The Continental: a salute to the American Revolution for flute, trumpet, trombone, and snare

Abstract

The Continental is a chamber piece for flute/piccolo, trumpet, trombone, and snare drum. It is programmatic and symbolic of events from the American Revolution. The accompanying essay provides historical and musical background relating to the music and reviews musical works with which The Continental is associated. The essay details how each movement represents different scenes in the Revolution and explains the style and methodologies of the composer. The musical elements addressed include thematic material, motivic ideas, harmony, and texture. The essay closes with a brief summary and optional instructions for performing the piece.