Three Furies for Solo Tuba N Three Furies for Solo Tuba was composed in January and February of 1993 at the request of tubist Mark Nelson, to whom the work is gratefully dedicated. The surprising — and, indeed, remarkable — flexibility possessed by the tuba inspired a music that is immediate, good-natured and fun, requiring of the performer both keen musicianship and physical stamina. Each of the Three Furies is virtuosic in its own right, offering a multiplicity of distinct chythms, melodie figures and articulations: Fury Lis marked “decidedly joculae” and is a pleasant ramble through the registers of the tuba; featuring angular atpeggios and tonguing demands that one does not usually associate with the instrument. Fary If, in form somewhat reminiscent of a minuet with trio, contrasts series of long, arching arpeggiated figures with an amicable waltz marked “gently inebriated.” Fury IITs relentless and powerful, exploiting the full dynamic and articulative range of the tuba. Again, the performer is met with virtuosic demands not normally encountered in the tuba literature, COMPOSER'S BIO FOR PROGRAM NOT! JAMES GRANT (b. 1954) began composing at the age of nineteen after extensive involvement with theater and music groups during his high school years in Baltimore, MD. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in composition and choral conducting from Hampshire College; his Master of Arts degree in composition and theory from the University of Iowa; and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in composition from Cornell University. Grant has received many commissions from individuals and musical organizations, and his works have been performed in the United Scates, Canada and England. As a composer of choral music, Grant has taken First Prize honors in three national competitions, He was the recipient of a 1989 Vermont Council on the Arts Fellowship in music, and was named ‘Vermont’s Composer of the Year 1989 by the Vermont Music Teachers Association. ‘Among Grant's recently commissioned works have been: A Change of Season (1989), a forty-minute song cycle for sopfano and chamber ensemble, for the Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble, soon to be released on CD under the direction of Kate Tamarkin; Weird Magic! (1990) for narrator and orchestra for The Sage City Symphony of Bennington, Vermont; Tivo Psalms (1990) for the University of Michigan Chamber Choir; Concerto Fantasy for Percussion and Orchestra (1991) for the Vermont Symphony Orchestra: Lament for String Orchestra (1991) for the New Orchestra of Boston; 2Piano Music for Dance (1992) for the Middlebury College Fine Arts Center; and Three Furies for Solo Tuba (1993) for Mark Nelson. ‘Now composing full-time, Grant was Assistant Professor of Music at Middlebury College between 1988-1992, where he taught composition, co-ordinated the American Music Week Festival each year, and directed the New Music From Middlebury concert series. He is a composer/publisher member of ASCAP, publishing his works under Grantwood Music Press. ANOTE TO THE PERFORMER ‘Thank you for learning and performing the Three Furies for Solo Tuba. Although I am not a tubist myself, my friend Mark Nelson has made me well aware of the challenges, both technical and physical, that I have presented within these pages. Mark was a staunch ally during the composition of the Furies, discussing with me and demonstrating for me the reasonable parameters within which the tuba — and tubist — can function. T hope you have as much fun working with this music as I had with Mark while I was composing it. May you get plenty of mileage out of the Furies in return for your efforts. | Pim eager to know who you are — both so I can keep you posted on any new works for tuba that I compose and so I can keep an accurate and up-to-date performance history of the Three Furies. If you will, please drop me a line o call me at Grantvood Music Press so I can meet you and add you to my database; and, whenever you perform the piece, whether on a formal recital or on a less formal school visitation concert, I would appreciate your sending me a few recital programs (orxeroxes thereof) for my files. Vm also interested in receiving any comments and criticisms you'd eare to make on the Three Furies, My most valued teachers are the performers who prepare and present my music. I take your observations seriously “Thanks again; I look forward to meeting you over the phone or through the mail — or even better, backstage at one of your recitals. Please let me know if ever you'se interested in creating a project together. Best of luck with the piece! If you can, send me a tape of your performances. I'd love to hear you play. dAiico GRANT James Grant GRANTWOOD MUSIC PRESS, 17 HENLOPEN AVE, March 1993, Rif wr <—Open this e out to the left for Fury I — REHOBOTH, DE 19971 oeThree Furies For Solo Tuba ee PUY T sors James Grant = 96- 104 — 1 => = = . 7 ———— Mf decidedly jocular a 3 cee We fp ©1989 Graton Msc Pras ASCAP) ee ‘A Rights Reserved Printed in the USA an recycled paper‘Grant: Three Furies for Solo Tuba / Fury 1 -2- 2 ft fe aeave gis. UR-alve gl. ‘ater ‘acer 3 Z f fp< fe SP-4- nana SPS! BYP Y TT ssc = 88 James Grant 1 Ns Pp a very clean fbe = ry ———-_ ©1993 Grantwood Music Press (ASCAP) Photocopying is legal. All Rights Reserved Printed in he USA on recycled paperGrant: Three Furies for Solo Tuba / Fury Il, 2 -5- rip! se ee : sail ff 23 keep tempo po pt og ap | Freely byrical 26 _moltorit ‘icripo mp aa ‘mp sempre: gently inebriatedGrant: Tree Fuis for Solo Tuba / Fury Il, p3 poco rit pocorit. —atemy =Grant: Tee Furies for Solo Tubs / Fury 1, p& -7- 6 oti al Slow atfirst...... ‘accelerando.... b; molto rit. sia (| mp2 mp pbs ‘ pp be <— Turn double page left for Fury III-8- ues Furies foro Tiba FUP Y TIT socvson 1 #96. 100 James Grant Fotis inl SF sempre 2 at 7 rt Mp sabito molto (©1993 Grantwood Music Press (ASCAP) Photocopying is illegal. ‘AI Rights Reserved Printed in the USA on reyeled paper(Grant: Tee Furies for Solo Tuba / I, p2 -9- 31 2 crrnive ge) er = bio Jd Je [Ss rate nis) caate si 2, , Ween 5 (atv ss)(Grant Three Furies for Solo Taba TH, p.3 -10- 6 i —————_ a" f 7 ae ts) arate stn B o SP sbit0. $$$ ——$—— SF sempre 4 a ft (reralve ges) (arevave ss)‘Grant: Theee Fucies for Solo Tuba IM, p+ -ll- arate (ava seaep) 105 tesco) dd mf U NS U i (ar-vave 009) ™ pet a o A a 128 mp P - >——= § m—=—==f weeny i = SSS hp —— uf $$$ step se January/February 1983, Ripton, VE