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Reena Esmail

Composer

Tuttarana (Brass Quintet)

June 9, 2015 by

performance by Seraph Brass

NOTE: Tuttarana is the third movement of Khirkiyaan, a three movement suite for brass quintet. Please click here for information about the entire suite. (Tuttarana is no longer sold separately)

Program Notes

The title of this piece is a conglomeration of two words: the Italian word ‘tutti’, means ‘all’ or ‘everyone’, and the term ‘tarana’ designates a specific Hindustani (North Indian) musical form, whose closest Western counterpart is the ‘scat’ in jazz. Made up of rhythmic syllables, a tarana is the singer’s chance to display agility and dexterity. While a Hindustani tarana is a solo form, I wanted to bring the tarana into an ensemble setting.

Tuttarana was commissioned by the Mount Holyoke College Glee Club for their 2014-15 season, and has since been performed across the US, also in arrangements for SATB and brass quintet.

An addendum: Three years after I wrote this piece, the #metoo movement, created by Tarana Burke broke on social media. It occurred to me that the title of this piece, if read a different way, literally means “We are all Tarana.” I couldn’t believe the incredible coincidence that this work, a powerful 3-minute tidal wave of sound, written for an all-female ensemble from the oldest women’s college in the country, bore this name. I’m so grateful for what this movement has done to move the discussion forward about the horrors we face as women, and how we can begin to change and heal our society.

Recording

Please see video above

In addition, another version for brass sextet is also available here.

Audio Guide

Though there is no audio guide specifically available for this piece, performers might wish to look at the Tuttarana instructional video for the choral version of Tuttarana for reference.

Premiers/Performances

This piece was commissioned by Mount Holyoke Glee Club, Lindsay Pope, conductor. It was premiered January, 17 2015 at Mount Holyoke College, in South Hadley MA.

This version of Tuttarana was commissioned by The Brass Project, for their album Cityscapes. Listen to the entire album here:

Related Catalog Items

  • Khirkiyaan: Three Transformations for Brass Quintet
  • Piano Quintet
  • Meri Sakhi Ki Avaaz (My Sister’s Voice) -Piano Quintet
  • Take What You Need (double choir + string quintet)

$65.00Select Purchase Options

(Tuttarana is no longer sold separately – this is the link to buy the entire suite, entitled Khirkiyaan)

Instrumentation: two trumpets, French horn, trombone, tuba

Other Versions:
–Tuttarana (SSA)
–Tuttarana (SATB)

Duration: 10 minutes

Year: 2017

Movements: 1

Commissioned by: Commissioned by Curtis Brass Project

Program Notes

Recording

Audio Guide (for performers)

Performances

Copyright © 2023 Reena Esmail | All Rights Reserved.