Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman

Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman is a composition by Joan Tower. Parts I, II, III and V were written for brass. Part IV of the piece is for full orchestra. The whole score includes 3 trumpets, 4 horns, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, snare drum, 2 bass drums, 5 cymbals, 2 gongs, tam-tam, tom-toms, the triangle, glockenspiel, marimba, and chimes. Tower began writing the piece in 1987 and revised the whole piece in 1997. ^[1]

Background

Joan Tower began composing music in the 1960s, at a time when the male-dominated music world followed the composition standards of post-World War II Europe. She is among the generation of female American composers credited with creating her own voice and leading the way for later generations.^[2]

Summary

The first and most popular of the Fanfares was composed in 1986 and debuted on January 10, 1987, with the Houston Symphony. It was conducted by Hans Vonk and was performed as a part of the Symphony’s Fanfare Project. It was originally inspired by Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” and employs the same instrumentation while adding the glockenspiel, marimba, chimes, and drums. The piece was composed while she was a composer-in-residence for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra [held this post from 1985 to 1988] and is about 2 minutes and 41 seconds long. It contains an opening flourish, huge percussion strokes, and then a galloping rhythm that pushes through the rest of the piece to reach the conclusion.

The second Fanfare was written in 1989 and uses the same instrumentation as the first while adding percussion. It was commissioned by Absolut Vodka and premiered at the Lincoln Center in 1989. It was performed by the Orchestra of Saint Luke and is about 3 minutes and 23 seconds long.^[3]

The third Fanfare was written in 1991 and was commissioned by Carnegie Hall in commemoration of its 100th anniversary. It premiered on May 5, 1991, and was performed by the Empire Brass and members of the New York Philharmonic brass section. The conductor was Zubin Mehta and it is about 5 minutes and 15 seconds long. It is laid out on a larger scale than the others and gradually moves from quiet lyricism to full-ensemble chords before slowing down into a final coda.

The fourth Fanfare was written in 1992 and was the only one in the series scored for full orchestra where the brass does not dominate. However, its propulsive rhythms and sheer energy qualify it as a fanfare. The piece was commissioned by the Kansas City Symphony, and premiered on October 16, 1992, conducted by William McGlaughlin. The piece is about 4 minutes and 35 seconds long.^[4]

The fifth and final Fanfare was written in 1993 and was commissioned by the Aspen Music Festival for the opening of the Joan and Irving Harris Concert Hall in 1993. It is approximately 3 minutes long.

Performances

The Fanfares have been performed worldwide by over 500 ensembles. They are a tribute to women who were risk-takers and adventurers. The whole work was eventually recorded by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. She dedicated the piece to the conductor of the recordings, Marin Alsop.^[5]

References