Cipher-David Biedenbender

DAVID BIEDENBENDER
CIPHER
for band
BENT SPACE MUSIC

Cipher was commissioned by Samuel Fritz, Center Grove Middle School Central Bands
and
Ashley Carney, Zionsville Middle School Orchestras
Published by Bent Space Music:
www.davidbiedenbender.com
Contact the Composer:
davidbiedenbender@gmail.com
© Copyright 2019 by David Biedenbender
International copyright secured. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
Printed August 2019.

INSTRUMENTATION
Flute 1,2
Oboe
Bassoon
Bb Clarinet 1,2
Bb Bass Clarinet
Eb Alto Saxophone
Bb Tenor Saxophone
Eb Baritone Saxophone
Bb Trumpet 1,2
F Horn
Trombone
Euphonium (B.C. or T.C.)
Tuba
Timpani [2 drums]
Percussion 1–4
Percussion List:
Percussion Player 1
Xylophone
Triangle
Percussion Player 2
Marimba [4-octave] or Vibraphone
Percussion Player 3
Suspended Cymbal
Rainstick (optional)
Percussion Player 4
Egg Shaker
Large (concert) Bass Drum
Transposed Score
Duration: ca. 1:50

PROGRAM NOTES
A cipher is an algorithm for performing encryption or decryption—a series of well-defined steps that can be
followed as a procedure. This piece is in a compound meter called 6/8, which divides each beat or pulse into
three parts, with each measure containing two beats. The “cipher” in this piece is a palindromic rhythm—a
rhythm that can be played the exact same forward and backward—which is passed around the ensemble.
Palindromes are also commonly found in words and literature (racecar, madam, and others) as well as in
mathematics and science (for example, some DNA is palindromic). The groovy interplay of the cipher rhythm
with other rhythms combines with dark and moody harmonies and continually rising melodic lines that build
over and over, climbing higher each time, like attempts at trying to crack the secret encrypted code.
PERFORMANCE/TEACHING NOTES
Untitled Project 1
This piece explores through a variety of common rhythms in compound meter (see below). The idea behind
the title, Cipher, is that, with the exception of the first rhythm—simple

Transposed
Score
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
1
2
Bb Clarinet 1 2
B♭ Bass
Clarinet
E♭ Alto
Saxophone
B♭ Tenor
Saxophone
E♭ Baritone
Saxophone
1
Bb Trumpet 2
F Horn
Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Xylophone
Marimba
(or Vibraphone)
Rainstick
(optional)
Shaker
= 72
= 72
= 72
6 8
6 8
6 8
6 8
commissioned by Samuel Fritz, Center Grove Middle School Central Bands
and Ashley Carney, Zionsville Middle School Orchestras
CIPHER
[initial tuning: Bb,D]
for band
David Biedenbender
1.
steady, precise
light, bouncy
steady, precise
light, bouncy
(all low Bn optional )
steady, precise
steady, precise
steady, precise
(hard mallets)
light, bouncy
sim.
steady
1 2 3 4 5 6
©2019 David Biedenbender (ASCAP) and Bent Space Music (ASCAP).
All Rights Reserved.
www.davidbiedenbender.com

2
CIPHER
Fl.
Ob.
Bsn
1
2
9
1,2
Cl.
Bs.
Cl.
A.
Sax.
T.
Sax.
B.
Sax.
Tpt.
Hn
Tbn
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Xyl.
Mar.
Rain.
Shak.
1
2
1
2
+2.
Sus. Cym.
To Sus. Cym.
ominous
9
1.
ominous
9
(medium/dark mallets)
7 8 9 10 11 12

CIPHER
3
Fl.
Ob.
1
2
15
Bsn
Cl.
Bs.
Cl.
A.
Sax.
T.
Sax.
B.
Sax.
Tpt.
Hn
Tbn
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Xyl.
Mar.
Sus.
Cym.
Shak.
1
2
1
2
ominous
ominous
ominous
15
ominous
ominous
ominous
(opt. lower voice)
15
13 14 15 16 17 18
1.
2.

4
CIPHER
Fl.
Ob.
1
2
21
Bsn
Cl.
Bs.
Cl.
A.
Sax.
T.
Sax.
B.
Sax.
1
2
legato
2. 1.
legato
sub.
sub.
Tpt.
Hn
Tbn
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
1
2
21
legato
2.
1.
legato
sub.
sub.
sub.
Xyl.
Mar.
Sus.
Cym.
Shak.
(opt. lower voice)
21
19 20 21 22 23 24

Fl.
Ob.
Bsn
Cl.
Bs.
Cl.
A.
Sax.
T.
Sax.
B.
Sax.
Tpt.
Hn
Tbn
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Xyl.
Mar.
Sus.
Cym.
Shak.
1
2
1
2
1
2
29
5
cresc.
sub.
cresc.
cresc.
sub. cresc.
cresc.
sub. cresc.
cresc.
sub.
29
cresc.
cresc.
sub.
[Bb→A]
CIPHER
29
cresc.
25 26 27 28 29 30

6
CIPHER
Fl.
Ob.
Bsn
Cl.
Bs.
Cl.
A.
Sax.
T.
Sax.
B.
Sax.
Tpt.
Hn
Tbn
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Xyl.
Mar.
Sus.
Cym.
Shak.
1
2
1
2
1
2
div.
div.
(opt.
through m. 45)
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
unis.
cresc.
cresc.
unis.
cresc.
div.
unis.
cresc.
cresc.
31 32 33 34 35 36

Fl.
Ob.
Bsn
Cl.
Bs.
Cl.
A.
Sax.
T.
Sax.
B.
Sax.
Tpt.
Hn
Tbn
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Xyl.
Mar.
Sus.
Cym.
Shak.
1
2
1
2
1
2
38
intense (
)
intense ( )
( )
( )
( )
intense
( )
( )
38
( )
intense ( )
( )
div.
(
)
( )
( )
( )
38
Tri.
To Tri.
intense
intense ( )
To Rain.
37
To B. Dr.
CIPHER
B. Dr.
38 39 40 41 42
div.
7

8
CIPHER
Fl.
Ob.
Bsn
Cl.
Bs.
Cl.
A.
Sax.
T.
Sax.
B.
Sax.
Tpt.
Hn
Tbn
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Tri.
1
2
1
2
1
2
46
dark
( )
( )
dark
( )
dark
( )
46
( )
( )
dark
( )
dark
( )
( )
46 To Xyl.
Mar.
Rain.
B. Dr.
( )
43 44 45 46 47
Rain.

Fl.
Ob.
Bsn
Cl.
Bs.
Cl.
A.
Sax.
T.
Sax.
B.
Sax.
Tpt.
Hn
Tbn
Euph.
1
2
1
2
1
2
dark
( )
( )
( ) dark
( ) dark
( ) ( )
( ) dark
unis.
dark
CIPHER
9
Tba
Timp.
Xyl.
Mar.
Rain.
B. Dr.
Sus. Cym.
To Sus. Cym.
48 49 50 51 52 53

10
CIPHER
Fl.
Ob.
Bsn
Cl.
Bs.
Cl.
A.
Sax.
T.
Sax.
B.
Sax.
Tpt.
Hn
Tbn
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Xyl.
Mar.
Sus.
Cym.
B. Dr.
1
2
1
2
1
2
54
1. 1.
2.
1,2
54
1.
( )
2.
54
Xyl.
To Shak.
54 55 56 57 58

Fl.
Ob.
Bsn
Cl.
Bs.
Cl.
A.
Sax.
T.
Sax.
B.
Sax.
Tpt.
Hn
Tbn
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Xyl.
Mar.
Sus.
Cym.
Shak.
1
2
1
2
1
2
CIPHER
62
11
62
div.
62
To B. Dr.
59 60 61 62

12
CIPHER
Fl.
Ob.
Bsn
Cl.
Bs.
Cl.
A.
Sax.
T.
Sax.
B.
Sax.
Tpt.
Hn
Tbn
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Xyl.
Mar.
Sus.
Cym.
B. Dr.
1
2
1
2
1
2
div.
(damp)
B. Dr.
63 64 65 66