Review

Ben Hase
Mudflap Icicles:

Louisville, KY, United States
Publisher: Potenza Music Publishing
Date of Publication: 2013
URL: http://www.potenzamusic.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Chamber Music
Secondary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 2 brass

The title Mudflap Icicles refers to the composer’s childhood experience of being dared into licking an icicle on the mudflap of his father’s truck. This is a short work for trombone, tuba, vibraphone, and percussion in an ABA’ form, with a brief quicker middle section that is likely programmatic to the composer’s memories. The tonal language, which is built around a four-note motif with mainly fifths and octaves between the trombone and tuba, is reminiscence of movie scores.

The work is playable and easily approached by players at an advanced high school or greater level. The trombone part extends from F to b-flat1 and the tuba part from EE-flat to a-flat. The percussion part, which calls for crash cymbal, brake drum and kick drum, is easy. The vibraphone part calls for basic four-mallet technique. Mudflap Icicles is not heavy-duty literature, but might be a fun ensemble project for a student recital.  

-Andrew Glendening
University of Redlands