Blue Lake Overture

John Barnes Chance

General Info

Year: 1971
Duration: c. 5:25
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.
Cost: Score and Parts - $110.00 | Score Only - $20.95

Instrumentation

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

Bass Drum
Crash Cymbals
Glockenspiel
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tam-tam
Vibraphone
Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Dedicated to the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp of Twin Lake, Michigan, this exciting overture readily demonstrates the composer’s ability to develop thematic material in a remarkable number of different ways – the entire piece is developed from the initial motif heard in the horn. In the middle section, for example, the opening theme is repeated and given a subtle waltz-like treatment.

- Program Note from Program Notes for Band

Commissioned by the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan and premiered in 1971, this dynamic composition by John Barnes Chance has a unique history. The outer sections of the work feature a rhythmic intensity created in part by Chance's free use of eight-note groupings of 2 and 3. However, when first published, the meter was changed to 4/4, resulting in awkward notation of these figures. Through painstaking research by Carl Bjerregaard, Donald Flickinger, and Myron Welch (all connected with Blue Lake) this revised edition restores the asymmetric meters as the composer originally intended.

- Program Note from publisher

This exciting overture displays the composer's command of time, meter and instrumentation. Beginning with a trademark opening tempo marking of slancio (with impetuosity), the initial motive is heard in the horns. The pulsing 3+3+2 pattern transitions into a soft waltz and a restatement of the original theme. The energy of the opening returned to carry the work to its finale.

- Program Note from Duncanville High School Wind Ensemble concert program, 16 December 2005

Media

Audio CD: Duncanville High School Wind Ensemble (Tom Shine, conductor) - 2005
Audio CD: Illinois State University Wind Symphony (Stephen K. Steele, conductor)
Audio CD: Texas A&M University Symphonic Band (Timothy Rhea, conductor)

State Ratings

Florida: V
Minnesota - Category I
New York: VI
North Carolina: VI
Virginia: VI
MusicFest Canada: B500

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Connecticut (Hartford) All-State Band (T. André Feagin, conductor) - 1 April 2023
University of Iowa (Iowa City) Symphony Band (Myron D. Welch, conductor) - 1 March 2023 (88th Annual ABA National Convention)
University of Iowa (Iowa City) Symphony Band (Richard Mark Heidel, conductor) - 18 February 2023
The University of Texas at El Paso Wind Symphony (Brandon Houghtalen, conductor) - 15 November 2022
Ohlone Wind Orchestra (Fremont, Calif.) (Tony Clements, conductor) - 27 March 2022
University of Florida (Gainesville) Symphonic Band (John Watkins Jr., conductor) – 27 February 2020
Rouge River Winds (Toronto, Ont. Can.) (Pratik Gandhi, conductor) - 26 October 2019
Texas Woman's University (Denton) Wind Symphony (Carter Biggers, conductor) – 3 October 2019
University of Utah (Salt Lake City) Wind Ensemble (Scott Hagen) – 5 March 2019
University of Illinois (Champaign) Hindsley Symphonic Band (Patricia Vanagas Ruiz, conductor) – 3 March 2019
Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, Tex.) Wind Ensemble (Fred J. Allen, conductor) – 13 November 2018
Wheaton North High School Wind Ensemble (Kent Krause, conductor) - 1 November 2018
Virginia Tech University (Blacksburg, Va.) Symphony Band (Dave McKee, conductor) – 29 April 2018
University of Louisiana Monroe Wind Ensemble (Derle R. Long, conductor) – 22 February 2018
Pacific Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Coquitlam, B.C.) (David Brantner, conductor) – 9 December 2017
Cleveland State University (Ohio) Wind Ensemble (Birch Browning, conductor) – 5 October 2017
Capitol Symphonic Winds (West Hartford, Conn.) (Gary Partridge, conductor) – 30 November 2016
Arlington (Va.) Concert Band (James Kirchenbauer, conductor) – 9 April 2016
Ohlone Wind Orchestra (Fremont, Calif.) (Tony Clements, conductor) - 22 March 2015

Works for Winds by This Composer

Blue Lake Overture (1971)
Burletta (2000)
Elegy (1972)
Fiesta
Incantation and Dance (1960)
Introduction and Capriccio for Piano and 24 Winds (1966)
Overture for a Musical Comedy (1997)
Symphony No. 2 (1972)
Variations on a Korean Folk Song (1967)

Resources

Miles, Richard B., and Larry Blocher. 2002. Teaching Music Through Performance in Band. Volume 4. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 455-461.
Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications, pp. 119.