Fantasy on “Night”, Opus 46 by Neal Corwell
Instrumentation: solo euphonium or tuba with CD accompaniment and optional live electronics
Copyright: 2004
Duration: ca. 11:00
Range: EE to e-2
Difficulty: V
Publisher: Nicolai Music
Price: $20 includes CD accompaniment, plus notes and directions for optional addition of live electronic processing of soloist. Please specify if requesting euphonium or tuba solo version.
Other Info: premiered by Dr. Corwell during the 2004 Army Band Tuba Euphonium Conference at Fort Myer, Arlington, VA.
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Fantasy on “Night”is based entirely upon a single movement of an earlier composition of Dr. Corwell’s, titled Four Short Narratives. Night is the final movement of that earlier, unaccompanied, composition.
The Fantasy begins with a complete statement of “Night” in its original unaccompanied form. As this statement of the source material for the composition comes to a close, a pre-recorded accompaniment enters softly, and the Fantasy, a development of materials presented in “Night”, begins. From this point on, the euphonium actively develops thematic material; presenting motivic material in constantly varied landscapes and spinning out new patterns from the original source material. The primary function of the pre-recorded accompaniment is to provide rhythmic drive to push the work forward. The accompaniment falls silent during the central portion of the Fantasy, as various developmental episodes are presented, but returns for the final minutes as the work builds to a dramatic and exciting climax featuring closely juxtaposed statements of previously stated material. The fast tempo and forward motion is temporarily suspended near the end for one final statement of the five-note “Night” theme, but the rapid tempo resumes to bring the work to an exciting conclusion.
The pre-recorded accompaniment is divided into two tracks: one for the start of the Fantasy, and the other for the conclusion. Both tracks begin with subtle wind-like sounds, which allow the recording to “sneak in” undetected under the cover of the solo line. With the exception of a few digitally altered snippets of euphonium, which appear in bars 36-52, the pre-recorded audio does not itself take part in the development of materials. Instead, it is used to create a distant and eerie atmosphere and supply a vigorous rhythmic underpinning for the solo euphonium. Most of the accompaniment was created by using a relatively simply and inexpensive audio effects module, manufactured in the 1980s by Roland/Boss, called the SE-70. This processor is used primarily to create arpeggiated patterns, with the composer using his voice, and tongue clicks, to trigger the module effects.
Although not essential for performance of the composition, the soloist has the option of adding electronic effects to the live solo. This is done by playing into a microphone, which in turn feeds into an electronic audio processor. Instead of designating specific algorithmic parameters or components of audio equipment, the composer provides general instructions as to the types of effects preferred. Much flexibility is provided in this regard. As soon as the accompaniment begins, the soloist is to add reverb to the live solo, and maintain application of that effect through the end of the composition. Two other effects are also eventually used: an octave doubling effect, and a Ring modulator effect. In initial performances, the composer used a Roland SE-70 to modify the live solo, but he currently uses a Boss ME-33 guitar “stomp box”. However, it should be noted that it is definitely NOT necessary to use the same gear. Any current multi-effect sound processor that can add reverb plus other effects such as octave doubling (and preferably, but not necessarily ring modulation) will work just fine!