March of the Arachnids Concert Band - Sheet Music

SKU: IG.CBS151

9 x 12 in inches.

March of the Arachnids was composed with the intention of being music for the Halloween season, although it could be
performed at other times in the year. The early sketch was written in 2008, although the work wasn't fully realized until the
Spring of 2011. The work is dedicated to my composer friend, Joseph Eidson, whose music largely inspired the
orchestration and harmonic material for this piece.
Creepy, energetic, dissonant, and playful - these adjectives best describe the work. It begins with the solo timpani that
immediately sets the sneaking tone for the arachnids that have begun crawling. After a build-up in the woodwinds, the
trumpets introduce the terror with the main arachnid theme. From there, the tune is shared throughout the ensemble, giving
nearly every instrument a chance to play the arachnid theme. A contrasting, calmer theme is introduced, simply to give us
some hope and relief that the arachnids will leave. The piece gradually grows more thick and dissonant over time, with
webby textures of woodwinds and muted brass. A short coda with the full ensemble ends the work where the piece reaches
its climax.