Symphony No. 8 - Full Score / Partitur David Maslanka

Maslanka's Symphony No. 8 is a massive three-movement "celebration of life - new life, continuity from the past to the future, hope, faith, joy, ecstatic vision and fierce determination." (Albany Records) Since its premiere by the Illinois State University Wind Symphony, Symphony No. 8 has been embraced by better wind ensembles across the country. Listen to the ISU Wind Symphony, under the direction of Stephen K. Steel, in the live concert premiere on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvbG0XLVlNY "For those unfamiliar with this composer, the Symphony No. 8 is an excellent introduction. This is the most quintessentially Maslankian work I've heard." (Fanfare)Symphony No. 8 is in three distinct movements, bur the musical layout suggests a single large-scale panoramic vista.

I began the composition process for this symphony with meditation, and was shown scenes of widespread devastation. But this music is not about the surface of our world problems. It is a response to a much deeper vital creative flow which is forcefully at work, and which will carry us through our age of crisis. This music is a celebration of life. It is about new life, continuity from the past to the future, great hope, great faith, joy, ecstatic vision, and fierce determination.

The old is continually present in the new. The first movement touches the Gloria from my Mass: Glory to God in the highest, whatever that may mean to you: the power of the universe made manifest to us and through us.

The second movement is a large fantasia on the old Lutheran chorale melody Jesu meine Freude (Jesus My Joy). The life of Christ is one powerful image of the high creative: being willing to be broken to receive the new; giving oneself up entirely so that a new idea can be born. The old form of the organ chorale prelude underlies this movement new language out of the old.

The third movement is a music of praise and gratitude for all that is. It can be traced to the very end of the favorite old hymn tune All Creatures of Our God and King the part with the joyous descending major scale where all the bells ring out. I recently used this tune for a set of variations in a piece called Unending Stream of Life, a name which could also be a fitting subtitle for this new symphony.

Program note by David MaslankaMovements
Moderate Very fast
Moderate
Moderate Very fast Moderate Very fast

Besetzungsliste / Instrumentation:

Piccolo
Flute (2)
Oboe (2)
Clarinet in E?
Clarinet in B? (3)
Bass Clarinet in B?
Contrabass Clarinet in B?
Bassoon (2)
Contrabassoon
Soprano Saxophone
Alto Saxophone (2)
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
Bass Saxophone
Horn in F (4)
Trumpet in B? (3) (1 dbl Piccolo Trumpet)
Trombone (2)
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Double Bass
Piano
Timpani
Required Percussion (5 players)
Orchestra Bells (2)
Marimba
Triangle (1 sm., 2 lg.)
Suspended Cymbal (1 sm., 1 med., 5 lg.)
Vibraphone
Snare Drum (2)
Bass Drum (2)
Tenor Drum (3)
Chimes (2)
Xylophone
Crotales
Tam-tam (2)
Crash Cymbals
Slap Stick
Tom-tom (med.)
Bongos