Category concerto | Russell Peck

Symphonic Music

Orchestral Works:
Signs of Life II- for string orchestra
Signs of Life- for string orchestra
Peace Overture- for orchestra
Gabriel– concert overture for orchestra
Don’t Tread on Me– for string orchestra
Mozart Escapes– settings of Mozart for orchestra
Ultra-Americana– two pieces for orchestra
Freedom Fanfare– for orchestra
Revolutionary Action– for orchestra

Concertos:
Voice of the Wood– concerto for cello quartet and orchestra
The Glory and the Grandeur– concerto for percussion trio and orchestra
Harmonic Rhythm– concerto for timpani and orchestra
The Upward Stream– concerto for tenor saxophone and orchestra

Educational & Family Pieces:
The Thrill of the Orchestra– demonstrates the instruments of the orchestra with narration
The Thrill Beyond Words (instrumental)
Playing with Style– demonstration piece for narrator and orchestra
Jack and Jill at Bunker Hill– a story from the founding of the USA for narrator and orchestra
Where’s Red Robin?– story piece with narrator and orchestra

Voice of the Wood

Concerto for Cello Quartet and Orchestra
or
Arrangement for Cello Quartet and Piano

I. Prelude

II. Fantasia

Composed for the innovative medium of cello quartet and orchestra. Voice of the Wood was premiered by the Charlotte Symphony to standing and shouting applause. Suitable for performance by an orchestra’s own cellists, it can also be performed by a guest artists cello quartet.

“classic Peck, tonal and accessible, and driven by syncopation . . . especially winning was the rich collective voice of the four soloists . . . the audience responded with an extended ovation”
Charlotte Observer

“very positive response . . . the audience was on its feet just moments after the music ended”
National Public Radio: Performance Today

duration: 21′

(1999)

3(3rd db. picc.)/2+E.h./2+b.cl./2+cbn.   4/3/3/1
timp.   3 perc.   piano harp
violin I & II   violas   basses
solo cello quartet

Adagio

Piu mosso

Adagietto, beginning

Alla marcia

Allegro moderator, end

Voice of the Wood

To purchase this contact:
Eble Music Co. (319) 338-0313 www.eble.com

in Cello Quartet / concerto / Orchestral Works / Symphonic Music

The Glory and the Grandeur

This concerto for three percussionists has been performed across America – by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati and Indianapolis Symphonies and many others. The opening is a paraphrase of the composer’s Lift-Off for percussion, reviewed by the N.Y. Times as “the hit of the evening . . . smashingly propulsive.”

The Smashingly Propulsive opening drum cadenza

The entertaining spectacle of performance by interwoven percussionists makes this piece ideal for video productions, and performances have been broadcast nationwide-The West Virginia video production won first prize in the prestigious Houston International Video Competition in the live music category.

Excerpt #1

Excerpt #2

Finale

Mozart Escapes

I. Allegro maestoso (Revolutionary Brass) 4’30”
II. Andante cantabile (Amadeus Meets Stradivarius 7’00”
III. Allegretto scherzando (Woodwinds a la Wolfgang) 5’00”
IV. Allegro vivace (Mallets and Mozart) 6’00”

In this unusual concerto for orchestra each movement is based on a famous Mozart piano sonata movement scored for full orchestra, with emphasis on one of the instrumental families. It explores the adaptability of W.A. Mozart’s great piano compositions to varied scoring using all the resources of the modern orchestra.

“equal measures of wit and serenity . . . a worthy addition to the repertory”
Greenville News

total duration: 22′ 30″

(1997)

LISTEN to audio samples
2+picc./2/2/2+cbn. 4/3/3/1
timp. 3 perc. strings

in Compositions / concerto / Orchestral Works / Symphonic Music

The Upward Stream

The original version of The Upward Stream with orchestra has been performed throughout the United States, as well as in Berlin, Warsaw and other European cities, and Canada, Czech Republic, England, South Korea, and Taiwan/R.O.C.

The Symphonic Band arrangement of The Upward Stream
was premiered by the Indiana University Symphonic Band,
February 5, 2013.

in Compositions / concerto / Music for Band & Wind / Symphonic Music / Tenor Saxophone

Harmonic Rhythm

The writing of this concerto, which premiered in 2000, was inspired by the largest commissioning consortium to date in music history—39 orchestras. It was also sparked by interest among timpanists based on the composer’s well-known percussion concerto The Glory and the Grandeur and percussion trio Lift-Off. It is visually stimulating due to the unusual variety of mallets and brilliant sticking. Harmonic Rhythm requires 5 drums (4 standard sizes plus a piccolo drum).

A primary feature is the melodic writing for the timpani, which shows the instrument’s expressive range extending into areas of surprising lyricism. There is powerful action, too, of course, with jazz and rock influences, leading to a very big ending.

Section I: excerpt

Section II: beginning-excerpt

Section III: beginning-excerpt

Section IV: excerpt

Section IV: excerpt-end