Set (Score & Parts)
Picc.
Fl.1-3
Ob.
Bsn.
Bb Cl.1-3
B.Cl.
C.B.Cl.(optional)
A.Sax.1-2
T.Sax.
B.Sax.
Trp.1-3
Hrn.1-2
Trb.1-2
B.Trb.
Euph.
Tuba
Timpani
[Percussion 1] Glockenspiel, High Wood Block, Ratchet
[Percussion 2] Xylophone, Triangle, Low Wood Block
[Percussion 3] Marimba, Bongo, Piatti
[Percussion 4] Vibraphone, Flexatone, Siren
[Percussion 5] Hi-hat, Splash Cymbal, Ride Cymbal, Suspended Cymbal, Flexatone
[Percussion 6] Bass Drum, 3 Tom-toms, Claves, Slide Whistle
AVENUE X derives its title from my neighborhood subway line, and its labeled final destination: “Ave X”. As I reside on Avenue C (and the highest letter in Manhattan itself is D), this always seemed a fantastic and otherworldly location to me. Turns out it’s in a pretty trippy place anyway: Brooklyn’s Coney Island - home of an ancient and creaking wooden roller coaster (frightening only because of the fear of the entire structure collapsing at any moment), the country’s last existing “side show”, and of course (my favorite), the Nathan’s Famous annual hot-dog eating contest. The piece is a journey there of sorts ... via a pentatonic blues progression and driving bass power chords more appropriate to a metal “hair” rock band chart-topper, AVENUE X takes a convoluted path of dreams, subways, roller coasters, freak shows, and edge-of-the-world fantasies.
