To Challenge the Sky and Heavens Above

Robert W. Smith

Robert W Smith

General Info

Year: 2000
Duration: c. 5:27
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Alfred Music

Cost: Score and Parts - $70.00   |   Score Only - $15.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
Bb Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
Eb Alto Clarinet
Bb Bass Clarinet
Eb Alto Saxophone I-II
Bb Tenor Saxophone
Eb Baritone Saxophone
Bb Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II
Euphonium (Bass Clef & Treble Clef)
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:

• Bass Drum
• Bells
• Chimes
• Conga
• Crash Cymbals
• Gourd, Large Beaded
• Marimba
• Snare Drum
• Suspended Cymbal
• Vibraphone
• Wind Chimes

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Commissioned by and dedicated to Mr. Tom Mitchell and the Challenger Middle School Band, Huntsville, AL.

-Program Note from score

Drawing upon the vision and bravery of those who take to the skies, the majestic hymn-like introduction, soaring lines and energetic rhythms of this Robert W. Smith original overture was inspired by our country's rich aerospace history. At times heroic, at times reflective, this refreshing work delivers innovative tonalities and textures as well as intriguing melodic content.

-Program Note from publisher

Commercial Discography

None discovered thus far.

Audio Links

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

• Alabama: Class B
• Georgia: IV
• Kansas: III
• Minnesota: III
• North Carolina: IV
• South Carolina: III

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Indianapolis Symphonic Band (Joe Poio, conductor) - 31 March 2015
• Westview Hills Middle School (Willowbrook, Ill.) Concert Band - 8 March 2014
• Beauregard High School (Beauregard, AL) Concert Band (Mack Roberts, conductor)- 2003
• Cass High School (Cartersville, GA) Symphonic Band (Mack Roberts, conductor)- 2005

Works for Winds by this Composer

Adaptable Music

• Christmas Declaration (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Glover) (2009/2019)

All Wind Works

• Aces (2015)
• Ain't No Stoppin' Us (2007)
• Affirmation Overture (1991)
• Africa: Ceremony, Song and Ritual (1994)
• All is Calm (as arranger) (2002)
• American Bell Carol (2012)
• An American Christmas (2004)
• American Dances (Brass Ensemble) (2017)
  • Rag
  • Square
  • Swing
• American Dances (Wind Ensemble) (2017/2018-2019)
  • Rag (2017/2019)
  • Square (2017/2019)
  • Swing (2017/2018)
• American Flourish (2009)
• American Landscape I
• American Portrait I
• And to All a Good Night (2004)
• Angels, from the Realms of Glory (as arranger) (1816/1999)
• Apollo Fanfare
• The Ascension. See: Symphony No 1, "The Divine Comedy"
• Ash Lawn Echoes (1993)
• At Daybreak
• At the Crossroads (1994)
• Bells!
• Beyond the Bell Carol (2018)
• Blue. See: Krisanna's Colors
• Brazil: Ceremony, Song and Samba (2009)
• Brazilian Bell Carol (2016)
• Buffalo Dances (2006)
• By Loch and Mountain (1997)
• Cameroon
• Castle Lore
• Celtic Bell Carol
• Celtic Carol (2002)
• Celebration Fanfare from "Buffalo Dances"
• Ceremonium (1994)
• Chatauqua
• Christmas Concerto III
• Christmas Declaration (2009)
• Christmas Declaration (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Glover) (2009/2019)
• A Christmas Festival (Grade II) (as arranger) (1950/2007)
• A Christmas Festival (Grade III) (as transcriber) (1950/2007)
• Christmas Hymn
• Christmas in the Round
• Christmas Proclamation
• Christmas Spectacle (as arranger) (2020)
• Cohan Celebration
• Crown of Glory
• Crush (2013)
• Currents (2006)
• Dance Celebration (2000)
• Danza
• Deck the Halls with Drums and Voices
• Declaration and Flourish. See: Vaughan Williams Suite
• Declaration in Blue (2002)
• Divine Comedy. See: Symphony No 1, "The Divine Comedy"
• Dramatico
• Dreams (2010)
• Dueling Dragons
• Earhart (2012)
• El Espiritu de Valencia
• Encanto (1989/2007)
• Eternal Peaks (2006)
• Evening Alleluias
• Fanfare and Processional on an Old English Carol (1999)
• Fanfare for a Holiday Celebration (2006)
• Fanfare for Tomorrow
• Fiesta La Vida
• Flying Fortress (2019)
• Full Throttle (2015)
• Furioso
• Gentle Winds of Spring (2019)
• Georgia on My Mind (as arranger) (1930/1980)
• Gladiator Finale
• Glorioso
• Goondiwindi
• The Great Locomotive Chase (2000)
• The Great Steamboat Chase (2003)
• The Greatest Generation (2017)
• Greensleeves. See: Vaughan Williams Suite
• Groovin' Down Cool Street
• Hadrian's Wall (2010)
• Herndon Exaltations
• Highlights from "Ragtime" (as arranger) (1997)
• Holiday March
• Holst Winter Suite
  • On This Day Earth Shall Ring (as arranger) (1924/2001)
  • In the Bleak Midwinter (as arranger) (1906/1992)
  • Old Brenton Carol (as arranger) (1910/2001)
• Hoosier Suite
• Hymnsong Variants
• In a Gentle Rain (2000)
• In the Bleak Mid-winter (Smith)
• Incantations (1992)
• Inchon (2001)
• Inchon (adapt. Ninmer) (2001/)
• The Inferno. See: Symphony No 1, "The Divine Comedy"
• Into the Storm (1994)
• Ireland: Of Legend and Lore (1996)
• Irish Songs for Solo and Band
• Jingle Bells Forever (1998)
• Journeys in Time
• King of Kings (1998)
• Krisanna's Colors (2015-2017)
  • Red (2017)
  • Blue (2015)
  • Yellow (2016)
• Kronos (2003)
• Latin Bell Carol
• Liturgical Fanfare (1995)
• Lullaby for Band
• Maelstrom, The (1997)
• March Grandioso (as arranger) (1909/2007)
• Mighty Empire (2018)
• Mirages
• Morpheus (2004)
• Moto Continuo
• Musical Mayhem (2017)
• A Nation's Strength (2003)
• Navarro
• North Bay Vistas
• On Eagle's Wings (1999)
• Paradiso. See: Symphony No 1, "The Divine Comedy"
• Peace Like a River
• Purgatorio. See: Symphony No 1, "The Divine Comedy"
• Prairie is My Garden, The (2018)
• Prevailing Winds
• Promising Skies (2010)
• Recession, Depression Holiday Blues, The
• Red. See: Krisanna's Colors
• Relativo
• Rising Dragons (2006)
• Rites of Tamburo (1999)
• Repercussions
• The Runaway Sleigh
• Semper Liberi (1998)
• Sensei's Ride on the Cherry Blossom Express (2010)
• Shenandoah (arr. Smith and Story) (2003)
• Solaris
• Songs of Earth, Water, Fire and Sky (1998)
• Songs of Sailor and Sea (1997)
• The Sound and the Fury (1999)
• Southwest Summer (2009)
• Spirit of Orpheus, The (1998)
• Spirit of the Winds
• The Star of Dreams (2002)
• Star Wars: Episode II, Attack of the Clones (as arranger)
• Stone Gardens (2016)
• Suite for the Heroes Among Us (2018)
• Summer Nights (2016)
• Symphonic Festival (1991)
• Symphonic Statement (2006)
• Symphony No 1, "The Divine Comedy" (1995)
  • The Inferno
  • Purgatorio
  • The Ascension
  • Paradiso
• Symphony No. 2, "The Odyssey" (2004)
  • The Iliad
  • Winds of Poseidon
  • The Isle of Calypso
  • Ithaca
• Symphony No. 3, "Don Quixote" (2008)
  • The Quest
  • Dulcinea
  • Sancho and the Windmills
  • The Illumination
• Symphony of Souls
• Sword of Kings
• The Tempest (1995)
• Teutonic Tales (2010)
  • Damon-Tanz
  • Freya
  • Thor's Hammer
• Three Fanfares for a Celebration (2007)
• Through the Vulcan's Eye (1996)
• To Dance in the Secret Garden (1996)
• To Challenge the Sky and Heavens Above (2000)
• To the Summit! (2001)
• Top Gun (1986)
• Triton Fanfare
• Tromba Grande (2016)
• 'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime (as arranger) (1995)
• Twelve Seconds to the Moon (1996)
• Ultimatum
• Upon a Midnight Clear (as arranger) (2014)
• Valiance: A Heroic Overture for Band
• Vaughan Williams Suite
  • Wassail (as arranger)
  • Greensleeves (as arranger) (2007)
  • Declaration and Flourish (2008)
• Walking the Planks (2012)
• When Summer Takes Flight (2002)
• Where the Black Hawk Soars (1995)
• Wind Song (2017)
• World Holiday Celebration
• Yellow. See: Krisanna's Colors

References

• Smith, R. (2000). To Challenge the Sky and Heaven Above [score]. Belwin-Mills Pub.: [United States]