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