RANDA KIRSHBAUM
The Planets and the Sun
Short instrumentation: 2 2 2 2 - 2 1 1 0, timp, hp, str
Duration: 11'
Instrumentation details:
1st flute
2nd flute
3rd oboe
4th oboe
5th clarinet in Bb
6th clarinet in Bb
7th bassoon
8th bassoon
9th horn in F
10th horn in F
trumpet in C
trombone
timpani
harp
violin I (12 players)
violin II (12 players)
viola (10 players)
violoncello (8 players)
double bass (6 players)
The Planets and the Sun
Sample pages
Video
Work introduction
This begins with a Processional, Mvt. I. In the play on which the music is based, each planet twirls onto the stage and describes itself: Venus, the beautiful planet, the one with the most clouds; Earth, the planet with the longest memory; Pluto, where all dead souls go, etc. A Comet flies by and warns that the Sun is running out of energy and light. The Planets resolve to take the Sun’s last energy and fly off to a new star. A struggle ensues, the Sun dies. In Mvt. II, the Planets wander out into the universe, each Planet taking its turn at holding the dead Sun’s soul, so that they can bear its great emotional weight.
What is necessary to perform this work?
String count is ideally 12-12-10-8-6