Schnelzer, Albert: A Soaring Flight

Commissioned for the 500th anniversary of Swedish military music by Sweden's seven professional wind bands – an atmospheric work depicting a soaring journey across the Nordic landscape and the changing seasons of nature. This piece was commissioned for the 500-year anniversary of Military Music in Sweden by the seven professional Swedish wind bands. The inspiration for this piece came when I sat on a flight from Arlanda (Stockholm) and looked at the landscape below. I imagine the music like a soaring flight over the Nordic landscape with its forests, mountains and ever changing weather and climate. A piece that celebrates the wind band, the wind music as well as the nature that surrounds us. After a short slow introduction we take off into the air, wonder at the landscape far below, there is some turbulence and then a ray of light shines through the clouds. After a while we land slowly and a chorus of voices play the main theme in a canon. Finally only the solo horn is left and plays something reminiscent of a herd calling on a traditional Swedish Cow horn (“vallhorn”). After this calm section we are off again and once again soar through the air. We experience more and more bursts of wind and the climax builds up until we reach our destination as the orchestra plays its last, bright, loud and grandiose chord. We’re home.