Symphony No. 1 (Standridge)

From Wind Repertory Project
Randall Standridge

Randall Standridge


Subtitle: A Ghost Story


General Info

Year: 2022
Duration: c. 27:00
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Randall Standridge Music
Cost: Score and Parts - Available March 2024


Movements

1. Unquiet – 7:24
2. Loss – 8:14
3. Midnight – 5:50
4. Ascent – 4:52


Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II (I doubling English Horn)
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
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
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Synthesizer
Timpani
Percussion I-VII, including:

  • Anvil
  • Bass Drum
  • Chimes
  • China Cymbal
  • Cowbell
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Crotales
  • Death Whistle (2)
  • Finger Cymbals
  • Glockenspiel
  • Marimba
  • Ride Cymbal (2)
  • Slapstick
  • Snare Drum
  • Splash Cymbal
  • Synthesizer [ed. separate from ensemble synthesizer]
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Tam-Tam
  • Tambourine
  • Temple Blocks
  • Tom-Toms (4)
  • Triangle (2)
  • Vibraphone
  • Waterphone
  • Wind Chimes
  • Xylophone

Electronics


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

Symphony No. 1: A Ghost Story is a symphony in four movements that follows the narrative of a composer who has passed away. The symphony is told from the point of view of his widow, and the movements loosely correlate to the Kübler-Ross stages of grief.

Unquiet. The first movement begins softly, establishing a mood of dread. The widow sits alone at the piano where their spouse once sat. Slowly, the widows plays a dirge as the house creaks and comes to life around them. The unquiet spirit of the composer surfaces in a fury, wishing to be heard. A tapping is heard, morse code for “Here.” This is followed by a flurry of activity as the spirit makes its presence known, refusing to stay quietly in the grave. The first half of the first movement serves as an overture for the symphony, where most of the major themes of the work are stated. A violent and unquiet development follows in the second half as a storm rages outside the house. Lighting flashes and thunder roars as the spirit struggles to be heard. This movement correlates with the denial stage of grief.

Morse Code: .... . ._. . = “Here”

Loss. The second movement begins with a lone clarinet. The widow sits in a shaft of afternoon sunlight, shaking off the phantoms of the previous night. They begin to remember and reflect, haunted by their memories. As scenes from the past play through their mind, they feel grief, love, nostalgia, anger, bitterness, and hope that their loved one sits just beyond the veil, waiting for them. They catch a brief glimpse of his face and feel his presence, and are filled with wonder and joy. They ask over and over “Are you there?” This unleashes a new wave of emotions larger than the widow can bear, and they realize they must move on and live without him. In a whirlwind of love and loss, the movement climaxes with a scream of grief before collapsing into a depressed sigh that ends the movement. This movement correlates with the bargaining and depression stages of grief.

Midnight. The third movement begins quietly as the clock begins to chime at midnight. The spirit of the composer stirs again, once again visiting the widow. What follows is an explosion of rage as the composer screams against the injustice of his death. A savage dance follows as the spirit runs rampant through the house, unable to control its emotions. Furniture flies, glass breaks, and the incessant knocking of “Here! Here! Here!” echoes through the house. This movement also features a wonderfully malevolent instrument, the Aztec death whistle. Movement three correlates with the anger stage of grief.

Ascent. The fourth movement is performed attaca with the third, beginning immediately as the third movement ends. The dirge from the beginning has been transformed and is now presented in a hopeful setting. Dawn begins to break across the horizon, and warm light begins to drift in through the windows. The spirit, finally accepting its fate, appears one final time to the widow. They share one final, ghostly embrace before the spirit ascends, leaving the earthly plane forever, moving on to whatever waits after. Movement four correlates with the acceptance stage of grief.

The symphony owes a debt to both symphonic and cinematic traditions, particularly those of horror films. I have always loved these sounds and have never sought to distinguish one from the other. I believe all musical expression is legitimate and deserves a space in the world. It gives me great pleasure to bring a little bit of the “dark” side to the concert hall.

Symphony No. 1: A Ghost Story was commissioned by the Edina High School Band and supported by a generous consortium of patrons.

- Program Note by composer


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • Blacksburg (Va.) High School Symphonic Band (Darrell Pearman, conductor) - 2 November 2023
  • Tarleton State University (Stephenville, Tx.) Wind Ensemble (David Robinson, conductor) 28 September 2023
  • Plainville (Conn.) Wind Ensemble (Ken Bagley, conductor) - 21 May 2023
  • Grand Symphonic Winds (Minneapolis, Minn.) (Matthew George, conductor) - 12 May 2023
  • Angelo State University (San Angelo, Tx.) Wind Ensemble (Randall Standridge, conductor) - 1 April 2023
  • Capital Region Wind Ensemble (Albany, N.Y.) (Brett Wery, conductor) - 26 March 2023
  • Edina (Minn.) High School Concert Band (Paul Kile, conductor) - 14 March 2023 *Premiere performance*


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources