Night on Fire

John Mackey

General Info

Year: 2013
Duration: c. 3:40
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Osti Music
Cost: Score and Parts - $120.00 | Score Only - $20.00

Instrumentation

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

Bass Drum
Djembe (3: or other hand drum)
Marimba
Tambourine
Tom-Tom

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

This is the second movement of the suite The Soul Has Many Motions.

Commissioned by a consortium of student music organizations at The University of Texas in recognition of Richard Floyd's tireless and passionate advocacy for music education in the State of Texas: Kappa Kappa Psi, Mu Phi Epsilon, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Sigma Alpha Iota, Tau Beta Sigma, and The University of Texas Student Music Educators Association. The premiere performance took place May 3, 2013, by the University of Texas Wind Symphony, conducted by Scott Hanna.

- Program Note from publisher

Night on Fire is the second movement of a piece titled The Soul Has Many Motions, which was commissioned by student music groups at the University of Texas at Austin to honor the retirement of Dick Floyd. This movement bears a direct relationship to its musical predecessor, Strange Humors, which was brought into being as a wind band work by Mr. Floyd. Where Strange Humors possesses a singular and often intimate voice, Night on Fire is a full-throated shout of collective expression. Its pace is frantic from the outset, with the unique kind of energy that comes only from groups engaged in choreography that is at once carefully planned and seemingly spontaneous. Dick’s masterful teaching has made this kind of energetic expression possible for thousands of musicians over the course of his career, and the relentless drive of Night on Fire matches that same quality in Dick’s character that has brought so many musical possibilities to life.

- Program Note by the Midlothian High School Wind Ensemble concert program, 17 December 2014

Media

Audio: Reference recording. University of Texas Wind Symphony (Scott Hanna, conductor)

State Ratings

Texas: IV

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Texas Christian University (Fort Worth) Symphonic Band (Brian Youngblood, conductor) - 6 December 2022
Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, Minn.) Wind Symphony (Heidi Johanna Miller, conductor) - 1 October 2022
University of Toronto (Ont., Can.) Wind Symphony (Jeffrey Reynolds, conductor) - 7 April 2022
Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah) University Band (Shaylee Croxall, conductor) - 6 April 2021>
Florida State University (Tallahassee) Wind Ensemble (Faith Hall, conductor) - 23 February 2021
Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah) Symphonic Band (Kirk Saville, conductor) – 26 February 2020
Keene (N.H.) State College Concert Band (John T. Hart Jr., conductor) - 21 November 2019
DuPage (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) Community Concert Band (Terry Redford, conductor) - 11 March 2019
University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) Symphonic Band (Jamal Duncan, conductor) – 4 March 2019
Michigan State University (East Lansing) Concert Band (Arris Golden, conductor) – 28 November 2018
University of Texas San Antonio Wind Ensemble (John Zarco, conductor) – 18 October 2018
Shenandoah Conservatory (Winchester, Va.) Concert Band (Alan Johnson, conductor) – 11 October 2018
The Ohio State University (Columbus) Collegiate Winds (David Hedgecoth, conductor) – 4 October 2018
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Wind Orchestra (Christopher J. Woodruff, conductor) – 2 June 2018
Texas Christian University (Fort Worth) Concert Band (Matthew Garrett, conductor) – 17 April 2018
Boerne-Samuel V. Champion High School Symphonic Honors Band (Kevin Arnott, conductor) - 11 April 2017
University of Arizona (Tucson) Wind Symphony (Chad Shoopman, conductor) – 21 March 2017
Illinois State University (Normal) Symphonic Winds (Gavin Smith, conductor) – 16 November 2016
Kountze (Tx.) High School Band UIL (Robert Fife, conductor) - 13 April 2016 (UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest)

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Let Me Be Frank with You (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
Night on Fire (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Ambrose) (2013/2021)
Sheltering Sky (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Dunnigan) (2012/2020)
Strange Humors (Flex instrumentation) (2006/2020)
This Cruel Moon (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Dunnigan) (2017/2020)

All Wind Works

Antique Violences (2017)
Asphalt Cocktail (2009)
Aurora Awakes (2009)
Clocking (2007)
Concerto for Soprano Sax and Wind Ensemble (2007)
Damn (1998)
A deep reverberation fills with stars (2022)
Divine Mischief (2022)
Drum Music: Concerto for Percussion (2011)
Fanfare for Full Fathom Five (2015)
Foundry (2011)
The Frozen Cathedral (2012)
Harvest: Concerto for Trombone (2009)
High Wire (2012)
Hymn to a Blue Hour (2010)
Hymn to a Blue Hour (arr. Wallace) (2010/2021)
Kingfishers Catch Fire (2007)
Let Me Be Frank with You (2020/2021)
Let Me Be Frank with You (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
Lightning Field (2015)
Liminal (2016)
Mom Song
The Night Garden (2017)
Night on Fire. See: The Soul Has Many Motions
Places we can no longer go (2018)
(redacted) (2013)
Redline Tango (2004)
The Rumor of a Secret King (2017/2018)
The Rumor of a Secret King (arr. Blegen) (2017/2018/2020)
Sacred Spaces (2019)
Sasparilla (2005)
Sheltering Sky (2012)
Sheltering Sky (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Dunnigan) (2012/2020)
Snarl (2018)
Some treasures are heavy with human tears (2021)
Songs from the End of the World (2015)
The Soul Has Many Motions (2013)
- Night on Fire (2013)
- Night on Fire (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Ambrose) (2013/2021)
Strange Humors (2006)
Strange Humors (Flex instrumentation) (2006/2020)
Strange Humors (saxophone ensemble) (2006/2021)
This Cruel Moon (2014/2017)
This Cruel Moon (Flex instrumentation) (2017/2020)
Turbine (2006)
Turning (2007)
Undertow (2008)
Until the Scars (2014/2019)
Wine-Dark Sea (2014)
Xerxes (2010)

Resources

Mackey, J. (2013). The Soul Has Many Motions: For Concert Band [score]. Osti Music: Cambridge, Mass.
Pease, Andy. "Night on Fire by John Mackey." Wind Band Literature, 20 February 2023. Accessed 21 February 2023
Perusal score