Windows (Druckman) Explained

Windows
Composer:Jacob Druckman
Client:Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation
Composed:1972
Dedication:Serge and Natalie Koussevitzky
Duration:about 20 minutes
Movements:One
Scoring:Orchestra
Premiere Conductor:Bruno Maderna
Premiere Location:Orchestra Hall, Chicago
Premiere Performers:Chicago Symphony

Windows is a one-movement orchestral composition written by Jacob Druckman in 1972. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in the same year. Windows was commissioned by the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation for conductor Bruno Maderna and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and is dedicated to conductor Serge Koussevitzky and his wife Natalie.

Druckman himself explained the name of the composition as follows:

Much of the work involves the use of aleatoric processes, similar to those associated with Witold Lutosławski. Windows was originally going to share a program with Claude Debussy's Jeux when it was premiered and Druckman wanted to pay homage to Debussy.

A typical performance of the piece lasts about 20 minutes.

Instrumentation

The work is written for an orchestra with the following instrumentation.[1]

Woodwinds
  • 3 flutes (3rd doubles piccolos)
  • 2 oboes
  • 1 English horn
  • 2 B clarinets
  • 1 B bass clarinet
  • 2 bassoons
  • 1 contrabassoon
    Brass
  • 4 horns (asst. 1st and 3rd advisable)
  • 3 trumpets (C)
  • 3 trombones (3rd tenor-bass with F attachment)
  • 1 tuba
    Other: 1 harp
  • 1 keyboard player playing piano and electric organ[2]
    Percussion (3 players)
  • 1 glockenspiel
  • 1 vibraphone
  • 1 marimba
  • 1 steel drum
  • chimes
  • 1 timpani
  • 2 bass drums
  • 2 conga drums
  • 1 snare drum
  • 1 pair of timbales
  • 2 pairs of bongos
  • 3 temple blocks
  • 2 wood blocks
  • 2 tam-tams
  • 2 gongs (mid-range, without definite pitch)
  • 2 large suspended cymbals
  • 2 small suspended cymbals
  • 1 large sizzle cymbal
  • 1 heavy spring coil with sizzles[3]
  • 1 saw[4]
    Strings
  • violins
  • violas
  • cellos
  • contrabasses

    References

    Notes and References

    1. Book: Druckman, Jacob. Windows. MCA Music. 1972.
    2. From the score: "though this part is written so that it can be accomplished by one player, it is much safer with two players".
    3. Small metal rings loosely hung on coils
    4. The long type with one end mounted in a wooden block which rests on the floor

    This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Windows (Druckman)".

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