Instrumentation

• Flute/Oboe

• Clarinet

• Bass Clarinet/ Baritone TC

• Alto Saxophone

• Tenor Saxophone

• Baritone Saxophone

• Trumpet

• F Horn

• Trombone/Baritone/ Bassoon

• Tuba

• Xylophone

• Timpani (optional)

• Snare Drum

• Bass Drum

• Tambourine (optional)

• Rachet (optional)

• Twirling Pipes (optional)

• Triangle (optional)

• Vibraslap (optional)

• Suspended Cymbal (optional)

Rehearsal Notes

• Every instrument has the melody or a feature at some point in the song

• Instruments use only the first 6 notes of the Concert B-flat Scale (except Alternate F Horn, see below)

• Alternate F Horn has notes written outside of the first 6 notes of the Concert B-flat scale, however those notes are in a more accessible range for beginning F Horn students

• This version has 10 percussion parts, and many of the percussion parts are optional, which allows access for groups with large and small percussion sections.

• This song offers numerous teaching opportunities for students including lots of dynamics and a simple D.C. al Coda.
  

Program Notes

A Nightgaunt is a creature from the H.P. Lovecraft Cthulhu mythos. A Nightgaunt is a humanoid creature with bat-like wings, horns, a long pointed tail, and dark leathery skin. It sees in all directions simultaneously, and moves in total silence, not making a sound with its voice or through its motion. It likes to haunt its victims by snatching them in its claws and flying high above mountains before leaving them in the dark abyss. The creature was a recurring nightmare of H.P. Lovecraft from when he was six years old. It usually serves as a minion to a more fearsome creature, but that doesn’t minimize its menacing, haunting appearance.