El Agua Prodigiosa

Francisco José Martínez Gallego

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The title of this work translates from Spanish as "The Miraculous Water."

General Info

Year: 2011
Duration: c. 13:15
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Piles
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - €150.00 | Score Only (print) - €40.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
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-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium I-II
Tuba I-II
String Bass (optional)
Piano
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Bodhran
Cabasa
Crash Cymbals
Glockenspiel
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tambourine
Tam-Tam
Temple Blocks
Tom-Tom (5)
Triangle
Tubular Bells
Vibraphone
Vibra-slap
Whip
Wood Block
Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

El Agua Prodigiosa ("The Miraculous Water") takes us back to the Middle Ages and tells us of the adventures of Johan and Peewit, two characters created and drawn by Pierre Culliford, alias “Peyo”. These two are not as well known nowadays as they deserve to be, mainly owing to the appearance in one of their adventures of certain little blue creatures known as smurfs.

Johan is a brave, intelligent lad and a good sword fighter. He is the main character in the stories. Peewit is his companion in his adventures. He has the face of a mischievous child who has grown up physically but not mentally. He is always hungry, and his love of music leads him to dash off the most horrible, discordant songs and perform them with all kinds of instruments, driving people away like the Pied Piper of Hamelin in reverse.

In this adventure the two characters visit a remote place in search of a spring of miraculous water to help the people of a village overcome a spell which has left them weak, defenseless and with no willpower. They encounter the evil lord’s soldiers, ogres, magicians, serpents, dangers and all sorts of situations on their quest, which they finally resolve successfully. The structure of the piece descriptively follows the course of this adventure.

This work is offered as a tribute to these two likeable characters, forgotten by some people and unknown to the great majority.

El Agua Prodigiosa received its world premiere 16 March 2012 by the Banda Sinfónica Juvenil de la Red de Escuelas de Medellín, Colombia, conducted by Frank De Vuyst.

- Program Note by World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE)

Awards

El Agua Prodigiosa has been recommended as interesting, serious and distinctive music by members of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE).

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Banda Sinfónica Juvenil de la Red de Escuelas de Medellín (Colombia) (Frank De Vuyst, conductor)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Banda Sinfónica Juvenil de la Red de Escuelas de Medellín (Colombia) (Frank De Vuyst, conductor) – 16 March 2012
Agrupación Musical Santa Cecilia de Ado (Valencia, Spain) (Ramón García i Soler, conductor) – 18 July 2013

Works for Winds by This Composer

Resources

Martinez Gallego, J. (2012). El Agua Prodigiosa: For Symphonic Band [score]. Piles D.L.: Valencia, Spain.
Perusal score
World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) Accessed 25 July 2016