Gwyneth Walker

The Magic Oboe

for Oboe and Orchestra

Enchantment Tricks Evening Magic

Composed for the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra Sheldon Bair, Music Director and especially for Oboist, Judith Famous Premiere: May 10, 2003 Havre de Grace, Maryland Duration: 16 minutes Instrumentation: Oboe, Flute, Bassoon, Trumpet, Percussion, Strings
Enchantment the orchestra creates gentle, flowing patterns as if casting a spell of wonder and magic, The oboe enters with a theme of scalar descents, embellished with grace notes. The orchestra and oboe interweave their patterns. Tricks the conductor becomes a Magician, proudly wearing a Magician's hat. The oboe attempts to conjure up a rabbit from the conductor's hat. Aha! The rabbit appears, and joins in conducting the orchestra! Now, the oboe becomes the Magician's Assistant, volunteering to be sawed in half (!). The oboe takes a seat within the orchestra (i.e., within the sawing box). A "sawing theme" is played in the lower strings. Vigorous bowing ensues. A cry of terror is heard from the oboe. The sawing continues...but, miraculously, the oboe survives and emerges intact. The Magician now produces a large egg, proudly displayed. However, this is a sleight-of-hand trick. The egg vanishes, reappears in various places within the orchestra, and makes a surprise final appearance. Evening Magic sounds at dusk, a serenade, the sunset, stars, shooting stars. The quiet of evening unfolds. Ultimately, the magical brilliance of the night lends its energy to the music.

Suggested props for "Tricks" Small table near Conductor, for props Magician's Hat (for the Conductor) Large stuffed rabbit mounted on a pole to be raised up for audience viewing Small hand saw Cloth or scarf on table 6 large plastic eggs (such as the kind which came with "L'Eggs" stockings)

Oboe Solo

The Magic Oboe

for Oboe Solo and Chamber Orchestra

1. Enchantment
Gently flowing, as if casting a spell of wonder and magic

Gwyneth Walker

q =

&4 4
9

F
#

# w &
p
3

L L L L
F
B

12

& .
C

#
p

LL L L L L L L w
F
6 6

19

&
23

f
#

. L

# w
pf
3 6 6

L
f

&
25

.
p
D

# . &
6 6 6 6

5 4
p

2 4

f
E

30

&2 4
36

5 4

4 4

.
p

&
39

# w
3 3 6 6

3 6 6

p F

&

6 6

F L L # # L L p p f

Copyright 2003 MMB Music, Inc. (ASCAP), Saint Louis, MO, USA. All rights reserved. International protection secured under UCC, Buenos Aires, and bilateral copyright treaties.

2
45

Oboe Solo

&
48

G #
6

L L # j L J L L L L p
#

L 6 j # . # J & L L L p
f
6 6

51

N &
3 6

b b
p
3 6

b b
6

54

& b
F

b b

L b b b b b b b b J
p
6 6 6

bL J
I

57

b b b b
6 6

&
60

b b b b n b
p
6 6 6

b w
f

# & n
p
6 6 6 6

w
f

62

# &
p
6 6 6 6

w
f

64

w # &
p
6 6 6 6

J
p

67

&
71

# w
p
6 6 6

rit. to end

w
dim.

J
p

& # 6
6 6

(rit.)

dim.

Oboe Solo
With bravura

2. Tricks a. The Rabbit in the Hat

A

&4 4
13

q =

~~~~~~~~~~~~ w LL L L L L L L L L L L w J bL bL bL
f
BL

&
20

m L
F

L L L &

m L ~~~~~~~ w

L L L L L L L L
C

# ~~~~~~~~ w w

34

L L L L L L & F 39 L L L L L L L &
E
46

D L L L L L L L L L L

J p L L L L L ^ L L L bL L b
f

L L L L L L L F

m L

bL L L

(The Oboist attempts to conjure a rabbit from the [conductors] hat. Oboist may play towards conductor and hat.)

&
47

b b b

&

F
a few more times

48

b & b b
p
F
a tempo q =

, b b ~~~ b b b
f p
grandly

start slowly and accel.

49

b b ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2 &
cresc.

rit.

U w

very grandly

56

L & #
f

In celebration

L L L #

L L

#L L L #

#L L L

#-

#^

60

& # L 66 L b &

L L LL > bL b

L NL L L LL bL bL

m L L L L > > bL L b j b b > b b L }

#L L L L L bL b L LLL L b L bL L L

4
(The Oboist now becomes the Magicians assistant stepping forward to be sawed in half.) Freely, slowly (not conducted)

Oboe Solo

b. Sawing in Half
poco accel. ................................................... L m L L m L L L L ## U L L m L L L L L &

p daintily, yet with bravery

(poco accel.)

# & # w
(poco cresc.)
10

.......................................A

poco cresc.

3 ..................................................

~~~~~~~~

h = with energy

...............
j

L
f

f in terror!

&b
18

> > L L L
ifj

> > b & L L L L >

C

> L L L

L L L

23

&b
28

L b b b bbb J

> > L L
ifj

L b b b &bbb J b & b bbbb

L L } p > L L
cresc.

> L L L L >

33

> L L

37

L L } > 45 L L > L L > L L L L L &b L L L } L L

(cresc.)

D L > > bbb b b b & b

51

n # # L # & b #

L n> n J

(Oboist stands up triumphantly having survived the sawing.)

U w
p

Oboe Solo

c. The Vanishing Egg

A
at a triumphant tempo!

B
3

b &b 4 4

q =

3 3 L j J L

f triumphantly

13

3 3 3 3 3 L L L L b j j j b J J & J J L L L

17

L b J b & L L b b &
D

L L
F

22

L
f
3 3

Oboist finds and holds up the 'missing' egg, which was perhaps hidden on the music stand

'U

Music in celebration of finding the egg

a tempo q = Triumphantly
29

&

bb

L m L L m L m
f
3

L m L L m m L L L L m L L
3

36

L m L L L L b b &

L L L m L L m m
3

L L L m L m L m

L L L m L L m m ~~~~ L m L L

40

~~~~~~ b L L J &b L L b b & J

~~~~~~ L m L L J

45

L L L m L m m L

> > J

49

&

bb

L J

>

Oboe Solo

3. Evening Magic
Sounds at Dusk
With gentle motion, as the fading of daylight

q =

b 3 &bb4
Serenade
11

Slowly, freely
(Bsn. plays)

B
(Tpt. plays)

(Fl. plays)

3 4

D q =

Flowing

b 3 &bb4
20

F cantabile

bb m b & b &bb
E

27

m
F

34

bb b & b &bb
6

F
G

j
p

42

J j
2
I

54

b &bb
60

. J

b &bb

68

m b b b &
J

j
p

76

b &bb

89 > > b &bb

p f

~~~~~ . J
F
K

~~~~~~ . J
F

~~~~~ . J
p F

94

b &bb b & b b . bbb

L

Oboe Solo

99

-
p f

m .
M
Slower

rit.

long

nnn 4 4

107

&
N
119

.
(Tpt. plays)

.
4

. >
f

j > > >

Quickly, gathering energy

O q =

&4 4
133

b> L J j L

b> > L L & b > b> &

> > L > L L b L L b> >

> > L > L bL L L > mL > L L L b J

Q

137

L J

accel.

> L L > L J b L J

142

> L bL L L > bL J & # & #

147

b> L b L L } b L L b L > > > J

f
R

2 ## 2 2 } > > > J J

more quickly h =

151

> > ## J &

> > J
ifj
S

> > > > > > > 157 ## J J J &

161

n> m L L nL L L L > L > L n L L nL J

3

> nL L ## > &

> L L L nL L L n J

> L nL >

165

T >L L > > ## n L L L n L L n n J n & LL J L L }L L } } L LLL

8
172

Oboe Solo

## > . &
f
U

}.

>

> . n> .

>

> > >

V

> n> > >

Slowly h = \

176

&

w ## >

with energy h =

11

nn m
f

191

m m m & m m &
rit.

195

U w

Start slowly and accel.

199

&
cresc.

(accel.)

L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L # #

203

## L j L J & J L
f

a tempo h =

L L L J J J

> > >

207

> > > > > n > > > ## J J & > > ## J & > > J n^ ^ ^ > nw
p

211

} w

215

## &

L L n L L

L L L L L L nL nL

L L L nL n L L L L