ABOUT THE COMPOSITION The Tale of the Three Brothers was inspired by J.K. Rowling's story of the same name found in her novel “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”. This composition, like the fairy tale it is based on, veils the five stages of grief first published in Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ “On Death and Dying”, which are: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Since its publication five decades ago, the stages of grief have been deeply ingrained in our collective vocabulary and have guided the bereaved on how to deal with the loss and death of their loved ones. Regardless of its efficacy on alleviating pain and understanding loss, we have collectively ignored the context in which Kübler-Ross conducted her study, as she based her work on conversations with terminally ill patients facing the end of their own lives and understanding their own grief. Musical inspiration and programmatic form were inspired by the towering symphonic tone poems of Hector Berlioz and Richard Strauss. Each having a claim to fame in the arena of programmatic music, it was my intention to honour these composers by threading their own music throughout this work, occasionally borrowing thematic material from their songs and symphonies. Ultimately, The Tale of the Three Brothers is an exercise in musical storytelling, and it is my hope that this music pays homage to the striking imagery of Rowling’s gothic fable.

INSTRUMENTATION

Piccolo

Flute 1, 2

Oboe 1, 2

Bassoon

Clarinet in E-flat

Clarinet in B-flat 1, 2

Bass Clarinet in B-flat

Soprano Saxophone

Alto Saxophone 1, 2

Tenor Saxophone

Baritone Saxophone

Trumpet in B-flat 1, 2, 3

Horn in F 1, 2, 3, 4

Trombone 1, 2

Bass Trombone

Euphonium 1, 2

Tuba 1, 2

Timpani

Percussion 1

    Bass Drum

    Tom-toms x 4

Percussion 2

    Chimes

    Triangle

Percussion 3

    Crotales

    Tam-tam

    Glockenspiel

Percussion 4

    Vibraphone

    Mark Tree

    Suspended Cymbal

    Wood Block

Keyboards

    Piano

    Organ (with opt. Pedals)