Kalla
for Trumpet and Wind Band
Allan Gilliland
Ensemble: Wind Ensemble
Solo Instrument: Trumpet
Duration: 08:45
Year of Composition: 2009
Commissioned by: 2009 National Youth Band of Canada
Premiered by: National Youth Band of Canada (Dr. Shelley Jagow, conductor; Dean McNeill, trumpet)
Date of Premiere: May 13, 2009
Publisher: Canadian Music Centre
Year of Publication: 2012
Publisher Catalog Number: MI 1931 G481ka
Available: Yes
How to Acquire: Publisher, Purchase
Links:
Piccolo
Flutes 1,2
Oboes 1,2
Bassoon
B♭ Clarinets 1,2,3
B♭ Bass Clarinet
E♭ Alto Saxes 1,2
B♭ Tenor Sax
E♭ Baritone Sax
F Horns 1,2,3,4
B♭ Trumpets 1,2,3
Trombones 1,2
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Double Bass
Timpani
Percussion 1-3
Solo B♭ Trumpet
Classical Composition of the Year, 2012 Western Canadian Music Awards
Program Notes:
The word Kalla is Norwegian for “call,” a theme that appears both in the inspiration for this piece and the structure of the work itself. Commissioned by the 2009 National Youth Band of Canada and funded through a grant from Grant MacEwan University’s Centre for the Arts Research and Scholarly Activity Fund, the work was premiered May 13, 2009 by the National Youth Band of Canada under the direction of Dr. Shelley Jagow, featuring Dean McNeill as the soloist. For me Kalla is a “crossover” piece stylistically for the soloist. It draws upon both classical and jazz inspired techniques including traditional cadenzas with virtuosic runs and triple tonguing and contrasting sections featuring jazz plunger techniques, a unique sound not often heard in band music. The trumpet culture at turn of the century (late 19th century-early 20th century) in New Orleans was the inspiration for Kalla. Trumpet players would go down to the river and play a note to see how long it took the echo to come back. Soon, another trumpet would answer, higher and louder, and the game of one-upsmanship would begin. Trumpet calls and answers from across the city would sound. Kalla is based on this concept of call and response with the opening trumpet call coming physically from three different places in the concert hall. As the piece develops call and response continues between the soloist and ensemble.
(Program note by Allan Gilliland)
