Gavorkna Fanfare

Gavorkna Fanfare was a musical composition written by Jack Stamp in 1991 for wind ensemble. The Indiana University Symphonic Band of Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University in Bloomington performed it in November 1991 for their band showcase, conducted by Michael Schaaf. The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps performed it in their 1992 show. The piece was first recorded by the Keystone Winds in 1995's "Past The Equinox: The Music of Jack Stamp".
Composition.
Program Notes
Gavorkna Fanfare was composed for and dedicated to Eugene Corporon and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Wind Symphony.
The work exploits the idea of a fanfare for full wind band, rather than the traditional brass and percussion instrumentation. The opening pyramids lead to the melodic minor third cluster heard in original and inversion simultaneously. A polychordal transition based on the upcoming "fugato" subject leads to a minimalist accompaniment to the four-part counterpoint. The opening idea returns with a coda based on the melodic minor third.
- Program Note by Jack Stamp
Composer Jack Stamp writes, “I wish I had never named this work Gavorkna. I constantly receive calls inquiring as to the meaning of the title. It is a made-up word and a joke between Eugene Corporon and myself.
Gene called me in October 1999, stating that his Cincinnati College Conservatory Wind Symphony would be performing at the College Band Directors National Association Conference in Kansas City in February. He asked me to suggest an opener. I said, “Let me write you one. If you like it, you can have it for free. If you don’t I won’t be upset.” I wrote the piece in two days. I scored it and sent it to Gene. He called and said, “You can ignore me completely, but the fugue is boring.” I said, “How can a four-part fugue be boring?” But he was right! So, on Christmas Eve, I re-wrote the fugue by ornamenting each entrance. It made the work much stronger. To date, this is my most popular work and has launched some of the earlier works as well as provided numerous commissions. I owe Gene a lot, both as my teacher of conducting, and as a friend.
- Program Note from Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music The introduction is characterized by a rapid cluster of ascending dissonant intervals. The exposition begins as the trumpets introduce the A theme, consisting of motoric sixteenth notes followed by an eighth note ascending three note pattern outlining a minor scale. This repeats several times in rhythmic diminution and canonic juxtaposing in different instruments. The A theme concludes with a cadential resting point, as the percussion section introduces a layered ostinato as a backdrop for the B Section fugue. The fugue theme is introduced in the horns, and answered in the trombones. Each time the theme is re-stated, it is varied using ornamentation based on the skeletal thematic material of the original fugue theme. The third entrance is in the trumpets and the final entrance is in the tubas and bass trombone. A brief chordal transition returns the listener to the recapitulated A theme, and ultimately cadences on a major triad with a prominent timpani solo echoing a final rhythmic variation of the B theme fugue.
Selected Recordings.
Indiana University Symphonic Band, fall 1991