Jabberwocky

Inspired by the nonsensical poem by Lewis Carroll of the same title, Gillingham's Jabberwocky seeks to capture the adventure and entertain the listener as much as the whimsical poem has over the years.

Program Notes

Jabberwocky was written for Mark Cox, Professor of Tuba and Low Brass at Central Michigan University.

The work is inspired by the nonsensical poem, Jabberwocky, by Lewis Carroll. Written in 1871, the poem is an account of a young boy who slays a “Jabberwock”, an ugly dragon-like monster. The boy’s father warns the boy about the monster:

Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

The poem goes on to describe the brave boy’s quest to kill the monster:

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought-
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

The music seeks to describe the adventure and entertain the listener as much as the whimsical poem has over the years.

Grade Level: 5
Copyright: 2012
Number of Players: 2
Duration: 5:30

Listen to Recordings

Sample PDF

Instrumentation

Tuba
Piano