Cradle Moon (5-Part Flex)

Description

Holmquist, Carl – SpectraFlex Series

Cradle Moon is a setting of a lullaby tune that has been passed down through at least five generations of the composer’s family. As few as five players and as many as you can muster will take the audience on a journey through serene melody, lush harmony, and weaving countermelodies before ultimately returning to the calm settling of a child drifting off to sleep.

Program Notes: Cradle Moon was commissioned by the Folly Quarter Middle School Band (MD), Andrew Spang, conductor. It is a setting of a lullaby that has been passed down through at least five generations in my wife’s family. Despite significant research into the text and tune, I have not come up with a source for this melody. The piece opens peacefully, with the harmonized melody first being delivered by the middle voices (Parts 2 and 3). After a transitional phrase that brings greater harmonic dissonance into the music, the growing intensity releases into a climactic phrase in which Away in a Manger (Part 2) and an ornamented delivery of Amazing Grace (Part 4) encircle our lullaby melody. The music then calms and settles, as a child drifting off to sleep.
-C.H.

The SpectraFlex Series for adaptable wind band offers flexibility with pieces across all grade levels, featuring traditional high-to-low scoring with 5 or 6 parts and optional percussion. Each part is transposed and playable by a multitude of wind or keyboard percussion instruments while maintaining the spectrum of sound we have grown to love about the wind band.

Grade: 3
Duration: 3’30”

Instrumentation

Adaptable Parts
(2 copies of each of all parts for each listed instrument)

Part 1: Flute, Oboe, B-flat Clarinet, B-flat Trumpet, Keyboard Percussion, Violin

Part 2: B-flat Clarinet, B-flat Trumpet, E-flat Alto Saxophone, Keyboard Percussion, Violin

Part 3: B-flat Clarinet, B-flat Trumpet, E-flat Alto Saxophone, F Horn, Violin, Viola

Part 4: B-flat Tenor Saxophone, F Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Bassoon, Cello

Part 5: B-flat Bass Clarinet, E-flat Baritone Saxophone, Trombone, Euphonium, Bassoon, Tuba, Double Bass

Percussion Parts
Piano
Timpani (4 drums)
Keyboard: Bells or Vibraphone
Percussion 1: Wind Chimes, Snare Drum, Bass Drum
Percussion 2: Suspended Cymbal, Triangle