660BC56D-DE23-41F0-B9BD-38A70EBC6AC1
| ID | 660BC56D-DE23-41F0-B9BD-38A70EBC6AC1 |
|---|---|
| Titlecode | R00887 |
| Title Name | Bicentennial Suite |
| Marketing Copy | "Bicentennial Suite" was composed in celebration of the Bicentennial of the statehood of Vermont: 1791-1991. The five movements of the Suite, intended for performance by High School and Community Orchestras especially in Vermont, portray elements of the history, beauty, and vitality of the state. Movements: I. The Governor's Salute II. Pastorale III. Ethan Allen Rides Again! IV. The Floating Bridge V. Bicentennial March |
| Instrumentation | 2+Piccolo.2.2.2: 4.3.3.1: Timpani.Percussion(3): Strings |
| Commission | Commissioned by the Vermont Philharmonic Orchestra,1991 |
| Dedication | (not set) |
| Program Notes | Gwyneth Walker+s entertaining Bicentennial Suite, was written for the orchestra to celebrate 200 years of Vermont statehood. [It was] originally written for the Randolph Union High School Band and later orchestrated for the Philharmonic. It mixes humor and Vermont flavor to give the five movement work a "down home" appeal. "The Governor's Salute" is a brief fanfare with a lot of brass.... The "Pastorale" evokes the rural hills on a summer day, complete with chirping birds. Using just about every percussion instrument available, "Ethan Allen Rides Again!" is an entertaining and jaunty ride through the state -- complete with Allen's legendary rustic character. "The Floating Bridge" pays tribute to that device in Brookfield and is meant to evoke the bridge moving with the water. The final "Bicentennial March" is a rousing tribute, full of Vermont themes. This work is inventive, entertaining, and a real tribute to the composer's adopted state. --Jim Lowe, The Time Argus. Bicentennial Suite is a five-movement piece about the state of Vermont. Each one is a picture of Vermont. It borders on being a tone poem here and there. The first movement, "The Governor's Salute," is a brass fanfare as if the governor has just shown up for the concert, very regal. The second movement, "Pastorale," features solo flute in the beginning, with other winds coming in, all in a relaxed 6/8 time. "Ethan Allen Rides Again!" is the title of the third movement. We used every percussion instrument we could get our hands on. Those instruments which can't be played by the players we have, because we ran out of players, ended up being handed to the string basses and the cellos. So everybody, just about, is playing a cowbell or something. The fourth movement, "The Floating Bridge," was inspired by the famed bridge in Brookfield. "It sort of 'bobbles,' it dances a little." The final movement is the "Bicentennial March." The three minute march has often been played separately in a performance by the Dartmouth College Band on Vermont Public Radio and other places. --Gwyneth Walker in a telephone interview with Jim Lowe of the Vermont Philharmonic |
| Title Brand | 2 |
| Year Composed | 1990 |
| Copyright Number | (not set) |
| Copyright Year | (not set) |
| Duration | 15 |
| Ensemble Size | 13 |
| Date Created | 2008-10-31 20:31:22.000000 |
| Date Updated | 2025-09-30 20:31:22 |
| Inhouse Note | (not set) |
| Bsc Code | (not set) |
| Text Author | (not set) |
| Premier Performance Memo | (not set) |
| Recording Credits | (not set) |
| Review | (not set) |
| Awards | (not set) |
| Title Category | 7 |
| Title Movements | I. The Governor's Salute II. Pastorale III. Ethan Allen Rides Again! IV. The Floating Bridge V. Bicentennial March |
| Title Grade | (not set) |
| Set Series ID | (not set) |
| Title Instrument Category Text | Full Orchestra |
| Title Sub Category Text | (not set) |
| Title Sub Category | 31 |
| Title Instrument Header | 41 |
| Title Grade Text | (not set) |
| Clean Url | bicentennial-suite-r00887 |