A Year-Long Siege (Digital Download)

Program Notes

This piece is extracted from the larger work, The Colossus of Rhodes; a tone poem for wind symphony. In four movements, it portrays the history around the statue, which was built to honor Helios, one of the Greek Gods. The Colossus of Rhodes was constructed to celebrate the successful defense of Rhodes city against an attack by Demetrius I of Macedon; the king of Asia. In 305 BC, the island of Rhodes was a major player in international trade; controlling the entrance to the Aegean Sea. They maintained treaties of neutrality with many empires but had a close relationship with Ptolemy I; the king/pharaoh of Ptolemaic Egypt. Demetrius I became concerned that Rhodes would supply Ptolemy I with ships. Also seeing the island of Rhodes as an ideal place to set up a base of operations, he decided to attack the city in an attempt to conquer it. Demetrius brought an army of roughly 40,000 men to attack the city. Though the island of Rhodes was heavily fortified, their forces numbered only about 6,000. The siege, lasting over a year, ultimately proved unsuccessful. Astonishingly, the Rhodians emerged victorious. This piece, the first movement of the larger work, depicts the battle which took place on the island. The music depicts the intensity, brutality, and violence of the battle. Then ultimately, the music moves to representing the bravery, heroicism, and the victory of the Rhodians over Demetrius I of Macedon.

Instrumentation: Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, E-flat Clarinet, 3 B-flat Clarinets, Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoons, 2 Alto Saxophones, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, 4 F Horns, 3 B-flat Trumpets, 3 Trombones, Bass Trombone, 2 Euphoniums, Tuba, String Bass, Piano, Timpani, 5 Percussion Players.

Difficulty: Grade 6 (Very Advanced) This piece is ideal for collegiate and professional ensembles, though potentially attainable by highly advanced high school ensembles with significant preparation.

To listen to a MIDI file for this piece click below!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S-2pfFDYGZCakyKWboeWDTIa0m2e8evz/view?usp=sharing

This is a digital download. Files will be sent automatically and limited to three downloads.