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Unfurl transposed score

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Unfurl

Michael Mikulka


2

“Unfurl” was composed in 2019 and was premiered on February 8, 2020. My original intent

was to write a parody of the standard 21st century wind band ballad. These ballads sound

pure, delicate, and starkly pretty, but they usually avoid expressing strong personal emotions,

leading to a “narrator gazes stoically at the distant sunset” kind of feel.

Band ballads typically begin with a sparse texture, setting up tension for the arrival of the first

motive/melody, which patiently unfurls out of the mist. While the melodies or motives in 21st

century band music are frequently chromatic and complicated-sounding when the tempo is

fast, in ballads composers are permitted (and even expected) to write simplistic-sounding

diatonic melodies. There is usually an attempt to convey striking (but docile) beauty. There

are often seemingly random measures with an extra beat added (or mixed meter sections),

and the harmony features washes of soft dissonance (most commonly a combination of

pandiatonic tone clusters and sus chords). While some of the 2nds and 4ths are part of the

chord and don't resolve, there are also dramatic suspensions everywhere. At some point, the

texture suddenly cuts out to reveal unaccompanied clarinets and/or pitched percussion. There

is a climactic section about 2/3 of the way through the piece before it gradually relaxes and

fades out, leaving us to feel in awe of the gentle loveliness that we have just passively witnessed.

I ended up getting attached to the melody I wrote, and I felt that it sounded too personal

and emotional for a parody, so I scrapped my initial plans and adjusted the piece. However,

many of the remnants survived this process, so now “Unfurl” is sincere and expressive but

also packed with band ballad tropes.


Transposed Score

Piccolo

Flute 1

Delicately

q = 72

Solo

mp

Unfurl

Michael Mikulka

a2

3

Flute 2

Oboe 1 + 2

Bassoon 1 + 2

Solo

mp

mp

a2

Clarinet in Bb 1

Solo

a2

mp

Clarinet in Bb 2

p

Clarinet in Bb 3

Bass Clarinet

p

Alto Saxophone 1

Alto Saxophone 2

mp

Tenor Saxophone

Baritone Saxophone

Trumpet 1

mp

mp

straight mute

Trumpet 2

mp

straight mute

mp

Trumpet 3

straight mute

mp

Horn in F 1 + 2

muted

1st

mute out

Horn in F 3 + 4

p

muted

mute out

mp

Trombone 1

p

mp

Trombone 2

Bass Trombone

Euphonium

Tuba

Timpani

Percussion 1

Percussion 2

Percussion 3

Percussion 4

Percussion 5

p

p

Marimba (soft mallets)

p

Vibraphone

(Pedal down)

p

Triangle

2 3 4 5 6 7

mp

mp

Glockenspiel

p

mf

Solo

Bass Drum


4

Picc.

Fl. 1

8

Fl. 2

Ob. 1 + 2

Bsn. 1 + 2

Cl. 1

Cl. 2

Solo

mp

p

Cl. 3

B. Cl.

A. Sax. 1

A. Sax. 2

T. Sax.

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

Tpt. 2

Tpt. 3

Hn. 1+2

Hn. 3+4

Tbn. 1

Tbn. 2

open

open

p mp p mp

p

mp

mp

mp

B. Tbn.

Euph.

mp

p

Tba.

Timp.

Tri.

p

mp

Solo

mp

mf

B. D.

Glock.

Mar.

Vib.

8 9 10 11 12 13 14


Picc.

Fl. 1

Fl. 2

Ob. 1 + 2

Bsn. 1 + 2

Cl. 1

Cl. 2

Cl. 3

B. Cl.

A. Sax. 1

A. Sax. 2

T. Sax.

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

Tpt. 2

Tpt. 3

Hn. 1+2

Hn. 3+4

Tbn. 1

Tbn. 2

B. Tbn.

Euph.

Tba.

Timp.

Tri.

B. D.

Glock.

Mar.

Vib.

15

Moving forward

q = 78

mf

mf

p

mf

p

mf

p

mp

p

a2

mf

p

mp

p

mp

p

mp

p

mf

mp

p

mp

p

p

p

pp

pp

pp mp p

pp mp p

pp

a2

pp mp p

pp

mp mf mp mf

to Susp.

Cymbal

p

mp

p

mp

mf

p

p

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Solo

5


6

Picc.

Fl. 1

Fl. 2

Ob. 1 + 2

24

mp

mp

Solo

mf

mf

a2

f

mf

mf f mf

Bsn. 1 + 2

p

Cl. 1

mf

Cl. 2

mp

Cl. 3

mp

B. Cl.

p

A. Sax. 1

A. Sax. 2

T. Sax.

mp

f

mf

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

Tpt. 2

Tpt. 3

p

p

pp

pp

pp

mute out

mute out

mute out

Hn. 1+2

Hn. 3+4

Tbn. 1

Tbn. 2

B. Tbn.

Euph.

Tba.

Timp.

Cym.

Suspended

Cymbal

pp p

p

mp

B. D.

Glock.

Mar.

Vib.

f

mf

pp

pp

24 25 26 27 28 29 30


Picc.

Fl. 1

Fl. 2

Ob. 1 + 2

Bsn. 1 + 2

Cl. 1

Cl. 2

Cl. 3

B. Cl.

A. Sax. 1

31

With Anguish

3 3 3

3 3 3

3

f

3

3 3

f mf f

3

3

f

f

f

f

3

3

3 3 3

3 3 3 3 3

3

3

3 3 3

3 3 3

3

3

3

3

3 3

3 3

f

3 3

mp

f

mf

3 3

f mf f

3

3

3

3

mf

mp

f

mf

7

A. Sax. 2

f

mf

T. Sax.

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

f

mf

f

f

open

mf

mf

f

Tpt. 2

Tpt. 3

f

open

f

open

Hn. 1+2

f

Hn. 3+4

Tbn. 1

f mf f

f mf f

f mf f

Tbn. 2

f mf f

B. Tbn.

Euph.

f mf f

Tba.

Timp.

f mf f

f

f

f

mf

f

Cym.

f p f p f mp f

B. D.

Glock.

Mar.

Vib.

f mp f mp f mp f

f

3 3

f

3 3

f mf f

3

3

31 32 33 34 35 36


8

Picc.

Fl. 1

Fl. 2

Ob. 1 + 2

Bsn. 1 + 2

Cl. 1

Cl. 2

Cl. 3

B. Cl.

A. Sax. 1

A. Sax. 2

p

mf

mf mp mp

mp

p

mp

mp

mp

mp

mp

mp

mp

mf mp mp

mf

mp

p

p

mp

mp

mp

T. Sax.

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

Tpt. 2

mf

mp

mf

mf

mp

mp

Tpt. 3

Hn. 1+2

Hn. 3+4

Tbn. 1

Tbn. 2

B. Tbn.

Euph.

Tba.

Timp.

mp

mf

3rd

mf

mp

p

mp

1st

p

mp

p

p

p

Cym.

B. D.

Glock.

Mar.

mp

p

Vib.

mp

37 38 39 40


Picc.

Fl. 1

41

Obsessive

9

Fl. 2

Ob. 1 + 2

Bsn. 1 + 2

Cl. 1

pp

pp

pp

pp

pp

Cl. 2

pp

pp

Cl. 3

B. Cl.

A. Sax. 1

A. Sax. 2

pp

pp

Solo

mp

pp

pp

T. Sax.

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

pp

Tpt. 2

Tpt. 3

Hn. 1+2

Hn. 3+4

pp

Tbn. 1

Tbn. 2

B. Tbn.

Euph.

Tba.

Timp.

pp

pp

pp

pp

pp

Cym.

B. D.

Glock.

Mar.

Vib.

p

(Pedal down)

p

41 42 43 44 45 46


10

Picc.

Fl. 1

Fl. 2

Ob. 1 + 2

Bsn. 1 + 2

Cl. 1

Cl. 2

Cl. 3

47

mp

f

mp

mp

mp

mp mp mf mp

mp

mf

mf

mf

f

mp

mp

mf

mf

B. Cl.

A. Sax. 1

a2

mp mp mf

mf

mp

A. Sax. 2

mp

f

T. Sax.

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

mp

mp

mp

mp

mf

mf

mf

Tpt. 2

mp

mf

mp

Tpt. 3

Hn. 1+2

Hn. 3+4

Tbn. 1

Tbn. 2

B. Tbn.

Euph.

Tba.

Timp.

Cym.

B. D.

a2

mp

mp mf mf

p mp mf

mp mf mp

mp

mp mf mp

mp mp mf mp

p

mf

mp mf mp

mf

mf

mf

mf

mp

mp

32"-F

Glock.

mp

Mar.

Vib.

mp

mp

mf

mf

47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54


Picc.

Fl. 1

Fl. 2

Ob. 1 + 2

Bsn. 1 + 2

Cl. 1

55

mp

mf

1st

mf

f

f

f

f

mf f mf mp

f

mf

mf

poco rit.

a2

mf

mf

11

Cl. 2

mp

f

mf

Cl. 3

mp f mf

B. Cl.

A. Sax. 1

mf

f

mf

mp

A. Sax. 2

T. Sax.

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

mp f mp

mp

mp

mp

f

f

mf f mf mp

f

mf

mp

mp

mf

Tpt. 2

mp

mp

f

Tpt. 3

mf f mp

Hn. 1+2

Hn. 3+4

f

mf

Tbn. 1

Tbn. 2

f

mf f mf mp

mf

mf mp mf f mp

B. Tbn.

Euph.

mf f mp

mf f mf

Tba.

Timp.

Cym.

B. D.

Glock.

f mf mp

p

f

p f p mf

f

mp

Mar.

Vib.

55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62


12

Picc.

Fl. 1

Fl. 2

With anticipation

63

q = 84

mp

mf

Solo

Ob. 1 + 2

Bsn. 1 + 2

mf

p

Cl. 1

Cl. 2

Cl. 3

B. Cl.

A. Sax. 1

p

p

p

p

mf

A. Sax. 2

sfzp

T. Sax.

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

Tpt. 2

sfzp

sfzp

sfzp

Solo

f mf f

Tpt. 3

Hn. 1+2

p

Hn. 3+4

Tbn. 1

Tbn. 2

B. Tbn.

Euph.

Tba.

Timp.

Cym.

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf

mp

p

p

p

p

p

B. D.

p mf

Glock.

mf

Mar.

p

Vib.

mp

63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72


Picc.

Fl. 1

Fl. 2

Ob. 1 + 2

73

mf

a2

mf

mf

mf

f

f

f

f

13

Bsn. 1 + 2

Cl. 1

Cl. 2

Cl. 3

mp

mp f mf f

mp f mf f

mp f mf f

B. Cl.

A. Sax. 1

A. Sax. 2

T. Sax.

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

Tpt. 2

Tpt. 3

Hn. 1+2

Hn. 3+4

Tbn. 1

Tbn. 2

B. Tbn.

Euph.

Tba.

Timp.

mp

mf

mf

mf

mf

f

mf

f

a2

mf

mf

mf

f

mf

f

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf

f

f

f

f

f

f

f

f

Cym.

B. D.

Glock.

p mf

Mar.

Vib.

73 74 75 76 77 78 79


14

Picc.

Fl. 1

Fl. 2

Ob. 1 + 2

Bsn. 1 + 2

Cl. 1

Cl. 2

Cl. 3

mf

mf

mf

mf

f

B. Cl.

A. Sax. 1

A. Sax. 2

f

T. Sax.

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

mf

mf

f

f

Tpt. 2

Tpt. 3

Hn. 1+2

Hn. 3+4

Tbn. 1

mf

f

mf

f

Tbn. 2

B. Tbn.

Euph.

Tba.

Timp.

f

32" - G

f

f

f

Cym.

mp

B. D.

Glock.

Mar.

Vib.

mp

mf

mf

80 81 82 83 84


Picc.

Fl. 1

Fl. 2

Ob. 1 + 2

85

(still q = 84)

ff

ff

3

ff

3

3

3 3 3

3 3 3

3

6

ff

3 3

mf ff

3

3

3 3 3

3 3 3 3 3

3

3 3 3

3 3 3

3

3

3

15

Bsn. 1 + 2

Cl. 1

Cl. 2

Cl. 3

3

3

ff

3

3

3 3

3 3

ff

3

3

6

3 3

ff mf ff

6

3 3

ff mf ff

B. Cl.

A. Sax. 1

A. Sax. 2

T. Sax.

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

Tpt. 2

ff

f

f

ff

ff

ff

ff

Tpt. 3

Hn. 1+2

Hn. 3+4

Tbn. 1

ff

f

f

ff

ff

f

f

ff

ff

Tbn. 2

f

B. Tbn.

Euph.

Tba.

Timp.

Cym.

B. D.

Glock.

Mar.

Vib.

f

f

f

f

f f mf f

f p f p f mp f

f mp f mp f

f

3 3

3 3

3

3

f mf ff

f mf ff

85 86 87 88 89 90

f

ff

32" - F


16

Picc.

Fl. 1

Fl. 2

Ob. 1 + 2

Bsn. 1 + 2

Cl. 1

Cl. 2

Cl. 3

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf

mf

mp

poco rit.

mp

mp

mp

B. Cl.

A. Sax. 1

mf

mf

mp

mf

A. Sax. 2

T. Sax.

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

mf

mf

mf

mp

mf mf mp

Tpt. 2

mf mf mp

Tpt. 3

Hn. 1+2

Hn. 3+4

mf mf mp

1st

mf f mp mp

3rd

p

Tbn. 1

Tbn. 2

mf f mp mp p

mf

mp

mf

mp

B. Tbn.

Euph.

mf

mp

Tba.

Timp.

mf

mf

mf

mp

mp

Cym.

B. D.

Glock.

Mar.

mp

Vib.

91 92 93 94 95 96 97


Picc.

98

Gently

q = 78

molto rit.

17

Fl. 1

Fl. 2

Ob. 1 + 2

p

mf

p

mf

Solo

mf

f

Bsn. 1 + 2

mp

mf

mp

Cl. 1

mf

mp

Cl. 2

Cl. 3

B. Cl.

A. Sax. 1

mf

mp

mf

mp

mp mf mp

A. Sax. 2

T. Sax.

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

Tpt. 2

Tpt. 3

Hn. 1+2

Hn. 3+4

Tbn. 1

a2

p

a2

p

mp

mp

p

p

p

mp

p

Tbn. 2

B. Tbn.

Euph.

p

p

mp

Tba.

Timp.

p

mp

p

Solo

mp

Cym.

pp

p

B. D.

Glock.

Mar.

Vib.

98 99 100 101 102 103 104


18

Picc.

Fl. 1

Fl. 2

Ob. 1 + 2

Bsn. 1 + 2

Cl. 1

Cl. 2

Cl. 3

B. Cl.

A. Sax. 1

A. Sax. 2

T. Sax.

B. Sax.

Tpt. 1

Tpt. 2

Tpt. 3

Hn. 1+2

Hn. 3+4

Tbn. 1

Tbn. 2

Purely

105 111

q = 72

Solo a2

mp p pp pp

p mp p pp

p

p

p

p

p

p

p

p

mp

p

p

mp

mf

mp

pp

a2

p pp pp

3

p

p

p

pp

pp

pp

poco rit.

Solo a2

Solo

2nd

mp mf pp

mp 3 pp

Solo 2nd

Solo 3

p mp pp

p

3

pp

pp

mp

3

a2

pp

pp

pp

pp

pp

1st

pp

pp

pp

nondim.

nondim.

Solo

a2

Solo

Straight mute

Straight mute

Straight mute

Solo 3

a2

a2

nondim.

pp

pp

pp

p

pp

B. Tbn.

Euph.

Tba.

Timp.

Solo

p p pp

p

mp

p

3

3

p

a2

p

pp

pp

Solo

mp

Cym.

B. D.

p

Glock.

Mar.

Vib.

mp

p

p

mp

p

pp

pp

105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115

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