Maya Nag & Rebecca Yang

Arab Spring

Program Notes
Arab Spring was composed to parallel the Arab revolutions in early 2011. Beginning with the first strikes in Tunisia,
a series of violent uprising shook the Middle East, an inevitable result of the rising tensions that had been
brewing for years. We wanted to capture this turbulence and chaos in a programme-style piece that would illustrate
the turmoil.
The piece is divided into three sections: antebellum, revolution, and aftermath. The first section of the piece portrays
the calm yet volatile status of political conditions in the Middle East and North Africa before the insurrections. Though
seemingly tranquil, a menacing tension is audibly present for the duration of the introduction. The startling, rapid
chromatic runs leading into the 5/4 portion represent the swift and sudden nature of the revolutions' beginnings following
the fruit stand incident. In the second movement, a continuous bass ostinato exists, symbolizing the common,
fundamental cause for all of the unrestpolitical oppression. The gradual addition of voices embodies the "domino
effect", as an increasing number of nations were inspired to revolt. Woodwind runs perpetuate the violent chaos
and lead up to a climax and descent, symbolizing the ousting of multiple military regimes. The third movement is a
sort of mourning for victims of the violence and poses the question of who will assume authority; it ends on a note of
uncertainty, because the conflict has not yet been resolved. The movement ends with the reintroduction of the initial
theme, representing hope for a new beginning.
Instrumentation
Flute 1
Flute 2
Oboe, English Horn
Clarinet 1
Clarinet 2
Clarinet 3
Alto Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
Bassoon 1
Bassoon 2
Alto Saxophone 1, Soprano Saxophone
Alto Saxophone 2
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
French Horn 1
French Horn 2
Trumpet 1
Trumpet 2
Trumpet 3
Trombone 1
Trombone 2
Trombone 3
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion 1 (Wood Blocks, Snare Drum, Gong, Temple Blocks, Wind Chimes)
Percussion 2 (Suspended Cymbal, Tam-Tam, Hi-Hat, Crotales, Wind Chimes)
Percussion 3 (Dumbek, Tom-tom, Gong, Finger Cymbals, Tambourine)
Percussion 4 (Bass Drum, Triangle)
Xylophone, Vibraphone
Marimba

Arab Spring

q = 68
Flute 1

Flute 2

Oboe

Clarinet 1 in Bb

Clarinet 2 in Bb

Clarinet 3 in Bb

Alto Clarinet in Eb

Solo

Solo

Tutti

2lightly
players

2 players
lightly

Solo

q = 144

Tutti

Tutti

Tutti

Solo

Maya Nag & Rebecca Yang

lightly

molto accel.

Trombone 1

Trombone 2

Trombone 3

Bass Clarinet
in Bb

pp

Bassoon 1

Bassoon 2

Alto Saxophone 1

Alto Saxophone 2

Tenor Saxophone

Baritone Saxophone

Horn 1 in F

Horn 2 in F

Trumpet 1 in Bb

Trumpet 2 in Bb

Trumpet 3 in Bb

Solo

Euphonium

Solo

Euphonium

mp

mp

mp

mf

pp

Tune to Db, D, E, Ab, A

Timpani

Percussion 3

Percussion 4

Percussion 1

Percussion 2

Xylophone

Wood Blocks

Suspended Cymbal

Dumbek

Bass Drum

q = 68

Marimba

Tutti

2 players

Tuba

molto accel.

mf

q = 144

34.2"
11.1.75

A Hit 01

Fl.

11

Cl.

Cl.

Cl.

Fl.

Ob.

Alto Cl.

B. Cl.

Alto Sax.

mp

f
3

mp

mf

Ten. Sax.

Bari. Sax.

Hn.

Tpt.

Tpt.

Tpt.

Tbn.

Tbn.

Tbn.

Euph.

Euph.

Tba.

Timp.

W.B.

Cym.

Perc.

B. D.

Xyl.

Mar.

mp

mp

mp

mf

mf

mp

mp

mf

fp

Tutti

fp

fp

mf

mf
Tutti

mf
Tutti

mf

mp

mf

Hn.

mf

Alto Sax.

mp

mp

Bsn.

mp

Bsn.

mp

mf

fp

Snare Drum

to Snare

Dumbek

mp

mf

mf

mf

20

Fl.

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Cl.

Alto Cl.

B. Cl.

Bsn.

Bsn.

Alto Sax.

Alto Sax.

Ten. Sax.

Bari. Sax.

Hn.

Hn.

Tpt.

sf

mf

Timp.

mf

mf

Dumbek

B. D.

mf

mf

Tba.

Mar.

Xyl.

Cym.

S. D.

Euph.

Euph.

Tbn.

Tbn.

Tbn.

Tpt.

Tpt.

Cl.

To Tom-t.

Tom-toms

28

Fl.

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Cl.

Cl.

mf

mf

mf

mf

f
Alto Cl.

Bsn.

Bsn.

Alto Sax.

Alto Sax.

mf

Bari. Sax.

Hn.

Hn.

Tpt.

Tpt.

Tpt.

Tbn.

Tbn.

Tbn.

Euph.

Tba.

Timp.

S. D.

Cym.

Tom-t.

B. D.

Xyl.

Mar.

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf
3

mf

Dumbek

mf

To Dumbek

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf

Euph.

mf

Ten. Sax.

mf

mf

mf

B. Cl.

mf


Fl.

35

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Cl.

Cl.

fp

Alto Cl.

fp

B. Cl.

ff

Bsn.

ff

Bsn.

ff

Alto Sax.

fp

Alto Sax.

fp

Ten. Sax.

ff

Bari. Sax.

Hn.

Hn.

Tpt.

ff

ff

ff

fp

Tpt.

fp

Tpt.

fp

Tbn.

Tbn.

Tbn.

Euph.

Euph.

Tba.

Timp.

S. D.

Cym.

Xyl.

Mar.

B. D.

Dumbek

Snare Drum

Bass Drum

mp

mf
To Gong

Bass Drum

Gong

ff

41

Fl.

Fl.

Ob.

Cl.

Cl.

Cl.

Alto Cl.

B. Cl.

sub p

Alto Sax.

sub p

sub p

sub p

mp

mp

sub p

mf

mf

mp

mp

glis
s.

glis
s.

Tbn.

glis
s.

Tbn.

mp

sub p

mp

sub p

mf

sub p

sub p

sub p

sub p

sub p

sub p

Tba.

Timp.

S. D.

Cym.

sub p

to Hi-Hat

B. D.

Mar.

Snare Drum

mf
Hi-Hat

To S. Cym.

mf
to Dumbek

mf

mf

mf

Gong

Xyl.

sub p

Euph.

sub p

Euph.

mf

sub p

Tbn.

mf

Tpt.

Tpt.

mp

mp

sub p

mf

Tpt.

mp

sub p

Hn.

mp

Hn.

sub p

Bari. Sax.

Ten. Sax.

sub p

sub p

Alto Sax.

sub p

Bsn.

sub p

Bsn.

mp

sub p

D

mf


Fl.
47

Fl.

Ob.

mp

mp

mp

Cl.

Cl.

Cl.

Alto Cl.

B. Cl.

Bsn.

Bsn.

Alto Sax.

Alto Sax.

Ten. Sax.

Bari. Sax.

ff

ff

ff

ff

gliss.

gliss.

ff

Euph.

Euph.

Tba.

Solo

mp

To Sop. Sax.

gliss.

gliss.

gliss.

ff

To Crot.

ff
Crotales

to Chimes

ff

ff

pp

ff

Solo

Wood Blocks
To W.B.

mf

mf

mp

ff

ff

Xyl.

ff

f
Dumbek

ff

ff

ff

to Gong

pp

mf

ff

Suspended Cymbals

Mar.

ff

Gong

ff

B. D.

ff

Dumbek

T.-t.

ff

ff

S. D.

Timp.

ff

ff

English Horn
Solo

Tbn.

Tbn.

Tbn.

Tpt.

To Eng. Horn

ff

Tpt.

Tpt.

Hn.

Hn.

ff

gliss.

q = 66

ff

mp

to Tri.

q = 66

Finger Cymbals

Triangle

to Vib.

mp

Tutti

Fl.

56

Fl.

Eng. Hn.

Cl.

Cl.

Alto Cl.

B. Cl.

mf

lightly

Tutti Oboe

mp

lightly

mp

mf

Tutti
cantando

To Oboe

rit

Solo

lightly


mp

mf

mf
Tutti

mp

mf

Cl.

mp

mf

lightly

lightly

lightly

Bsn.

Bsn.

Alto Sax.

Alto Sax.

Ten. Sax.

Bari. Sax.

Hn.

Hn.

Tpt.

Tpt.

Tpt.

Tbn.

Tbn.

Tbn.

Euph.

Euph.

Tba.

Timp.

W.B.

Crot.

F. Cym.

Tri.

Xyl.

Mar.

Tutti

mp

mf
Tutti

mf

mp

mp

mf
Tutti

mp

Finger Cymbals

to Gong

To B. D.

Gong

To Dumbek

mp

Vibraphone

Dumbek

mf

Wood Blocks

Tambourine

Hi-Hat

Tambourine

mf

sub pp

To Hi-Hat

sub pp

mp

Wind Chimes

mp

mp

mp

Tutti

sub pp

Fl.

70

Fl.

Eng. Hn.

Cl.

Cl.

Cl.

Alto Cl.

B. Cl.

Alto Sax.

Alto Sax.

Ten. Sax.

Bari. Sax.

Hn.

Hn.

Tpt.

Tpt.

Tpt.

mf

mf

mp

To Alto Sax.

mp
Tutti

mf

mf

mf

mf

Hi-Hat

p
to Dumbek

to Tri.

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf

mp

mf

mp

Tri.

mf

Mar.

mp

Tamb.

Vib.

Cym.

mp

W.B.

3
3

Tbn.

Timp.

mf

Soprano Sax.
Solo

mf

Tba.

Euph.

mf

mp

Tbn.

Euph.

mf

Tbn.

mf

10

lightly

Bsn.

mf

Tutti

Bsn.

mf

Triangle

Dumbek

to B. D.

To F. Cym.

Bass Drum

Wood Blocks

11

84

Fl.

Fl.

Eng. Hn.

Cl.

Cl.

Cl.

Alto Cl.

B. Cl.

Bsn.

Bsn.

Sop. Sax.

Alto Sax.

Ten. Sax.

Bari. Sax.

Hn.

Hn.

Tpt.

Tpt.

Tpt.

Tbn.

Tbn.

Tbn.

Euph.

Solo

mp
Solo

Tba.

Euph.

Timp.

T. Bl.

Cym.

Dumbek

B. D.

mp

Finger Cymbals

mp

Triangle

to Tri.

Vib.

Mar.

mf

mf


Fl.

Bsn.

Bsn.

Tbn.

Tbn.

Tbn.

94

Fl.

Eng. Hn.

Cl.

Cl.

Cl.

Alto Cl.

B. Cl.

Sop. Sax.

Alto Sax.

Ten. Sax.

Bari. Sax.

Hn.

Hn.

Tpt.

Tpt.

Tpt.

Euph.

Euph.

Tba.

F. Cym.

Tri.

Timp.

T. Bl.

Cym.

Vib.

Mar.

To Chimes

12