Down in the River

Jay Bocook

Jay Bocook

General Info

Year: 2017
Duration: c. 5:20
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $85.00; (digital) - $85.00   |   Score Only (print) - $10.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
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, including:

• Bass Drum
• Bells
• Chimes
• Crash Cymbals
• Crotales
• Marimba
• Mark Tree
• Puli Sticks
• Snare Drum
• Suspended Cymbal
• Triangle
• Vibraphone
• Wood Block
• Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

The African-American spiritual Down in the River to Pray forms the basis for this creative and dramatic work for mature ensembles. Opening with a tender chorale-like statement, the piece evolves throughout with variations in mood and intensity, ultimately building to a majestic and powerful conclusion.

- Program Note from publisher

Down in the River was commissioned to the memory of deceased members of Phi Beta Mu, Zeta Chapter, Georgia, by the members of the Zeta Chapter, Georgia. It is based on an African American spiritual in the mid-19th century. The exact roots are unknown, but the melody has been featured in countless hymnals, spiritual collections and movie soundtracks. Slaves often sang this spiritual as a prayer for guidance as they navigated their escape through the Underground Railroad. They would travel in the river, because the water masked their scent from slave masters’ dogs attempting to track them down.

Opening with a tender chorale-like statement, the piece evolves throughout with variations in mood, tempo, and intensity, ultimately building to a majestic and powerful conclusion. The allegro section is not a part of the original melody but music composed by Jay Bocook in order to create contrasting thematic material to the melody. The Georgia Wind Symphony, an adult community band, conducted by Dr. David Gregory performed the premiere of this work, at the GMEA Convention on January 27, 2017.

- Program Note from Cobb Wind Ensemble concert program, December 20, 2018

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Tri-State Wind Symphony (Dubuque, Iowa (Nolan Hauta, conductor) 14 July 2022
• Indiana Wesleyan University (Marion) Wind Ensemble (Michael Flanagin, conductor) – 15 November 2019
• Champion High School (Warren, Ohio) Symphonic Band (Tyler Husosky, conductor) – 22 February 2019
• Cobb Wind Ensemble (Marietta, Ga.) (Alfred L. Watkins, conductor) - 20 December 2018 (2018 Midwest Clinic)
• McDaniel College (Westminster, Md.) Band (Linda Kirkpatrick, conductor) 4 May 2018
• West Chester University (Penn.) Concert Band (M. Gregory Martin, conductor) – 15 February 2018
• Georgia Wind Symphony (Braselton, Ga.) (David Gregory, conductor) – 24 January 2017 – *Premiere Performance*

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

• Aztec Fire (Flex instrumentation) (2003)
• Gap Creek (Flex instrumentation) (2000)
• The Liberty Bell (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1893/2011)
• Nimrod (Flex Instrumentation) (as arranger) (1899/2011)
• The North Face (Flex instrumentation) (1999/2021)
• Shackelford Banks (Flex instrumentation) (2003)
• The Thunderer (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1889/2010)

All Wind Works

• 76 Trombones (arr. Anderson; as adapter) (1997)
• Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (as arranger) (1967/2004)
• America's Finest (1991)
• As All the Heavens Were a Bell (2002)
• At Dawn They Slept (2010)
• Avatar Soundtrack Highlights (as arranger) (2009/2010)
• Aztec Fire (Flex instrumentation) (2003)
• Battle Cry of Freedom, The (as arranger) (1862/2001)
• The Beatles: Love (as arranger) (2008)
• Beauty and the Beast (as arranger) (1992/2017)
• The Blues Brothers Revue (as arranger) (2004)
• Bolero (as arranger) (1928/2003)
• Boy's Dream, A (2007)
• The British Are Coming! (as arranger) (2006)
• Carnival of the Animals, The (as arranger) (1886/2006)
• Catch Me If You Can (as arranger) (2011)
• Chariots of Fire (as arranger) (1983)
• Concert Suite from "Dances with Wolves" (as arranger) (1991)
• The Cowboys (as arranger) (Grade III) (1972)
• The Cowboys (as arranger) (Grade V) (1972/2007)
• Crown Imperial (as arranger) (1937/1998)
• Danse Bacchanale (as arranger) (1877/2004)
• Danzón (as arranger) (1944/1990)
• Dartmoor, 1912 (as arranger) (2011)
• Defying Gravity (as arranger) (2003/2010)
• Dies Irae (as arranger) (1874/1998)
• Down in the River (2017)
• Dream On (as arranger) (1973/2011)
• Fanfare and Hymn of Brotherhood (1982/2004)
• Fanfare and Hymn: A Mighty Fortress (as arranger) (1529/1991)
• Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (as arranger) (1910/2006)
• Film Score Classics (as arranger) (1990)
• Firebird Excerpts (as arranger) (1910/1995)
• Freedom (as arranger) (2000/2002)
• Game of Thrones (as arranger) (2018)
• Gap Creek (Flex instrumentation) (2000)
• Glee Showstoppers (as arranger) (2010)
• Gloriana (2015)
• Go the Distance (as arranger) (1997)
• Granada (as arranger) (1932/1998)
• Head Rush (2015)
• Hey Jude (as arranger) (1968/1992)
• Hunger Games (as arranger) (2012)
• Into the Light (1996)
• The Invincible Eagle (as arranger) (1901/2004)
• Jekyll & Hyde (as arranger) (c. 1990/1998)
• Jingle Bells - Jolly Old St Nick (as arranger) (1857/2002)
• John Williams Swings (as arranger) (2011)
• Juba Dance (as arranger) (1932/2022)
• Kirkpatrick's Muse (2017)
• Legacy of Honor (2013)
• The Liberty Bell (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1893/2011)
• Liberty Fanfare (as arranger) (1986/2010)
• Lincoln (as arranger) (2013)
• Liquid (2019)
• Little Mermaid, The (as arranger) (1990)
• Lost Mountain (2008)
• Mars (as arranger) (1916/1998)
• Maverick (2020)
• Miss Saigon Selections (as arranger)
• Music from "Mission: Impossible" (as arranger) (1996)
• Music from "The Incredibles" (as arranger) (2004/2006)
• Nessun Dorma (as arranger) (1926/2003)
• Nimrod (Flex Instrumentation) (as arranger) (1899/2011)
• The North Face (Flex instrumentation) (1999/2021)
• O Waly, Waly (2011)
• Olympic Spirit, The (as transcriber) (1988/1996)
• Out of Sea and the Shark Cage Fugue (as arranger) (1975/2011)
• Out of This World (as arranger) (1999)
• Pearl Harbor Soundtrack Highlights (as arranger) (2006)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (as arranger) (2006)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (as arranger) (2007)
• Prince of Egypt, The (as arranger, with Zimmer) (1998/1999)
• Procession of the Nobles (arr Bocook) (as arranger)
• Queen in Concert
• The Rebellion Is Reborn (as arranger) (2017)
• Ritual Fire Dance (as arranger) (2001)
• Robin Hood (as arranger) (1991)
• Roll Tide (as arranger)
• Russian Easter Overture (as arranger) (1888/2000)
• Sacred Harp (2013)
• Scheherazade (as transcriber) (1888/2006)
• Scherzo from "Symphony No. 9" (as arranger) (1824/2004)
• Selections from "Moana" (as arranger) (2016/2017)
• Selections from "Wicked" (as arranger) (2004)
• Shackelford Banks (2003)
• Shackelford Banks (Flex instrumentation) (2003)
• Skyfall (as arranger) (2012/2013)
• Somewhere from "West Side Story" (as arranger)
• Soundtrack Highlights from Les Misérables (as arranger) (1980/2013)
• Star Trek: The Inner Light (as arranger) (1995)
• Sweet Georgia Brown (arr. Bocook) (1925)
• Symphonic Suite from "Jurassic World" (as arranger) (2015/2017)
• Symphonic Suite from "On the Waterfront" (as arranger) (1954/2011)
• Symphonic Suite from "Star Trek" (as arranger) (2009)
• Symphonic Suite from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (arr Bocook) (as arranger) (2016)
• Symphony No. 5, Mvmt IV (as transcriber) (1937/2005)
• Theme from "Blazing Saddles" (as arranger) (1983)
• Thriller (as arranger) (1982/2009)
• The Thunderer (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1889/2010)
• Titan Spirit (as arranger) (2000/2009)
• Trooper Salute (as arranger with Reese) (2015)
• Uptown Funk! (as arranger) (2014)
• Vallum Hadriani (2022)
• Vaquero (as arranger) (1967)
• Viper (2010)
• The Washington Post (as arranger) (1889/2010)
• West Side Story: Medley (as arranger) (1957/1991)
• Who's That Masked Man? (as arranger) (2007)
• Young Person's Guide to John Williams (as arranger) (1991)

Resources

None discovered thus far.