Endurance

Timothy Mahr

General Info

Year: 1991
Duration: c. 12:00
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Neil A. Kjos Music Company
Cost: Score and Parts - $85.00 | Score - $10.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contralto Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II-III
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V, including:

Bass Drum
Crash Cymbals
Glockenspiel
Gong (or Tam-tam)
Hi-Hat
Maracas
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tom-Tom (low)
Tubular Bells
Vibraphone
Wind Chimes

Players singing

Errata

In Parts:

Bassoon I-II, m.218: Missing the E natural
B-flat Soprano Clarinet II, m.267: Missing the Gb
B-flat Soprano Clarinet III, m.315: Should have Bb
Tuba, m.226: Missing 5/8

In Parts and Score:

Flute I-II, m.290: Add diminuendo
Flute I-II, m.292: Remove "diminuendo" and add "p" dynamic
Oboe I-II, m.216: Add cresc.
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II, m.216: Add > accent on beat 3, ^ accent on the "+" of 3 and > accent on last note in bar
B-flat Tenor Saxophone, m.216: Add > accent on beat 3, ^ accent on the "+" of 3 and > accent on last note in bar
Horn in F I-II-III-IV, m.216: Add > accent on beat 3, ^ accent on the "+" of 3 and > accent on last note in bar
Trombone III, m.196: Should be Gb
Euphonium, m.216: Add > accent on beat 3, ^ accent on the "+" of 3 and > accent on last note in bar
Piano, m.216: Add > accent on beat 3, ^ accent on the "+" of 3 and > accent on last note in bar
All Parts, m.336: Start diminuendo here instead of at 338

Program Notes

Endurance was commissioned by the American Bandmasters Association in conjunction with the awarding of its 36th Biennial ABA/Ostwald Composition Award for my 1990 work The Soaring Hawk. Endurance was premiered by the United States Interservice Band, Ed Lisk, conductor, at the 58th Annual Convention of the American Bandmasters Association in Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C. on March 7, 1992.

The work is a musical reflection upon the infinite endurance of the human spirit, the religious spirit, and the spirit of the earth. Initial inspiration for the piece came from a book of the same title by Alfred Lansing documenting the amazing story of the ill-fated expedition of the Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton in 1914-1916. His ship, the "Endurance", became ice-bound and eventually sank, stranding Shackleton and his crew of 27. They experienced over 15 months of life exposed to the unrelenting, dangerous Antarctic weather, and, miraculously survived to tell it. The strength of character exhibited by these men in enduring incredible hardships is truly awe-inspiring. Since reading this fascinating account, the story has been in the back of my mind whenever I find myself challenged by what seems to be insurmountable problems. It helps me put things into a proper perspective.

I have also been moved by recent expressions of religious spirit around the world, finding solace in the realization that this spirit has and forever will endure in many forms. Finally, as we continue to pollute our planet, I can't help but get the sense that it, too, will endure, going through some sort of forced evolution in spite of our maltreatment.

All three spirits -- human, religious, earth -- also seem intertwined to me. In pondering them, I find hope and peace.

- Program Note by composer

Awards

Endurance 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. Ensemble and conductor unknown
Audio CD: University of New Hampshire Wind Symphony (Andrew Boysen, Jr., conductor).

State Ratings

North Carolina: VI

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Ball State University (Muncie, Ind.) Wind Symphony (Jeremy Harmon, conductor) - 24 March 2023
Southwest Washington (Camas) Wind Symphony (Mark Lane, conductor) – 1 March 2020
University of Toronto (Ont., Can.) Wind Ensemble (Gillian MacKay, conductor) - 10 October 2019
Mukwonago (Wisc.) High School Wind Ensemble (Emma Angoli, conductor) – 21 May 2019
Sacramento (Calif.) Symphonic Winds (Tim Smith, conductor) – 14 October 2018
Virginia Tech (Blacksburg) Symphony Band (Dave McKee & Chad Reep, conductor) – 7 October 2018
University of California, Los Angeles, Wind Ensemble (Travis J. Cross, conductor) – 27 April 2016
University of Toronto (Ont., Can.) Wind Ensemble (Gillian MacKay, conductor) – 19 March 2016
University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) Symphonic Band (Tim Diem, conductor) – 17 February 2016
St. Olaf College Band (Northfield, Minn.) (Timothy Mahr, conductor) – 23 January 2016
Marquette University Symphonic Band (Jason S. Ladd, conductor) - 16 November 2014

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adoramus Te, Christe (as arranger)
and in this dream there were eight windows... (2003)
Appalachian Folk Dream (2016)
Argentum (1986)
Blue Sky Day (2006)
Bridge Square March (2005)
Bright Side (2015/2018)
Carolina Folk Dream
Climb the Castle Walls! (2011)
Dauntless (2015)
Daydream (1989)
Diamond Celebration (2009)
Dig Down Deep (2013)
Endurance (1991)
Etched in Stone (2018)
Everyday Hero (2011)
Fanfare and Grand March (1980)
Fantasia in G (1982)
Festivals
Fields of Grain as Seen From a Train (2008)
Flourish (2000)
GF Redux: "It's Yours", from A Jack Stamp Suite (2017)
Heroic Rhapsody (2009)
Heroic Valor (2009)
Hey! (2001/2005)
Honoris Causa (2009)
Hymn and Celebration (1994)
Imagine, If You Will... (2013)
Imagining Peace (2018)
Immigrant Dreams (1992)
Imprints
Inaugural Dances (2006)
Into the Air! (1998)
Look In/Look Out (2018)
A Mighty March (2003)
Mountain Prayers (2006)
Mourning Dances (2001)
Mr. Kallman (2019)
Noble Element (2007)
Passages (1984)
Pride, Promise and Progress (2009)
A Quiet Place To Think (1999)
Retreat, from All Hail the Power (2002)
The Soaring Hawk (1991)
Sol Solator (2009)
Spirits Ablaze (2013)
Spring Divertimento (1992)
Suite for Band (2014)
Symphony No. 1 (2016)
Uncle Lumpy's Garage (2005)
Urgent Voices (2020)
The View from the Mountaintop (1996)
When I Close My Eyes, I See Dancers (1997)

Resources

Mahr, Timothy. "Endurance." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 6, edit. & comp. by Richard Miles, 616-623. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2007.
Timothy Mahr website