Epomanduodurum
Aquila Non Capit Muscas,
by Metropolitan Police of Paris Wind Band
Premiere: December 15, 2019
→Wind Band
Publisher:Hafabra Music
3 Fl. (+ Picc.), 2 Ob. (+ 2 Crystal Gls),
Eng. Hn (+ Crystal Gls), 2 Bsns
(+ 2 Crystal Gls), Cl. 1-2-3 (+ 1 Whistling tube),
Bass Cl., A. Sax. 1-2, T. Sax., B. Sax., 4 Hn,
4 Tpt (+ 1 Whistling tube), 4 Trb.,
Euph. (div.), Tub. (div.), 2 Cb.,
Synth. (or E. Pno), 5 Perc.,
Carnyx (or any other early/antique nat. brass)
Duration: 12:30
Level: 4-5
Presentation.
Commissioned by Orchestre d’Harmonie de Beaulieu-Mandeure, for their 130th anniversary.
Imaginary, impressions, about the antique city Epomanduodurum (nowadays the towns of Mandeure and Mathay) and its enormous open theater which was one of the biggest during the gallo-roman period (from the 2nd century B.C.), and its evolution until the city of Mandeure, independently constituted after the Revolution, against the Napoleon’s Empire, with the motto “Aquila Non Capit Muscas” (the eagle can’t catch the fly).
The score doesn’t describe any specific event, but tries to depict a sounding imaginary around the city’s history.
Archeologists found, especially near the antique theater, music instruments used by gallics, romans and celts, with some variations depending on regions, under the form of “trumpets”, straight or curved, made to call for ceremonies, events…
In Epomanduodurum, the Carnyx were used (as in Tintignac), long straight trumpet with a boar’s head (noble animal then).
One of these instruments, restored, is used in this new composition. As said above, there’s no specific event described, imaginary can create another world of sounds, and another story, and you could use any other antique instrument (Roman tuba,…).
The work has been premiered on December 15-16, 2019, by the Orchestre d’Harmonie de Beaulieu-Mandeure, under baton Frédéric Bouton.
