related works
Bass Trombone Concerto : for bass trombone and orchestra / Edward Top
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Trombone and orchestra
Scoring:
trb-b-solo 2fl 2ob 2cl 2fg 4h 2trp trb timp perc pf str
Relief no. I : for flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon, 1968, revision 1992 / Walter Hekster
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Woodwind ensemble (2-12 players)
Scoring:
fl ob cl fg
Fantasia a tre : per flauto, oboe e fagotto, 1956 / Henri C. van Praag
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Woodwind ensemble (2-12 players)
Scoring:
fl ob fg
Tre pezzi : per flauto e clarinetto / Johan Weegenhuise
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Woodwind ensemble (2-12 players)
Scoring:
fl cl
composition
Schietgebedjes : = (Ejaculation prayers), for reed quintet, 2005 / Edward Top
Other authors:
Top, Edward
(Composer)
Description:
Program note (English): The work Ejaculation Prayers ('Schietgebedjes' in Dutch) consists both of virtuosic music with different passages that follow each other up in quick successions, as well as serene and spread out sections. The contrast these two counter poles indicate is a generally recurring theme in my work. Originally a string player, it was challenging for me to enter the realm of woodwinds. Prior to finalising the composition, a rough version was played through in the rehearsal studio, providing me with valuable insights about the not so common combination of oboe d'amore, clarinet, basset horn, soprano sax and bassoon. Of course there is an experimental side to it, but in general the work is quite straightforward with every now and then references to music from the 1920s such as Webern's and jazzbands'. Like in many of my compositions, expression through sound colouring plays an important role in Ejaculation Prayers. It is harmonic colour, from the close-harmony and Ligeti-like movement in
the virtuosic sections, to the widely spread out clusters in the quieter parts. Towards the end melodic features appear, where extreme register leaps maximise expression. - EDWARD TOP