I Know Moonrise
Subtitle: Spiritual for Wind Band
General Info
Year: 2019
Duration: c. 4:45
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Choir with vocal solos
Publisher: Murphy Music Press
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $145.00 | Score Only (print) - $25.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass 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
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:
- Bass Drum
- Chimes
- Crash Cymbals
- Glockenspiel
- Snare Drum
- Suspended Cymbal
- Tam-tam (large)
- Tom-tom
- Vibraphone
- Wind Chimes
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
I Know Moonrise began its life as a work for choir with alto soloist adapted from this anonymous spiritual text from the mid-1800s:
I know moonrise, I know starrise,
Lay dis body down.
I walk in de moonlight, I walk in de starlight,
To lay dis body down.
The piece starts slowly and falteringly with a solo French horn taking the place of the alto voice in a poignantly blues-inflected melody. The music darkens as it passes out of moonlight into the graveyard and down into the grave. But on the other side of the grave waits joy, reconciliation, light, and rest.
I Know Moonrise was commissioned for the retirement of my father, Dr. Daniel Turner, after more than 40 years of service as director of bands, and head of the Department of Music Education at Bob Jones University, Greenville, S.C.
- Program Note by composer
Media
State Ratings
- Texas: IV. Complete
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Texas 5A Symphonic Band (Damon Talley, conductor) - 12 February 2022 (2022 TMEA Conference, San Antonio)
- Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti) Green Band (J. Nick Smith, conductor) - 21 November 2021
- Oregon State University (Corvallis) Wind Symphony (Olin Hannum, conductor) - 18 November 2021
- University of Illinois (Champaign) University of Band (Isaac Brinberg, conductor) - 14 November 2021
- Bob Jones University Symphonic Wind Band (Dan Turner, conductor) – 26 February 2019 *Premiere Performance*
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Agua Nocturna (2010)
- And Can It Be (2009)
- Black Bolt! (2012)
- Blues for a Squirrel in the Rain (2019)
- Bock Fanfares (2013)
- Burning Music (2011)
- Chamber Concerto No. 1 (2012)
- Concertino Caboclo (2012)
- Dancefares (2016)
- Deep Calls to Deep (2016)
- The Exultant Heart (2016)
- Ford's Machine (2011)
- The Grand Processional of Our Reptilian Overlords (2019)
- He Who Would Valiant Be (2010)
- Heavy Weather (2012)
- I Know Moonrise (2019)
- If I Am to Leave... See: Symphony No. 1
- In Light, Accessible... (2015)
- The King of Love, My Shepherd Is (2004)
- Last Dances of Prospero (2009)
- Light Beyond Shadow (as arranger) (2020/2022)
- Like a River Glorious (2008)
- Lullaby for Leaving (2021)
- Lullaby from "Memorial to Silent Voices" (2011)
- Lux Veritas,
- Moonstruck Possum Trot (2013)
- The Mountain Whippoorwill (2011)
- Noche Triste (2013)
- Nocturne Under a Red Moon (2013)
- Nothing to Fear, Nothing to Doubt (2017)
- Nuclear Family (2014)
- Oh, What a Morning! (2013)
- Paens for Brass Quintet (2009)
- Reanimations (2014)
- Red Rover (2019)
- Rumpelstilzchen (2010)
- The Seventh Degree of Freedom
- Symphony No. 1 (2019)
- Through the Looking Glass (2008)
- Urban Etudes for Double String Quartet and Brass Quintet (2009)
- You'll Come Matilda (Endlessly Waltzing) (2015)
Resources
- Jess Langston Turner website Accessed 22 July 2021
- Perusal score