Galbraith: A Festive Violet Pulse, for orchestra

Instrumentation: 3fl(picc), 2ob, 2cl, 2bn; 4hn, 3tpt, 2tbn(bs), tba; timp, 4 perc, hrp, pno; strings
Duratiion: 3′
Composed: 1997
Published by: Subito Music Publishing

Full Score & Parts: available on rental:

Composer’s Note: A Festive Violet Pulse opens with lively textures in the woodwinds which are used as accompaniment for a melodic statement in the violins. This melody is answered contrapuntally by the celli, and develops into a web of repeated melodic phrases. The middle section is very rhythmic, highlighting the percussion section and making use of many polyrhtyhms. A soft tremolo begins to emerge in the strings and gradually evolves into the foreground material. A repeated note theme enters in the celli and is answered sequentially by each string section. A strong statement of the original theme in the trumpets and violins climaxes the movement. —N.G.