A Fanfare and Theme for 8 Trombones
By Shawn W. Davern
Available for purchase at Warwick Music
Boston University Trombone Octet, Don Lucas, 2015
Year: 2014 Duration: 4:00 Grade: Medium-Advanced Dedicated to my father, Bill Davern. World Premiere by the Boston University Trombone Choir on October 10th, 2014. Conducted by Don Lucas.
Program Notes
I believe that there are very few people in our lives that inspire us to achieve beyond our personal limits. My father has and always will be one of those people. I believe that there are very few people in our lives that inspire us to achieve beyond our personal limits. My father has and always will be one of those people. Before beginning the writing process, I set some compositional parameters. The harmonic rhythm of the composition features a transition between tonic and the subdominant, Do and Fa in solfege syllables. My father is the Director of Fine Arts at my high school, to which I coined him as the “D.o.F.A.,” hence the motivic emphasis on the chords I and IV. The piece also modulates to Bb, which is another more permanent musical nod to the “Do-Fa” chord motif. The composition is reminiscent of an epic fanfare, shortly followed by a gallant then nostalgic theme. The piece begins with a bright fanfare. As more trombones are added to the texture, the tempo slows down and the fanfare takes on a more grandiose mood. With an immediate transition and tempo increase, the heroic main theme is stated. The energetic melody quickly becomes more sentimental, accompanied by lush chords and a much more dense orchestration. A modulation to Bb major and a gradual dynamic shift downward creates an indication of a pseudo ending. From silence, a lone trombone proclaims the composition’s continuation, followed by a powerful transition back into F major. A recapitulation of the original fanfare intensely sounds again, bringing Make the Moment to an exciting conclusion.
Shawn W. Davern 