Three Ships
Subtitle: For Flexible Wind Band with Adaptable Parts
General Info
Year: 2020
Duration: c. 2:50
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $70.00 | Score Only (print) - $12.00
Instrumentation (Flexible)
Full Score
Part 1
- Piccolo (optional)
- Flute
- Oboe
- B-flat Soprano Clarinet
Part 2
- Flute
- Oboe
- B-flat Soprano Clarinet
- E-flat Alto Saxophone
Part 3
- B-flat Soprano Clarinet
- E-flat Alto Saxophone
- B-flat Trumpet
- Horn in F
Part 4
- B-flat Soprano Clarinet
- E-flat Alto Saxophone
- B-flat Trumpet
- Horn in F
Part 5
- Bassoon
- B-flat Tenor Saxophone
- Horn in F
- Trombone
- Euphonium
Part 6
- Bassoon
- B-flat Bass Clarinet
- E-flat Baritone Saxophone
- Trombone
- Euphonium
- Tuba
- String Bass (optional)
Timpani (optional)
Percussion I-VI (optional), including:
- Bass Drum
- Bells
- Bongos
- Claves
- Congas
- Crash Cymbals
- Marimba
- Ribbon Crasher
- Snare Drum
- Suspended Cymbal
- Tambourine
- Triangle
- Vibraphone
- Xylophone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Three Ships is based on two traditional Christmas carols of contrasting mood, I Saw Three Ships and In the Bleak Midwinter. The first is lilting and upbeat while the latter is somewhat melancholy and heartfelt. I Saw Three Ships dates back to the 17th century and In the Bleak Midwinter is based on a poem written by Christina Rossetti in 1872, and later set to music by Gustav Holst in 1906 (The English Hymnal).
The work begins with both carols being stated followed by a short development section featuring the percussion. Then, in “tour-de-force” style, a slightly modified version of I Saw Three Ships is combined with In the Bleak Midwinter. A short coda stating the final phrase of I Saw Three Ships concludes the piece in upbeat style.
- Program Note from publisher
Media
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Rowan University (Glassboro, N.J.) Concert Band (Jacob Edmonds, conductor) - 7 December 2021
Works for Winds by This Composer
Adaptable Music
- Appalachian Counterpoint (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- At Morning's First Light (Flex instrumentation) (2004/2020)
- Scherzo d'Espoir (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- Three Ships (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
All Wind Works
- Abiquiu (2010)
- Aerodynamics (2003)
- America the Beautiful (as arranger) (1882/2018)
- And Can It Be? (2000)
- Andromeda (2019)
- Angels of the Apocalypse (2013)
- Apocalyptic Dreams (1995)
- Appalachian Counterpoint (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- Assurance
- At Evening's First Star (2019)
- At Morning's First Light (2004)
- At Morning's First Light (Flex instrumentation) (2004/2020)
- Au Sable River Festival (2002)
- Be Thou My Vision (1999)
- Bells of Freedom (2002)
- Beneath the Sacred Light (2015)
- Bright Gleams a Beacon (2012)
- Cantus Laetus (2001)
- Century Variants (2009)
- Concertino for Four Percussion and Wind Ensemble (1997)
- Concerto for Euphonium, Winds and Percussion (2009)
- Concerto for Horn and Symphonic Band (2008)
- Concerto for Woodwind Quintet and Wind Ensemble (1984/2006)
- Concerto No. 2 for Marimba and Wind Ensemble (2008)
- Concerto for Piano, Percussion and Wind Orchestra (arr. Fisher) (2005)
- Council Oak (2002)
- A Crescent Still Abides (1998)
- Crest of Honor (2005)
- Double F Fanfare (2008)
- Drums of Rwanda (2014)
- The Echo Never Fades (2004)
- Finale, from All Hail the Power
- Fire Up
- Foster's America (as arranger) (2003)
- Foundations (2017)
- Galactic Empires (1998)
- Glorified (2010)
- Heroes, Lost and Fallen (1990)
- Homage (2012)
- Home Again (2016)
- Internal Combustion (1999)
- Intrada Jubilante (1979/1999)
- Jeju Memoir (2019)
- Joyau (2019)
- Keep Silence (2004)
- Kentucky Home (2012)
- A Light Unto the Darkness (1997/1998)
- Lucid Dreams (2011)
- Mansions of Glory (2007)
- New Century Dawn (1999)
- No Shadow of Turning (2005)
- Point of Reckoning (arr. Daughtrey) (2015)
- Providence (2003)
- Quintessence I (1997)
- Quintessence II (2006)
- Radiant Moonbeams (2007)
- Rising Star
- Sails of Time (2006)
- Scherzo d'Espoir (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- Serenade for Winds and Percussion (2000)
- Set the World on Fire (2023)
- Seven Bagatelles (2014)
- Song Shall Never End, The (2014)
- Sub-Saharan Rhythm (1998)
- Symphony No. 2 (2007)
- Three Ships (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- Vintage (1990)
- Vital Signs of Planet Earth (2015)
- Waking Angels (1997)
- When Speaks the Signal Trumpet Tone (1999)
- While the Dew Is Still on the Roses (2013)
- With Heart and Voice (2000)
Resources
- Creative Repertoire Initiative
- David Gillingham website Accessed 13 December 2020
- Perusal score