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Stevens John Seasons Ens46

John Stevens
Seasons

Symphony

for brass quintet

  • Level: advanced
  • Duration: 29'
  • Composed: 1984

Reference: ENS46
CHF51.00
Score and parts

Details

  • Instrumentation:

    2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba

  • Published: 1995
  • Publisher: Editions Bim
  • Movements:
    • I. Spring (9'40)
    • II. Summer (6'50)
    • III. Autumn (6'10)
    • IV. Winter (5'40)

Audio samples

I. Spring
II. Summer
III. Autumn
IV. Winter

Composer

John Stevens

John Stevens (*1951)

John Stevens was born in Buffalo, New York (USA) in 1951. He holds degrees in Music Performance (tuba) from the Eastman School of Music (1973) and Yale University (1975). For many years John Steven... Read more

About Seasons

The changes of seasons

Spring is a time of new beginnings; of growth and warmth returning. Each instrument has a chance to “blossom” in this opening movement.

Summer is a joyous dance of great speed and agility - the music is, except for a short section in the middle reminding us of the stifling summer heat, a celebration of the activity and “outdoor” nature of the season.

Autumn is the most beautiful of the seasons, with it’s cool days and gorgeous colors. There is also a melancholy atmosphere to the music, forewarning the coming of winter.

Winter can be many things, but in this work the composer chose to portray the violent, cold, cracking, stark nature of the Wisconsin winters. This finale movement returns at the end to the music of Spring, completing the year’s cycle to conclude the piece.

“Seasons” is subtitled “A Symphony for Brass Quintet” because the nature of the movements - long opening movement, scherzo, slow movement and finale - parallels that of the classic symphony.