From a Dark Millennium
From Wind Repertory Project
Contents |
General Info
Year: 1982
Duration: c. 12:00
Difficulty: VII (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Schott Helicon Music
Cost: Score and Parts - $110 | Score Only - $35.00
Instrumentation
Full Score (score is in "Open" or "French" format)
Flutes I-II-III ( Flute 2-3 double on Piccolo)
Oboes I-II
English Horn
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III (1st doubling on E-flat, 2-3rd doubling on Bass)
Bassoons I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trumpet (in Bb) I-II-III
Trombones I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Tuba
String Bass (2)
Piano (amplified)
Celesta (amplified)
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:
- Bass Drum (Large)
- Bass Drum (Medium Large)
- Crotales
- Glockenspiel
- Marimba
- Remo Rototoms (6 drums)
- Suspended Cymbal (Large)
- Suspended Cymbal (Medium -2)
- Suspended Cymbal (Small)
- Suspended Triangle (Large)
- Tam-tam (Large)
- Tam-tam (Medium Large)
- Timbales (4)
- Timpani
- Tom-Toms (1 set of 3)
- Tubular Bells
- Vibraphone (2)
- Xylophone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
From a Dark Millennium was commissioned by a consortium of college band directors from the Midwest in 1980 (the Mid-America Band Directors Association), and premiered by the University of Northern Illinois Wind Ensemble in 1981. It is a re-working of a movement from Schwantner’s earlier chamber work, Music of Amber. This work marks the only occasion in which Schwantner has used the same source material for two different works. The title is drawn from a poem written by Schwantner:
SANCTUARY...
Deep forests
a play of Shadows
most ancient murmurings
from a dark millennium
the trembling fragrance
of the music of amber
-Joseph Schwantner
Program Note by Nikk Pilato
Commercial Discography
State Ratings
- South Carolina: VI
- Texas: V
Recent Performances
(To add performances, please join the WRP by contacting the webmaster)
Additional Works for Winds by this Composer
- and the mountains rising nowhere (1977)
- Beyond Autumn (tr. by Tim Miles) (2006)
- Concerto for Percussion (tr. by Andrew Boysen) (1997)
- In evening's stillness (1996)
- New Morning for the World: Daybreak of Freedom (tr. by Nikk Pilato) (2007)
- Recoil (2004)
Additional Resources
- Higbee, Scott. (2003). "Joseph Schwantner" from A Composer's Insight." Galesville, MD: Meredith Music.
- Pilato, Nikk. (2007). A Conductor's Guide to Wind Music of Joseph Schwantner Doctoral Dissertation.
- From a Dark Millennium comes the Music of Amber: A comparative study of two works by Joseph Schwantner by James Popejoy [Doctoral Dissertation]
- Renshaw, Jeffrey. (1991). Schwantner on Composition. Instrumentalist, 45(6)
- Joseph Schwantner - Official Website
