Twilight Empire

Twilight Empire is an exciting concert opener or finale for young concert band that reinforces concert Ab/A and concert Eb/E, minor sonorities, and a variety of articulations. The piece begins with accented full band G minor chords followed by brief percussion breaks. At measure 5, the music suddenly drops to mezzo piano before a crescendo brings the music back to forte at measure 8. Make sure these dynamic changes are dramatic and exaggerated. The main theme begins at measure 11 in the alto sax and horn. Make sure to differentiate between the slurred notes and repeated 8th notes. At measure 19, the main theme continues in the upper woodwinds and upper brass. The lower voices and percussion play an accompaniment part that should be a nice contrast against the melody. A modulation between measure 25 and 27 transitions the piece to the B section starting at measure 28. A slurred accompaniment in the reeds signals the beginning of the B section which, should be performed much softer, lyrical, and expressive compared to the material in the A section. Listen for the clarinet to emerge at measure 29 and make sure that this melody is played out. At measure 37, the melody is passed to the flutes as the bottom of the ensemble drops out at measure 39. The trombones and bassoons take over the melody at 41. Make sure that this lower melody is still performed smooth and gently. At measure 45, the flutes, clarinets, and oboes take over the melody as the piece modulates and transitions back to the A section. The A theme returns at measure 54 in the upper woodwinds and upper brass. At measure 62, the A theme is passed to the low brass and low winds as the upper woodwinds play a rising counter melody. Make sure that all 8th notes are clearly articulated in the lower voices and that all slurs are properly executed in the upper voices. The coda begins at measure 70 with the return of the accented full band G minor chords heard at the beginning of the piece. The A theme is heard one final time at measure 74 and 75 as the piece comes to a close. Educational Goals of the Work -Differentiate between concert Ab and A and concert Eb and E -Execute a variety of articulations including accents and slurs -Perform in minor sonorities