December Lullaby for wind ensemble

December Lullaby
for wind ensemble

Full Orchestra
String Orchestra
Wind Ensemble
Vocal
Chamber
Solo Instrumental

   I grew up in Florida and never experienced the harshness or the beauty of winter until I was in my 20s. Now that I have lived farther north for over a decade, I still look forward to seeing the first snowfall each year. It rapidly transforms a bleak autumn landscape into a peaceful and delicate one, covering ragged leafless branches with a rounded cloak of snow. As you listen to this piece, imagine watching the first snow of the season while wrapped in a blanket, sipping hot chocolate next to a crackling fireplace. Throughout December Lullaby, there is an alternation between intimate chamber-like settings and lush full-ensemble textures. Opening with only a solo flute and piano, numerous woodwind and brass solos follow, repeating the flowing melody as more and more instruments join the texture. The middle section is more agitated and more grand, with colorful and expansive harmonies. Eventually, the return of the first melody is combined with elements from the middle section, but calmness persists through to the end.

December Lullaby was commissioned by a consortium of wind ensembles, including:
   The University of Memphis, Dr. Armand V. Hall, Associate Director of Bands
   Rowan University, Dr. Joseph Higgins, Director of Bands
   Viera High School, Dominick Eggen, Director of Bands
   Oyster Bay High School, Matthew Sisia, Director of Band
   Woodhaven High School, Bradley Faryniarz, Director of Bands.

Duration: ca. 4'
Grade: 3

To purchase, please use the PayPal buttons at the bottom of this page or visit Murphy Music Press.

Full Wind Ensemble Instrumentation:

1 Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 1 Oboe, 3 Bb Clarinets, 1 Bass Clarinet, 1 Bassoon
2 Alto Saxophones, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone
2 Horns in F, 3 Trumpets in Bb, 3 Trombones, 1 Euphonium, 1 Tuba
Timpani, 5 Percussion (Vibraphone, Glockenspiel, Chimes, Suspended Cymbal, Tam-tam, Triangle)
Piano (optional), Double Bass

Flexible Instrumentation:

1: Flute/Clarinet
2: Flute/Oboe/Clarinet/Alto Saxophone
3: Clarinet/Trumpet/Alto Saxophone/French Horn
4: Clarinet/Trumpet/Alto Saxophone/French Horn
5: Tenor Saxophone/French Horn/Trombone/Euphonium/Bassoon
6: Bass Clarinet/Baritone Saxophone/Trombone/Euphonium/Bassoon/Tuba
Percussion: Timpani, Glock/Vibraphone, Chimes (optional), 2 Percussion: Susp. Cymbals, Tam-tam, Triangle
Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Bass (To purchase the version with string parts, please use the PayPal buttons at the bottom of this page instead of ordering through Murphy Music Press)

Listen to a recording by the International Fellowship of Conductors, Composers, and Collaborators (IFC3), conducted by Dr. Timothy Paul while following along with a reduction of the flexible band score. The full flexible score is embedded below.

Watch a performance by the Illinois State University Symphonic Band, conducted by Marykate Kuhne.

Watch a performance of the flexible version by the UTEP Symphonic Band, conducted by Dr. Andrew Hunter.

You may download a pdf of the perusal score in case the embedded score below is difficult to see or does not display.

December Lullaby is available in full wind ensemble and flexible ensemble instrumentations. You may purchase pdfs directly from me using the PayPal buttons below, or printed scores and parts are available from Murphy Music Press - click here for the full version and here for the flexible wind ensemble version. The flexible ensemble version that includes strings is currently only available through the PayPal buttons below.

December Lullaby

Date of performance