''Thunderstuck'' is a one-movement orchestral composition by the American composer Christopher Rouse. The piece was completed December 29, 2013, and premiered October 9, 2014, in Avery Fisher Hall, New York City. Rouse, Christopher
''Thunderstuck'': Program note by the composer
2014. Retrieved March 4, 2015. The premiere was performed by

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Music * Conductor (music), a person who leads a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra. * ''Conductor'' (album), an album by indie rock band The Comas * Conduction, a type of structured free improvisation ...

Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic, and the work is dedicated to both.

Composition

Styles and influences

The style of ''Thunderstuck'' celebrates rock and roll music of the 1970s. In the program notes, Rouse called the work "a nine-minute concert opener that reflects my continuing love of the popular music of my younger years. Rock music has had an influence on several of my works, but none more so than this one." Its conception is similar to that of Rouse's 1988 percussion ensemble piece '' Bonham'', a tribute to rock drummers and named after Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. ''Thunderstuck'' directly references the 1978 Jay Ferguson song " Thunder Island", which partially inspired the work's title. David Allen of '' The New York Times'' has also compared the piece to the music of

Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, that became one of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock. Formed in 1965, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the Bay Area to ac ...

Instrumentation

''Thunderstuck'' is scored for three flutes, three oboes, two

clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...

bass clarinet The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B (meaning it is a transposing instrument on which a written C sounds as B), but it plays notes an octave bel ...

, two

bassoon The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuo ...

contrabassoon The contrabassoon, also known as the double bassoon, is a larger version of the bassoon, sounding an octave lower. Its technique is similar to its smaller cousin, with a few notable differences. Differences from the bassoon The reed is consi ...

, four French horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba,

harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...

, timpani, percussion (three players), and

strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

( violins I & II, violas, violoncellos, and double basses).

Reception

Reviewing the 2014 premiere of ''Thunderstuck'', music critic Lewis M. Smoley lauded the work, saying, "Permeated with syncopated and chugging rhythms, brash outbursts and colorful orchestration, the music splashed across the sonic spectrum, energized by youthful vigor, and at times evocative of the music of Aaron Copland or Roy Harris." Despite criticizing the premiere performance, David Allen of ''The New York Times'' also praised the piece, saying, "It's designed to be a fun concert opener, and it is." Eric C. Simpson of the ''New York Classical Review'' was slightly more critical, saying, "Rouse says the work is meant to be 'engaging and fun.' It is both those things to some degree, though it is also completely out of left field, both in general and for Rouse specifically. Suave, punchy, and almost oppressively consonant, it sounds as though it could accompany a training montage in a boxing movie."

References

{{Authority control Compositions by Christopher Rouse 2013 compositions 21st-century classical music Compositions for symphony orchestra Music commissioned by the New York Philharmonic Music dedicated to ensembles or performers