Concert Band

Variations on a Fourth

Grade 5 | 8 Mins

Variations on a Fourth was commissioned by the Siena Wind Orchestra, a professional ensemble based in Tokyo, for an innovative event which took place in June 2019. Siena Wind Orchestra had commissioned 4 European and 4 Japanese composers to write a new piece for wind orchestra and premiered all 8 pieces in a special concert held on June 15th in Bunkyo Civic Concert Hall. The previous day, all the pieces had been recorded for a CD release on the Avex label.

Variations on a Fourth comprises four variations, all of which feature the musical interval of a fourth in much of their melodic and harmonic material.

Variation 1 opens with brass fanfares and florid woodwind figuration, which lead to a perky tune on clarinets and oboes. This builds to a climax for full band, which heralds a return of the fanfare and leads to Variation 2. This is much sparser in texture, with tiny motifs in the woodwinds. No significant melody emerges until the trumpets change the mood with a solemn chorale accompanied by some of the opening motifs. This builds to a climax but quickly subsides to introduce the next variation. Variation 3 opens with a stately dance but the mood gradually darkens to introduce a turbulent tenor melody under fluttering woodwinds. Again, an emotional climax is reached and shadows of the dance return; a transformation of the opening fanfare leads to Variation 4, which is bright and optimistic in nature and echoes some of the material from Variations 1 and 2. After a new, rhythmic melody is introduced the opening of the variation returns, only for the chorale from Variation 2 to re-emerge, leading to a triumphal close.