Armenian Dances, Part Two

Alfred Reed

Alfred Reed

General Info

Year: 1978
Duration: c. 20:25
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C.L. Barnhouse
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $250.00   |   Score Only (print) - $20.00

Movements

1. Hov Arek - 5:10
2. Khoomar - 4:50
3. Lorva Horovel - 8:55

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II-III (III doubling C piccolo)
Oboe I-II
English Horn
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon (optional)
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
B-flat Cornet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Harp
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:

• Bass Drum
• Crash Cymbals
• Glockenspiel
• Gong (Tam-Tam)
• Snare Drum
• Suspended Cymbal
• Tambourine
• Tom-tom (small)
• Triangle
• Vibraphone
• Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Armenian Dances, Part II is the final three movements of the complete suite. Included are The Peasant’s Plea, Wedding Dance, and Songs of Lori. Imaginatively developed from the Armenian folk song collections of Gomidas Vertabed.

Armenian Dances, Part Two was commissioned by the A.G.B.U. Alex Manoogian Cultural Fund and dedicated to Dr. Harry Begian.

- Program Note by publisher

In his Armenian Dances (Part II), Reed has captured many of the styles, tempos, and subtleties of the Armenian folk songs and dances. Part II was commissioned after the highly successful premiere of Part I, which was completed in 1977. The two parts comprise a full-length symphony. Reed, acting as arranger and composer, drew his inspirations from the vast collection of Gomidas Vartabed (1869-1935). Gomidas has been credited as the founder of Armenian classical music for his work on preserving and documenting over four thousand folk songs.

Khoomar is a female Armenian name. This movement is based on a light-hearted song that depicts how two young people meet and marry. The wedding dance conveys the joy and excitement of the occasion. Lorva Horovel is a plowing song from the district of Lori. The multiple themes in this movement are varied in rhythmic and melodic structure. They reflect the physical and spiritual feelings of the farmer as he proceeds with his work. The sheer effort of this undertaking sets a heavy tone to the movement as the brass and percussion make their introductory proclamations. The farmer pleads with his oxen to put themselves into the task. Good progress and bright spirits are represented by a fast dance common to Eastern Armenia. A slow and plaintive song (Giligia) tells of a longing for his country and lost homeland. The mood picks up with a presto dance theme that builds to a dramatic closing.

- Program Note by William V. Johnson for the San Luis Obispo Wind Orchestra concert program, 14 April 2007

Commercial Discography

• Audio CD: Otonowa Wind Symphonica (Alfred Reed, conductor) – 2000
• Audio CD: Senzoku Gakuen Symphonic Wind Orchestra (Alfred Reed, conductor) – 1996

Media Links

• Audio: Reference recording (Movement 1). Senzoku Gakuen Symphonic Wind Orchestra (Alfred Reed, conductor)
• Audio: Reference recording (Movement 2). Senzoku Gakuen Symphonic Wind Orchestra (Alfred Reed, conductor)
• Audio: Reference recording (Movement 3). Senzoku Gakuen Symphonic Wind Orchestra (Alfred Reed, conductor)

State Ratings

• Florida: VI
• New York: VI
• North Carolina: VI

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus Lakeshore Wind Ensemble (Mark Sackman, conductor) – 4 May 2019
• Northern Illinois University (DeKalb) Wind Ensemble (Joseph Manfredo, conductor) –- 18 April 2019
• Catskill Valley Wind Ensemble (Oneonta, N.Y.) (Andy Pease, conductor) – 18 November 2018
• Drexel University (Philadelphia, Penn.) Concert Band (Wesley J. Broadnax, conductor) – 19 March 2018
• California State University, Long Beach, Wind Symphony (John Alan Carnahan, conductor) – 9 March 2018
• University of Iowa (Iowa City) Concert Band (Kevin Kastens, conductor) – 4 December 2017
• Illinois State University Symphonic Winds (Joe Manfredo, conductor) - 6 February 2015
• San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Wind Orchestra (William V. Johnson, conductor) - 14 April 2007
• New World School of the Arts Wind Ensemble (Rodester Brandon, conductor) - 24 January 2003
• High School Concert Band [Interlochen, Mich.] (Frederick Fennell, conductor) - 31 July 1987

Works for Winds by this Composer

Adaptable Music

• Come, Sweet Death (Flex instrumentation) (as transcriber; arr. Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
• Two Bagatelles (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1983/1997/2010)

All Wind Works

• Acclamation!
• Alleluia! Laudamus Te (1973)
• Arioso (as arranger) (1729/1998)
• Armenian Dances (1972-1978)
  • Armenian Dances, Part One (1972)
  • Armenian Dances, Part Two (1978)
• Autumn Leaves (as arranger) (1947/2017)
• Ballade (1956/1999)
• Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4 Suite (as arranger) (1965)
• Canto e Camdombe
• A Celebration Fanfare (1989)
• Ceremony of Flourishes (1964)
• Chanson Triste (1989)
• A Christmas Suite (1974)
• Chorale Prelude in E minor (1953/1966)
• A Christmas Celebration (1987)
• A Christmas Intrada (1980)
• Clear Track Polka (2000)
• Come, Sweet Death (as arranger) (1736/1976)
• Come, Sweet Death (as arranger, with Kim Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
• Concertino for Marimba and Winds (1993)
• Curtain Up! (1991)
• Danza Caribe (1986)
• Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness (as arranger) (1653/1724/1990)
• Divertimento for Flute and Concert Band (1998)
• Double Wind Quintet (1975)
• El Camino Real (1985)
• El Camino Real (arr. Longfield) (1985/2013)
• The Enchanted Island (1980)
• The Entertainer (as arranger) (1902/1974)
• Evolutions (1993)
• Fanfare and Processional (2005)
• The Fantasticks (as arranger) (1966)
• Fantasy on "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" (as arranger) (1973)
• A Festival Prelude (1962)
• A Festive Overture (1963)
• Fifth Suite for Band (1995)
• Fifth Symphony (1995)
• Finlandia (as editor) (1900/2004)
• First Suite for Band (1975)
• Five Dances for Five Clarinets and Band
• Forget Me Not, O Lord (as arranger) (c. 1736/1985)
• Fourth Suite for Band (1994)
• Fourth Symphony (1992)
• Funiculi Funicula (as arranger) (1880/1994)
• Giligia (2000)
• The Golden Year (1997)
• Greensleeves (1993/2011)
• Gypsy Dance (as arranger) (1872/1997)
• Huldigungsmarsch (as editor) (1864/2002)
• Highlights from "Exodus" (as arranger) (1960/1962)
• Highlights from Walt Disney's "Mary Poppins" (as arranger) (1963/1965)
• The Hounds of Spring (1981)
• Hymn Variants (1992)
• I Left my Heart in San Francisco (as transcriber; ed. Rogers) (1954/1963)
• Imperatrix (1972)
• In Dulci Jubilo (as arranger) (1970)
• Intrada Drammatica (1968/1992)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (as arranger) (1723/1981)
• Jidai (2001)
• Joyeux Noël (2002)
• A Jubilant Overture (1970)
• A Jubilant Overture (arr. Conaway) (1970/2011)
• The King of Love My Shepherd Is (1995)
• L’Arlésienne Suite No 2 (as editor, with McAlister) (1872/2002)
• A Little Concert Suite (1984)
• Mancini! (as arranger) (1965)
• March Grandioso (as arranger) (1901/1969)
• Mary Poppins (as arranger) (1964/2006)
• Millennium III (1999)
• Mr. Music (1990)
• Music for Hamlet (1973/2018)
• The Music-Makers (1968)
• The Music Man: Highlights (as arranger) (1957/1959)
• My Heart Is Filled With Longing (as arranger) (c. 1710/1986)
• Nimrod (as arranger) (1899/1965)
• A Northern Legend (1972)
• Ode for Trumpet (1956)
• Othello (1977)
• Our Father Who Art in Heaven (as arranger)
• Piccolo Concerto in C Major (as arranger) (1728-29/1962/1969)
• Pilgrim's Chorus (as arranger) (1845/1991)
• The Pledge of Allegiance (1970)
• Pomp and Circumstance Military March No 1 (as editor; tr. Retford) (1907/2000)
• Pomp and Circumstance March No 2 (as editor; arr. Retford) (1907/2000)
• Pomp and Circumstance March No 3 (as editor; arr. Retford) (1907/2000)
• Pomp and Circumstance March No 4 (as editor; arr. Retford) (1907/2000)
• Praise Jerusalem! (1986)
• Prelude IV (as arranger) (1983)
• Prelude and Capriccio (1978)
• Presentation of the Silver Rose (as arranger) (1910/1988)
• Punchinello (1974)
• Radetzky March (as arranger) (1993)
• Rahoon (1965)
• The Ramparts of Courage (1995)
• Rosalind in the Forest of Arden (2005)
• Rushmore (1981)
• Russian Christmas Music (1944)
• Russian Christmas Music (arr. Curnow) (1944/1990)
• Seascape: A Dramatic Intermezzo (1962)
• Second Century (1986)
• Second Suite for Band (1980)
• Second Symphony (1979)
• Serenade (1966)
• The Severn Suite (as arranger) (1973)
• Siciliana Notturno (1977)
• Silver Shadow
• Sine Nomine (as arranger) (1906/1976)
• Sixth Suite for Band
• Slavonic Folk Suite (1953)
• Song of Threnos (1964)
• A Springtime Celebration (1991)
• The Strenuous Life (as arranger) (1902/1974)
• Sumus Futuro (1999)
• Symphonic Prelude (1963)
• Symphony for Brass and Percussion (1952/1967)
• Symphony No. 3 (1988)
  • Variations on the Porazzi Theme of Wagner (1882/1988)
• Tarantella (1996)
• Theme from "Lawrence of Arabia" (as arranger) (1963)
• Third Suite For Band (1982)
• Third Symphony. See: Symphony No. 3
  • Variations on the Porazzi Theme of Wagner (1882/1988)
• Three Chorales (as arranger; ed. McAlister) (?/2013)
• Three Revelations from the Lotus Sutra (1984)
• Thunder and Lightning (1999)
• The Tsar's Farewell (as arranger) (2001)
• Twelfth Night (2003)
• Two Bagatelles (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1983/1997/2010)
• Two Bagatelles (1983/1995)
• Two Bagatelles for Concert Band (1983/1997)
• Two Bagatelles for Four Trombones (1983)
• Vilia
• Viva Musica! (1984)
• With Trumpets And Drums (1992)

Resources

• Armenian Dances, Wikipedia. Accessed 30 April 2020
• Pease, Andy. "Armenian Dances Part II by Alfred Reed." Wind Band Literature, 18 September 2018. Web. Accessed 18 September 2018