Phases

Dance of the Lunar Cycle

Grade 4 - 3:14

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Instrumentation

  • Piccolo

  • Flute 1

  • Flute 2

  • Oboe

  • Bassoon 1

  • Bassoon 2

  • Clarinet 1

  • Clarinet 2

  • Clarinet 3

  • Bass Clarinet

  • Alto Saxophone 1

  • Alto Saxophone 2

  • Tenor Saxophone

  • Baritone Saxophone

  • Trumpet 1

  • Trumpet 2

  • Trumpet 3

  • F Horn 1

  • F Horn 2

  • F Horn 3

  • F Horn 4

  • Trombone 1

  • Trombone 2

  • Bass Trombone

  • Euphonium (BC and TC)

  • Tuba

  • Double Bass

  • Timpani

  • Mallets

  • Snare Drum

  • Bass Drum

  • Wind Chimes

  • Suspended Cymbal

  • Tambourine

  • Crash Cymbals


Rehearsal Notes

  • The song is constructed as a palindrome. The song works forward from the New Moon all the way to the Full Moon, then slowly peals away one section at a time in reverse order until the new Moon returns.

  • When the New Moon returns, the entire sections is played in reverse (retrograde) of how it was initially presented.



Program Notes

Phases Dance of the Lunar Cycle follows the moon’s monthly trip. The haunting opening section happens during the darkness of the new moon, followed by a quick paced, uneven rhythmic dance that follows us through the quarter, half, and three quarters moons. Each new section builds upon the previous section as new elements of the dance are revealed as we see more of the moon. The dance rages to it’s height as we hit the full moon before moving backwards through the three quarters, half and quarter moon phases before returning to the new moon, which is the exact reverse of the original melodic statement, preparing for the dance cycle to start all over again.