Chorale and Metamorphosis (Wind Band)

from $45.00

Grade 4

This piece is wholly original music, but also deeply inspired by the work of JS Bach. It opens with a slow chorale, followed by a fast canon section, and ultimately returns to the chorale.

Purchase Options:

Grade 4

This piece is wholly original music, but also deeply inspired by the work of JS Bach. It opens with a slow chorale, followed by a fast canon section, and ultimately returns to the chorale.

 

Pricing

Printed Score Only: $45
Printed Score + Printed Parts: $169.99
Printed Score + Digital PDF Parts: $169.99

Details

Grade 4 – Wind Band
Year of Composition: 2025
Length: 6 minutes

A short preview of “Chorale and Metamorphosis”

See the score

About the piece

Chorale and Metamorphosis is wholly original music, but also deeply inspired by the baroque music of J.S. Bach. There is perhaps no composer who wrote music with more architectural and structural integrity than Bach. The stunning harmonic progressions of his chorales and the ease with which multiple themes work together in his counterpoint are just two examples of his craftsmanship. In this piece, I tried to channel Bach’s craftsmanship while writing music through my own 21st century lens.

The piece opens with a slow chorale, followed by a fast canon, and ultimately returns back to the opening chorale. A canon is a type of contrapuntal technique where the theme is presented multiple times, offset by a certain length (in this case, four beats.) So the theme is essentially presented on top of itself, although slightly offset. I’ve always been drawn to musical techniques like this, as it feels like a game – the composer must design the theme carefully to make the “game” work correctly when the pieces are put together. I used the word metamorphosis in the title to describe the transformation of the canon theme as it is layered upon itself, and the transformation of various musical motives that evolve during the middle section of the piece.

Chorale and Metamorphosis was commissioned in 2025 by Masconomet High School Concert Band, Jared L. Cassedy, Director.