PHOENIX Fanfare and Processional
for organ, brass and percussion
by
Dan Locklair (b. 1949)
Program Note
The original three minute PHOENIX Fanfare was commissioned in 1979 by Union Theological Seminary in New York City for the 3 February 1980 reopening and dedication of Union’s renovated James Memorial Chapel. It was conceived as an antiphonal composition, with the original brass sextet placed at the rear of the Chapel and the organ and percussion at the front of the Chapel. In August of 1985, the scoring of PHOENIX Fanfare was reduced to brass quartet and joined with a newly composed processional to become PHOENIX Fanfare and Processional for organ, brass and percussion.
It was first performed at the September 1985, Opening Convocation of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where I serve as Composer-in-Residence and Professor of Music. Numerous performances of this composition have occurred over the years, including use for many years at graduation exercises of The Juilliard School in New York City. Following many inquiries if I might consider creating a solo organ version of the Processional, in 1996 I did so. Now both versions, the original organ/brass/percussion and the solo organ version of Processional only, are published. The original PHOENIX Fanfare and Processional is published by Subito Music Publishing and the solo organ PHOENIX Processional is published by Ricordi (Hal Leonard, distributors). In 2011 a trumpet and organ version of PHOENIX Processional was created and is published by Subito. In all versions, Processional is quite similar. In the original organ/brass/percussion version, its primary melodic material – a stately melodic line – is regularly passed back and forth between the organ and the brass. After eventually culminating in a climatic section, a softer middle section for organ and glockenspiel emerges. The opening of Fanfare soon reappears, leading to a return of Processional. A vibrant coda, characterized by dialogue between the antiphonal brass and organ, closes the piece. Although its length can be extended through repeats, PHOENIX Fanfare and Processional is approximately eleven minutes in length. In 2007 an orchestral version of the full work was created and is entitled, PHOENIX for orchestra. It is published by Subito.
Dan Locklair
Winston-Salem, North Carolina