Publisher

Theodore Presser

Year of Composition

2006

Duration

17'

Instrumentation

2.2.2(II=bcl).2 - 2.2.0.0 - tmp - 1pc - hp - str

Categories

Orchestra

Movements

I. Railroad Trestle Bridge, Galax, Virginia
II. Stone Bridge, Suzhou, China
III. The Golden Gate Bridge, California
IV. The Brooklyn Bridge, New York
V. Mackinac Bridge, Michigan

Other Versions

Version for clarinet, violin, and piano
Version for clarinet, bass clarinet, erhu, and pipa
Version for mixed octet

Program Note

The five movements of Bridges are inspired by actual bridges in different parts of the world and organized around a wide variety of cultures.

Railroad Trestle Bridge in Galax, Virginia uses the motoric rhythm of a train and the sound of a fiddle and banjo playing country music.

Stone Bridge over a Reflecting Pool in Suzhou is based on a traditional Chinese song called Moli Hua or Jasmine Flower.

The Golden Gate Bridge recalls the folk music revival of the 1960's and 70's in California, with particular respect paid to the singer Joan Baez, whose haunting songs had a profound effect on me. I have combined her song “All My Trials” with a Chinese folksong called “Liu Yang River” as both reflect the culture of the Bay Area.

The Brooklyn Bridge has a particularly happy coincidence. I wanted this bridge to partake of the vibrant be-bop era in New York City. In researching be-bop melodies, I came across a standard favored by many jazz musicians, “I Got Rhythm” by George Gershwin. Using only the harmonic chord changes to this tune, players crafted seemingly endless improvisations. As the song was written in the typical AABA song form, the “B” section was referred to as the “bridge”. Here was the ideal confluence of the many meanings of the word “bridge”, and I leaped at the opportunity to bring them all together.

The fifth movement is The Mackinac Bridge, based on the folksong “The Water is Wide” because the bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere and spans a wide expanse of water over the straits of Mackinac, connecting Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas.

Audio/Video

Purchase Sheet Music

Score & Parts Rental (Theodore Presser)
Print Score (Theodore Presser) 

Bridges, published by Theodore Presser, in an expanded version, 5movements:

1. Railroad Trestle Bridge

2. Stone Bridge

3. Golden Gate Bridge

4. Brooklyn Bridge

5. Mackinac Bridge

Premiere and Commision Information

Premiered Saturday October 14 2014, Michigan Philharmonic, conducted Nan Washburn