Chamarita!

Roger Nixon

General Info

Year: 1981
Duration: c. 8:10
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $90.00 | Score Only (print) - $16.95

Instrumentation

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

Bass Drum
Castanets
Claves
Crash Cymbals
Maracas
Marimba
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tambourine
Tam-Tam
Temple Blocks
Tenor Drum
Triangle, small
Wood Block, high and low
Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Chamarita! embodies some of the imagery and spirit of the Chamarita Festival of Half Moon Bay, Calif., one of several Holy Ghost celebrations held annually by Portuguese communities in California. Rich in tradition and with a spirit of joy and thanksgiving, it is derived from the actions of Queen Isabel of Portugal in relieving famine in the Azores near the turn of the fourteenth century. The music portrays a solemn procession to the church for high mass, the ritual, and the subsequent feast with dancing. The name comes from a favorite folk dance from the Azores.

- Program Note by Program Notes

Many of Roger Nixon’s compositions reflect programmatic elements that celebrate his home state of California. Composed in 1981, Chamarita! is one such work. It embodies the imagery and spirit of the Chamarita Festival of Half Moon Bay, California. The Chamarita is one of several Holy Ghost celebrations, held annually by Portuguese communities in California, and it blends cultural traditions from both new and old worlds. Nixon has provided the following note:

There is much symbolism involved in the ritual (for example, the blowing of trumpets to indicate the “mighty wind coming,” and the singing of special hymns). The return parade from the church to the sanctuary in the Chamarita Hall on Pentecost Sunday is perhaps the highlight of the celebration. Escorting the Queen and her attendants are a large band, a drum corps, Boy Scouts, and drill teams, as well as representatives from the American Legion and members of the Irmandade do Divino Espirito Santo. Following the parade and its attendant ceremonies there is a large barbeque in which food is distributed free to all persons attending…. In keeping with the joyful spirit of the festival, there is much dancing. Both folk dancing (primarily dances from Portugal and the Azores) and social dancing (to popular American and Latin American music) are featured. The festival receives its name from a favorite folk dance from the Azores, the Chamarita.

- Program Note from liner notes of Mark CD Rutgers Wind Ensemble: Caricatures

Commercial Discography

Audio CD: U.S. Air Force Band of the West (Steven Grimo, conductor) - 2008

Media

Audio: Rutgers Wind Ensemble (William Berz, conductor)

State Ratings

Florida: VI
North Carolina: VI
South Carolina: VI
Tennessee: VI
Virginia: VI

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

San Jose (Calif.) Wind Symphony (Edward C. Harris, conductor) – 7 May 2017

Works for Winds by This Composer

Resources

Huff, J. "Chamarita!". Program Notes. 28 November 2008. Accessed 7 May 2017
Nixon, R. (1983). Chamarita! [score]. Boosey & Hawkes: [New York].