Timothy Schmidt - Constellations: A Suite for String Orchestra

Twelve of the best-known stellar constellations serve as the inspiration for each of the twelve movements in this suite. The primary goal of the project was to explore a wide variety of styles, techniques, and moods within the string medium. The first six movements were written with youth orchestras in mind, and the last six movements were written with university and professional orchestras in mind.

Constellations, I. Orion (2019)

String Orchestra | ca. 3.5 minutes | Audio | Score

Orion, the Hunter, is the first Constellations movement and the first of six written with youth orchestras in mind. It features a frenetic ostinato (derived from Orion's belt) and a heroic attitude to illustrate the hunter's fast-paced pursuit of an animal.

Constellations, II. Canis Major (2019)

String Orchestra | ca. 3 minutes | Audio | Score

Canis Major, the Great Dog, is the second Constellations movement and the second of six written with youth orchestras in mind. It features constant pizzicato playing that represents the jaunty behavior of the animal.

Constellations, III. Carina (2019)

String Orchestra | ca. 2.5 minutes | Audio | Score

Carina, the Keel, is the third Constellations movement and the third of six written with youth orchestras in mind. It features sharp bow strokes and slicing melodies that represent the choppy seas and challenging headwinds with which the ship must contend.

Constellations, IV. Ursa Major (2019)

String Orchestra | ca. 4.5 minutes | Audio | Score

Ursa Major, the Great Bear, is the fourth Constellations movement and the fourth of six written with youth orchestras in mind. It features a tranquil theme (contoured in the shape of the Big Dipper) and emotive depth that represent the gentle nature of a vigilant mother watching over her young.

Constellations, V. Centaurus (2019)

String Orchestra | ca. 3.5 minutes | Audio | Score

Centaurus, the Centaur, is the fifth Constellations movement and the fifth of six written with youth orchestras in mind. It features a mixture of rhythmic figures and legato passages mirroring the centaur's galloping gait.

Constellations, VI. Ursa Minor (2019)

String Orchestra | ca. 3.5 minutes | Audio | Score

Ursa Minor, the Little Bear, is the sixth Constellations movement and the sixth of six written with youth orchestras in mind. It features passages for section leaders only to reflect the smallness of a young one in the face of a large and intimidating world.

Constellations, VII. Scorpius (2020)

String Orchestra | ca. 2.5 minutes | Audio | Score

Scorpius, the Scorpion, is the seventh Constellations movement and the first of six written with university and professional orchestras in mind. It features a variety of extended techniques to illustrate a deadly interaction with the arachnid, including tremolo (dread), snap pizzicato (pain/piercing), harmonics (anxiousness), col legno (crawling), and sul ponticello (fear).

Constellations, VIII. Lyra (2020)

String Orchestra | ca. 3 minutes | Audio | Score

Lyra, the Lyre, is the eighth Constellations movement and the second of six written with university and professional orchestras in mind. It emulates traditional harp techniques like modal writing (especially in the Lydian mode), rising and falling glissandi, and plucking of both the scalar and chordal varieties.

Constellations, IX. Cygnus (2020)

String Orchestra | ca. 4 minutes | Audio | Score

Cygnus, the Swan, is the ninth Constellations movement and the third of six written with university and professional orchestras in mind. It captures the grace and elegance typically associated with the bird through fluttering lyrical passages in both the warm register of solo viola and the intimate texture of con sordino strings.

Constellations, X. Aquarius (2020)

String Orchestra | ca. 4 minutes | Audio | Score

Aquarius, the Water Bearer, is the tenth Constellations movement and the fourth of six written with university and professional orchestras in mind. It depicts an image of gently flowing water through ambient minimalism of drawn out and staggered sul tasto tones across a divided orchestra.

Constellations, XI. Cassiopeia (2020)

String Orchestra | ca. 1.5 minutes | Audio | Score

Cassiopeia, the Aethiopian Queen, is the eleventh Constellations movement and the fifth of six written with university and professional orchestras in mind. It translates the relentless spinning of Cassiopeia around the North Pole into rapid chromatic passages and crunching tone clusters.

Constellations, XII. Aries (2020)

String Orchestra | ca. 4 minutes | Audio | Score

Aries, the Ram, is the twelfth Constellations movement and the sixth of six written with university and professional orchestras in mind. It establishes a marchlike motive as the gait of the brawny beast and, as the final installment of the suite, interweaves elements of all prior movements within this structure.

◀ Origin (2020)

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