The standard, accepted order of instrumentation for large ensembles: fl.ob.cl.bsn - hn.tpt.trbn.tba - perc - other - vlnI.vlnII.vla.vlc.db - tape, or electronics. Saxophones appear between clarinet and bassoon.
All other scorings (less than 8 instruments) are listed in full.
When an instrument is listed in parentheses, then this instrument is doubled. "guitar (=electric guitar)" means that the guitarist plays an acoustic, as well as an electric guitar. In an orchestral setting, "1(I=picc).2(II=corA).2(II=bcl).1" would resolve to: 1 flute (also playing piccolo), 2 oboes (second oboe also playing cor anglais), 2 clarinets (second clarinet also playing bass clarinet), 1 bassoon. If there is an extra instrument, which is not doubled, then this is expressly written out, e.g. "1(I=picc).2.corA.2.bcl.1.dbn", which unravels to: 1 flute (also playing piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 1 bass clarinet, 1 bassoon, 1 double bassoon.
Solo instruments in a concerto or chamber setting are written out in front of the ensemble instruments: guitar - 1.1.1.1 - 1.0.0.0 - perc - strgs.
Genre
Ensemble
Text/Libretto
Richard Lann
Dedication
Maarten Altena Ensemble
Commission
Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst
Premiere
Groningen, The Netherlands, De Oosterpoort, December 1994: Maarten Altena Ensemble
composer homepage; Muziekgroep Nederlands website; Vanessa Lann correspondence;
Details
"Coming Home is a piece for improvising ensemble. It is based on a short poem of my father's about cycles and nature. There is a primary guitar role because after the first section, when players hold specific notes for amounts of time related to how long they can hold their breath (the notes and the order of the players' entrances are fixed, but not the timing), the second section is a warped, pop-like riff, begun by a naughty guitar, who builds it up further and further until he is actually singing along in the third section, while the other players are returning to their original notes and doing other improvisational things."
