Daedalus' Labyrinth

Sean O'Loughlin

General Info

Year: 2014
Duration: c. 5:50
Difficulty: III 1/2 (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Carl Fischer
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $90.00; (digital) - $90.00 | Score Only (print) - $15.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:

Bass Drum
Chimes
China Cymbals
Claves
Crash Cymbals
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tambourine
Tam-Tam
Tom-Toms, Low
Triangle
Vibraphone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

According to Greek mythology, Daedalus is mentioned by Homer as the creator of a wide dancing-ground for Ariadne. He also was the creator of the Labyrinth on Crete, in which the Minotaur was kept. In the story of the labyrinth the Hellenes told, the Athenian hero Theseus is challenged to kill the Minotaur, finding his way with the help of Ariadne’s thread.

This interesting composition is loosely based on that story, capturing through music the feeling and drama of navigating a labyrinth. The rhythmically intense opening section begins with a pulsing eighth-note pattern accompanied by syncopated punches. The intensity increases before suddenly moving to a soft section, initially featuring a cautious and somewhat quirky melody in the high woodwinds. Occasional dissonance becomes evident as other instruments are added, leading to a mysterious-sounding contrasting section intended to convey the confusion that one often experiences in a labyrinth. A variety of interesting melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic material is explored before revisiting the pulsing opening material. As this section develops, a brief statement from the mysterious section triumphantly appears signifying that the labyrinth has been conquered. An exciting Presto passage brings the work to a conclusion.

- Program Note from The Instrumentalist

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

Alabama: Class B

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Achilles' Wrath (Flex instrumentation) (2005/2013)
Amazing Grace (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2012/2014)
Exhale (Flex instrumentation) (2018/2021)
Hidden Wonders (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
The Ides of March (Flex instrumentation) (2013/2015)
Visigoths (Flex instrumentation) (2007/2012)
Waltz of the Carols (Flex instrumentation) (2020)

All Wind Works

Achilles' Wrath (Flex instrumentation) (2005/2013)
Amazing Grace (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2012/2014)
Ancient Hunters (2004)
Ancient Irish Hymn (as arranger) (2006)
Arrival at Normandy (2005)
Azimuth (2017)
Back to the Future (as arranger)
Battlefront (2017)
The Best of INXS (as arranger) (2016)
Beyond the Crest (2018)
The Blessing (as arranger) (2010)
Burst (2008)
Canyon Winds (2004)
Carol of the Bells (as arranger)
Christmas Sketches (as arranger) (2000)
Commence! (2018)
Convergence (2017/2019)
Convergence (Trumpet sextet) (2017)
Counting Stars (as arranger) (2015)
Daedalus' Labyrinth (2014)
Dawn of the Spartans (2017)
Dominion (2013)
Doppler Effect (2014)
Eclipsys (2003)
Edge of Destiny (2016)
Elation (2013)
Emblazon (2011)
Embolden (2018)
Enchanted Village (2007)
Exhale (2018)
Exhale (Flex instrumentation) (2018/2021)
Fairytale of New York (as arranger) (2015)
Fortitude (2009)
A Gleeful Christmas (as arranger) (2012)
Hawaii Five-O Theme (as arranger) (2011)
The Heart's Cry (as arranger) (2014)
Hidden Wonders (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
Hidden World (2013)
Highlights from "Brave" (as arranger) (2012)
Highlights from "Frozen" (as arranger) (2013)
Highlights from "Mary Poppins" (as arranger) (1963/2011)
Holiday Ornaments (as arranger) (2003)
Holiday Portraits (as arranger) (2010)
How to Train Your Dragon (as arranger) (2010)
Huron Trail (2009)
The Ides of March (2013)
The Ides of March (Flex instrumentation) (2013/2015)
I'm Shipping Up to Boston (as arranger) (2004/2012)
Imani (2001)
Impact (2008)
Incursion (2018)
Intensity (2005)
Into the Mist (2002)
Irish Vision (as arranger) (2002)
Ironclad (2011)
Jam! (2010)
Journey to Illyria (2018)
Joy to the Season (2013)
Jubilant Holiday (2005)
Lady Gaga in Concert (as arranger) (2017)
Legacy (2012)
The Lost Tomb (2010)
Lost in Space (as arranger) (1993)
The Ludlows (2011)
Magellan (2015)
Mammoth (2014)
Mary Poppins (as arranger) (2011)
Metal! (as arranger) (2014)
Mighty Mite (as arranger) (1951/2003/2013)
Monuments (2002)
Moonlit Skies (2020)
Mountains of Mohon (2008)
Mystic Portal (2010)
Mythos (2012)
Not So Silent Night (as arranger) (2007)
Omicron (2013)
Oscillation (2011)
Osmosis (2015)
Overlords (2006)
Passacaglia Variants (2019)
The Past is Always Present (2017)
Path of Destiny (2009)
Path to Victory (2012)
Phantasm (2016)
Poker Face (as arranger) (2011)
Primal (2016)
Promised Land (2010)
Prophesy (2004)
Pulse Pounding (2014)
Redhawk (2008)
Relics of the Past (2011)
Resolution (2004)
Ricochet (2009)
Ruminations (2008)
Santa's Toy March (as arranger) (2011)
Silent Night (as arranger) (2014)
Skyburst (2014)
Soaring (2013)
Sonic Fusion (2002)
Spectral Landscapes (2006)
Spirals of Light (2007)
Spirit of the Sea (2004)
The Star-Spangled Banner (as arranger) (1814/2017)
Strength and Honor (2020)
Strong of Heart (2019)
Stronghold (2015)
Supremacy (2009)
Temblor (2017)
Terminus (2020)
Theme from "Lost in Space" (as arranger) (1965/1993)
Thrive (2015)
Thunderbound (2019)
Thunderstruck (2015)
Traditions (2016)
Tribal Quest (2003)
Turning Point (2012)
The Twelve Days of Christmas (as arranger) (1999)
Twinkle Little Christmas Star (as arranger) (2016)
Unbound (2012)
Unforgotten Friends (2006)
Urban Invasion (2007)
Venture (2012)
Vigor (2003)
Visigoths (Flex instrumentation) (2007/2012)
Waltz of the Carols (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
Waves of the Revolution (2005)
Wigan Warriors (2006)
Winds Along the Whippany (2010)
Zig Zag (2019)

Resources

"New Music Reviews." The Instrumentalist 70.4 (2015): 44. Print