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Joseph Schwantner

Taking Charge

flute, piano, percussion (2012)

Duration	20'
Commission	Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University for Walfrid Kujala
Premiere	June 4, 2012; Evanston, IL; Pick-Staiger Concert Hall at Hall Northwestern University
Instrumentation	fl(pic, tamb, amplified)-1/2perc(tri, brake d, cow bell, cym, mixing bowls, gongs, clav, bng, timb, b.d, crot, vib, mar, tam-t, tamb)-pno(tamb, wind chimes, tam-t)
Publisher	Schott Music

Media

Program Note

Taking Charge is the latest in a series of works I have written for flute that span four decades. Others include: Modus Caelestis (1972), Canticle of the Evening Bells (1976), Black Anemones (1980), Soaring, (1986), A Play of Shadows (1990), Silver Halo (2007), and Looking Back (2009).

Taking Charge employs an expanded instrumentation including: Flute, Piccolo, (Tambourine), Percussion: Large Suspended Triangle, 3 Brake Drums, Large Cowbell, Sizzle Cymbal, Hi-Hat Cymbal, Large Suspended Cymbal, 2 Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Large Gong, Mounted Claves, Bongos, Timbales, 20" by 20" floor Tom, Pedal Bass Drum, 2-Octave set of Crotales, Vibraphone, Marimba, Piano, (Tambourine and Large Tam-Tam)

Framed in three contrasting movements, the flute, with its “take charge” character, initiates a wide range of primary musical elements that unfold and are developed throughout the work.

Movement 1 “fast forward...” (aggressivo), a fast movement for flute, tambourine, percussion and piano, opens with an assertive percussion introduction (18/16 meter) that establishes the movement's propulsive quality and sets the stage for the flute's initial and assertive ascending gesture along with the continuing interplay among the instruments of those primary melodic, gestural and rhythmic materials.

Movement 2, “a voice from afar...” (lontano e misterioso), a slow movement for piccolo, presents a solitary and singularly obsessive five-note chromatic figure played against a sustained and shimmering background of non-pitched percussion that includes, cymbals, triangle, steel bowls, gong and tam-tam. The forlorn quality of the piccolo music gently concludes quietly with a repetitive sonority in the piano and pitched percussion and a hushed piccolo playing a cyclical ever-distant “processional” music.

Movement 3, “Coming together...” (energico), a fast movement for both flute & piccolo begins with flute playing an extended series of ever-ascending sequence of phrases. Materials from the first movement combine with elements in movement three leading to an exuberant final Jig-like (movendo con gusto)section for piccolo.

- Joseph Schwantner

Purchase

Types of Products

Full Score/Performance Score (price reflects 6 copies) (Digital)

Full Score/Performance Score (2 required for performance) (Digital)

Full Score/Performance Score (2 required for performance) (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (includes 3 copies) (Digital)

Full Score/Performance Score (includes 3 copies) (Print)

Choral Booklet (Digital)

Choral Booklet (Print)

Full Score in 3 volumes (Print)

Anthology edition (Print)

Choral Score (includes 4 copies) (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (4 required for performance) (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (4 required for performance) (Digital)

solo part and piano reduction (Digital)

solo part and piano reduction (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (6 scores required for performance) (Digital)

Performance Score (includes 4 scores) (Print)

Choral Scores (Digital - Bulk Purchase for Performance) (Digital)
This price covers the minimum cost of digital copies for performance.

Choral Score Set (Digital)

Choral Score Set (16 copies) (Digital)

Choral Score Set (License for 16 copies) (Digital)

Full Score/Performance Score (5 scores required for performance) (Digital)
Pricing reflects cost of 5 digital scores.

Full Score/Performance Score (8 scores required for performance) (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (5 copies required for performance) (Print)

Vocal Score - single copy (Digital)

Vocal Score - license for single copy (Digital)

Vocal Score Set - 16 copies (Digital)

Vocal Score Set - License for 16 copies (Digital)

Vocal Score Set - 16 copies (Print)

Score (Digital)

Score (Print)

Volume 1 (Print)

Volume 2 (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (price reflects 5 copies) (Digital)

Full Score/Performance Score (6 scores needed for performance) (Print)

Full score and Solo Part (Digital)

Full Score/Violin Part (Digital)

Full Score/Violin Part (Print)

Conductor Score (Print)

Score and part (Print)

Score and part (Digital)

Choral Score Set - 16 copies (Print)
Includes 8 copies of the soprano/alto part and 8 copies of the tenor/bass part.

Piano Reduction and solo parts (Digital)

Chamber Ensemble Score (Print)

Choral Score Set - 20 copies (Print)

Full Score (4 needed for performance) (Print)

Parts (Mov. 11 only) (Print)

Full Score (3 scores needed for performance) (Print)

Full Score (3 scores needed for performance) (Digital)

Piano reduction and solo part (Print)

Study Score in Two Volumes (Print)

Video and instructions (Digital)

Piano/Vocal Score (Digital)

Piano/Vocal Score (Print)

Choral Score Set (40 copies) (Print)

Score and Parts (Digital)
Score and part PDF files are delivered via email upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase.

Full Score (Digital)
A PDF file of the full score is delivered via email upon receipt.

Soprano/Alto Part (Print)

Choral Score Set (License for 50 copies) (Digital)

Full Score (Print)
A print edition of the score ships to the customer's address upon receipt.

Tenor/Bass Part (Print)

Parts (Digital)
A PDF file of the part(s) is delivered via email upon receipt.

Parts (Print)
A print edition of the part(s) ship to the customer's address upon receipt.

Solo Instrument Score (Digital)
A score PDF file is delivered via email upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase. An email containing a link to download the electronic files is sent to the customer's email address.

Full Score/Performance Score (Digital)
The full score serves as a performance score for all players. A score PDF file is delivered via email upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase. An email containing a link to download the electronic files is sent to the customer's email address.

Score and Parts (Print)
A print edition of the score and part(s) ship to the customer's address upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase. The email containing a link to download the electronic files is sent to the customer.

Solo Instrument Score (Print)
A print edition of the score is shipped to the customer's address upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase. An email containing a link to download the electronic files is sent to the customer's email address.

Full Score/Performance Score (Print)
The full score serves as a performance score for all players. Print edition(s) of the full score/performance score are shipped to the customer's address upon receipt. Multiple copies are included if the work has more than one player. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase.

Choral Score (Digital)
A PDF file of the choral score is delivered via email upon receipt. The set is priced to allow multiple copies of the PDF to be printed for performance by the purchasing organization only.

Study Score (print) (Digital)

Study Score (print) (Print)

Choral Score Set- 8 copies (Print)
Minimum order quantity is 8 copies. Single copies are not available.

SATB choral score (Print)

Vocal Score (Digital)

Vocal Score (Print)

Choral Score (Print)

Full Score and Solo Part (Print)
A print edition of the score and solo part ships to the customer's address upon receipt.