Wing on Wing
Wing on Wing is a single-movement composition for two sopranos and orchestra by the Finnish composer Esa-Pekka Salonen. The work was commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic for their inaugural season at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and was premiered June 5, 2004 by the orchestra under Salonen. The piece is dedicated to the architect Frank Gehry, the acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota, and the L.A. Philharmonic CEO Deborah Borda.
Composition
Wing on Wing has a duration of roughly 27 minutes and is composed in one continuous movement. The title and composition of the piece are inspired by the architecture of the Walt Disney Concert Hall, which architect Frank Gehry likened to the appearance of a sailboat with its foresail and mainsail opened to a 180-degree angle. Salonen commented on the composition in the score program notes, writing:The music also incorporates the sounds of a plainfin midshipman and the sampled voice of Frank Gehry.
Instrumentation
Wing on Wing is scored for two sopranos and an orchestra comprising four flutes, three oboes, cor anglais, three clarinets, contrabass clarinet, four French horns, four trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, four percussionists, two harps, celesta, sampler, and strings.The first percussionist plays glockenspiel, vibraphone, 3 large suspended cymbals and 4 bongos. The second plays crotales, almglocken, 8 bell plates, 4 tuned gongs and second glockenspiel. The third plays sandpaper blocks, 3 tam-tams, 4 large triangle (instrument)s, 2 congas, wind machine and third glockenspiel. The fourth plays chimes, another 15 tuned gongs, 2 suspended cymbals, sizzle cymbal and log drum.