Traveler

David Maslanka

General Info

Year: 2003
Duration: c. 13:05
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Carl Fischer, distributed by Theodore Presser
Cost: Score and Parts - Rental ($335.00) | Score Only - $95.00

Instrumentation

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

Bass Drum
Bongos
Crash Cymbals
Crotales
Maracas
Marimba
Orchestra Bells
Sleigh Bells
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbals (2: large and small)
Tam-tam
Temple Blocks
Tom (medium)
Tom-tom
Triangles (2: large and small)
Vibraphone
Wood Block
Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Traveler was commissioned in 2003 by the University of Texas at Arlington Band Alumni Association, the Delta Sigma chapter of Kapa Kappa Psi and the Gamma Nu chapter of Tau Beta Sigma, in honor of the career contributions of Ray C. Lichtenwalter (b. 1940), retiring director of bands at UT Arlington. Ray has been a close friend and champion of my music for many years, and it was a great pleasure for me to write this piece for his final concert.

The idea for Traveler came from the feeling of a big life movement as I contemplated my friend's retirement. Traveler begins with an assertive statement of the chorale melody Nicht so traurig, nicth so sehr (Not so sad, not so much). The chorale was not chosen for its title, although in retrospect it seems quite appropriate. The last part of a life need not be sad. It is the accumulation of all that has gone before, and a powerful projection into the future -- the potential for a tremendous gift of life and joy. And so the music begins with energy and movement, depicting an engaged life in full stride. At the halfway point, a meditative quiet settles in. Life's battles are largely done; the soul is preparing for its next big step.

In our hearts, our minds, our souls
We travel from life to life to life
In time and eternity.

- Program Note by composer

Awards

Traveler has been recommended as interesting, serious and distinctive music by members of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE).

Media

Audio CD: Illinois State University Wind Ensemble (Stephen Steele, conductor)
Audio CD: North Texas Wind Symphony (Eugene Migliaro Corporon, conductor)

State Ratings

North Carolina: Masterworks

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

University of Central Oklahoma (Edmund) Wind Symphony (Brian Lamb, conductor) - 20 January 2023
Rowan University (Glassboro, N.J.) Wind Ensemble (Joseph Higgins, conductor) - 12 December 2022
Banda Departamental Del Valle (Cali, Colombia) (Rubén Darío Gómez, conductor) - 26 May 2022
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Wind Symphony (Rubén Darío Gómez, conductor) - 27 April 2022
Ohio University (Athens) Wind Symphony (Max Van Dyne, conductor) - 4 April 2022
Tyler (Tx.) Junior College Wind Ensemble (Jeremy R. Strickland, conductor) - 18 November 2021
Hays High School (San Antonio, Tx.) Wind Ensemble (John Raushuber, conductor) - 17 May 2021
Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) Concert Band (Cory Near, conductor) - 15 May 2021
Banda Filarmónica Juveníl (Bogotá, Colombia) Wind Ensemble (David MacKenzie, conductor) - 21 March 2020
Lawrence University (Appleton, Wisc.) Symphonic Band (Matthew Arau, conductor) – 7 March 2020
Colorado State University (Fort Collins) Symphonic Band (T. André Feagin, conductor) - 25 February 2020
University of Miami (Coral Gables) Frost Wind Ensemble (Tina DiMeglio, conductor) – 1 February 2020
Cathedral City (Calif.) High School Symphony Band (Matthew K. Howe, conductor) - 16 December 2019
University of South Florida (Tampa) Symphonic Band (Marc S. Sosnowchek, conductor) – 26 November 2019
University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) Wind Ensemble (Michael Ketner, conductor) – 23 November 2019
Oregon State University (Corvallis) Wind Ensemble (Erik Leung, conductor) – 21 November 2019
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Wind Ensemble (Christopher J. Woodruff, conductor) – 15 November 2019
University of Maryland (College Park) Wind Ensemble (Andrea Brown, conductor) – 18 October 2019

Works for Winds by This Composer

Alex and the Phantom Band (2002/2015)
Angel of Mercy (2015)
California (2016)
A Child's Garden of Dreams (1981)
Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble (1999)
Concerto for Marimba and Band (1990)
Concerto for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble (2015)
Concerto for Piano, Winds, and Percussion (1979)
Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Wind Ensemble (2012)
Concerto No 2 for Piano, Winds, and Percussion (2002)
Concerto No 3 for Piano and Wind Ensemble (2016)
Concerto for Trombone and Wind Ensemble (2007)
Crown of Thorns (1991)
Desert Roads (2005)
Fanfare-Variations on the Chorale Melody "Durch Adams Fall" (Through Adam's Fall). See: Recitation Book
First Light (2016)
Four Pieces for Band (1980)
Give Us This Day (2005)
Golden Light (1990)
Heart Songs (2001)
Hell's Gate (1997)
Hohner (1999)
Hosannas (2015)
Husa (2016)
Hymn for World Peace (2014)
Illumination (2013)
In Memoriam (1990)
Laudamus Te (1995)
Letter to Martin (2015)
Liberation (2012)
Little Concerto (1990)
Mass (1995/2005)
Montana Music: Chorale Variations (1993)
Morning Star (1997)
Mother Earth (2008)
Mountain Roads (1997)
On This Bright Morning (2013)
Peace (2012)
Prelude on a Gregorian Tune (1981)
Procession of the Academics (2008)
Quintet for Winds Number 2
Recitation Book (2006)
- Fanfare-Variations on the Chorale Melody "Durch Adams Fall" (Through Adam's Fall) (2006)
Remember Me (2013)
Requiem (2013)
Rollo Takes a Walk (1980)
Saint Francis (2015)
Sea Dreams (1998)
The Seeker (2016)
Song at the End of Time
Songs for the Coming Day (2012)
Song Book (2001)
Symphony No. 2 (1987)
Symphony No. 3 (1991/2007)
Symphony No. 4 (1993)
Symphony No. 5 (2000)
Symphony No. 6 (2004)
Symphony No 7 (2004)
Symphony No 8 (2008)
Symphony No. 9 (2011)
Symphony No. 10 (2018)
Tears (1994)
Testament (2001)
Traveler (2003)
A Tuning Piece: Songs of Fall and Winter (1995)
ufo dreams (1999)
Unending Stream of Life (2007)
Variants on a Hymn Tune (1995)

Resources

David Maslanka, Carl Fischer.
David Maslanka website
Seggelke, Martin H. "Traveler." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 9, edit. & comp. by Richard Miles, 816-826. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2013.