Voodoo
From Wind Repertory Project
Contents |
General Info
Year: 1984
Duration: c. 5:20
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Wingert-Jones Publications- Official Website
Cost: Score & Parts - $55.00 | Score Only - $7.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
Flashlights (Audience)
Flute
Oboe
Bb Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
Bb Bass Clarinet
Bb Contrabass Clarinet
Bassoon
Alto Saxophone I-II
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
Trumpet (in Bb) I-II-III
French Horn I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba I-II
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V-VI, including:
- Bass Drum
- Bird Whistle
- Chocolo
- Claves
- Conga Drum
- Cowbell
- Cricket
- Fire Alarm Bell
- Flashlight
- Maracas
- Metal Bowl with BB's
- Snare Drum
- Temple Blocks
- Timpani (Pedal)
- Tom-Toms (2)
- Triangles (3)
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Voodoo was a commission for the Idaho All-State Band in 1984. The piece was written specifically for the setting it would be premiered in, a gymnasium. Mel Shelton, a professor of conducting and composition at Boise State University, conducted it and was instrumental in pulling off the first successful performance of the piece. The educational purpose of the piece was to challenge the performers to listen to each other. "To accomplish this, it occurred to me to turn the lights off." The piece is supposed to be performed from memory, without a conductor. It is as much a theatrical event as a piece of music, calling for the use of flashlights, arm waving, chanting, singing, blowing into brass mutes, surrounding the audience, and playing on parts of wind instruments, such as mouthpieces, trombone slides, and trumpets with tuning slides removed.
Voodoo, the band piece, is in no way related to the practice of religion. The name of the piece is derived from a conversation Bukvich had with his friend who was a missionary nun living in Guatemala. "She told me that the sounds of the jungle, at night time, reminded her of 'those old Voodoo movies' they used to watch," he said. Many of these "sounds of the jungle" are imitated in Voodoo, the band piece. The primary melodic material is loosely based on a favorite Gregorian chant; he simply finds the melody appealing. It is also a smooth, flowing, conjunct melodic line which works well while singing the word "voodoo."
Program Note by Daniel Bukvich
Commercial Discography
None discovered thus far.
Audio Links
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Recent Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
Additional Works for Winds by this Composer
- Agincourt Hymn
- Before Thy Throne I Now Appear
- Buffalo Jump Ritual
- Casco Bay
- Celebrate Celebration
- Changing Concepts
- Child's Dream of a Star, A
- Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestral Winds
- Cowboys
- Dinosaurs
- Dream of Abraham, The
- Electricity
- Fanfare for 1990 Goodwill Games
- Fanfare for a Great Circle
- Fanfare in Song Form
- Four Phrases from Psalm 91
- Hymn of St. Francis
- Maine Vigils
- March of the Children's Guard
- Meditations on the Writings of Vasily Kandinsky
- Music for Percussion and Band
- Night City - Music for the Imaginary Film
- Rhythm
- Scenes from Childhood (Bukvich)
- Song Suite for Band
- Surprise, Pattern, Illusion: Prehistoric Cave Ceremonies
- Symphony No. 1, "In Memoriam, Dresden, 1945"
- Three Phrases from Yugoslav Folk Songs
- Threnos (Bukvich)
- Time Travel
- Unusual Behavior in Ceremonies Involving Drums
- Virgin and Child with St Anne, The
- Xylophone Concerto
Additional Resources
