Beowulf Fantasy, Mvt I Beowulf Sails to Heorot

This is the first movement in a suite that portrays the epic poem of Beowulf. Written for concert band, Movement 1 interprets Beowulf and his crew setting sail to aid King Hrothgar against the evil Grendel. It sets up the leitmotif of Beowulf's theme that recurs again in later movements.

The movement begins with a heroic statement followed by a semi-mournful restatement of the theme that foreshadows Beowulf's eventual demise at the end of the poem. It then shifts into the bold melody of Beowulf and his crew sailing over icy waters to the kingdom of the Danes. The music shifts in intensity as Beowulf looks around at the men of his crew and thinks on the dangers that await each of them. This is symbolized by the shifting melody through various instrumental groups. The song returns to the energetic sailing theme with renewed power as Beowulf determines to conquer Grendel and free the Danes from its menace.

Feel free to contact me in the comments about details, and thanks for listening!

[bmcgar]

Frank, love the colors. I hope someday to hear this and the other movements in a live performance by a "real" band.