Robert Langenfeld Compositions

Written in 2015, Dawn is meant to capture and depict the start of a new day or sunrise into a new morning. It starts with muted brass and the rising motif. This leads to the introduction of the main motif of the entire piece presented in the Oboe solo. The piece continues with a flurry of woodwinds and rising 4ths and 5ths. The piece continues to build and culminates into the huge hit at letter I. A final flurry of woodwinds and rising brass motifs end the piece.

Throughout the entire piece there is a bright chord that is played in the Crotales and Glockenspiel. The performing ensemble should take note to make sure this cord can always be heard over the ensemble.

Special care should be made for the water gong. There are several rigs and configurations that work well. The best way for 1 player is to rig it on a set of pulleys that can be used to raise and lower the water gong up and back down into the water. There several good examples of this online. This will allow the performer to hit the gong and keep it ringing while raising and lowering it in the water. If you have an extra percussion player you can simply and raise the water going using them instead of the complicated rig. Another percussion player who is not playing at this time (like Percussion 2) would also work.

The piece was written while I was studying composition with fellow composer and friend Steven Bryant. It is for that reason that I am dedicating this piece to him.