Instrumentation |
Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Oboe, Euphonium, Horn, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba, Claves, Bass drum, Bass Clarinet, Cowbell, Ratchet, Hi-hat, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Brake Drum, Flexatone, Anvil, Thunder Sheet |
Description |
Nuclear Ratchet was inspired by the current trends of Wind Ensemble pieces. Actually, it’s more of a spoof, as if Weird Al were to write a Wind Ensemble piece to spoof modern Wind Ensemble music.
The main feature of modern Wind Ensemble literature that Nuclear Ratchet is spoofing is multiple, overly loud percussion parts, for the sake of being obnoxious. Nuclear Ratchet takes this to a whole new level by using percussion instruments that have a strong potential for being obnoxious, like cowbells, sirens, and of course the ratchet. Percussionists are encouraged to find as big of a ratchet and/or as many ratchets as possible.
This piece was developed around the opening motive by the saxophones, which at the end is repeated backwards and upside down (with some variation of pitch). All the other parts the wind instruments play are either based on the motive or complement it. A secondary motive is the motive of a siren, beginning with the long trombone slides in the beginning and continued by two simultaneous sirens in the percussion and finally by the pitch bends in the oboes and bassoons. |