Return to composition list: By Genre / By Opus

Land of the Midnight Sun, Op. 56, No. 1 (2013)

For Two Bassoons and Wind Ensemble

Live Performance:

Sam Fraser, Clayton Kullander, solo bassoons; Eastman Student Wind Ensemble, Joe Clark, conductor

Perusal Score:

Duration: 20'

  1. I. Land
  2. II. Midnight
  3. III. Sun

Instrumentation:

  • Solo Bassoons 1-2
  • Piccolo
  • Flutes 1-2
  • Oboes 1-2
  • Bassoons 1-2
  • Contrabassoon
  • Eb Clarinet
  • Bb Clarinets 1-2-3
  • Alto Clarinet
  • Bass Clarinet
  • Contra-Alto Clarinet
  • Contrabass Clarinet
  • Soprano Sax
  • Alto Sax
  • Tenor Sax
  • Baritone Sax
  • Bb Trumpets 1-2-3
  • Horns 1-2-3-4
  • Trombones 1-2
  • Bass Trombone
  • Euphonium
  • Tuba
  • Double Bass
  • Harp
  • Timpani
  • Percussion (4) (Suspended Cymbal/Tom-toms/Bass Drum/Bells/Snare Drum/Crotales/Triangle/Xylophone/Maracas/Marimba/Tam-tam/Chimes/Mark Tree/Crash Cymbals/Tambourine/Hi-Hat/Whip/Anvil)

Program Notes:

In my freshman year at Eastman, Michael Elderkin approached me with the idea of writing a double bassoon concerto for Ivy Ringel and himself, two bassoonists in my grade. Somewhere around the same time, the phrase "Land of the Midnight Sun" popped into my head as a good name for a piece (whether suggested from an outside source, or just found somewhere I cannot recall). The two ideas somehow became inextricably linked, and thus this piece was born.

Composition began the summer after my freshman year and was completed in the following fall semester. Due to the inherent difficulties in putting together a wind ensemble, the premiere was delayed to March 2015 with Sam Fraser and Clayton Kullander playing the solo parts.

Purchase PDF

Select: