Conversations with the Night

Andrew Boysen, Jr.

Andrew Boysen, Jr.

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General Info

Year: 1994
Duration: c. 7:30
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Neil A. Kjos
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $70.00   |   Score Only (print) - $7.00

Instrumentation

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Conversations With the Night was commissioned by Jeff Doughten and the Andrews, Texas, High School Band as a memorial to their friend and fellow musician, Jerry Don Belt. The piece is based on one of Jerry Don’s favorite hymns, When I See the Blood. There are several trombone solos in the work because that was Jerry Don’s instrument.

The title for this work explains a lot about the organization of the piece and the motivation behind it. It stems from a conversation I had with Jerry Don’s parents in which they told me of his deep religious convictions, his love of people, his fascination with lightning, and his smiling face. In other words, they gave me a chance to get to know Jerry Don as much as I possibly could. The one thing that struck me the most in our talk was the fact that Jerry Don used to enjoy going for walks outside at night by himself. His mother then mentioned how she goes outside at night now to talk with him, because that is when she feels the closest to him. 'Conversations With the Night is my reaction to how she must feel at times when she talks to him -- feelings of pain, love, and, ultimately, peace.

- Program Note by composer

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

• Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP I
• Virginia: V

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) Symphony Band (Erin Cooper, conductor) - 5 October 2021
• Gustavus Adolphus College (Saint Peter, Minn.) Wind Orchestra (Andrew Boysen, Jr., conductor) – 11 November 2018
• Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Indiana, Penn.) Symphony Band (Jason Worzbyt, conductor) – 29 April 2017
• Concord-Carlisle High School (Concord, Mass.) Concert Band (Alfred W. Dentino, conductor) – 10 January 2003

Works for Winds by This Composer

• Alchemy (2008/2013)
• All the Pretty Little Horses. See: Three Folk Song Settings for Band
• Ancient Runes (2017)
• Apples (2018)
• Branden's Rainbow (1997/2002)
• Bright Sunny Days (2013)
• By My Side (2018)
• Casus Belli (2018)
• Celebration In Brass (1995)
• Concerto for Percussion (as transcriber) (1994/1997)
• Conversations with the Night (1994)
• Dance, from All Hail the Power
• December Dance (2005)
• Diamond Jubilee Suite (2018)
• Distorted Images: A Jazzman's Nightmare (1989)
• A Fallen Leaf (2004)
• Fanfare: In Memoriam (2015)
• Fantasy on a Theme by Sousa (2003)
• Frenzy (2010)
• The Four Horsemen (1989)
• A Glimpse through the Trees (2014)
• Grant Them Eternal Rest (2003)
• Havener Fanfare (2012)
• Heirloom (2009)
• I Am (1990)
• John Henry (1990)
• Joyride (2003/2008)
• Kinetic Energy (1994)
• Kirkpatrick Fanfare (1999)
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (2006)
• Metamorphosis (2013)
• Old Ben's Farm (2016/2019)
• On the Merrimack (2010)
• Ovations (1995)
• Phoenix (2020)
• Poor Wayfaring Stranger. See: Three Folk Song Settings for Band
• Relentless (2000)
• Scarborough Fair. See: Three Folk Song Settings for Band
• Scherzo (1995)
• Scherzo No 2 (2013)
• Shades of Ivory (1996)
• Simple Song (1995)
• Snowflakes Dancing (2012/2016)
• Song for Lyndsay (2005)
• Song for My Children (2013)
• Song for My Parents (2020)
• Song of Loudest Praise, A (2010)
• Song of the Sea Maidens (1994)
• Stamp, from A Jack Stamp Suite (2017)
• Star-Crossed (2013)
• Symphony No. 1 for Winds and Percussion (1997)
• Symphony No. 3 (1999)
• Symphony No. 4 (2006)
• Symphony No. 6 (2012)
• Symphony No. 8 (2015-2016)
  • Winter of the World
• Symphony No. 10 (2019)
• This Is the Drum (2013)
• Thoughts of You (1998)
• Three Folk Song Settings for Band
  • Poor Wayfaring Stranger (2007/2012)
  • All the Pretty Little Horses (as arranger) (2014)
  • Scarborough Fair (as arranger) (2013)
• Time Streams (After Tricycle) (2011)
• To Break Earth's Sleep (2015)
• Tricycle (1997)
• Twilight of the Gods (2010)
• An Uncommon Man (1993)
• Unraveling (2006)
• Urban Scenes (1993)
• The Vikings (2015)

Resources

• Boysen, Jr., A. (1994). Conversations with the Night [score]. Neil A. Kjos Music: San Diego, Calif.