And Can It Be?
Subtitle: Chorale Fantasy on 'Great Is Thy Faithfulness'
General Info
Year: 2000
Duration: c. 9:40
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C. Alan Music
Cost: Score and Parts - $130.00 | Score Only - $40.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Piano
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV
- Bass Drum
- Bells
- Brake Drum
- Chimes
- Crash Cymbals
- Crotales
- Hi-Hat
- Marimba
- Suspended Cymbal
- Tam-Tam
- Tom-Tom
- Vibraphone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
In 1981, I began my career as a college professor at Spring Arbor College in Spring Arbor, Michigan. It was customary at this church-related college to begin the day, several times a week, with an all-campus chapel service. On one particular occasion, I came late to the service during the singing of the opening hymn, And Can It Be?, a hymn deeply rooted in Methodist tradition, authored by Charles Wesley to the music of Thomas Campbell. Despite my Methodist upbringing, I have never sung or heard this hymn before. With over 700 voices resounding the strains of this hymn, I was immediately taken by its beauty and grandeur. The hymn has remained a favorite of mine and that memorable day is firmly etched in my mind.
After the tragedy at Columbine, Colorado, this hymn tune immediately came to mind with its title now bearing a double meaning. Whereas Charles Wesley wrote, “And can it be that I should gain and interest in the Savior’s blood?”, I asked, “How can it be that these young people should die so violently and needlessly?” One can only turn to God or a force greater than man for comfort amidst such terrible events. Hence, the inspiration for this work is taken from the affirmation of this hymn versus the escalating violence in our country, particularly in our public schools. The substance of this work is derived from the hymn, starting with a partial statement of the hymn which becomes twisted and snarled like the growing violence in our world. But, for the saving grace of God, love always reigns, and the hymn tune eventually emerges in glorious triumph.
- Program Note by composer
Commissioned by the California Band Directors Association
- Program Note from score
Media
- Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
- Audio CD: Irmo High School Symphonic Winds (James Copenhaver, conductor) – 2000
- Audio CD: Ohio State University Wind Symphony (Russel C. Mikkelson, conductor)
State Ratings
- Alabama: Class AA
- Louisiana: IV
- Oklahoma: V-A
- South Carolina: VI
- Tennessee: V
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Washington State University (Pullman) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Dahn Pham, conductor) – 2 October 2019
- Homestead High School (Cupertino, Calif.) Wind Ensemble I (John Burn, conductor - 13 April 2018 (2018 San Joaquin Valley (Calif.) Concert Band Invitational)
- San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Wind Orchestra (William V. Johnson, conductor) - 9 March 2007
- Irmo High School (Columbia, S.C.) Symphonic Winds (James Copenhaver, conductor) – 23 December 2000 (2000 Midwest Clinic)
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 (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)
- 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
- Gillingham, D. (2005). No Shadow of Turning: Chorale Fantasy on "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" [score]. C. Alan: Greensboro, N.C.