Thermal Whiplash for Trumpet Ensemble - Chris Evan Hass 

My composition for trumpet ensemble 'Thermal Whiplash', recorded by the incredible Shenandoah University Trumpet Septet! These students performed the piece for the 2024 National Trumpet Competition and made the music sound so visceral and compelling that I was motivated to make some revisions and see if they would record it for me, which they graciously accepted and knocked out of the park!
This is version 2.0 of the piece, now which editions for seven trumpets or six trumpets. Either edition has piccolo in the first two parts and flugelhorn in the third.
Purchase the septet version through Murphy Music Press:
murphymusicpres...
Purchase the sextet version through Murphy Music Press:
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More information about the piece:
hassmusic.com/...
If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out my Trumpet Sonata for some equally chaotic and wild music!
• Sonata for Tomorrow (f...
Program Notes:
Thermal Whiplash was written for the Central Michigan University Trumpet Septet in 2019 for their performance at the 2020 National Trumpet Competition, which was unfortunately cancelled due to Covid-19 safety restrictions. The title is taken from a phrase CNN used to describe the drastic and unpredictable temperature changes that occurred throughout the Midwest in the early months of 2019. During these months, temperatures skyrocketed from frostbite-inducing subzero temperatures to much warmer spring-like temperatures, sometimes changing over 70 degrees in the span of two days.
The piece depicts this erratic phenomenon by alternating, often jarringly, between two dramatically different moods. The first mood is dark and maniacal with a ubiquitous use of dissonant harmonies and rapid double-tonguing to represent the biting cold of that winter. The second mood is patient and meditative, portraying newfound warmth through bright extended harmonies and rising modulations. Less and less time occurs between these contrasting moods until spring fully comes to light, resulting in a triumphant restatement of the latter section with the addition of bright piccolo trumpets playing ornamental material above this uplifting theme.
Shenandoah University Trumpet Ensemble (Professor Mary Bowden) - Sam White, Taylor Losey, Jaya Dickson, Vanessa Rivera, Mark Barr, Imer Ramirez, Alyson Zieg