Piece of Mind
From Wind Repertory Project
Contents |
General Info
Year: 1987
Duration: c. 20:00
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Ludwing Music Inc.
Cost: Score and Parts - $195.00 | Score Only - $35.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
Piccolo
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II (doubles English Horn)
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
Eb Soprano Clarinet
Bb Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
Bb Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone I-II
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
Trumpet (in Bb) I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium I-II
Tuba I-II
String Bass
Piano
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:
- Antique Cymbal
- Bass Drum
- Bell Tree
- Bongos
- Cabasa
- Celeste
- Crotales
- Cymbals (small, medium, and large crash, suspended)
- Finger Cymbals
- Glockenspiel
- Gong (small and large) (Tam-tam)
- Hi-Hat
- Marimba
- Snare Drum
- Tambourine
- Timbales
- Tom-Toms
- Triangle (small)
- Tubular Bells
- Vibraphone
- Xylophone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Piece of Mind is a musical pun on an old expression. It is composer Dana Wilson's representation of the workings of the human mind. The first movement, "Thinking", begins with a very simple four note idea which grows seemingly of its own inertia - as thinking about something often does - while sometimes being joined or overwhelmed by other, related ideas.
"Remembering", the second movement, is structured in a manner similar to the way memory serves most of us - not as complete, logical thought, but as abrupt flashes of images or dialogue. In this case, the flashes provide a view of the original four-note idea through various musical styles vividly entrenched in the composer's own memory and hopefully, that of much of the audience.
The third movement, "Feeling", explores various states throughout the emotional spectrum, and the final movement, "Being", addresses a mental state that is rarely considered in our culture. Non-Western - particularly East Indian - musical styles are called upon to shape the four-note idea so as to conjure up and celebrate this marvelous attribute (this peice, this peace...) of mind.
Piece of Mind was premiered in New York City by the Ithaca College Wind Ensemble under the direction of Rodney Winther.
Program Note from Printed Score
Commercial Discography
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Recent Performances
(To add performances, please join the WRP by contacting the webmaster)
Additional Works for Winds by this Composer
- Black Nightshade (2004) -- for four percussionists and wind symphony
- Colorado Peaks (2005)
- Dance of the New World (1992)
- Day Dreams (2006)
- Evolution (1999)
- Kah! Out of Darkness (1999)
- Odysseus and the Sirens (2008)
- Shakata: Singing the World into Existence (1989)
- Shortcut Home (1998)
- ...the harder they fall (2004)
- To Set the Darkness Echoing (2005)
- Uprising (1995)
- Vortex (1999)
- When I am Gone Away (2006)
Additional Resources
- Dana Wilson - Official Website
- Ferrari, Lois. (2007). Two Symphonic Wind Ensemble Compositions of Dana Wilson: Piece of Mind, Shakata: Singing the World Into Existence Doctoral Paper.
