Dan Broadbent

14 March 2005

Sun Dance –Ticheli

Manhattan Beach Music

Grade 3

 

 

Form Analysis

            The form of this piece is an altered Sonata-Allegro form. Ticheli included a form chart in the program notes to make it quick and easy to discover the form of this work.

It has an Exposition, Development I, New material, Development II, and a Recapitulation. The exposition can be broken down easily into an introduction, theme a, theme b, and theme c. In the first development section, the first theme is stated three times in a row, each with embellishments and changes, then the second and third theme follow. Immediately following a transition, a new theme is stated- theme d. Afterwards, in the second development, theme b is stated three consecutive times. After a brief codetta, the recapitulation begins. What is unique is the fact that the first and third theme (with an extension) are stated, then there is a coda. The second theme does not reappear in the coda, as it was the only focus of the second developmental section.

 

            What is of particular interest is Ticheli’s use of motives throughout. He essentially uses only two motives for the entire work, but creates many themes out of them by augmenting them and altering them in other ways.

For example, in measures 6 and 7, he uses motive x, and in measures 10 and 11, he uses motive y. Motive x reappears later in theme b. Theme c, as seen below is more of a rhythmic theme than a melodic theme. While it is multi-meter (as seen below in an excerpt from measures 26-30), it has a more hemiola-type feel with the “implied” ¾ time in the bassoon part.

Later, Ticheli adds a polymodal feel to the theme.

Theme d, however blends both motive x and motive y by quite literally running them into each other.

These two motives are really the only two ideas that occur throughout this piece, however each time they recur, something about them has changed, be it the rhythm, the tonality, or even the texture.

 

Harmonic Content

            The tonal centers in which Ticheli moves this piece is quite interesting. The entire piece literally mirrors itself. However, Ticheli keeps the tonality major, but in the mixolydian mode throughout. Evidence of this is seen at the beginning when he has the full band play sixteenth note runs that end on a concert C- the pitch for the exposition. However, upon examination of the key signature, you see that it is in concert F, giving the concert B^b, or the flat 7^th scale degree, necessary for the mixolydian mode.

The exposition begins in C, as does the first development section. A particularly interesting fact is that Ticheli does not actually confirm the key until approximately the third bar.

He achieves this by having a slightly chromatic and very rhythmic passage in the low brass, confusing the listener as to what the key center actually is. It isn’t until the fourth measure of the piece that a sustaining note is found, thus giving us a firm grasp of the tonality of the beginning.

As the a theme is repeated in the first development section, it modulates from C to A^b then to F. However, before it modulates to A^b, Ticheli hints around at the G minor. This is seen in the trumpet & horn parts in measures 37-40.

Another modulation occurs at measure 45.

As you can see, the clarinets set up the transitionary cadence to the new key, concert A^b major.

An interesting point to clear up is the transition into measure 56.

As you can see, the downbeat of measure 56 is the new key, A^b. However, the in the third trumpet part, (the key signature is not shown in this example) the F sharp that is circled should be an F natural.

The above excerpt is of the tonicization of A^b in the second development section. This moves from a B^b major chord to an A^b major chord, with the B^b major chord functioning as a V/V in A^b, moving to the tonic chord of A^b.

This is soon followed by a return to the tonic of C mixolydian at measure 129, which carries us all the way to the conclusion of the piece.

            Ticheli said that when he was writing the piece, he had no intention of creating this form- it just happened. It wasn’t until he was actually analyzing his very own piece that he realized what he had created.

Melodic Content

            Each theme has its own unique style and interpretation. Careful attention should be used when there are soloists to ensure that they are exposed and can be heard by everybody.

            The accompanying clarinets, bass clarinet, and alto saxophones will need to use caution not to overplay their parts and down out the oboe soloist.

The b theme is simply the same idea stated three consecutive times, but it is altered and extended in each repetition.

This reemphasizes theme a, while in itself creating a new theme.

However, the prevailing idea throughout this piece is that the melody is in the mixolydian mode. This is altered in theme c when the piece is cast into a particularly interesting polymodal structure, contrasting F major and F minor simultaneously.

Ticheli literally alters the tonality every 1 to 2 beats. This creates more of a chromaticism feel rather than a tonality shift, which leads well into a transition to theme d.

Them d is unique because it occurs well after the exposition, a long-standing tradition dating back as far as Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony No. 3 in E^b, where he created a new theme well after the exposition in a very distant key- E minor.

This theme actually is a culmination of the two motives, creating a very melodic and lyrical theme from the two. This is the only place where this melody appears throughout the entire work.

            One particular thing to notice is Ticheli’s use of the opening idea- 4 sixteenth notes as an anacrusis to the next measure. It re-occurs numerous times throughout the piece.

At the beginning In the middle

In the piccolo, flute, and oboe parts near the end………and finally at the end of the piece.

Since this is a re-occurring theme, the conductor should take great care in ensuring that each time this is used, it is played in the same style and manner in which the initial statement of this thematic idea is played in.

 

Rhythmic Content

            The rhythmic content of the piece varies a lot. The work has a very energetic beginning because it immediately puts the emphasis of the beat to the off-beat instead of defining where the beat is.

The players could very well have difficulty playing this because, as stated above, the beat goes immediately to the off-beat, instead of reinforcing the downbeats.

Some of the instruments are required to play very intense and difficult rhythms routinely.

Theme c, as stated below in measure 26, uses both 4/4 and 3/4 time, but the 3/4 bar feels as though it is a 6/8 bar because of the 3 eighth notes at the beginning.

The syncopation continues in measure 36 with the repeat of theme a.

Here, the clarinets have multiple parts: the firsts are playing an ostinato that begins on the and of beat one. The second clarinets are playing a more steady beat-like pattern with emphasis on beats one and three. The thirds and bass clarinet are solidifying the beat by providing a firm base. Additionally, the theme is changed so that it begins with sixteenth notes, an idea stated previously.

Not soon thereafter, the upper woodwinds have even more syncopation in their parts.

 

The clarinets are all playing the off-beats, and the flutes/oboes add-in by coming in on the off-beats with sixteenth notes.

All of these syncopated parts (as well as the parts not mentioned) must be played using a similar style. This can be achieved by having the band listening to each section and critiquing how each section plays.

Frank Ticheli was born in 1958 in Monroe, Louisiana.   Since 1991, he is Professor of Composition at the University   of Southern California. He received his master's and doctoral   degrees in composition from the University of Michigan. He   has written pieces for band, orchestra, chamber ensembles,

About the Composer

and theatre. A full listing of his works is attached at the end of this analysis. As evident in Sun Dance, the New York Times describes his music as “lean and muscular and above all, active, in motion.” The list of his awards goes on and on and include the Charles Ives Scholarship, and the Goddard Lieberson Fellowship from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. He is a well-established and very fine composer. He has been quoted as saying, “I believe that music has the power to take us to a place that words alone cannot.” This shows the depth and thought of his character. One of his other works, Blue Shades, reflects the influence of jazz on him as he was growing up in Louisiana.

Information about the work

            In the notes about the piece, Ticheli uses a phrase he thought of while composing this work: “bright joy.” According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word bright means “of illuminated surfaces, of the day in sunshine” and joy means “a vivid emotion of pleasure arising from a sense of well-being or satisfaction; the feeling or state of being highly pleased or delighted; exultation of spirit; gladness, delight.” After he wrote the piece, he realized that the actuality of the piece was “a town festival on a warm, sunwashed day.” He went so far as to recall the townspeople gathering around a gazebo listening to the town band play, much as they did during Sousa’s time. Since there is no actual history behind this piece, it is important that the students actually understand that many towns had bands that would (as pictured on the next page) play concerts outside as a part of a festival, or just as something to enjoy on a Sunday afternoon. This would help the students gain a better understanding of the piece and the idea behind it.

 

 

Sources

http://www.eamdc.com/composers/ticheli.asp

www.frankticheli.com
www.oed.com

http://www.usc.edu/music/faculty/faccomp.html

 

COMPLETE CATALOG OF WORKS

ORCHESTRA

SOLO WITH ORCHESTRA

CHORUS

CONCERT BAND / WIND ENSEMBLE

CHAMBER