Strange Gravity - for Contrabassoon and Symphonic Band

Digital Sheet Music

By Jason McChristian

Forceful and sinister, this is music that might emanate from a witch’s cauldron orsome primordial ooze. The contrabassoon slithers through the scene, mocked by brassfanfares, accompanied by timpani strikes, and interrupted by violent guiro scratches. Afaster tempo ensues; the woodwinds and mallet percussion announce scalar flourishesfollowed by an angular theme presented by the contrabassoon. The section concludes withnimble music in the woodwinds, marked by sprightly accents and dramatic changes ofcolor.

The middle section of the piece begins with a murky background and a plaintivestatement from the orchestral bells and vibraphone. Marked Ethereal, this section features arhythmic motive that develops into a distant ostinato. The simple "bell" statement matures,growing powerful and triumphant. The music settles, the menacing music from thebeginning returns. What was once sinister, now takes on a rhapsodic and mildly optimisticnature. All of the earlier themes are now cast in different guises and pitted against eachother.

The cauldron is stirred, the ooze flows, and the contrabassoon, now alone,simmers. As the piece comes to a close the instruments return one by one to join eachother in one final, primal scream.