About the piece

The pandemic taught us many things. Above all, how little is granted in our lives. When this piece was written, it was the anniversary of the beginning of the pandemic and thus the time since making music in an orchestra was banned in many countries. As a result, many long-term partnerships disbanded, friendships broke up and ensembles did not know whether they would still exist in the near future. At the same time, however, new bonds were created who went all in during these dark times and kept the musical life going with a lot of effort and creative ideas. After all, that’s exactly what makes us musicians: keeping on making music. Sky’s The Limit stands for this endurance and it accompanied our first concert after the long cultural lockdown. It is my thank you to all those who have enriched my life so much over the past few months and with whom we have decided: There are no limits!

This work is fundamentally simple: a two-part main theme (m. 51–72) and a modal variable, mostly modulating secondary theme (m. 73–81), alternating throughout the piece and beeing underlaid with simple harmonies. On the other hand, the steady fast tempo, which is maintained from the first to the last note and therefore does not offer any space for short pauses, proves to be challenging (both compositionally and for the musicians). An extremely colorful, strongly changing orchestration, which demands a high degree of concentration and self-confidence from all musicians, ensures sufficient variety and a spacious feeling of developing structue.

Notes about the performance of the prelude

Sky’s The Limit has a deceptive beginning that combines calm sustained notes with quick articulated notes and only gradually conveys that the piece is staying at a fast pace. In order to optimally capture the listener, he should be in a calm mood, which not least depends on the previous piece in the concert program. If it is a furious ending, or if Sky’s The Limit is at the beginning of the concert, I recommend adding the Prelude.

The piano was deliberately chosen as a contrast so as not to anticipate the variety of sounds in the main piece. For this reason, the instrument is completely dispensed within the rest of the piece.

1 – PICCOLO
1 – FLUTE 1
1 – FLUTE 2
1 – OBOE
1 – BASSOON

4 – CLARINETS 1 (B-Flat)
4 – CLARINETS 2 (B-Flat)
4 – CLARINETS 3 (B-Flat)
1 – BASS CLARINET (B-Flat)

1 – ALTO SAXOPHONE 1 (E-Flat)
1 – ALTO SAXOPHONE 2 (E-Flat)
1 – TENOR SAXOPHONE (B-Flat)
1 – BARITONE SAXOPHONE (E-Flat)

1 – HORN 1 (F)
1 – HORN 2 (F)
1 – HORN 3 (F)
1 – HORN 4 (F)

1 – TRUMPET 1 (B-Flat)
1 – TRUMPET 2 (B-Flat)
1 – TRUMPET 3 (B-Flat)
1 – TRUMPET 4 (B-Flat)

1 – TENOR TROMBONE 1
1 – TENOR TROMBONE 2
1 – BASS TROMBONE
2 – EUPHONIUMS
2 – TUBAS
2 – DOUBLE BASSES

1 – TIMPANI
4 – PERCUSSION*

1 – MIXED CHOIR (SATB)
1 – CHILD CHOIR (SA)

1 – PIANO

*Glockenspiel, Xylophone, Vibraphone, Bell Tree, Clash Cymbals, Suspended Cymbal, Tambourine, Anvil, Tam-tam, Snare Drum, Bass Drum, 2 Tenor Drums, 4 Woodblocks

Additional information:

• The Prelude and therefor the piano part are non obligatory. (see notes about the prelude)
• Oboe, Bassoon and Horns 3 & 4 are not obligatory and cued elsewhere.
• Although the Tuba contains divisi, the upper voice is to be considered non obligatory.
• Euphonium and Double Basses contain no divisi and may be performed by one player.
• Clarinets contain obligatory divisi and therefore need a minimum of two players per part.
• Doubling of all parts is encouraged, especially for the Clarinets, Saxophones and Basses.
• The choirs are an optional addition to the work, based on Ciceros’ Laelius de amicitia.
• A Rehearsal Piano part is provided.

Full Score PDF: 15,00€
Complete Set PDF: 100,00€
Printed Conducting-Score*: 25,00€ + Shipping

Please contact me for a purchase: Kontakt

Kein Mehrwertsteuerausweis, da Kleinunternehmer nach §19 (1) UStG.

*266mm x 355mm, Wire-Binding, Generous spacing (4mm staff), Grammage: 100g/m²
(the conducting score does not contain the Prelude. This could be created upon request)