Northfield Overture No. 2 in F major is a sequel to my late 2022 work, Northfield Overture No. 1 in G minor (Op. 14). It is the second installment of what will be four Northfield Overtures, each representing a year I spend at St. Olaf College (in Northfield, MN), as well as representing a season of the year. Northfield Overture No. 1 is a reflection of winter in Northfield, while Northfield Overture No. 2 is a reflection of fall. To me, fall is a season that brings great joy to me. Growing up in southern California, our falls are very inactive and insignificant. But the falls in Northfield are breathtaking. The leaves changing colors and falling to the floor as they get blown around, and the sunsets are truly beautiful sights. Many of the sounds you will hear in this piece are interpretations of what I see during the fall season at St. Olaf. Particularly the constant use of the Major 7th chord, which to me has a great sense of yearning in the context of this piece. Another thing I associate with fall is the horn, particularly in the context of hunting horns. In fact, the modern instrument that we see in orchestras has its origins as a means to communicate within a hunting party. There are three instances where offstage horns will play hunting calls over a drone note held by the strings. The first time is played by one horn, the second time is played by a different, more distant horn, and the third time has them both playing together. The onstage horns can also be heard playing various types of horn calls throughout the entire piece as well. After the final horn call, a fiery and explosive coda emerges and concludes the piece with a triumphant ending, celebrating the end of fall and the start of winter. Throughout the piece, there are also many nods to Northfield Overture no. 1 Stylistically, I can think of two composers who were particularly influential in my compositional process. And that is L.V. Beethoven and Charles Ives. Two very different musicians. I obviously got the idea for an offstage brass call from Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3, and many of the textural aspects, especially the coda are greatly inspired from Ives’s early-middle music. During the slow section of this work, there is a lengthy trombone solo. The melody used in the trombone solo is the same as in my work “October Elegy” for Trombone and Organ. I dedicate this particular section to my friend Leo Barks. I also dedicate the entire piece to Leo Barks, Vincent Cianchetti, and Jake Dreifort. All of whom are trombonists I met during my time at St. Olaf. They have all been extremely influential to my character and have been incredible friends.
Hey Vincent I really like your overtures, they remind my sometimes a little bit of Rossini and Beethoven and they are usually very cheerful in character. I also wanted to let you know my second symphony is out on my channel and I would like some feedback from you :) good job, and remember to keep composing!
Thank you so much! I was going for a bit of a Beethoven/ Ives combination with this one! Ooh fun! I’ll take a look as soon as I can! Thank you very much, you as well!
Northfield Overture No. 2 in F major is a sequel to my late 2022 work, Northfield Overture No. 1 in G minor (Op. 14). It is the second installment of what will be four Northfield Overtures, each representing a year I spend at St. Olaf College (in Northfield, MN), as well as representing a season of the year. Northfield Overture No. 1 is a reflection of winter in Northfield, while Northfield Overture No. 2 is a reflection of fall.
To me, fall is a season that brings great joy to me. Growing up in southern California, our falls are very inactive and insignificant. But the falls in Northfield are breathtaking. The leaves changing colors and falling to the floor as they get blown around, and the sunsets are truly beautiful sights. Many of the sounds you will hear in this piece are interpretations of what I see during the fall season at St. Olaf. Particularly the constant use of the Major 7th chord, which to me has a great sense of yearning in the context of this piece.
Another thing I associate with fall is the horn, particularly in the context of hunting horns. In fact, the modern instrument that we see in orchestras has its origins as a means to communicate within a hunting party. There are three instances where offstage horns will play hunting calls over a drone note held by the strings. The first time is played by one horn, the second time is played by a different, more distant horn, and the third time has them both playing together. The onstage horns can also be heard playing various types of horn calls throughout the entire piece as well.
After the final horn call, a fiery and explosive coda emerges and concludes the piece with a triumphant ending, celebrating the end of fall and the start of winter. Throughout the piece, there are also many nods to Northfield Overture no. 1
Stylistically, I can think of two composers who were particularly influential in my compositional process. And that is L.V. Beethoven and Charles Ives. Two very different musicians. I obviously got the idea for an offstage brass call from Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3, and many of the textural aspects, especially the coda are greatly inspired from Ives’s early-middle music.
During the slow section of this work, there is a lengthy trombone solo. The melody used in the trombone solo is the same as in my work “October Elegy” for Trombone and Organ. I dedicate this particular section to my friend
Leo Barks. I also dedicate the entire piece to Leo Barks, Vincent Cianchetti, and Jake Dreifort. All of whom are trombonists I met during my time at St. Olaf. They have all been extremely influential to my character and have been incredible friends.
Finally got to hear this, straight fire brah. You’re also great at writing endings
Thanks man!!! I appreciate it!
The endings are usually the first thing that come to me when composing (and are often my first notes on a fresh score)
Hey Vincent I really like your overtures, they remind my sometimes a little bit of Rossini and Beethoven and they are usually very cheerful in character. I also wanted to let you know my second symphony is out on my channel and I would like some feedback from you :) good job, and remember to keep composing!
Thank you so much! I was going for a bit of a Beethoven/ Ives combination with this one!
Ooh fun! I’ll take a look as soon as I can!
Thank you very much, you as well!
Amazing
Thank you!