The Elements: A Symphony for Wind Ensemble

Abstract

This work is a four-movement piece written for wind ensemble, in which each movement attempts to musically depict one of the four elements. The first movement, “Benevolent Water,” uses ocean drums and a wave-like pattern in the clarinets and saxophones to imitate the sound of the ocean, while the second movement, “Strong Earth,” features the low winds to create the impression of being rooted in the earth. “Passionate Fire,” the third movement, strays from a conventional musical depiction of fire in order to explore the despair following a conflagration, which transforms into a celebration of the new life that emerges afterwards. The fourth and final movement, “Harmonious Air,” uses overlapping flurries of sound in the upper woodwinds to depict the joy of flight. The entire piece is approximately twenty minutes in length.