Samuel Dickenson - Symphony No. 1 - Ender (Concert Band Version) Score and Parts (PDF)

Concert band version A3 score and A4 parts in PDF format — ZIP archive. Duration: 54' Difficulty: Level VI (Advanced) Program notes: ~~ Symphony No. 1, Ender Samuel Dickenson (b. 1992) Inspired by scenes from Orson Scott Card’s classic sci-fi series Ender’s Game, Symphony No. 1 is in five movements, presented as a single continuous work. The symphony depicts dread, remorse, betrayal, guilt, sacrifice, but also tremendous hope, as a small group of humans advocate for the survival of fundamentally misunderstood alien species. Each movement is written programmatically, but with similar structures to a traditional symphony. Several motifs develop over the course of the work, connecting the characters, scenes, and stories together into the same universe while presenting them in new contexts. Movement I, titled Xenocide, was originally a standalone work for orchestra, written in 2014 for the Queensland Youth Symphony. It depicts the total destruction of a seemingly hostile alien species, and the guilt felt by those responsible for the xenocide. The primary character, Ender, is represented by the motif in the low instruments at the beginning of the work. The alien species, known as Formics by humanity due to their resemblance to ants, are represented by the winding scales throughout the woodwinds. The second movement, Shadow, depicts the life of an orphan, nicknamed “Bean”, whose life crosses paths with Ender. A violent attacca opens this movement, winding down until a few lone clarinets can be heard. Bean is represented by the solo clarinet here, where an expressive and pained melody depicts his hardships, living on the streets as a child. As the music develops, Bean grows in size and strength, with his theme moving from the clarinet to the horn, and eventually to the tuba. A few slow heartbeats in the bass drum close the movement. A bassoon solo heralds the opening of the third movement: Human. This movement is about communication and peacemaking. In the story, Ender has travelled across space to the planet Lusitania, where he resides with a human colony nearby a second native alien species. Ender is now represented by the clarinet solo, which plays his motif in such a way to harmonise with the motif of Human, a member of the alien Pequenino race. Through dance-like rhythms, the communication and understanding between species develops, until Ender is eventually forced to make a choice to unite the species together: a choice that challenges his own ethics. We are suddenly, and brutally, interrupted by a clanging cacophony of sound for the fourth movement, Riot. As the title suggests, this movement begins with a mob being incited into a feverous rage, blindly destroying the species that Ender worked with to create peace. This movement depicts leaping flames, a burning forest, screaming, pain, grief, and regret. However, as the haze and smoke begin to clear, a familiar sound from the first movement arises, not as an adversary, but as an ally. The final movement, Ender, begins with a huge crash and a tense, soft trill in the clarinets. The low instruments speak, representing Ender in his later stages of life, contemplating deep aspects of morality and the continuation of life on the planet Lusitania. A familiar fanfare motif reappears throughout the movement—previously heard in the offstage trumpets of the third movement—representing the ever-present threat of Starways Congress, who are approaching Lusitania with the intention of destroying it. As Ender winds to a close, a brief sombre funeral procession is heard, and a grand close proceeds to pay homage to all of the major characters referenced throughout the symphony. One final mighty iteration of Ender’s motif punctuates the end of the journey, bookending it with the music that started it all. ~~ Instrumentation: Piccolo Flute 1.2 Oboe 1.2 Cor Anglais Bassoon 1.2 Contrabassoon Clarinet (in E-flat) Clarinet 1.2.3 (in B-flat) Alto Clarinet (in E-flat) Bass Clarinet (in B-flat) Contrabass Clarinet (in B-flat) Soprano Saxophone Alto Saxophone Tenor Saxophone Baritone Saxophone Trumpet 1.2.3 (in B-flat) (offstage in mvt. III) Horn 1.2.3.4 (in F) Trombone 1.2.3(Bass/Contrabass) Euphonium 1.2 Tuba 1.2 String Bass Percussion (5): • Bass Drum • Cymbals • Glockenspiel • Marimba (5-octave) • Snare Drum • Suspended Cymbal • Tam-tam • Tom-toms (4) • Triangle • Tubular Bells • Whip • Wind Machine • Wood Block • Xylophone Timpani (offstage timpani in mvt. III)