Wolf Moon

Wolf Moon, op. 261
Commissioned by the Nashoba Symphonic Band, Bolton, MA
2024 – grade 5 – 6:50

COMING SOON!

Started in 2017, the Nashoba Symphonic Band includes the most advanced students from the Nashoba Regional High School Band along with adult musicians who are members of the community. Having recently changed their school mascot to "Wolves" ("Nashoba" being Choctaw for "wolf") they asked me to write a piece that would commemorate the new school identity, and suggested a tone poem that would depict wolves in a dark and mysterious way at the opening of the piece, picking up the pace of the music as the wolves begin moving until finally reaching a fever-pitch with the wolves running and hunting, leading to a frenzied ending.

Although I do not have much personal experience with wolves, I thought the idea was intriguing and brought to mind many visions that I found rich in content when translating those thoughts to music notation. The tone poem is written in four connected sections: 1) Wolves at Dusk, which sets the scene in dark and mysterious tones (hence the style marking Misteriosamente), although there is something about wolves I find quite noble, so there are moments that highlight that sentiment as well. 2) The Pack on the Move is meant to feel menacing (Minaccioso) but also maintains a hint of the nobility from the previous movement. 3) Wolves in Moonlight allowed me to expand the emotional palette by imagining the relationships of the wolves to others in the pack. While there is certainly a gentler element to this movement, it is also filled with apprehension, sadness and joy. 4) The Hunt is the final movement and is a rapidly rhythmical scene of ruthlessness (Spietatmente) meant to depict a brutal scene as the music includes growling trumpets, violent horn rips and trombone smears, and a whip crack that represents the snap of the wolves' bite. Additionally, it is easy to imagine the breathtaking speed and coordination of the wolves as they run wildly through the night to capture their prey, enhanced by the multiple meters and extreme dynamics.

The "Wolf Moon" is the traditional name for the first full moon of the year, which always occurs in January. It's thought to be named this because wolves were more likely to be heard howling at this time.  I thought it was the perfect title for this dramatic tone poem!