The 2001 version was premiered by the Air Force Band of Mid at America at the 2005
NBA Young Composer Mentor Project in conjunction with the Bands of America Summer
Symposium. The significantly revised version of the piece in this recording has not
been premiered.
Instrumentation:
Piccolo
2 Flutes
Oboe
Bassoon
Eb Clarinet
3 Bb Clarinets
Bass Clarinet
Bb Contrabass Clarinet
2 Alto Saxes
Tenor Sax
Baritone Sax
3 Trumpets in Bb
4 Horns in F
2 Tenor Trombones
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Timpani
Marimba
Vibraphone
Bells / Crotales
Chimes
Percussion 1:
Crash Cymbal, Suspended Cymbal, Gong
Percussion 2:
Bass Drum, Snare Drum
Duration: Approximately 10 minutes
World Premiere: The 2001 version was premiered by the Air Force Band of Mid- America at the 2005 NBA Young Composer Mentor Project in conjunction with the Bands of America Summer Symposium. The significantly revised version of the piece represented in this score has not been premiered.
Program note:
On September 11, 2001, our nation was forever changed by the tragic terrorist attacks on the world trade center in New York City. Every person was affected or touched by this event in some way. Composition of “A Changed Anthem” began on September 12, the day following those terrible events.
The inspiration came after seeing a large group of people come together to sing “My Country Tis of Thee,” which served as the seed for the entire composition. This anthem is broken into fragments that are eventually put back together as the piece progresses as an illustration of the gathering sense of unity experienced after the attacks.
When the familiar theme is heard in its entirety it is “changed,” incorporating a darker sound than one familiar with the tune would expect. This piece is not only about changing a well-known tune; but it is also about how America was forever changed by the events of that day.
“A Changed Anthem” is comprised of three sections. These sections loosely depict the events of September 11. The piece begins with a calm, unsuspecting sound. Nothing clues the listener in to where the piece may go next. Then the piece suddenly shifts into a fast, aggressive, and dissonant section depicting the first attack itself. This section goes by quickly and returns to a somber reflective sound. Apprehension is communicated through the soft transparent sounds of the woodwinds and percussion, while the brass depicts the hope of a nation raising to the occasion and pulling itself out the destructive attacks. This is where “My Country Tis of Thee” is heard in its most complete version. The work then slowly fades to a quiet conclusion, depicting a silent optimism. The piece concludes sounding almost unfinished at the end, in an attempt to show that our nation still has much recovery and growth to experience after the events of September 11, 2001.
“A Changed Anthem” has undergone several significant revisions since the premiere of the original version in 2005. That is due to more time having passed, and my perceptions of the events of the day changing over this period of time.
~ Craig Andrew Fitzpatrick
2008
