“The Hunky Punks” Original for Brass Sextet.

Description

A Hunky punk is a grotesque carving on the side of a building, typically found on Mid/ Late medieval churches in the UK. They are plentiful in Somerset in the West Country of England Though similar in appearance to a gargoyle, a hunky punk is purely decorative and has no other functional purpose whatsoever!! Unlike the gargoyle, which serves to drain water off the roof through its mouth.

The theory behind hunky punks and grotesques in general, was that churches were designed to reflect the balance between good and evil, reminding worshippers of the narrow path leading through life. As a result, for every saint or animal that was intended to signify purity and ‘goodness’, there was also an ugly creature to signify evil and ‘badness’.

Scored for 2 Trumpets in B flat, Horn in F, 2 Trombones and Tuba.
This piece is in concert C minor and begins with a medieval type of fanfare which occurs throughout. What follows is a haunting theme with lots of flattened 5ths and several discords to represent the uncomfortable nature of this statue. The staccato and accent direction in most of the piece gives the impression of walking on eggshells not knowing what lies around the corner! Then a brief legato section of the fanfare appears to provide a calmer atmosphere before eventually returning to the main theme and big ending.

Set at Advanced intermediate level although an intermediate player maybe fine with it. However, the youtube link has the full score for you to assess suitability. It is around 4 mins 30 in length and would be a great addition to a repertoire.

Price is for the full score and parts.