Africa: Ceremony, Song and Ritual

Robert W. Smith

Robert W. Smith

General Info

Year: 1994
Duration: c. 9:00
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Alfred Publications
Cost: Score and Parts - $90.00   |  Score Only - $10.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Piccolo
Flute
Oboe (Opt. English Horn)
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone I-II
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V-VI-VII-VIII, including:

• Bass Drum
• Castanets
• Claves (2 sets)
• Congas
• Cowbells
• Cymbals (crash and suspended)
• Finger Cymbals
• Flexatone
• Glockenspiel
• Gong (Tam-tam)
• Gourd (beaded)
• Log Drum
• Marimba
• Shaker
• Timpani
• Tom-Toms (large)
• Tubular Bells
• Wind Chimes

Errata

There are several pitch notation errors in the Piccolo part.

Program Notes

Africa: Ceremony, Song, and Ritual is based on the primitive folk music of Western Africa. Inspired by the recording and research of Mr. Stephen Jay, the work features traditional ceremonial music for dance and entertainment as well as dynamic percussive invocations and historical songs.

African musicians feel that they bring life to their instruments just as God gives life to the musician. As a result, individual instruments are believed to possess consciousness and are treated with the same respect and reverence given to an honored living person. The drum, the featured section of this work, is considered a sacred object as well as a musical instrument. It is believed to be endowed with a mysterious power which has been incomprehensible to the many missionaries and early travelers on the African continent. As one listens, the mind experiences a wide range of emotions including joy, fear, hope, and grief.

Oya "Primitive Fire" recreates man's conquest of fire. In the beginning of time, man discovered that he could create the elusive power by striking two flints together. He gathered his sticks and dry leaves and kindled them. The flames begin to rise very slowly, yet steadily building higher and higher into a large writhing body of energy spreading across the horizon. Suddenly, it begins to fade ... slowly ... losing life ... then the last spark ascends to the heavens and leaves the earth in darkness.

The Ancient Folk Song originates from Ghana, situated in the tropical belt of West Africa. It is a land of lush tropical beaches and rocky lagoons. The peaceful tranquility of this beautiful country was first disturbed by European settlers in the 1500s as Ghana became the center for exporting slaves and gold. As a result, the area became known as the Gold Coast. A secondary melody based on the folk song Marilli weaves throughout the final statement of the original theme.

With thunder and lightening as his weapon, Shango, the God of Thunder, revisits the earth. To herald his return, his devotees chant this invocationary praise. The big and small drums made of hollow trees and the skins of rams resound throughout the night as circles of worshipers dance to a frenzied state. The joyous opening statement returns amid the primal percussion, drawing the work to an exhausting conclusion.

Africa: Ceremony, Song and Ritual was commissioned by and is dedicated to the New Trier High School Band, Winnetka, Illinois, John A. Thomson, Conductor.

- Program Note by Robert W. Smith

Media

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State Ratings

• Minnesota: Category I

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Bethel College (Mishawaka, Ind.) Wind Ensemble (Vicky Warkentien, conductor) – 15 November 2018
• Colorado Wind Ensemble (Denver) (David Kish, conductor) - 19 May 2018
• Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, Penn.) Symphony Band (Robert Cameron, conductor) – 31 October 2017
• Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge) Symphonic Band (Kelvin Jones, conductor) – 22 November 2016
• Category 5 Wind Ensemble, Inc. (Charlie Fix, conductor) - 8 March 2014
• University of Minnesota, Duluth, Concert Band (Daniel Eaton, conductor) - 10 November 2013
• Ohlone Wind Orchesta (Tony Clements, conductor) - 11 March 2012
• Liverpool High School Concert Band (James R. Dumas, conductor) - 16 May 2012

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)
• Chautauqua (2004)
• 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)
• A Minor Holiday Celebration (as arranger) (2019)
• 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"
• The Prairie is My Garden (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

Resources

• Robert W. Smith website