Triton’s Trumpet


Wind ensemble, 2025

Duration: 12 1/2 minutes

Instrumentation:
Piccolo
2 Flutes
2 Oboes*
2 Bassoons*
Contra-Bassoon*
Clarinet in Eb
3 Clarinets in Bb
Bass Clarinet
Contra-Bass Clarinet*
2 Alto Saxophones
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
4 Trumpets in Bb
4 Horns in F
2 Trombones
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
5 Percussion
   1: Vibraphone, Timbales, Tam-tam
   2: Glockenspiel, Marimba, Tambourine, Bongos, Crash Cymbals
   3: Small Suspended Cymbal, Temple Blocks, Vibraslap, Slapstick
   4: Large Suspended Cymbal, Snare Drum, 4 Tom-toms, Brake Drum
   5: Bass Drum
Double-Bass**

*If Oboe, Bassoon, Contrabassoon, or Contrabass Clarinet are unavailable, cues are provided in other parts to cover the music.
** Double-Bass is highly desirable, though not essential, as it has no independent parts.

Program Note:
Triton’s Trumpet is a single movement work relaying episodes from Greek mythology about the deep-sea dwelling son of Poseidon, famed for blowing a trumpet fashioned from a shell: Part One, wherein Triton rises from the depths and blows fearsome sounds on his trumpet, causing giants to flee; Part Two, wherein Triton rises from the depths and blows his trumpet to calm the storm-tossed waves; Part Three, wherein the Argonauts sing a hymn of thanksgiving to Triton as he transforms into a sea creature and sinks into the abyss; and Part Four, wherein Triton rises from the depths and rides cerulean steeds over the waters.

The name Triton originally referred to a single entity, but over time, the name began to refer to a whole race of deep-sea beings. This work was commissioned to celebrate the career of David Waybright - trumpet player, scuba diver, and director of bands at The University of Florida - by a group of his former students, many of whom now have collegiate band programs of their own.

Commissioned by:
   Sameed Afghani
   Timothy Todd Anderson, UMass Amherst
   Andrew Bajorek, Colorado Mesa University
   Archie G. Birkner IV, University of Florida
   Bryan T. Braue, University of Texas Permian Basin
   Dustin Ferguson, University of Hawai’i at M?noa
   Josh Gall
   Danny Galyen, University of Northern Iowa
   Glenn Garrido
   Garrett Griffin, Coastal Carolina University
   Christopher J. Heffner, Lebanon Valley College
   Jay Jacobs, University of South Carolina
   Russell McCutcheon, Gettysburg College
   Joshua Pace, Lee University
   Moisés Paiewonsky
   Christopher Schletter, Marshall University
   John M. Watkins Jr., University of Florida

perusal score