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Desert Roads
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Subtitle: Four Songs for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble
General Info
Year: 2005
Duration: c. 29:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Carl Fischer
Cost: Score and Parts - Rental | Score Only (print) - $128.99; | Solo Clarinet - $22.99
Movements
1. Desert Roads – 7:20
2. Soliloquy – Not Knowing – 3:15
3. Coming Home – 11:35
4. Pray for Tender Voices in the Darkness – 8:10
Instrumentation
Full Score
Solo B-flat Clarinet
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contra Alto Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Harp
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V
(percussion detail desired)
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
The concerto has become a particularly intimate vehicle of expression for me. The title Desert Roads suggests an interior journey, a time of searching, of not knowing, of creative incubation. I have chosen to call these four movements “songs” for clarinet and wind ensemble. This connects them directly to the Romantic idea of “songs without words.” They are intimate rather than symphonic expressions. Songs by Schubert, Schumann, and Brahms are some of my favorite music.
I. Desert Roads: Christ’s 40 days in the desert – Moses and Israel: 40 years in the desert – a time of inner searching
II. Soliloquy – Not Knowing: A brief movement, looking deeply and fervently for guidance
III. Coming Home: A “life journey” movement, both delicate and forceful, thoughtful and exuberant – a quiet coming home to rest – dedicated to the memory of Frederick Fennell, father of the modern wind ensemble movement, whose mentoring and friendship set me firmly on my path of writing for winds.
IV. Pray for Tender Voices in the Darkness: A sober contemplation of death – a benediction
- Program Note by composer
Media
- Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
- Audio CD: Illinois State University Wind Symphony (Steohen K. Steele, conductor) - 2008
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) Wind Ensemble (Emily Threinen, conductor; Sangyoon Kim, clarinet) - 7 December 2022
- Lamont School of Music (Denver, Colo.) Wind Ensemble (Joseph Martin, conductor; Jeremy Reynolds, clarinet) - 18 November 2021
- Michigan State University (East Lansing) Wind Symphony (Kevin Sedatole, conductor; Mingze Wang, clarinet) – 31 January 2017
- University of Wisconsin – Superior Symphonic Band (Pamela Bustos, conductor; Sharra Wagner, clarinet) – 23 April 2015
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Alex and the Phantom Band (2002/2015)
- Angel of Mercy (2015)
- California (2016)
- A Child's Garden of Dreams (1981)
- Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble (1999)
- Concerto for Marimba and Band (1990)
- Concerto for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble (2015)
- Concerto for Piano, Winds, and Percussion (1979)
- Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Wind Ensemble (2012)
- Concerto No 2 for Piano, Winds, and Percussion (2002)
- Concerto No 3 for Piano and Wind Ensemble (2016)
- Concerto for Trombone and Wind Ensemble (2007)
- Crown of Thorns (1991)
- Desert Roads (2005)
- Fanfare-Variations on the Chorale Melody "Durch Adams Fall" (Through Adam's Fall). See: Recitation Book
- First Light (2016)
- Four Pieces for Band (1980)
- Give Us This Day (2005)
- Golden Light (1990)
- Heart Songs (2001)
- Hell's Gate (1997)
- Hohner (1999)
- Hosannas (2015)
- Husa (2016)
- Hymn for World Peace (2014)
- Illumination (2013)
- In Memoriam (1990)
- Laudamus Te (1995)
- Letter to Martin (2015)
- Liberation (2012)
- Little Concerto (1990)
- Mass (1995/2005)
- Montana Music: Chorale Variations (1993)
- Morning Star (1997)
- Mother Earth (2008)
- Mountain Roads (1997)
- On This Bright Morning (2013)
- Peace (2012)
- Prelude on a Gregorian Tune (1981)
- Procession of the Academics (2008)
- Quintet for Winds Number 2
- Recitation Book (2006)
- Remember Me (2013)
- Requiem (2013)
- Rollo Takes a Walk (1980)
- Saint Francis (2015)
- Sea Dreams (1998)
- The Seeker (2016)
- Song at the End of Time
- Songs for the Coming Day (2012)
- Song Book (2001)
- Symphony No. 2 (1987)
- Symphony No. 3 (1991/2007)
- Symphony No. 4 (1993)
- Symphony No. 5 (2000)
- Symphony No. 6 (2004)
- Symphony No 7 (2004)
- Symphony No 8 (2008)
- Symphony No. 9 (2011)
- Symphony No. 10 (2018)
- Tears (1994)
- Testament (2001)
- Traveler (2003)
- A Tuning Piece: Songs of Fall and Winter (1995)
- ufo dreams (1999)
- Unending Stream of Life (2007)
- Variants on a Hymn Tune (1995)
Resources
- Maslanka, D. (2005). Desert Roads : Four Songs for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble [score]. Carl Fischer: New York.