Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman
Encyclopedia
Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman is a composition by Joan Tower
. Parts I, II, III and V were written for brass. Part IV of the piece is for full orchestra
. The whole score includes 3 trumpets, 4 horns, 3 trombone
s, tuba
, timpani, snare drum, 2 bass drums, 5 cymbals, 2 gongs, tam-tam, tom-toms, the triangle, glockenspiel
, marimba
, and chimes. Tower began writing the piece in 1987 and revised the whole piece in 1997.
began composing music in the 1960s, at a time when the male-dominated music world followed the composition standards of post-World War II Europe. She is among the generation of female American composers credited with creating her own voice and leading the way for later generations.
“Fanfare for the Common Man
” and employs the same instrumentation while adding the glockenspiel, marimba, chimes, and drums. The piece was composed while she was a composer-in-residence for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
[held this post from 1985 to 1988] and is about 2 minutes and 41 seconds long. It contains an opening flourish, huge percussion strokes, and then a galloping rhythm that pushes through the rest of the piece to reach the conclusion.
The second Fanfare was written in 1989 and uses the same instrumentation as the first while adding percussion. It was commissioned by Absolut Vodka and premiered at the Lincoln Center
in 1989. It was performed by the Orchestra of Saint Luke and is about 3 minutes and 23 seconds long.
The third Fanfare was written in 1991 and was commissioned by Carnegie Hall
in commemoration of its 100th anniversary. It premiered on May 5, 1991, and was performed by the Empire Brass
and members of the New York Philharmonic
brass section. The conductor was Zubin Mehta
and it is about 5 minutes and 15 seconds long. It is laid out on a larger scale than the others and gradually moves from quiet lyricism to full-ensemble chords before slowing down into a final coda.
The fourth Fanfare was written in 1992 and was the only one in the series scored for full orchestra where the brass does not dominate. However, its propulsive rhythms and sheer energy qualify it as a fanfare. The piece was commissioned by the Kansas City Symphony
and premiered on October 16, 1992. The conductor for the performance was William McGlaughlin and is about 4 minutes and 35 seconds long.
The fifth and final Fanfare was written in 1993 and was commissioned by the Aspen Music Festival for the opening of the Joan and Irving Harris Concert Hall in 1993. It is approximately 3 minutes long.
. She dedicated the piece to the conductor of the recordings, Marin Alsop.
Joan Tower
Joan Tower is a Grammy-winning contemporary American composer, concert pianist and conductor. Lauded by the New Yorker as "one of the most successful woman composers of all time", her bold and energetic compositions have been performed in concert halls around the world...
. Parts I, II, III and V were written for brass. Part IV of the piece is for full orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
. The whole score includes 3 trumpets, 4 horns, 3 trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
s, tuba
Tuba
The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
, timpani, snare drum, 2 bass drums, 5 cymbals, 2 gongs, tam-tam, tom-toms, the triangle, glockenspiel
Glockenspiel
A glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. In this way, it is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiel's are metal plates or tubes, and making it a metallophone...
, marimba
Marimba
The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
, and chimes. Tower began writing the piece in 1987 and revised the whole piece in 1997.
Background
Joan TowerJoan Tower
Joan Tower is a Grammy-winning contemporary American composer, concert pianist and conductor. Lauded by the New Yorker as "one of the most successful woman composers of all time", her bold and energetic compositions have been performed in concert halls around the world...
began composing music in the 1960s, at a time when the male-dominated music world followed the composition standards of post-World War II Europe. She is among the generation of female American composers credited with creating her own voice and leading the way for later generations.
Summary of Piece
The first and most popular of the Fanfares was composed in 1986 and debuted on January 10, 1987, with the Houston Symphony. It was conducted by Hans Vonk and was performed as a part of the Symphony’s Fanfare Project. It was originally inspired by Copland’sAaron Copland
Aaron Copland was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later in his career a conductor of his own and other American music. He was instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition, and is often referred to as "the Dean of American Composers"...
“Fanfare for the Common Man
Fanfare for the Common Man
Fanfare for the Common Man is a 20th-century American classical music work by American composer Aaron Copland. The piece was written in 1942 for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under conductor Eugene Goossens. It was inspired in part by a famous speech made earlier in the same year where vice...
” and employs the same instrumentation while adding the glockenspiel, marimba, chimes, and drums. The piece was composed while she was a composer-in-residence for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra based in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1880 by Joseph Otten as the St. Louis Choral Society, the SLSO is the second-oldest symphony orchestra in the United States as it is preceded by the New York Philharmonic.-History:The St...
[held this post from 1985 to 1988] and is about 2 minutes and 41 seconds long. It contains an opening flourish, huge percussion strokes, and then a galloping rhythm that pushes through the rest of the piece to reach the conclusion.
The second Fanfare was written in 1989 and uses the same instrumentation as the first while adding percussion. It was commissioned by Absolut Vodka and premiered at the Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of New York City's Upper West Side. Reynold Levy has been its president since 2002.-History and facilities:...
in 1989. It was performed by the Orchestra of Saint Luke and is about 3 minutes and 23 seconds long.
The third Fanfare was written in 1991 and was commissioned by Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in commemoration of its 100th anniversary. It premiered on May 5, 1991, and was performed by the Empire Brass
Empire Brass
The Empire Brass is a brass quintet from the United States. Current members include:* Rolf Smedvig, trumpet* Marc Brian Reese, trumpet* Michelle Perry, French horn* Mark Hetzler, trombone* Kenneth Amis, tuba...
and members of the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
brass section. The conductor was Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of western classical music. He is the Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...
and it is about 5 minutes and 15 seconds long. It is laid out on a larger scale than the others and gradually moves from quiet lyricism to full-ensemble chords before slowing down into a final coda.
The fourth Fanfare was written in 1992 and was the only one in the series scored for full orchestra where the brass does not dominate. However, its propulsive rhythms and sheer energy qualify it as a fanfare. The piece was commissioned by the Kansas City Symphony
Kansas City Symphony
The Kansas City Symphony is a United States symphony orchestra based in Kansas City, Missouri. The current music director is conductor Michael Stern. The current home of the Symphony is the Lyric Theatre, located in Downtown Kansas City on 11th Street between Wyandotte and Central Streets...
and premiered on October 16, 1992. The conductor for the performance was William McGlaughlin and is about 4 minutes and 35 seconds long.
The fifth and final Fanfare was written in 1993 and was commissioned by the Aspen Music Festival for the opening of the Joan and Irving Harris Concert Hall in 1993. It is approximately 3 minutes long.
Performances
The Fanfares have been performed worldwide by over 500 ensembles. They are a tribute to women who were risk-takers and adventurers. The whole work was eventually recorded by the Colorado Symphony OrchestraColorado Symphony Orchestra
Colorado’s only full-time professional orchestra, the Colorado Symphony embraces a tradition of musical excellence by presenting a diverse array of symphonic performances throughout the year...
. She dedicated the piece to the conductor of the recordings, Marin Alsop.