Song of Winter (A) – Snowmen and Icicles

Description

This piece is evocative of a cold and windy day in winter.  A Song of Winter explores the contrasts between the smoothness and roundness of a snowman and the hardness and jaggedness of icicles.  Beginning with a winter storm with wind and swirling snow, the wind calms and the building of a snowman begins with the rolling of a snowball.  The rolling progresses to form the biggest ball of the snowman (represented by the bass and alto flutes), which is briefly interrupted by a playful snowball fight.   The flutes continue the melody for the rolling of the second ball of the snowman, followed by the piccolo representing the rolling of the smallest ball (the head of the snowman).  The melody is smooth and round in a lilting ¾ time. 

With the snowman complete, the wind and swirling snow return to lead into the Icicles section.  The jaggedness of the icicles is represented by the jaggedness of syncopation in a marcato style with the melody skipping larger intervals than the Snowmenmelody.  Even visually, the score shows the jagged shape of the icicles.  Double-tongued ascending and descending lines, add to the hard and brittle feeling of the icicles, as well as to the shape.  The piccolo adds the glistening, shimmering effect the icicles have when the sunlight reflects off them.  A final windy storm follows, which calms at the end of the piece. 

Scored for piccolo, 3 flutes, alto flute (alternate C-flute part included) and bass flute.  

Duration: 6:45