fairy band in the middle of the play. The music begins and ends with section of "unfolding," surrounding a gently pulsing lullaby in the middle.

The final movement is filled with the energy and excitement of midsummer. A dancing and sprightly opening section leads to a slower and lyrical middle section. But under this lyrical music the pulsations of the opening continue to interrupt until the music leads to a reprise of the opening and the surging coda. --Carson P. Cooman
Title Brand2
Year Composed2001
Copyright Number(not set)
Copyright Year(not set)
Duration8
Ensemble Size4
Date Created2008-10-31 20:31:55.000000
Date Updated2025-09-30 20:31:55
Inhouse Note(not set)
Bsc Code(not set)
Text Author(not set)
Premier Performance Memo(not set)
Recording Credits(not set)
Review"This is a great original work! The first movement primarily features the two euphoniums melodically while the second movement beautifully features the two tubas melodically in a duet at the lullaby section. In the last movement as the music grows in speed and intensity the tubas are often used in the technical passages and have nearly equal allotment of the melodic fragments as the euphoniums!
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The parts are bound in booklets and have both bass and treble clef parts for euphoniums. The score and parts are some of the most professional looking music I have ever seen! These are the easiest parts I have ever read as they are very clearly and concisely marked with no doubt of the composer's musical intentions in each movement. The range of the euphonium parts is F to a1 and for the tubas is GG to f1.<BR>
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Midsummer Songs is most accessible to college players as there are some challenging high range issues for the tubas and some technical challenges for all four instruments in the last movement. This is a great original work! I highly recommend this work, as it is very expressive and exciting to play." <BR>--Lloyd Bone, Glenville State College, International Tuba and Euphonium Association Journal
Awards(not set)
Title Category1
Title Movements(not set)
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Title Instrument Category TextTuba
Title Sub Category Text(not set)
Title Sub Category76
Title Instrument Header13
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